2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational purse, payouts: Scottie Scheffler leads loaded field again as PGA Tour hits Bay Hill

The PGA Tour's "off week" is behind us, and we've now got back-to-back signature events ahead of us.

A loaded field is at Bay Hill Club and Lodge this week in Orlando, Florida, for the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler leads the way, and is once again a massive +350 favorite to win on BetMGM. Scheffler hasn't played since his T12 finish at the Genesis Invitational last month, where he had to make the weekend on the number to keep his cut streak alive. That was his worst finish all season.

Every golfer inside the top 10 in the Official World Golf Rankings is in the field this week, including Rory McIlroy. Heplayed his way into the final groupat the Genesis Invitational, but couldn't quite catch up to eventual winner Jacob Bridgeman. Justin Thomas is also back on Tour. He'llmake his first start since he underwent back surgeryafter the Ryder Cup last fall.

Shane Lowry will return, too, and will tee off alongside Xander Schauffele in the first two rounds. Lowry blew athree-shot lead down the stretch on Sundayin a stunning collapse at last week's Cognizant Classic, which opened the door for Nico Echavarria to grab the win instead.

The event carries a $20 million purse, with $4 million going to the winner on Sunday afternoon. It's the final event before The Players Championship next week, which is the Tour's marquee event on its schedule.

The Tour will also play the Puerto Rico Open this week at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande as an alternate event. That tournament carries a $4 million purse, and will offer the winner 300 FedExCup points.

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Here's everything you need to keep up with the action at Bay Hill this week.

The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational Basics

Dates: March 5-8Course: Bay Hill Club & Lodge | Orlando, Florida2025 Winner: Russell HenleyFedExCup Points: 700Purse: $20 million

How To Watch the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational

All times ET

Thursday & Friday2 p.m. — 6 p.m. | Golf Channel

Saturday & Sunday12:30 p.m. — 2:30 p.m. | Golf Channel2:30 p.m. — 6 p.m. | NBC, Peacock

2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational Payouts

1. $4 million2. $2.2 million3. $1.4 million4. $1 million5. $840,0006. $760,0007. $700,0008. $646,0009. $600,00010. $556,00011. $514,00012. $472,00013. $430,00014. $389,00015. $369,00016. $349,00017. $329,00018. $309,00019. $289,00020. $269,00021. $250,00022. $233,00023. $216,00024. $200,00025. $184,00026. $168,00027. $161,00028. $154,00029. $147,00030. $140,00031. $133,00032. $126,00033. $119,00034. $114,00035. $109,00036. $104,00037. $99,00038. $94,00039. $90,00040. $86,00041. $82,00042. $78,00043. $74,00044. $70,00045. $66,00046. $62,00047. $58,00048. $56,00049. $54,00050. $52,00051. $51,00052. $50,00053. $49,00054. $48,00055. $47,00056. $46,00057. $45,00058. $44,00059. $43,00060. $42,00061. $41,00062. $40,00063. $39,00064. $38,00065. $37,00066. $36,00067. $35,00068. $34,00069. $33,00070. $32,00071. $31,00072. $30,000

byLiam Oneel

in

March 03, 2026

2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational purse, payouts: Scottie Scheffler leads loaded field again as PGA Tour hits Bay Hill

The PGA Tour's "off week" is behind us, and we've now got back-to-back signature events ahead of us. ...

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs' prison release date moved up

Sean 'Diddy' Combsis getting out of prison a few weeks earlier than expected.

The rapper, who has beenserving a 50-month sentencefor prostitution-related charges, is now scheduled to be freed on April 25, 2028, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records accessed byEntertainment Weekly. Combs' release date was previously set at five weeks later, on June 4, 2028.

This is not the first time that the 56-year-old's release date has fluctuated since his 2025 conviction: Combs was originally slated for release on May 8, 2028, before getting pushed back to the June date.

Representatives for Combs didn't immediately respond to EW's request for comment.

The disgraced music mogul has been imprisoned since his September 2024 arrest, whenhe was charged withsex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. His highly publicized federal trial began in New York on May 12. Combs pleaded not guilty and has denied all of the allegations against him.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York accused Combs of leading a criminal enterprise that "abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct,"according to the indictment.

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Singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, who is also Combs' ex-girlfriend, served as the prosecution's star witness. Through tears,she testified about enduring "freak-offs,"voyeuristic drug-fueled sex marathons in which Combswould allegedly observe, instruct, and film her having sexwith sex workers. Ventura said the relationship left her feeling "humiliated." While Combs did not testify in the trial, his lawyers maintained that all the sex at issue in the case was consensual.

Combs wasultimately found guiltyof two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, a verdict that was widely seen as a legal victory for the rapper, as he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have seen him sentenced to life in prison. On Oct. 3, 2025, a federal judge sentenced Combs to 50 months (just over four years) in prison, fined him $500,000, and ordered five years of supervised release once he leaves prison.

The rapper is currently imprisoned at Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution, a low-security prison located in New Jersey, where he was transferred to from the New York's Metropolitan Detention Center.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Following the verdict, reports emerged that PresidentDonald Trumpwas mulling over whether or not to commute Combs' sentence. In a statement to EW last October, the White House claimed there was"zero truth"to said rumors.Trump reiterated thisin January. After telling theNew York Timesthat Combs "asked me for a pardon" in a letter, the president indicated that he is not contemplating granting clemency to the rapper.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byLiam Oneel

in

March 03, 2026

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' prison release date moved up

Sean 'Diddy' Combsis getting out of prison a few weeks earlier than expected. The rapper...

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Elton John’s teen sons look all grown up in rare family portrait

Elton John's kids are all grown up!

The teenagers — whom the musician shares with husband David Furnish — posed with their parents for a new family portraitobtained by People.

Zachary, 15, and Elijah, 13, both sported simple black T-shirts and matching black loafers for the photo shoot, which was shot in their home library.

John, 78, took a more stylish approach, rocking a dark purple suit with blue glasses and sneakers, while Furnish, 63, wore a green suit and a light blue shirt.

Also pictured were their two dogs: Labradors Joseph and Jacob.

According toUK's The Telegraph, the portrait was shot three days before Christmas by photographer Catherine Opie and will be on display at London's National Portrait Gallery.

"To have our family photographed by Catherine Opie and on display at the National Portrait Gallery is a huge honor," John and Furnish told the outlet. "We are huge admirers of her work and proud to have her beautiful and poignant images in our collection."

Opie also gushed about the experience, telling the Telegraph that it was "truly an honor" to work with the family, adding, "For me, it represents the humanity of what family can be."

Additionally, Victoria Siddall, director of the National Portrait Gallery, released a statement.

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"It celebrates not only Sir Elton John's extraordinary achievements in music but also the vital humanitarian and philanthropic work that he and David have undertaken in recent decades, and the family they have built together," she explained.

John and Furnish originally met through mutual friends in 1993 and entered a civil union in 2005.

Since then, they welcomed their two children via surrogate and officially tied the knot on Dec. 21, 2014.

The "Tiny Dancer" singer later called fatherhood "the greatest thing" during his guest appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2016.

"If you'd had said to me 10 years ago I'd be sitting on your show married to the man I love and have two beautiful children I would have said, 'You put acid in my drink,'" he joked at the time.

"But life throws you challenges and life throws you curveballs — great curveballs — and these two children have come along at a time I never thought I'd have children. There's no words to describe how much we love these boys. They're just amazing."

In 2019, the legendary musician said that hetries to leave his stage persona behindwhen he's home with his sons.

"They know what daddy does, but I never bring Elton home. I try to leave Elton on the stage," Johntold reportersat the time.

"They know that daddy is famous but … they're quite grounded, as far as that goes. They love their daddy's music, but they also like a lot of other people's music."

byLiam Oneel

in

March 03, 2026

Elton John’s teen sons look all grown up in rare family portrait

Elton John's kids are all grown up! The teenagers — whom the musician shares with husband David Furnish ...

Read More