The course played about two strokes easier for players with later tee times, aiding Wyndham Clark's round that ended with a 5-under 67 and a two-shot lead.

A major championship test has produced a major championship leaderboard through the first round of the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational. On a day when the scoring average at Bay Hill Club & Lodge was roughly 74.

Among those who shot 80 or higher were Max Homa and Cameron Young, the latter of whom rifled his opening tee shot out of bounds. Homa, meanwhile, has struggled for almost 10 months now, a far cry from the top-10 player he was a year ago.