(Editor’s note: Story has been updated with scheduled resume time.)
The third round of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational was halted by heavy rains at the Bay Hill course on Saturday, March 7.
The top PGA Tour players were called off the course at 2:53 p.m. Eastern. But it would appear it was a typical, brief Florida downpour that stopped almost as quickly as it began.
Here’s what we know about the status of third round of play:
Was the Arnold Palmer Invitational suspended?
Yes. At 2:53 p.m., play was suspended due to inclement weather. But not even 20 minutes later, the rain slowed down and the clouds rolled away as the grounds crew began to remove the water.
When will the Arnold Palmer Invitational start again?
As of 3:18 p.m., the PGA Tour announced that play is expected to resume at 4 p.m. Eastern. The final group on the course is through four holes, and sunset in Orlando is scheduled for 6:29 p.m., meaning the entire third round may not be completed before it’s too dark.
Do golf tournaments get canceled because of rain?
If it’s just raining, no. Golfers will play through rain. However, there are two big exceptions:
PGA Tour weather policy
The PGA Tour directs spectators to pay attention to on-course scoreboards for weather messages throughout the tournament. The PGA Tour weather policy has five color-coded stages of alerts regarding weather:
The policy says in the event of dangerous weather, fans should avoid hilltops, high places, golf carts, temporary structures, trees and wire fencing.
Where to watch Arnold Palmer Invitational
Thursday, March 5
Friday, March 6
Saturday, March 7
Sunday, March 8
USA TODAY Florida Network’s Dan Rorabaugh contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Arnold Palmer Invitational weather delay: Here’s when play should resume
Reporting by Juston Lewis, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
