Dave Tindall recommended Chris Kirk as a first-round leader option at Bay Hill, citing his track record of quick starts in Florida. Tindall noted that in Kirk’s last 10 Florida events, he has twice ended Round 1 in second place and has finished the opening day 16th or better seven times. Specifically at Bay Hill, Kirk’s FRL positions for the last three editions are 8-2-11, with sub-70 scores each time. Tindall also referenced Kirk’s recent early-round success, including a 64 at The American Express and a 66 at last week’s Cognizant Classic.

Keith Stewart recommended Chris Kirk for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, citing that Kirk has been hitting the ball very well but struggling with his putting. Stewart pointed out that Kirk lost nearly five strokes putting at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. Returning to Bermuda grass greens, which suit him better as a Georgia native and Southeast guy, could improve his putting. Stewart observed that Kirk looked very comfortable hitting the ball on the range and believes that in a strong field, Kirk is the type of player who won't be afraid to contend, offering value in DFS lineups.

Neil Parker identified Chris Kirk as a longshot pick at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, noting Kirk’s six career PGA Tour wins and a strong track record at Bay Hill. Kirk has logged five Top-15 finishes in this event – including four straight from 2018 through 2022 – and has consistently gained true strokes on approach, around the greens, and on the greens during his visits here. Though his current form is underwhelming, Parker pointed to Kirk’s knack for posting out-of-nowhere victories and believes Bay Hill’s layout is well suited for Kirk’s game.

Keith Stewart suggested Chris Kirk as a long shot pick for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, highlighting several reasons for his potential to win. Kirk has had success on Bermuda grass and at Bay Hill in the past. He consistently puts the ball in the fairway and is an extremely good iron player—key attributes for success at this course. Although his putting has been poor recently, Kirk changed his putter and saw improvements during the Cognizant tournament, showing better performance over a couple of rounds. Keith observed that Kirk is gaining confidence, with his ball striking improving as he feels less pressure to hit approaches extremely close. Keith believes that if there's someone down the board who could 'go nuclear' with scoring on Bermuda grass, it's Chris Kirk.

Matt highlighted Chris Kirk’s past success on Bermuda courses and at this particular event, noting that Kirk has won here before and often excels on these greens even when not in his best form. Despite some recent struggles, Matt observed Kirk focusing on fairways and greens in practice, suggesting a return to comfort and potential upside for bettors who believe in Kirk’s track record on Bermuda.

Bo McBrayer recommended Chris Kirk at 65 to 1, citing his strong track record in the Florida swing along with a balanced game. McBrayer noted that Kirk ranks near the top-20 in nearly every key metric he measured, aside from his proximity numbers from 175 to 200 yards. Despite that minor weakness, McBrayer believes Kirk’s consistent ball striking and proficiency on tough courses make him a great value at this number.