Arnold Palmer Invitational 2015 live stream: How to watch online, TV coverage and more

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is the final leg of the four-week Florida swing and a sign that the Masters rapidly approaches. The 2015 edition at Bay Hill will once again be without Tiger Woods, the player who has owned this event as it rose to prominence on the early-season schedule. Woods has won here 8 times in his career, but had to sit out last year after back surgery and will stay on hiatus this year because he didn’t feel he had the game to compete at a course he knows so well.

While Tiger may be gone, the world No. 1 is here for the first time. Rory McIlroy, who now appears on the box of Tiger Woods’ old EA Sports golf game, headlines the tournament that has become synonymous with Tiger’s Sunday red. Rory’s first quarter schedule has varied from season-to-season in his five years playing PGA Tour events in the States. But this event is one he’d always passed on for whatever reason.

McIlroy expressed some regret about that on Wednesday and said he was happy to be here this year and “honor” the host. The four-time major winner could use a smooth tournament after two shakier starts earlier on the Florida swing. He’ll stay the favorite at the Masters, the lone remaining obstacle to the career slam, but a return to form at Bay Hill would certainly be a boost in what is likely is his last start before Augusta.

Rory will be out later in the day playing with Jason Day and Rickie Fowler, two others who will be among the favorites at Augusta. They go off just before 1 p.m. ET and should be the focus of much of the Golf Channel first round broadcast, which starts at 2 p.m. That group should be just four holes into their round when Golf Channel goes live, and should have many of their early shots shown during an on-site pregame show.

If you’re stuck in an office and want to watch in the morning before TV goes live (or that little NCAA Tournament thing), PGATour.com will have a featured groups stream starting just after 8 a.m. That stream had to pull a late audible when Bubba Watson withdrew from the event Wednesday night. Bubba, Adam Scott, and Brooks Koepka were supposed to be the Thursday morning featured group. But with Bubba now gone and Kevin Kisner in his place, the featured group was switched to the next tee time, which features Billy Horschel, Henrik Stenson, and Brandt Snedeker -- the last three FedExCup champions.

Once the TV coverage comes on the air, that PGATour.com stream will switch from featured groups coverage to a featured holes stream. Golf Channel will also have their usual simulcast up and running at 2 p.m. Here are all your media options for the opening round:

2 to 6 p.m. -- Golf Channel

2 to 6 p.m. -- Golf Channel simulcast stream