Arnold Palmer has admitted that he is "surprised" by Rory McIlroy's absence at Bay Hill this week.
The 23-year-old will not compete in Florida, instead opting to use the Houston Open as his only warm-up event before next month's Masters.
Palmer was under the impression that McIlroy would be playing in his invitational event, but said that he will not be losing any sleep over his no-show.
"Frankly, I thought he was going to play, and I was as surprised as a lot of people when he decided he was not going to play," Palmer told reporters.
"I've had conversations, brief conversations with him some time ago, not recently, about his playing.
"For some reason I got it in my mind that he would be playing but that, obviously, is wrong. What his reasoning is, I don't know, and I'm not going to worry about it."
The Arnold Palmer Invitational began in 1974.
Michael Penkman
