Defending champion Francesco Molinari withdrew prior to the start of the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, citing a back injury.
Molinari was replaced in the field by K.H. Lee, who went out Thursday morning alongside 2018 API champion Rory McIlroy and former world No. 1 Justin Rose.
Molinari has not won an event, on any tour, since shooting 64 Sunday at Bay Hill a year ago to capture this tournament. He jumped to seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking at that point, but is currently 26th.