In a lifetime of legendary golf, it takes a lot to throw Arnold Palmer for a loop. Palmer is the one person in golf ’s rich history that has seen almost everything. He has played with Presidents, played with Hogan, Nicklaus, Player, Nelson, Snead and Tiger. He was the main event in 1960 when he made his legendary back nine charge at Cherry Hills to win the U.S. Open, a charge that amazed everyone but himself.

Still, as far as believing the unbelievable, he quickly refers to a shot from his own tournament, formerly the Bay Hill Invitational and now the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Master Card. Palmer flashes back to 1990 when Robert Gamez, then a young player with a promising future looked a Shark dead in the eye and pulled off the unthinkable, most spectacular shot in the 40 years the PGA Tour has visited the Orlando area.

Trailing Greg Norman by one shot on the 18th hole and facing a 172–yard approach over water to a tight pin location, Gamez took out his 7–iron and gambled.

Palmer, who never met a gamble on the golf course he didn’t accept, watched as Gomez plunked it into the hole for an eagle two, one of the greatest tournament–ending shots in history. It’s been 16 years since that shot, one of seemingly countless times Norman's heart was broken coming down the stretch. Palmer says he’ll never forget it.

“We have had some great finishes at Bay Hill over the years, but that one is pretty hard to top. I certainly won’t forget it.”

They’ve been playing the tournament at Bay Hill since 1979. It’s gone to a playoff six times, including the first one in 1979 when Bob Byman beat John Schroeder in extra time. It was Byman’s only PGA Tour win, but like Gamez he faced a long approach over water and knew he had to get close. Byman hit a 4–iron to within a couple of feet and drained the putt and the tournament was off and running at Bay Hill.

Starting in 1982, there were three consecutive playoffs resulting in victories for Tom Kite (over Jack Nicklaus and Denis Watson), Mike Nicolette (over Norman) and Gary Koch (over George Burns). Kite pulled off the trick again in 1989 when he defeated Davis Love III, but it was another decade before the most recent playoff , in 1999 when Tim Herron knocked off Tom Lehman.

That was the last year before Tiger Woods began his annual victory march down the 18th fairway. Woods won four straight, a PGA Tour record for a single tournament, capping it off in 2003 with an 11–shot win over second place Since then, Chad Campbell, Kenny Perry and Rod Pampling have each taken the title.

The names have changed over the years. This year’s version will have its eighth different name, but the one thing that has been there for all of them is Palmer’s presence at the 18th green for the awards ceremony. The names of the tournament have changed, but putting Palmer’s name on it seems only appropriate. The players on the Tour never referred to it by its corporate name, it was always ‘Arnie’s Tournament’.

Until this year, the Florida Swing always consisted of four events staged at Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Ponte Vedra Beach. The leading players, taking the view they can’t play all four weeks without a break, tend to skip one of the two in south Florida but it’s unthinkable to skip Bay Hill.

Anyone who follows golf closely remembers the vignette in John Feinstein’s golf book, A Good Walk Spoiled, about the 1994 golf season. He tells a story about Bay Hill, then called the Nestle Invitational by no one except TV commentators. Palmer shocked everyone – even himself this time – by making the cut. As Feinstein wrote, the players ordered a sheet cake large enough for nearly 100 golfers so they could congratulate Palmer and let him know he was still one of the boys. For Palmer, it was another great Bay Hill memory. “It was just supposed to be a joke,” Palmer said. “It was great and they got a kick out of it, but we all laughed. Still, it was a great thought.” As much as he’s seen the tournament change and grow over the years, this year the course will be set up differently, particularly on two of its finest holes, No. 4 and No. 16. “I can never predict how it’s going to turn out, but I am excited about the changes we've made to the course,” Palmer said. “We are still working hard to put everything in place, but I think it will be more challenging this year.”

Palmer has turned the 16th hole into a par–4, making for a wicked approach shot with water guarding the front of the green and traps on the back left side. In addition, fringes and sand traps are being tweaked to enhance appearances.

Palmer doesn’t play the tournament any more, of course, and stopped playing altogether recently. At 77, he feels he’s not able to play up to the high standards he’s always set for himself.

“I’m not even hitting them any more,” Palmer said. “Even if I were hitting them well it would be tough to play any more. It takes a lot of hard work to play and when you can’t play the way you want to play, it’s tough.”

He might not be playing, but he still is one of the boys. Bay Hill week is one big party hosted by Palmer himself. It’s taxing, but Palmer said he wouldn’t miss his big week for anything.

“I still get excited every year,” Palmer said. “All of my friends come to town and it’s so much fun to see the quality of play out here. The fans are great and it’s just a lot of fun. I am excited about the new sponsor and we’ll see what happens. I hope for another great finish.”

Following the tweaking of the PGA Tour schedule this year (the Players Championship has been moved to May to give it the feel of a ‘fifth major’), the Florida Swing will start the last week of February in Palm Beach Gardens, just outside Fort Lauderdale, then go west to Tampa which will make its spring debut. Bay Hill will move to March 12–18, followed by another trip south to Doral for the second World Golf Championships event of the year.

The tweaking should have little effect, but Palmer is taking a wait–and–see approach. “I would have liked to have kept our normal date the way it used to be, but I guess it will all work out for the best ,” Palmer said.

Working out for the best. Isn’t that the way it always works out when Palmer puts his heart and mind into something?