article_snippet: Arnold Palmer revealed Arnold Palmer joy that Rory McIlroy is competing for the first time in the tournament Arnold Palmer hosts .
article_snippet: Rory McIlroy is present but  eight-time winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger Woods (left), is not .
article_snippet: McIlroy has had a disappointing time of McIlroy so far in Florida.
article_snippet: In McIlroy two previous outings in Florida, McIlroy missed the halfway cut in the Honda Classic and finished tied 9th in the Cadillac Championship at Doral.
article_snippet: This is McIlroy last scheduled tournament before McIlroy historic tilt at a career Grand Slam at the Masters.
article_snippet: McIlroy is in a three-ball with Rickie Fowler (left) and Jason Day for Arnold Palmer first two rounds of the event .
article_snippet: It was very nice of McIlroy to ring me to tell me McIlroy wasn’t coming
article_snippet: I’ve known McIlroy since McIlroy was 3ft high and that’s how McIlroy became a great player and how McIlroy will become a great player again.
article_snippet: The tournament begins on Thursday with McIlroy in a belter of a group, alongside good friend Rickie Fowler and Australian Jason Day.