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Arnold Palmer News: Archives

July 01, 2009

PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER INDUCTED INTO WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower has been voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2009. Eisenhower was selected in the Lifetime Achievement Category for his genuine love for the sport of golf and his role in popularizing the game after the second world war. He will become the first President to enter the Hall when he is inducted posthumously on Nov. 2 at the World Golf Village in St Augustine, Florida.

During the 60's Eisenhower and Palmer became friends out of mutual admiration and respect for one another. Both Eisenhower and Palmer hailed from ‘blue collar’ backgrounds—Eisenhower as the progeny of Mid-west farming ‘stock’ from Kansas and Palmer as the son of Latrobe’s professional and course superintendent—which perhaps explains the affinity they clearly felt for each other.

"One would be hard pressed to find any single person who did more to popularize the game of golf, not only in the United States but throughout the world, than President Eisenhower," Arnold Palmer said in a statement on Friday. "His visibility, coupled with his passion for the game, were the inspiration for literally millions of people picking up the game for the first time. Those involved in golf today owe him a great debt of gratitude," added Palmer.

The Arnie and Ike relationship goes on to this day with the Palmer Prostate Center at Eisenhower Luci Curci Cancer Center located in the heart of the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs California. The Coachella Valley is where their desert connections converged with another friend, Bob Hope, making many headlines that ultimately led to popularizing the game.

The number of Americans who played golf doubled while Eisenhower was in office from 1953 to 1961, according to "First Off The Tee," a book on U.S. presidents who played golf.

Eisenhower will be inducted along with two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain, former PGA champion Lanny Wadkins and Christy O'Connor of Ireland.

Eisenhower joins a very short list of Hall of Famers who never played competitively, such as Bob Hope and Dinah Shore.

Posted by scurry at 03:30 PM

June 10, 2009

Arnold Palmer Memorabilia Featured in New Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Exhibit

The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is scheduled to unveil a museum-quality exhibit featuring classic photos and memorabilia on June 29, 2009 at 1 PM at the historic Las Vegas National Golf Club, in conjunction with the inaugural Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Classic Pro-Am. Plus, the Class of 2009 will be recognized and is made up of Jimmie Bullard, Edward Fryatt, Dwaine Knight and Jack Sheehan.

Arnold Palmer memorabilia and photos will be on exhibit along with other golf champions Jim Colbert, Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sorenstam and many others. Palmer's connection to Las Vegas is not only his professional wins there, but also the seven courses at five golf clubs he's designed with the Arnold Palmer Design Company.

The Hall of Fame was formerly known as the Southern Nevada Golf Hall of Fame, but committee members voted to change the name to best capture the essence and passion of the Las Vegas golf community. The new exhibit will be the first all-encompassing tribute to the long history and tradition of Las Vegas golf.

For more information please visit the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame website at www.lasvegasgolfhof.com.

Posted by scurry at 11:59 AM

June 08, 2009

PALMER RETURNS TO CHERRY HILLS FOR 2009 PALMER CUP

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. — Arnold Palmer returned to the site of his legendary 1960 U.S. Open victory at Cherry Hills last week to attend The Palmer Cup, his namesake collegiate Ryder Cup style event.

As he spoke from a podium Tuesday, Palmer jokingly said to the young golfers; "I'm going to be on the first hole. And the first guy that pulls out a 1-iron or 2-iron or 3-wood, I'm going to run out and hand him his driver." This aggressive play is how Palmer birdied the first hole at Cherry Hills when he began his most famous charge from seven shots back to claim victory at the 1960 U.S. Open, still a record for the largest comeback victory in U.S. Open history.

"He has given more back to golf than just about anybody," USGA president Jim Vernon said Tuesday during the Palmer Cup's opening ceremonies. "There's a lot to learn from Arnold."

Due to rain delays, Tuesday's college-am fundraiser was postponed until Wednesday. But that allowed Palmer more time to share stories and to speak with players entered in the four-round competition with a U.S. vs. Europe format patterned after the Ryder Cup.

Palmer stayed to witness the fierce competition. "These guys played well and it was a joy to watch." said Palmer.

Final score was Europe 13, United States 11. The victory was the Euros second in a row and second on American soil. The win evened the all-time series, 6-6-1.

Final Results

Palmer Cup Presented by Fisher Capital Partners
Cherry Hills Country Club
June 5

Europe 13, United States 11

Four-Ball Matches Results
Jorge Campillo/Tim Sluiter, Europe def. Bud Cauley/Trent Leon, USA, 2-up
Henrik Norlander/Robin Wingardh, Europe def. Erik Flores/Adam Mitchell, USA, 6 and 4
Leonardo Motta/Andrea Pavan, Europe def. Mike Van Sickle/Steve Ziegler, USA, 2-up
Morgan Hoffmann/Cameron Tringale, USA def. Stephan Gross/Chris Paisley, Europe, 2-up
Europe leads 3-1

Singles Matches Pairings
Bud Cauley, USA def. Robin Wingardh, Europe, 4 and 3
Jorge Campillo, Europe def. Mike Van Sickle, USA, 1-up
Tim Sluiter, Europe halved Cameron Tringale, USA
Leonardo Motta, Europe def. Morgan Hoffmann, USA, 2-up
Stephan Gross, Europe def. Erik Flores, USA, 3 and 1
Steve Ziegler, USA def. Andrea Pavan, Europe, 2 and 1
Adam Mitchell, USA def. Chris Paisley, Europe, 4 and 2
Henrik Norlander, Europe def. Trent Leon, USA, 3 and 2
Europe leads 7.5-4.5

Foursomes Matches Results
Jorge Campillo/Tim Sluiter, Europe def. Bud Cauley/Mike Van Sickle, USA, 5 and 4
Erik Flores/Steve Ziegler, USA def. Stephan Gross/Chris Paisley, Europe, 1-up
Leonardo Motta/Andrea Pavan, Europe def. Trent Leon/Adam Mitchell, USA, 3 and 2
Morgan Hoffmann/Cameron Tringale, USA def. Henrik Norlander/Robin Wingardh, Europe, 1-up
Europe leads 9.5-6.5

Singles Matches Results
Jorge Campillo, Europe def. Bud Cauley, USA, 2 and 1
Stephan Gross, Europe def. Steve Ziegler, USA, 5 and 4
Tim Sluiter, Europe def. Morgan Hoffmann, USA, 1-up
Cameron Tringale, USA def. Chris Paisley, Europe, 1-up
Mike Van Sickle, USA def. Leonardo Motta, Europe, 8 and 7
Andrea Pavan, Europe halved Erik Flores, USA
Trent Leon, USA def. Robin Wingardh, Europe, 2 and 1
Adam Mitchell, USA def. Henrik Norlander, Europe, 3 and 2
Europe leads 13-11

Posted by scurry at 02:57 PM

May 19, 2009

Palmer's "On a Tour"

Today, Arnold Palmer flew his Citation X from Nashville to Dallas to take part in an HP Byron Nelson Championship luncheon ceremony where he received the Byron Nelson Prize and a $100,000 contribution to a charity of his choice. The Byron Nelson Prize is awarded each year to a person or organization in the golf world who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship, integrity and philanthropy that Byron Nelson personified. The T.Boone Pickens Foundation is the presenting sponsor of the Byron Nelson Prize that was created by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, the tournament organization.

On Monday, Palmer attended The Vinny, an annual pro/celebrity event hosted by music star Vince Gill that benefits youth golf. Palmer spent much of the day posing for pictures, signing autographs and chatting with players at the Golf Club of Tennessee.

When asked for comment on his recent stint philanthropic visits, Palmer simply stated "It was a very heart-warming two-day tour."

Palmer fielded many questions at The Vinny; read the full article at The Tennessean.

Posted by scurry at 03:51 PM

May 18, 2009

USGA MUSEUM LAUNCHES ARNOLD PALMER MEMORY BOOK

The United States Golf Association is inviting the public to participate in a very special project to celebrate a true sporting legend and a great American.

Arnold Palmer will be celebrating his 80th birthday on September 10, 2009. To honor the occasion, the USGA Museum has launched an online Arnold Palmer Memory Book. The purpose of the Web site is to collect personal stories and memories of Arnold, and allow the public to view other fans’ appreciation of him. Fans can submit their reflections about Arnold in the form of words, images or video.

Arnold’s influence on the game of golf and sports in America has been felt for many years. Collectively, these testimonials will document the remarkable contributions Arnold has made to golf, not simply as a player, but as the embodiment of all that is honorable and exceptional about the game.

“Even if you’ve never had the opportunity to meet him, it seems that almost everyone in and around the game has their own Arnold Palmer story,” said USGA Director of Communications & Museum Rand Jerris. “Perhaps he was a childhood hero, maybe you once saw him play, or you just have a favorite story about him. The key is that we’re looking for personal stories – honest, from-the-heart sentiments that capture the essence of what Arnold Palmer has meant to the game.”

Later this year, the USGA Museum will edit and assemble the very best submissions into a bound volume, for presentation to Arnold as an 80th birthday present.

To participate in the Arnold Palmer Memory Book, log on to usgamuseum.com/arnoldpalmer .

About the USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History

The USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History is home to the world’s premier collection of golf artifacts and memorabilia. The greatest champions and greatest moments in American golf history come alive through entertaining and engaging exhibits. The USGA Museum features a world-class collection of more than 70,000 artifacts.

Visitors also have the opportunity to tour the USGA Research and Test Center and play a round on the Pynes Putting Course, a Himalayas-style green that is open annually from early spring through late fall.

The USGA Museum is located in Somerset County, N.J., near the intersection of Interstates 78 and 287. For more information, please call (908) 234-2300 or visit the Museum Web site at www.usgamuseum.com.

About the USGA

The USGA is the national governing body of golf in the USA and Mexico, a combined territory that includes more than half the world’s golfers and golf courses.

The Association’s most visible role is played out each season in conducting 13 national championships, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open. Ten USGA national championships are exclusively for amateurs, and include the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The USGA also writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, provides expert course maintenance consultations, funds research for better turf and a better environment, maintains a Handicap System®, celebrates the history of the game, and administers an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program, which has allocated more than $63 million over 12 years to successful programs that bring the game’s values to youths from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.

Posted by scurry at 03:00 PM

May 07, 2009

Arnold Palmer calls on Tiger Woods to play Celtic Manor ahead of Ryder Cup

From WalesOnline.co.uk -- AMERICAN golfing legend Arnold Palmer has joined a growing list in the game demanding Tiger Woods play the Twenty Ten Course at the Celtic Manor before next year’s Ryder Cup.

The 79-year-old seven times Major champion yesterday took a first look at the host venue for the third biggest sporting event on the globe after the Olympic Games and Football World Cup and admitted: “It’s a fantastic stage for the Ryder Cup.”

Read the full article

Posted by scurry at 03:48 PM

May 01, 2009

PALMER HONORED AT GOLF BUSINESS FORUM, PLAYS ST. ANDREWS

Arnold Palmer takes off in his Cessna Citation X from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport at his Latrobe, PA, hometown on Monday, May 4, and flies to Cardiff, Wales, to attend the Golf Business Forum, at which he will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award the next day.

"I am honored to be accepting this award from the Golf Business Forum and am very proud to be associated with an organization that does so much to further the sport of golf." said Palmer.

Palmer is scheduled to conduct a golf clinic and meet with some upcoming young Welsh golfers that afternoon.

Staff members of Arnold Palmer Design Company will attend the Tuesday sessions with Palmer. "The Golf Business Forum has continually provided excellent support to APDC and the golf development industry throughout the world." said Erik Larsen, Executive Vice President of APDC. "We are very appreciative for all that the GBF does to help grow the sport."

On Wednesday, Palmer and his group will fly on to St. Andrews, Scotland, where Palmer will play the Old Course in the Spring Medal of the Royal & Ancient with Sir Michael Bonallack, the former Secretary and Chief Executive of the R&A and British Amateur champion, and Harmish Ritchie, the current R&A captain. Palmer will participate in other activities at St. Andrews later in the day before he, his wife Kit and the rest of his party fly back to Latrobe on Friday.

Posted by scurry at 09:45 AM

April 29, 2009

HOUSE PASSES BACA LEGISLATION HONORING ARNOLD PALMER

Bill Awards Congressional Gold Medal to Golfing Legend

Washington, DC – Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation introduced by Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) that awards the Congressional Gold Medal to world famous golf professional Arnold Palmer. The Arnold Palmer Gold Medal Act, H.R. 1243, officially recognizes Palmer for his service to the nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship in golf, and was passed in the House by a 422 to 1 vote.

“Arnold Palmer is a legend and a giant among golfers,” said Rep. Baca. “He won 92 championships in professional competition, but even more significant, he is an exemplary American. He has served his country with distinction in the U.S. Coast Guard, and has spent countless hours dedicated to philanthropy and improving the lives of others. I thank my colleagues for joining me in support of this legislation granting Congressional recognition on the life and achievements of Arnold Palmer.”

“I have had the opportunity to play a round of golf with Arnold Palmer,” added Rep. Baca. “My son, Rialto City Councilman Joe Baca, Jr., was also in attendance. Walking those eighteen holes with Arnold Palmer was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Not only is he a golf legend, but he also is a genuine person with a great sense of humor.”

Arnold Palmer’s magnetic personality and unfailing sense of kindness and thoughtfulness have endeared him to millions throughout the world. He has been the recipient of countless honors including virtually every national award in golf and both the Hickok Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year awards. In addition, he was chosen as the Athlete of the Decade for the 1960s in a national Associated Press poll.

Through his charitable foundation, Arnold Palmer and his wife Winnie have supported numerous philanthropic causes, including nature conservation, cancer prevention, and women’s and children’s health. He has also founded both the Arnold Palmer Pavilion at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida.

“I truly believe that Arnold Palmer is deserving of this honor,” continued Rep. Baca. “But it’s not just about his success on the links – although as a competitive golfer myself I certainly respect his athletic talent and winning results. However, Arnold also has contributed significantly to American society and culture and is an outstanding role model, especially for young people.”

“His legions of fans have often been called ‘Arnie’s Army’,” concluded Rep. Baca. “After today, he can now call it ‘Arnie’s Congressional Army’! Long live his legacy.”

Arnold Palmer has had great success in the business world, forming the Arnold Palmer Design company. With his unfailing personality he has almost single-handedly brought golf out of the elite country clubs and into the consciousness of mainstream America. He is also know for one of his favorite drinks, a combination of half iced tea and half lemonade, a drink which is often referred to as an "Arnold Palmer" in his honor.

Palmer served his country for 3 years in the United States Coast Guard and was among those chosen to address the Joint Session of Congress on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Rep. Baca first introduced legislation to award Arnold Palmer the Congressional Gold Medal in 2002.

###

Posted by scurry at 02:14 PM

April 28, 2009

Arnold Palmer to Present Winnie Palmer Award To Aide Doc Giffin at Met Golf Writers Dinner

Golf legend Arnold Palmer will present the Winnie Palmer Award to his long-time assistant Doc Giffin at the 2009 Metropolitan Golf Writers Association’s 58th National Awards Dinner on Tuesday, June 16, at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

Louise Suggs, the Hall of Fame LPGA great, will receive the MGWA’s Gold Tee Award; Rolex the Bing Crosby Tournament Sponsor Award and Gene Westmoreland, Met Golf Association executive, the Distinguished Service Award at the annual dinner.

The MGWA established the Winnie Palmer Award in 2000 in honor of Palmer’s late wife, who devoted much of her life to charity work for literacy programs and health care. The accolade acknowledges individuals who have consistently given their time, energy and enthusiasm for the less fortunate. Over the last 20 years, the Palmer family has been heavily involved in the establishment of hospital facilities for mothers, children and babies that are incorporated into the Arnold Palmer Medical Center in Orlando, Florida.

“Winnie’s life-long dedication to philanthropy and caring for people is something that I always admired and learned from,” said Giffin, Palmer’s personal assistant for the last 43 years. “I am particularly honored to receive this award in her name.”

Palmer last attended what has been called “golf’s social event of the year” in 2001, when he received the association’s Golden Anniversary Award with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Palmer also earned the MGWA’s highest honor, the Gold Tee Award, in 1965 for career achievements that exemplify the best spirit and traditions of the sport of golf.

The MGWA’s National Awards Dinner is the largest (and longest running) golf dinner held annually in the U.S. All of golf’s governing bodies actively support the dinner—the USGA, PGA of America, the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, the LPGA—and some 700 industry leaders and local golfers attend. Proceeds from the dinner are distributed to three Metropolitan area caddie scholarship programs and the MGA Foundation. More than $950,000 has been raised over the years for charitable endeavors.

Golf fans are encouraged to attend this popular event and join Arnold and Doc for a night of celebrating the spirit of golf and philanthropy. For advance ticket reservations or additional information, please contact Kate Keller at (914) 347-4653. Tickets also may be obtained online at www.metgolfwriters.org.

Posted by scurry at 04:06 PM

April 22, 2009

PALMER HONORED BY SELECTION INTO THE FIRST SOUTHERN CONFERENCE HALL OF FAME

This May 4 marks the date of the first Southern Conference’s Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.

Eight of the 10 inductees will be present for the event. Unfortunately, Arnold Palmer (Wake Forest) had a previous commitment and has taped a video message which will be played for those in attendance.

Inductees that will be in attendance are Megan Dunigan (Furman), Dick Groat (Duke), Sam Huff (West Virginia), Melissa Morrison Howard (Appalachian State), Adrian Peterson (George Southern), Frank Selvy (Furman), Jerry West (West Virginia) and Valorie Whiteside (Appalachian State). The relatives of the late Charlie Justice (North Carolina) will be present to accept the honor on his behalf.

Palmer attended Wake Forest from 1948-50 and 1953-54. He was the NCAA medalist for stroke play in 1949 and 1950. He captured the Southern Conference individual championship in 1948 and 1949 and was runner-up in 1950, the same season Wake Forest won the conference championships.

About the Southern Conference
The Southern Conference, in its 88th season of intercollegiate competition, is the national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and helping build lifelong leaders and role models. The conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first conference basketball tournament (1921), tackling the issues of freshman eligibility (1922), developing women’s championships (1984) to becoming the first conference to install the three-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer. The Souther Conference is the nation’s fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association.

For more information on The Southern Conference please visit www.soconsports.com.

Posted by scurry at 03:39 PM

April 17, 2009

Palmer Supports Stephens Charity Tournament

Arnold Palmer will co-headline the annual Jackson T. Stephens Charitable Golf Tournament in Little Rock Arkansas with Phil Mickelson. Scheduled for April 20 at the Alotian Club in Roland, the tournament benefits Arkansas charities supported by the late Jack Stephens, former chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament.

On Monday, Palmer will attend a dinner where he will speak for a short time before opening the floor for a question-and-answer session. Tuesday he will be present for photos with charity supporters.

The tournament has raised more than $3 million dollars by individuals and companies invited to participate in the fundraiser since it's inception in 2006. First Tee program in Little Rock and Fort Smith, and the Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock are among the charities that benefit from the tournament. Jack's son, Warren, is expected to present Palmer with a generous check to go to one of his own charities that he designates.

"I'm glad to support this event. I came to Little Rock in 2001 to support Jack Stephens when his namesake First Tee Golf Academy was dedicated. Furthering the sport of golf and supporting the First Tee is something I proud to be a part of." said Palmer.

Posted by scurry at 04:29 PM

April 01, 2009

PALMER HEADS TO THE MASTERS

Arnold Palmer’s string of consecutive playing appearances in the Masters Tournament ended at 50 when he competed for a final time in the 2004 championship, but Arnold Palmer will be in Augusta, Georgia, again this April, a stop he has made every year since 1955.

As he did last year, Palmer will go to Augusta Tuesday, April 7, to attend the Champions Dinner that evening in the historic Augusta National clubhouse. Trevor Immelman, the defending champion, hosts the dinner, at which virtually all of the living former winners of the classic event, playing or non-playing, will gather.

On Wednesday, April 8, the “Big 3” reunites for the annual Par 3 Contest where Palmer joins Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player for a 3:05 tee time. First played in 1960 and won that year by Sam Snead, the Par 3 Contest has become a Wednesday tradition at the Masters. Tournament participants, non-competing past champions, and Honorary Invitees are invited to participate in the Contest. Palmer won the Par 3 Contest in 1967 in a playoff. The event will be televised on ESPN.

Palmer serves as the Honorary Starter on Thursday, April 9. Palmer will be just the sixth person to serve as Honorary Starter in the long history of the Masters, which began in 1934. Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod inaugurated the role in 1963. Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen took over in 1981 and Ken Venturi filled in for Nelson in 1983. Sam Snead joined Nelson and Sarazen in 1984. The position was vacant since Snead died following the 2002 Masters until the 2007 event when Palmer assumed the role for the first time.

"As you know, Augusta is one of my favorite places and the Masters has meant so much to me personally throughout my career. I have always been treated so warmly there by the patrons. I hope in some way I can show my gratitude to the fans who have followed and supported me these many years” said Palmer.

Posted by scurry at 05:19 PM

March 25, 2009

THE PRINCE MEETS THE KING

The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard was the setting for a potentially historic photograph Wednesday, as 17-year-old rising Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa - known as the Bashful Prince for his unassuming demeanor - came to meet the King of golf, the tournament host, Arnold Palmer.

"To have our young friend from Japan here to play is great," Palmer said later in a press conference. "I hope he has a good week and enjoys the game."

"We're certainly very pleased. I've heard everything from (him being) a young Tiger Woods to just a really great young man, and having met him and talked to him, he has a great personality. I see from what he's done playing golf that his future is very bright, and not just in Japan but around the world."

Ishikawa arrived at Palmer's second-story executive offices at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge at 9:40 a.m., precisely the appointed time. Ushered to the King's corner office, Ishikawa shook hands with Palmer then in perfect English expressed his appreciation for the invitation.

Palmer took a lapel pin with his umbrella logo and attached it to Ishikawa’s shirt and also gave him several logoed ball markers. Then they headed downstairs for the photo opportunity in front of a large gathering of photographers and television cameramen, mostly from Ishikawa’s home country, who have been following his American tour.

In a press conference later, Ishikawa said: “I (was) so honored when I received Mr. Palmer’s invitation to this tournament. It is going to be my lifetime treasure. I just met Mr. Palmer this morning. It was my wonderful memory, and it’s hard to explain how I feel at the moment. But I could feel he’s a warm-hearted person, just shaking hands.”

At Palmer’s request, the PGA Tour designated Ishikawa to receive an exemption reserved for foreign players in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “I’ve had a relationship in Japan that has gone on for many, many years,” Palmer said. “When something happens like this young man, who is a real hero, it is obvious that we’re going to hear about it and hear how good he is.”

Ishikawa made history in 2007 when, as a 15-year-old high school freshman, he became the youngest champion ever on one of the world’s major golf tours, winning the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup on the Japan Tour. He became a professional last year and won again at the mynavi ABC Championship and placed second in the Japan Open. He was fifth on the 2008 Japan Tour money list and earned $1,074,469 converted to U.S. dollars. He is presently ranked No. 69 in the world.

While Palmer’s was the first, Ishikawa also accepted invitations from the Masters Tournament and two other PGA Tour events, the Northern Trust Open and the Transitions Championship. “I’ve been in Florida for two weeks now, and I’ve found that orange juice tastes great, and hamburger. So I’m enjoying America,” he said.

This is Ishikawa’s second visit to Bay Hill. Four years ago, he played in an AJGA junior event here.

--Bev Norwood

Posted by scurry at 09:30 PM

March 21, 2009

RYDER CUP AND PRESIDENTS CUP STARS ENTER ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

Defending champion Tiger Woods leads field of 120 players

The 31st Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard will feature defending champion Tiger Woods along with most of the players from the recent Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. The PGA Tour event is scheduled for March 23-29 at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.

The world’s No. 1 player and a five-time winner at Bay Hill, Woods will be joined by the other two current major champions, Trevor Immelman and Padraig Harrington, among 29 players entered from the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

In addition to Woods, past Bay Hill winners in the field of 120 players are Vijay Singh, Kenny Perry, Fred Couples, Paul Azinger, Chad Campbell, Rod Pampling, Tim Herron, Andrew Magee, Paul Goydos and Robert Gamez. Nine members of Captain Azinger’s victorious 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team are entered. They are Campbell, Perry, Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis, Jim Furyk, J.B. Holmes, Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan and Boo Weekley. From the European Ryder Cup team are Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Oliver Wilson.

The latest Presidents Cup teams, from 2007, will be well-represented with 10 players from the American team and eight from the International team. These include U.S. players Woody Austin, Lucas Glover, Charles Howell III, Zach Johnson, David Toms and Scott Verplank, and International players Stuart Appleby, Angel Cabrera, Retief Goosen, Nick O’Hern, Adam Scott and Mike Weir.

Among the 19 players who received sponsor exemptions is Rocco Mediate, appearing in a tournament with Woods for the first time since their playoff at the U.S. Open last June. Woods had surgery on his left knee after that and did not play again until last month. This will be his third tournament of 2009.

For tickets or more information on the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876- 7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 05:31 PM

March 16, 2009

MEDIATE WANTS TO MAKE PALMER PROUD

U.S. Open runner-up among 19 to receive sponsor exemptions to 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard

Rocco Mediate will get his wish – another chance to make Arnold Palmer proud.

Mediate was among the 19 players who received sponsor exemptions to the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, scheduled for the week of March 23-29 at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.

In a hand-written note to Palmer requesting the exemption, Mediate wrote: “I would once again love to play in your tournament. I tried so hard to make you proud last June at the U.S. Open. I hope to have another opportunity to do so at Bay Hill.”

At the U.S. Open Mediate, who had five career victories at age 45, became a hero to millions of golf fans as he battled through 19 playoff holes before finishing second to Tiger Woods, age 32, the world’s No. 1 golfer, with 65 career victories including 14 major championships.

“They say that nobody remembers who finished second in a golf tournament,” Palmer said. “I don’t think that will be the case with the 2008 U.S. Open and Rocco Mediate.”

Woods is the defending and five-time champion of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has until Friday March 20 to commit to the PGA Tour that he will be at Bay Hill this year. If Woods plays, this would be the first tournament since the U.S. Open to include both Woods and Mediate. Woods had surgery on his left knee in June and did not play again until last month.

Mediate, who is from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, close to Palmer’s home in Latrobe, will be playing for the 21st year (not consecutive) at Bay Hill, where his best finish was second place in 2007, two strokes behind champion Vijay Singh.

Sponsor exemptions also went to three others who have played at Bay Hill for more than 20 years: Corey Pavin will be making his 25th appearance, along with Brad Faxon (23rd) and Billy Andrade (21st). Andrade’s total is consecutive, as he has not missed a year since starting in 1988. Faxon placed second at Bay Hill in 1995 and tied for second in 2003.

In addition to Pavin, the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup captain and 1995 U.S. Open champion, exemptions went to 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup captain and 1996 British Open champion Tom Lehman, 1993 and 1998 U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen, and 2001 British Open champion David Duval. Lehman tied for fifth at Bay Hill in 2007 and tied for eighth last year.

Others receiving exemptions included Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa, whose position as a foreign player designated by Commissioner Tim Finchem was announced earlier.

In the category of eight PGA Tour regular or past champion members, exemptions went to Andrade, Faxon, Janzen, Lehman, Mediate, Brian Davis, Jason Gore, and Skip Kendall.

In the category of two players from the top 25 finishers in the 2008 Qualifying Tournament and the 2008 Nationwide Tour, exemptions were given to Greg Owen, who was second at Bay Hill in 2006, and Harrison Frazar.

Eight unrestricted exemptions were awarded to Pavin, Duval, 2008 Southern Amateur champion Kyle Stanley, Erik Compton, D.A. Points, Steve Flesch, Notah Begay, and Vaughn Taylor.

For tickets or more information on the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 01:35 PM

March 13, 2009

Navigating the 31st Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard

All the information you need to attend the 31st Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

Tournament Dates:

Monday, March 23, 2009 – Sunday, March 29, 2009

Location:

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge 9000 Bay Hill Boulevard Orlando, FL 32819

Schedule of Events:

Monday, March 23, 2009 – Youth Day/Monday
PRO-AM
7:30 a.m. – Junior Golf Breakfast in the Arnold Palmer Terrace Room.
9:00 a.m. – Monday PRO-AM Tournament begins.
4:30 p.m. – Coca-Cola® Youth Clinic at the Driving Range.
ALL YOUTH admitted FREE with paying adult on March 23.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Practice rounds for PGA TOUR players.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 – Wednesday PRO-AM
PRO-AM Tournament tee times throughout the day, #1
and #10 tees. (Pairings available day-of.)
Thursday, March 26, 2009*
Round 1 of Competition.
Friday, March 27, 2009*
Round 2 of Competition.
College Day - $20 entry for ALL current college students.
Saturday, March 28, 2009*
Round 3 of Competition.
Sunday, March 29, 2009*
Final Round of Competition.

*All pairings and tee-times will be available on the tournament Web site – ArnoldPalmerInvitational.com – the evening prior to play.

Daily Ticket Information:

Practice/PRO-AM Ticket (Monday – Wednesday) – $35 Grants admission into the event on any one day, Monday – Wednesday. Monday is a ticketed day for adults, with the addition of a second PRO-AM event ticket.
All youth are admitted free on Monday with a paid adult. On-site parking included.
Any One Day Ticket (Thursday – Sunday) – $45 Grants admission into the event on any one day, Thursday – Sunday. Parking at Universal Studios, with complimentary shuttle to the tournament provided.
Youth Ticket, Ages 11 to 17 – $15 (10 and under free) Grants admission into the event on any one day, Tuesday – Sunday. All youth admitted free with a paid adult on Youth Day – Monday, March 23.
College Students (Friday, March 27) – $20
On Friday, March 27, current college students can purchase a discounted ticket with their student ID at Universal Studios tournament parking.
Military – FREE
All military receive free admission, any day, all day with a
valid military ID. Military present their ID to pick up a
ticket when parking on-site at Bay Hill, Monday –
Wednesday, and when parking at Universal Studios
tournament parking, Thursday – Sunday.

Ticket Packages:

The King’s Club – $2,000
The King’s Club is the ultimate tournament experience.
This exclusive ticket package grants weeklong entrance to
the tournament and access to the King’s Club (Thursday –
Sunday), an elevated, air-conditioned structure offering
beautiful views of the 16th and 17th greens. A very
limited number of tickets are available. Tickets include:
full food and beverage service; on-site parking with shuttle
to the front of the venue; player meet and greets;
premium, limited edition giveaways; access to the Palmer
Pavilion, Clubhouse and MasterCard Club; and one round
of golf at the Bay Hill Club.
Bay Hill Badge – $300
Includes weeklong access to the Clubhouse and Palmer
Pavilion. This limited edition badge offers a prime view of
the putting green, as well as access to the grounds and
Palmer Pavilion on the 18th tee. Badge holders enjoy the
privilege of guaranteed on-site parking.
Clubhouse Badge – $190
Includes access to the tournament grounds and Bay Hill
Clubhouse. The Clubhouse offers a prime view of the
putting green. On-site parking on a space available basis
is also included.
Palmer Pavilion Badge – $185
The Palmer Pavilion features a comfortable, covered
hospitality area and patio with unique views of the 18th
green. This badge grants access to the grounds and into
the Palmer Pavilion Monday – Sunday. It includes on-site
parking on a space available basis.
Grounds Badge – $95
Includes grounds-only admission to the entire
tournament, Monday – Sunday. Parking with shuttle bus
is provided at Universal Studios.
Gold Patron Package – $3,500
Includes 20 Clubhouse Badges and 10 parking passes for
guaranteed on-site parking in Lot 10.
Bay Hill Patron Package – $2,800
Includes 10 Clubhouse Badges as well as 10 Palmer
Pavilion Badges. Includes on-site parking on a space
available basis.

To Purchase Tickets:

Purchase tickets online at ArnoldPalmerInvitational.com, call the Arnold Palmer Invitational Ticket Office at 407-876-7774 or toll-free at 866-764-4843, or purchase at your local participating Edwin Watts stores.

Parking Information:

On-Site –
Any One Day (Thursday – Sunday) $20
Full Week (Thursday – Sunday) $65
Guaranteed parking on the tournament grounds. Limited availability.
Free General –
Thursday – Sunday parking and shuttle service is provided from Universal Studios for all Arnold Palmer Invitational ticket holders.
Disabled –
Thursday – Sunday, ALL disabled spectators will be required to park in a handicap-specific, hard surface, covered area at Universal Studios. This handicap area will be serviced by special handicap–equipped shuttles. The drop-off at Bay Hill will be at the end of the Clubhouse area.

Will Call Information:

The Will Call trailer is located on the East side of Turkey Lake Road, between Sand Lake Road and Hollywood Way.

Directions to Will Call:

Traveling either direction on I-4, take exit 74A and head west on Sand Lake Road (once on Sand Lake Road, stay in the far Right lane) to Turkey Lake Road. Turn Right on Turkey Lake Road. Travel approx. one mile. You will come to a traffic light at Wallace Road. The Will Call trailer will be just north of Wallace Road and on the East side of Turkey Lake Road (there will be signs).

Will Call Hours:

Monday, March 23 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 24 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 25 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 26 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, March 27 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 28 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 29 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Directions:

To Universal Studios – General Parking

From Daytona/Sanford: Take I-4 West to Exit 74B;
Follow signs to tournament.
From Tampa: Take I-4 East to Exit 74A; Follow signs to
tournament.

To Bay Hill Club & Lodge

From Daytona/Sanford: Take I-4 West to Exit 74A; Exit
right onto Sand Lake Road. Take Sand Lake Road. until
you end at Apopka-Vineland Road and turn right. Follow
signs to Gate C for public parking.
From Tampa: Take I-4 East to Exit 74A; Exit left onto
Sand Lake Road. Take Sand Lake Road until you end at
Apopka-Vineland Road and turn right. Follow signs to
Gate C for public parking.

Posted by scurry at 09:00 PM

March 11, 2009

FURYK IS BACK VYING FOR LONG-SOUGHT BREAKTHROUGH AT ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

Former World No. 2 eager to take on toughened Bay Hill

Jim Furyk admits he didn’t always pencil in a stop at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge on his busy playing schedule. The calendar seemed to work against him, and the Champions Course didn’t seem to suit his game, as much as he enjoyed it.

Now, Furyk is again making a point of heading to central Florida, to the PGA Tour event hosted by one of the game’s legends.

When the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard begins March 26, Furyk will be among the many former major championship winners in the elite, invitation-only field, and the Florida resident hopes he can add to his 13 PGA Tour victories at a tournament that has come to have special meaning for veteran.

Furyk, 39, is a native of Pennsylvania, as is the tournament host, the source of a special bond. That bond was strengthened a few years ago when Palmer wrote to Furyk personally to return to Bay Hill after the 2003 U.S. Open winner had missed the Orlando spot for six years starting in 2000.

“He wrote to me, and that meant a lot,” said Furyk, who last won on the PGA Tour at the 2007 Canadian Open. “I'll be dead honest, if Arnold or someone will talk to you personally or writes you a letter personally and signs it, it would be tough to say no.”

Ranked as high as No. 2 in the world and currently No. 17 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Furyk also sees the tournament dates as being advantageous as he prepares for the first major of the year, the Masters. The Arnold Palmer Invitational has been moved back two weeks to anchor the Florida swing on the PGA Tour.

“This year, it would kind of be a no-brainer for me because of the way the schedule worked for me,” Furyk says. “I’ve played the last few years, and I planned on going this year as well all along. It’s really a tournament I don’t want to miss now. Obviously, a big part of that is simply what Arnold means to the game. Being from Pennsylvania, I’ve always been aware of what he’s done, and of course, the game we are playing today, we all owe a lot to Arnold. The game would be much different without him.”

Furyk would point out that his game is different these days, too, and the changes mean he is better equipped to compete at Bay Hill, not that he has struggled too much before. True, he missed the cut in his first two appearances in 1994 and 1995, but he has scored at par or better in every start since then. His best showing was a tie for eighth in 1998. Last year, he was just three off the lead through two rounds before No. 1 Tiger Woods pulled away for his fifth victory.

“It's actually endearing itself to me,” Furyk says of the 7,157-yard, par- 70 layout. “The more I play it, the more I tend to enjoy it. But I think my game has changed a lot, too, in the last few years, and that probably helps. I think I hit the ball higher, hit the ball a lot farther, and I'm not having some of the issues I had at the course. Plus, I think they're setting it up a little bit differently, which should be interesting. It will be challenging, for sure. I am looking forward to it.”

Palmer said his fellow Keystone State native has to be considered among the favorites because of his ability to drive the ball, a staple of Palmer’s game in his prime.

“Jim drives it well enough, and we aren’t so long that he couldn’t take advantage of some scoring opportunities from the fairways,” Palmer said. “He’s certainly capable of winning here. His game is such that he’s capable of winning anywhere.”

For tickets or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876- 7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 12:45 PM

March 05, 2009

SINGH EAGER FOR ANOTHER SHOT AT ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

FedExCup champion gears up for return to Bay Hill

When Vijay Singh decided to undergo arthroscopic surgery in January on his right knee, one impetus for choosing to not wait was because he didn’t want to risk missing certain events in the first few months of the PGA Tour schedule. No one ever wants to miss a major, so the former Masters champion certainly wanted to be ready for Augusta. But other events were on his mind as well.

“Events like Bay Hill and Pebble Beach, where I’ve had some good success, are very important to me. Those you don’t want to miss,” said Singh, the reigning champion of the PGA Tour’s yearlong FedExCup competition, who underwent surgery January 14 near his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Few tournaments have been a better fit for the fitness-minded, hardworking Singh than the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. The three-time major champion has never missed the cut at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, and, in fact, he showed great promise in the tournament from the beginning.

Singh’s first start as a member of the PGA Tour came at the 1993 edition at Bay Hill, when the tournament was known as the Nestle Invitational, and courtesy of a personal invitation from the legendary host whose name now adorns the tournament, Singh not only showed up, but made his presence felt, finishing second.

But until the 2007 tournament, Singh had piled up 30 PGA Tour victories while meeting with frustration in one of his favorite events. Singh racked up two more runner-up finished and 11 top-25s in his first 14 appearances until finally breaking through with a two-stroke victory over Rocco Mediate. Last year in his title defense he tied for third, three strokes behind Tiger Woods.

Little wonder then that Singh is eager for a return to Bay Hill’s Champion Course. Likewise, it’s no mystery that the talented Fijian will again be among the favorites when the 31st edition of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard is held March 23-29.

“I have a long and proud history with the Arnold Palmer Invitational and I consider it one of the most important events on my schedule each year," said Singh, 45, who has won 22 times since he reached age 40, a record. "It was a huge thrill for me when Mr. Palmer offered me an exemption to play 17 years ago, and I have looked forward to Bay Hill every year since. Obviously, finally winning the tournament two years ago, after coming close a number of times, will go down as one of the highlights of my career, and I would love to recapture that moment later this month.”

A former No. 1 player in the world, Singh has broken par at Bay Hill in 12 of his last 16 rounds, and he was one of just three players to shoot par or better in all four rounds a year ago on the 7,157-yard, par-70 layout that Palmer designed.

“I know the golf course; I know how to play it,” said Singh, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2006. “I think I owe it to Arnie inviting me there the first time I played in America, so I've played there every single year.”

Palmer expects Singh, one of a number of former champions expected to participate, to again vie for the top spot at the elite, limited-field invitational tournament that offers a purse of $6 million, an increase of $200,000 from a year ago.

“Vijay is such a strong player and he works tremendously hard, so it’s no surprise to me the success he’s had,” Palmer said. “His full swing is very good, one of the best, and he’s very consistent. Bay Hill seems to suit him well.”

Posted by scurry at 10:00 AM

March 03, 2009

A Week with the King

PGA Tour players enjoy perk of spending time with host at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard

It was autumn when Davis Love III last ran into Arnold Palmer. “ When I saw him, Arnold asked me, ‘You’re going to be at Bay Hill, right?’” Love recalled. “Well, I said I wouldn’t miss it for anything, and you know, I wouldn’t.”

Love is a three-time runner-up of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, so he’s naturally eager to add that title to his 20 career PGA Tour victories. But beating an elite invitational field on a tough golf course isn’t his only motivation for wanting to return to the Bay Hill Club & Lodge for the 31st edition of Palmer’s prestigious event in Orlando, Florida. Neither is playing for a handsome $6 million purse.

“I love the tournament, and I’ve enjoyed the golf course, though I haven’t quite gotten over the hump, but one of the best things about playing at Bay Hill is the time you get to spend with Arnold,” Love said. “You don’t get to do that very much. It’s in honor of him that you want to be there. That’s what was great about playing for him on the Presidents Cup when he was the captain (in 1996) – it’s that the time you get with him that really means something. You don’t forget it.”

Love’s outlook on the long-running PGA Tour event hosted by one of the game’s most beloved figures is shared by many of his peers. When the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard is held March 23-29, many of the 120 players in the elite invitational field will use the trip to renew acquaintances with golf’s recognized “King.”

“We all know about his success on the golf course but it’s what he’s done for the game, and his tournament is a visible example of that,” said Tim Herron, who won the 1999 edition at Bay Hill. “There’s an aura about him that makes him the man, someone who is a great example for golfers and nongolfers. You conduct yourself like Arnold Palmer, and you aren’t going to go wrong. Being around him for that reason is worth the trip.”

“It’s always great to play there, and the course has gotten harder, so it’s even more of an accomplishment to win there, I think,” Paul Goydos, the 1996 champion, added. “But when you go there, it’s still about being there with Arnold. He treats the pros great; the pros are what matter at Bay Hill. It goes back to who he is. It’s all about the professionals there, and you have to come ready to play because you know that’s what he would do.”

There certainly appears to be no shortage of players who have shaped their decisions by thinking about what Arnold Palmer would do. Two-time winner Loren Roberts is among them, and he believes that all golfers would benefit from some informal lessons from the King.

“I’ve always thought that it’s kind of like our young guys who come out of Q-School or the Nationwide Tour or wherever … rookies ought to have to play a couple of rounds of golf with Arnold Palmer, just to see how he treats everyone on the golf course, how he treats the fans, how he conducts himself,” Roberts said. “It should be a prerequisite to play with Arnold and learn a few things.”

Some PGA Tour members who live in Orlando find that one of the perks of a central Florida residency is a greater opportunity to visit with Palmer away from the stress and bustle of tournament week.

“I saw him at a charity event at home in Orlando for the Winnie Palmer and Arnold Palmer Hospitals in December, and he looks great, and he doesn’t look like he’s slowing down at all,” two-time Tour winner Charles Howell III said. “He’s just unbelievable how he interacts with people. I always get a kick out of seeing him, especially in settings like that where you really see what he’s about, which is, basically, that he’s the same no matter the situation. He’s just a phenomenal person.”

“Personally, I love hanging out at Bay Hill, just to be around Arnie. What a lovely man,” Daniel Chopra, another two-time winner, said. “The first time I met him, it was like he was so much larger than life. It was like meeting John Wayne. It has nothing to do with records and such. It’s who he is. He is approachable, and he makes everyone around him feel good. Just a regular guy, and that is his charm.”

According to Goydos, there’s one additional legitimate reason to journey to Bay Hill in late March. “What do we play for that week? (The purse is $6 million.) That’s not even close to what Arnold Palmer has done for us and for the game,” Goydos said. “More than anything, you just want to go there and play well and then be able to say thanks. Really, you can’t thank him enough.”

For tickets to the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard or for more information, log on to the tournament website, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill Club ticket office at 407- 876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 09:16 AM

February 27, 2009

Kenny Perry has sights set on more Bay Hill success

ANOTHER WIN AT ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD WOULD BE JUST AS SPECIAL FOR 2005 WINNER

At the outset of the 2009 season, veteran PGA Tour player Kenny Perry decided to share with the media his goal to win 20 titles by the time he closes the book on his career. But even before he won the FBR Open earlier this year in a playoff for his 13th Tour title, Perry was looking ahead to one of his favorite events, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, as a potential spot for adding to his total.

“There are places I love that I can play, and there are places I love where I can’t seem to get anything going ever,” said Perry, who is ranked No. 9 in the world. “Bay Hill is one of those golf courses where I just feel real comfortable. Guys always talk about a golf course suiting their eye. I can’t really say that about Bay Hill, but I like the course, and I love going there to see Arnie. I haven’t always played well there, and maybe it’s just that I enjoy being there that I feel like I have a good chance to win when I go there.”

Perry, 48, of Franklin, Kentucky, is expected to be among a number of former champions returning to the 31st Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. The prestigious invitational event, which is hosted by Palmer and contested on a gem of a layout that Palmer designed, is scheduled for March 23-29, the final event on the Tour’s Florida Swing.

Winner of the 2005 edition, Perry has a commendable record at Bay Hill, including a tie for second in 2003. His victory two years later represented the eighth of his professional career, which started in 1982. Perry remembers the nervousness he felt coming down the stretch. “It was a big deal because I really wanted to win that tournament. I have always looked up to Arnold; when I was growing up, he was the man. It just seemed like I always got in my own way, but I didn’t that time.”

Perry fired a closing 70 on the Championship Course for a two-stroke victory over Vijay Singh and Graeme McDowell in what was essentially a threeman race. Perry finished at 12-under 276, while Singh and McDowell closed at 10 under par. Retief Goosen was fourth another five shots back at five-under 283.

“Bay Hill is a tactician kind of golf course,” Perry said. “You really have to navigate around all the problems, and you have to hit it good and be smart at the same time. I’ve always been a good ball-striker. My whole career I’ve been pretty solid from tee to green. Normally the rough is very tough at Bay Hill, and the greens are firm. The year I won, I hit more fairways than anybody else. I drove it great, and that’s what you have to do because that sets up everything else.

“That was a special week,” Perry added. “I played so well, and when you get in that position in an event that means something to you … you try not to think about it. You start to think about what it means to win Arnold Palmer’s tournament and you could mess up real quickly. And then to have him standing out there with that big sword … getting the trophy from him, that was magical stuff.”

Perry, who did not get to defend his title in 2006 because of knee surgery, admits that trying to win 20 times isn’t necessarily a realistic goal, but it gives him something to strive for. He thinks he does have one attribute in common with the tournament host: a natural strength that keeps him competitive against waves of younger players.

“Arnold was such a strong guy in his prime, and that made him exciting,” Perry said. “I’m not saying I’m like Arnold, but I’m lucky that I’m still healthy and I can still do what I want with my golf swing. I am a pretty big guy. I might have lost a little clubhead speed, but the game has not passed me by yet. New equipment, new ball … I can still hit it as far as anybody, and I still feel like I can compete with anybody.”

Posted by scurry at 09:19 AM

February 26, 2009

Trump, Rahr Give $350,000 to Palmer Hospital

Arnold Palmer took philanthropists Stewart Rahr and Donald Trump on a tour of the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Orlando and the two prominent business executives presented him with a $350,000 check for the Children’s Hospital in return.

“Arnold, you should be really proud,” said Mr. Trump after flying in from New York for the visit. “This is a great hospital. The world needs to know about this place.”

Added Mr. Rahr, CEO of Kinray Inc., a major pharmaceutical distribution firm: “Donald and I both made this possible. I hope it helps.”

Rahr previously donated $400,000 to the Arnold Palmer Hospital through a charity event in which he purchased a round of golf with Mr. Palmer.

“We appreciate the generosity of both Mr. Trump and Mr. Rahr and their support of our mission to provide state-of-the-art, specialized care for our patients,” remarked John Bozard, the president of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, which supports both hospitals. “Their donation will touch the lives of many children and families.”

Mr. Palmer concurred, stating that “I am most appreciate that these two very busy business executives accepted my invitation to come to Orlando for this visit and am particularly grateful for their extremely-generous contribution.”

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is a 158-bed facility in Orlando dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. The hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com for further information.

Posted by scurry at 04:18 PM

ORLANDO'S SIGNATURE SPORTS EVENT GIVES BACK WITH SPECIAL COMMUNITY OFFERS

-- The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard Offers Free Entry to Military and Discounted Entry to College Students --

ORLANDO, Fla. (February 26, 2009) — The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard is one of Central Florida’s signature events and a highlight of the PGA TOUR, attracting some of the greatest talent in golf. This year, they are offering an opportunity for military personnel to experience the tournament for free, while giving college students a day at the tournament for only $20, less than half the price of a one-day ticket.

Thanking them for their service to the country, military personnel will receive free entry any day, all day. And, giving them a special discount, current college students can attend the tournament for only $20 on College Day, Friday, March 27. To take advantage of this offer, military simply need to present their ID to pick-up a ticket when parking onsite at Bay Hill March 23 - March 25, and when parking at Universal Studios tournament parking March 26 - March 29. Students will need to show a current student ID at Universal Studios tournament parking on March 27 to purchase their ticket.

“It is a core tradition for the tournament to give back to the community,” said Tournament Director Scott Wellington. “This opportunity for students and military to attend is yet another example of Mr. Palmer’s unending commitment to Central Florida, especially in difficult economic times.”

Along with these offers, all youth (under 17) are admitted free with a paid adult on Monday, March 23, to watch the Pro-Am action live. Additionally, at 4:30 p.m., they will have the opportunity to observe the Coca-Cola Junior Golf Clinic held at the driving range featuring a PGA TOUR Pro.

There are also several different ticket package options ranging from $45 for a one-day adult ticket, to $95 for a weeklong grounds badge, or $300 for weeklong prime greens viewing and access to the tournament, Bay Hill Clubhouse and Palmer Pavilion. Additional badges and group packages are also available. Individuals who purchase their tickets using a MasterCard receive a 5 percent discount on their total purchase.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard will celebrate its 31st year of exceptional golf on March 23-29, 2009 at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Tickets can now be purchased online at ArnoldPalmerInvitational.com, by phone at 866-764-4843 or 407-876-7774, or in person at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Ticket Office at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

About the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard
The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard will hold its 31st annual tournament March 23-29, 2009. As one one of Central Florida’s signature events, the tournament is a premier sporting event and a highlight of the PGA TOUR, attracting some of the greatest talent in golf. The entire event is overseen and directed by one of the game’s all-time greats — Arnold Palmer. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, including Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

Posted by scurry at 11:28 AM

COUNT BIRDIES TO HELP BABIES IN NEED OF CRITICAL CARE

-- Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation Launches Birdies for Babies Fundraising Program in Partnership with the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard --

Posted by scurry at 11:25 AM

February 25, 2009

IMMELMAN SIGNS ON FOR HIS SEVENTH

Masters champion Trevor Immelman has never missed the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard since coming to America to play full-time, and Immelman confirmed his seventh consecutive appearance Tuesday with his official commitment to the PGA Tour.

The 3lst annual Arnold Palmer Invitational will be held March 23-29 at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. Tiger Woods is the defending and five-time champion at Bay Hill. Woods also was the runner-up by three strokes to Immelman in the 2008 Masters.

“Besides the majors, there are some tournaments everyone would like to win in their careers. The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of those, because of the tournament’s namesake and the tremendous golf course,” said Immelman, now ranked No. 25 in the world. “I have been at Bay Hill every year since I started playing regularly in America, and one of these years I want to be there at the end for Mr. Palmer to shake my hand. That would be a moment to remember.”

Palmer and Immelman share a Masters distinction. Immelman’s 75 in buffeting winds, gusting to 35 miles an hour on the last day, matched Palmer’s score from 1962 for the highest final round by a Masters champion. Immelman tied for 48th in the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational despite his 64 in the second round. His best finish at Bay Hill was his tie for ninth in 2007, when he shot 66 in the first round. He tied for 46th in 2004 and missed the 36-hole cut in his other three appearances.

The 29-year-old South African posted his first American victory in 2006 in the Cialas Western Open and entered 2009 with PGA Tour career earnings over $9 million. He also has six international victories plus the 2003 World Cup with South African teammate Rory Sabbatini.

Posted by scurry at 09:05 AM

February 19, 2009

HARRINGTON LEADS THE WORLD TO BAY HILL

Padraig Harrington, the 2008 PGA Tour Player of the Year, made his commitment Wednesday to play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

When the dates were moved forward two weeks to March 23-29, Tournament Director Scott Wellington predicted a stronger field of international players for the 31st annual event at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.

"I was delighted when I saw that the Arnold Palmer Invitational was two weeks before the Masters, because it fits my schedule perfectly. I have played the tournament only twice, early in my career, but I look forward to returning," said Harrington, the 37-year-old Irishman who won last year's British Open and PGA Championship.

"The admiration which the players have for Arnold Palmer and the character of the golf course make the tournament one of the most respected on the PGA Tour. I look forward to playing Bay Hill, which offers a tough challenge with an exciting finish – the 16th, 17th and 18th holes make up one of the toughest finishes in golf."

Harrington, currently No. 3 on the World Ranking, is the highest-ranked player who has not competed in the tournament in recent years. He tied for 50th at Bay Hill in 1998 and missed the cut in 2000. His commitment opens the possibility that the Arnold Palmer Invitational could feature all the top-10 players in the world. The other nine have competed at Bay Hill regularly or at least as recently as 2007 or 2008.

"Padraig obviously has been on our wish list," Wellington said. "We have always had one of the best fields of players in the world, including most of the highest-ranked players. But this year we should have more players who have not previously included us on their schedules, and we hope to get several more highly-ranked players."

Harrington has 17 career victories worldwide, including five on the PGA Tour. He won the Honda Classic and Barclays Classic in America in 2005, and claimed the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie for his first major championship and the first by an Irishman in 60 years.

Last year Harrington repeated in the British Open at Royal Birkdale then won the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills. He was the first European to win back-to-back major titles, the first European since James Braid in 1906 to win consecutive British Opens, and the first European since Tommy Armour in 1930 to win the PGA Championship.

His first victory was in the 1996 Spanish Open. He has been among the top three European money leaders for seven of the last eight years and won the Order of Merit in 2006.

For tickets or more information on the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 09:00 AM

February 18, 2009

SOME VICTORIES MEAN MORE THAN OTHERS

A champion golfer will tell you that winning any tournament is memorable and rewarding, for many reasons, one of the most prominent being that victories are so difficult to attain. They also are likely to say that some mean more than others.

Players who have won the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard are inclined to agree that claiming victory at Palmer's robust Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, ranks among the most special of their careers. It is not just the prestige the invitational event carries that makes this a coveted crown, but also the experience of receiving a trophy from the tournament's namesake, the Hall of Fame player known as "the King."

"I played the PGA Tour for 12 1/2 years before I broke through, and to have my first win at Arnold's event, and to have Arnold Palmer hand me the trophy, was about as meaningful as it can get for a first-time winner, or, I think, for anyone," said Loren Roberts, who won the 1994 and 1995 titles. "I was emotional about it, truly emotional. We all know what he's meant to the game. We all know what he stands for, and his tournament, by extension stands for the very best of the game of golf, plain and simple."

If anyone holds his victory at Bay Hill more dear than Roberts, it might be Paul Azinger, the 1993 PGA champion and the captain of the victorious 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team. Azinger was a member of the Brevard Junior College golf team when he went to work as a summer counselor and instructor in 1979 at the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy. The eight weeks at Bay Hill literally altered his prospects as a golfer.

"I was on the C Team at Brevard at the time, and I had never broken 70 in my life up to that point. I just wasn't a very good player," Azinger recalled. "But living at Bay Hill, working with kids, playing the course every day, it really changed me. I went out and broke 70 later that summer, moved up to the A Team, then I got a scholarship to Florida State University, where I played for one year. Six years later I was the PGA Tour Player of the Year (in 1987). How about that?"

Yes, how about that?

But there's even more to the story. Azinger was heading out to the West Coast in early 1988, and a magazine story drew his ire; the gist of the piece was to question whether or not the Florida native was a fluke. He arrived at Bay Hill with the question still dogging him, even though he had posted five top-25 finishes in his first seven starts. He quieted the doubters with a five-stroke victory over Tom Kite.

"That was a huge deal for me, just a gigantic win," Azinger said. "I kind of got that monkey off my back. The fact that I used to work there, and then to win, was really a neat thing. And then to have Arnold standing there with me ... that was the topper to it all. So, yeah, it was a very big deal."

Others who conquered Bay Hill would agree. Andrew Magee, the 1991 champion, has said that only the major championships carry more cachet than the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Paul Goydos considers his 1996 triumph "as good as a major." Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, who captured the 1993 title, said Palmer's tournament ranks among the finest in golf simply because of its host. Chad Campbell lists among his career highlights the 2005 edition, when he not only captured his second PGA Tour trophy, but also had the honor of playing with Palmer in the first two rounds of what was the King's final appearance as a competitor.

"When you win a tournament that has the name of Arnold Palmer on it, obviously, it's going to be special. It means a lot," says Ernie Els, the 1998 champion. "I've been very fortunate. I've won tournaments hosted by Arnold, Byron Nelson and Jack Nicklaus and you feel those have a little bit more to them.

"You also have to look at the golf course; that is one tough place," Els added with a grin. "You're never going to scrape it around there and expect to do well. It asks a lot of your game there. It keeps you on your toes, and at the end of the week, if you're the winner, you know you've earned it."

One of Kenny Perry's 10 victories since turning 40 came at the 2005 Arnold Palmer Invitational, and he admits it took some of his best golf to register his two-stroke victory over Vijay Singh and Graeme McDowell.

"Bay Hill is a tactician kind of golf course," said Perry, who won the FBR Open in February. "You really have to navigate around all the problems, and you have to hit it good and be smart at the same time. Normally the rough is very tough and the greens are firm. The year I won, I hit more fairways than anybody else. I drove it great, and that's what you have to do because that sets up everything else.

"That was a special week," Perry added. "I played so well, and when you get in that position in an event that means something to you ... you try not to think about it. You start to think about what it means to win Arnold Palmer's tournament and you could mess up real quickly. And then to have him standing out there with that big sword ... getting the trophy from him, that was magical stuff."

The 31st Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard is scheduled for March 23-29, the final stop on the PGA Tour's Florida Swing. Tiger Woods is the defending champion of the premier invitational event that features 120 of the game's best players from around the world.

For tickets or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 09:35 AM

February 11, 2009

GEARING UP FOR MORE GREAT GOLF

Host Arnold Palmer relishes new date, expects great field for 31st annual PGA Tour tournament that bears his name

He is nearing his 80th birthday and doesn't play golf quite as much as he used to, but Arnold Palmer still has a passion for the game, still wants to give back to it and still enjoys talking about it, especially when the tournament that bears his name is one of the topics.

"My mind never strays too far from the game. It's what I love, and it's something that has given me great joy and satisfaction through the years," Palmer said. "If you want to talk about golf, I'm always a willing participant. And that's true in regards to anything else related to golf, be it playing, watching or hosting a golf tournament."

On that last score, Palmer is pulling double duty in 2009. Having just recently served as host for the 50th Bob Hope Classic in Palm Desert, California, the legendary leader of Arnie's Army now is gearing up to host the 31st annual Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. The invitational tournament contested at Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, has a new slot on the PGA Tour calendar, being played March 23-29 as the anchor tournament in the Tour's Florida swing. Palmer, now age 79, is expecting another strong field as the tournament moves to a position just two weeks before the Masters Tournament, the year's first major championship.

"I like the new dates, and it could make our field stronger, although we've always enjoyed having great fields," said Palmer, winner of 62 PGA Tour titles, including seven professional major championships. "I think being two weeks before the Masters, that's something new to talk about, and I like it, obviously. I'm optimistic that we'll have a great event."

Could the new dates warrant a change in golf course setup?

"I think we'll want to speed the greens up just slightly to give the guys a feel for faster greens," Palmer said. "Since we're closer to the Masters, we want to justify guys coming here to not only compete, but also to get ready to attack Augusta. By and large the course will be about the same as it has been, a very good test."

The Champion Course at Bay Hill Club, converted in 2007 to a par-70 layout, plays to 7,157 yards with fast fairways lined by three inches of rough, and firm greens. Tiger Woods is the defending champion after sinking a 25-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to score a one-stroke victory over Bart Bryant and win Palmer's tournament for the fifth time.

"It will be tough to top that finish," Palmer said enthusiastically, "but every year brings something pretty exciting. We have had great tournaments, and we are expecting another great one this year. The golf course is the best it's been in a long time. I'm pleased with how it's shaping up. I think the players will enjoy it."

One of the premier stops on the PGA Tour, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard traditionally draws one of the strongest fields among golf tournaments from around the world. In addition to Woods, still rehabbing his knee after reconstructive surgery last summer, other past champions who could return include Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Fred Couples, Kenny Perry, Chad Campbell, Tim Herron, Rod Pampling and Paul Goydos.

For tickets to the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the ticket office at Bay Hill at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 04:16 PM

January 29, 2009

Palmer Chosen for Southern Conference Inaugural Class of 10

The Southern Conference, once the home of most Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference schools, chose Arnold Palmer among its inaugural Hall of Fame class of 10.

"We're extremely proud of this announcement, one that's been 88 years in the making," league commissioner John Iamarino said. "The achievements of this first group of inductees are truly remarkable."

Palmer, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, played at Wake Forest from 1948-50 and 1953-54. He was the NCAA's stroke-play medalist in 1949 and 1950, helping the Demon Deacons win the 1950 SoCon title. Palmer won the Southern Conference championship in 1948 and 1949. As a pro, Palmer won seven major championships, including four Masters.

Others named to the hall were Jerry West of West Virginia; Sam Huff of West Virginia; Dick Groat of Duke; Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice of North Carolina; Frank Selvy of Furman; Adrian Peterson of Georgia Southern; Melissa Morrison Howard of Appalachian State; Valorie Whiteside of Appalachian State; and Megan Dunigan of Furman.

Posted by scurry at 04:21 PM

January 28, 2009

CHERRY HILLS COUNTRY CLUB TO HOST 2009 PALMER CUP

Historic Cherry Hills Country Club will host will host the 2009 Palmer Cup. Site of seven USGA competitions and two PGA Championships, Cherry Hills is where Arnold Palmer won his lone U.S. Open. The annual Ryder Cup-style competition will be played June 3-5. Cherry Hills will be the furthest west site for the Palmer Cup.

"Cherry Hills is very excited to host the 2009 Palmer Cup," said Cherry Hills Head Golf Professional John Ogden. "Arnold Palmer is synonymous with Cherry Hills and naturally we are thrilled to host a tournament of this caliber which bears his name. The membership is looking forward to seeing how the top collegiate players in the world handle the newly restored William Flynn masterpiece."

Cherry Hills Country Club was born in 1922 from wealthy businessmen in the city of Denver and carved from the earth by well-known designer William Flynn, who charged the princely sum of $4,500 for his architectural services. But, as anyone knows, you can't just buy tradition. This intangible is earned over time, stamped with the seal of approval by those who have walked its fairways and become champions under the most challenging of conditions. Cherry Hills certainly has earned its place on the American golf landscape. Champions at competitions held at the venerated course have included some of the game's greats: Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Jay Sigel, Hubert Green, Andy North, Ralph Guldahl, Vic Ghezzi and Lewis Oehmig. After hosting the 2005 Women's Open, Cherry Hills joined Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., and Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., as the only courses to have hosted the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women's Open.

Currently under restoration, Cherry Hills will play approximately 7,600 yards when it is finished in the spring. Not only will the renovation add length to the storied venue but will also return it closer to the original concept of Flynn. The Palmer Cup will be the first major event played at Cherry Hills following the restoration.

"We're extremely honored to be playing the Palmer Cup at such a fine course as Cherry Hills," said GCAA president
Mark Crabtree. "It's always great to be at a venue that has hosted so many championships, but staging the Palmer
Cup at the site of Arnold Palmer's 1960 U.S. Open triumph is extra special."

Posted by scurry at 10:38 AM

January 20, 2009

Interview with Arnold Palmer from the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic

MARK STEVENS: We'd like to welcome Mr. Arnold Palmer to the media center for the 50th Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Mr. Palmer is the host this year. He actually won the very first Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in 1960. Of his 62 TOUR wins, he has won five times at the Hope after playing in 42 of the 50 events here. And he actually won the last of his 62 events right here at the Hope in 1973. We're going to start out and have Mr. Palmer give a few general comments about coming back this year as the host and then we'll open the floor up to questions. Thank you very much.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, good morning and nice to see you all on this Inauguration Day and to be here. As you know, I keep reasonably busy with my various jobs that I have around and to be here for the hope this year is a great pleasure. And it's a particular pleasure since a good friend of mine, Ernie Dunlevie has also been 50 years at this tournament.

I think one of the things that always attracts me is the fact that the golf courses here in the desert are pristine. They are all always in such great condition and the conditions for playing are so good.

Other than that, and seeing a lot of my old friends that I haven't seen a lot lately, it's fun. It's fun for me to be here and to be a part of this this year.

MARK STEVENS: Okay. Thank you. We have a microphone over here. So please make use of those.

Q. Good morning, Mr. Palmer.

ARNOLD PALMER: Good morning.

Q. Can you talk about the good feelings you have when you come back here? Is that more than just the fact that you won the golf tournaments here?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, yeah, the feelings are wonderful. As I say, seeing a lot of my old friends and being able to talk to them and have a drink with them and just watch what is going on and kind of comparing from the first Classic to this one, and seeing all the things that have happened is fun. It's fun for me and I've been reminiscing quite a lot, just at the various clubs and seeing the various people that I am seeing.

Q. What's the biggest change that you've seen in this tournament? Is it the gallery or what?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, one of the things is the press. The press is far more represented here now than it was in the first one. And the galleries certainly I think in 1960 you could have probably shot a gun off and not hit anybody. But it has steadily increased from that first one and certainly I think that's something that is very important. I think the fact that the tournament and the prominence of the tournament has increased rather dramatically over the last 50 years.

Q. How would you describe the state of your golf game right now and do you play much and do you wish you could play more?

ARNOLD PALMER: I do not play much. I play occasionally in the Bay Hill Shoot out. I played yesterday about 12 holes and my back got sore and I quit. So that is one of my serious considerations when I play, the fact that I have a bit of a back problem and can't seem to shake it off. It doesn't prevent me from doing most of the things I want to do, but it does have a radical affect on my golf game. And my golf game is not good. Occasionally I hit a good shot and I'm like the every day golfer that goes out and walks up the 18th hole and all of a sudden he hits a shot or makes a putt and can't wait to get back the next day. But it is not competitive any more for me.

Q. I know this is, you've been going near to this day of not being able to play very much, but does that make you sad?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, it makes me sad that I can't hit the golf ball the way I once did. That is a very sad situation mentally for me. When I play with some of my friends, amateurs or pros, and compare, it's hard to take. But I enjoy it. And I do it because of the friends that I have and the people that I enjoy being out there with.

Q. I'm wondering if you were able to watch the Inauguration or the oath this morning and even if you weren't, what your thoughts on that were.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I watched it. I watched Obama take the oath and I watched most of his remarks. And I thought they were fine. I think he's starting out pretty good. He's got a pretty rough task in front of him. And I hope he can stick with it. I hope that he can go down the middle as he has indicated he might and get some things done.

Those of us in the golf business are feeling a pretty radical affect on our business in the game. It doesn't matter whether it's selling equipment or whether it's building golf courses, or whether it's sponsoring golf tournaments.

Q. Back in the day this tournament used to drawing most of the best players on TOUR, in recent years there have been a lot of players who have passed it up, what's changed about that do you think?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, that's a tough question because I understand where you're coming from with the question and how to answer it without getting into a crossfire is difficult. It's been so very good for all of the players, the people who are out here playing and I would just hope that they would understand that they need to support the tournaments as much as they possibly can. I was a player and I knew and I know that you can't play every week. But when I hear some of the reasons for not playing it disturbs me a little. And they do need to get out and support the events. I suppose like everything else, if there's a dramatic reduction in tournaments, they will then understand and maybe they will support them a little more than they do.

Having been a player and having the experience of understanding what it means to play and be supportive is very, very important.

Q. In your prime, obviously every tournament on TOUR would love to have had you in their field. And yet you know you couldn't play every week. How do you balance the demands of some of the top players who are in such demand with their need to make sure they have some time off?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, you can't, there's not a way that you can predict or know what the top players are going to do. Certainly some players start out with a routine and they stick with that routine throughout their career.

On the other hand, a lot of the players will play every week or as much as they can. I used to try to spread my tournament appearances so that I never missed a tournament more than two years in a row. If I missed it, I tried to go back the next year. Tournaments like the Hope, of course I played every year because I just simply enjoyed being here and the conditions under which we were playing.

But in my early years and when I was playing pretty well I was playing somewhere close to 30 tournaments a year. I mean that was hitting it pretty strong.

Q. Slightly frivolous question, what advice do you have for somebody who is 80 years old and just beginning to play golf?

ARNOLD PALMER: I don't know anybody 80 years old who is just beginning to play golf. (Laughter.)

I knew what you were saying. (Laughter.)

Q. I'm looking for a free lesson.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I would probably give them the same advice I take personally, since I'm almost 80 years old and I still go out and practice and hit the ball and I enjoy that. Sometimes I actually enjoy more hitting and practicing than I do playing. So I do that a lot. And that would be my advice to someone that's 80 years old.

Q. I'll bet you can break 120 though.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, it's getting difficult to do that. I know. I understand. But hitting balls and working at your game, even though you're not maybe taking it to the course is something that is enjoyable, it's enjoyable for me.

Q. I'm wondering if you had ever talked to George Lopez about the last, previous two years about his experiences hosting this and then maybe if you feel like this tournament needs for the foresee able future another of course you can't have another Bob Hope, but somebody to really be established as the host of this for 10 years, 20 years, whatever. Do you think this tournament needs that?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I have not talked to George, so I can't talk about that. I suppose that because of Bob Hope and the fact that he was such a great host and provided a lot of interest in the tournament that that's probably the type of thing that they're looking for here. And hopefully they will find someone that will be able to do that.

Q. You talk just a little bit about the experience of playing in the pro am and that, I assume you met some friends, made some lasting friendships and the fun of it all.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, that of course was part of what I enjoyed. And I have to say that even though that becomes a detriment to some of the players playing with the amateurs, I found that it was pretty enjoyable. And today I still have many friends who I met here playing in the pro am. And they're good friends. And in addition to that, some of them were people who had the wares for my association business wise. And that has worked out extremely well over the years, even though I haven't played in a number of years, the friendships and the business associates that I have made through this tournament have been extremely valuable.

Q. From what you know about Tiger Woods, do you expect him to come back as good as ever and how much of a bonus would it be if he came back and played at your tournament?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, first of all, I don't think there's any question about the fact that he is capable and will be capable of taking up where he left off. I think that's, in my mind, that's a foregone conclusion, that he will be just as good or better than he was.

What would it mean if he came and played at Bay Hill to defend it? It would mean a great deal if that was his first event back, which is certainly, let's say, possible. We would love to have him do that. And it would call attention to my tournament and the fact that he is the defending champion.

I think that the most recent situation is that he will come and he will be back and what tournament he chooses, who knows. I don't know. Unless and there's one other circumstance that could kind of foil the whole thing, and that is that he might become ambassador to some country in the world, now that he is, he was at the Inauguration and he played a reasonable role in that. So he may get appointment from the President, who knows.

Q. Kind of off subject, but I assume that you were pleased with the results of the football game on Sunday.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, you don't know what you just said. Or you do know what you just said, but you don't know how that affects me. Because both football games I had a very keen interest in. One, the Steelers have been a team that I have rooted for since I knew what a football was; and the other thing is that Arizona, who happens to have a coach that is a very good friend of mine, and also a scratch player, golfer, you didn't know that, he is a very good player, and he is the offensive, was the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And we played some golf when he was there.

So I had a definite interest in those games and since I was forced to make a choice for the coming Super Bowl, I will, I don't mind telling you, unless you know already.

Q. No.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, every year they have a poll and I won it a couple years ago right when I was here. And this year I've made my selection and reluctantly, however, but I'm picking the Steelers 28 14 over Arizona.

Q. When you remember winning here the first one of these, what specific memory comes to mind?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I think that as I mentioned earlier, one of the things that I enjoyed so much here was the conditions. The golf courses from day one have been excellent. Excellent playing conditions. And of course the people, the gallery. In the early days, I knew everyone in the gallery.

(Laughter.) Well almost.

(Laughter.)

And that hasn't changed too much over the years. But those are the things that stand out. As I said, playing Indian Wells and Eldorado and Bermuda Dunes, that was fun. And the golf courses were ideal.

Q. In the spirit of Inauguration Day I'm wondering if you can talk about which Presidents you've played golf with and maybe who you had the most fun playing golf with.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I've had the good fortune to play golf with quite a few Presidents. Jerry Ford was a good, he was a personal friend. Oh, you could almost name it from there. I think the man that I spent the most time with on the golf course and personally was President Eisenhower. I played a lot of golf with him, I played exhibitions with him for the Heart Fund, and after a number of years when he was told he shouldn't play golf any more, we used to just visit. And I, when he lived at Eldorado I would go there to his house and we would spend a couple hours in the afternoon just talking and maybe sipping on a beer or something like that. So he and I were, I would say, very close. He was one of my close friends.

MARK STEVENS: Okay. Well, thank you, Mr. Palmer, for being here for the 50th anniversary of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

ARNOLD PALMER: Thank you.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...

Posted by scurry at 03:24 PM

January 15, 2009

Arnold Palmer to Attend the KPMG Golf Business Forum

Arnold Palmer, one of the world's most recognized sportsmen, iconic golfer, business executive and talented golf course designer, will attend the sixth annual KPMG Golf Business Forum to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Arnie, as he is affectionately known to sports fans across the globe, was voted 'Athlete of the Decade' for the 1960s, a time when his popularity and success reached heights never seen before in world sport. Before, during and after that great decade, he amassed 92 championships in professional competition, including seven Majors. He also participated in seven Ryder Cup Matches, six times as a player, successfully captaining the side in 1963, and again as a non-playing captain in 1975.

On May 5, Arnold Palmer will be recognized for his lifetime commitment to the business and the game of golf and will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in front of an expected audience of more than 300 international industry professionals at The Celtic Manor Resort, Wales, venue of the 2010 Ryder Cup.

"Arnold Palmer is not only one of the world's greatest golfing legends, he is also an icon of today's international golf business," said Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG's Golf Advisory Practice in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMA). "Arnold's presence at the 2009 Golf Business Forum will make this year's event exceptionally special and we are privileged not only to be able to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to him in person, but also to have the opportunity to hear insights from one of the golf industry's pioneers and most revered businessmen."

The Golf Business Forum, which has established itself as the leading golf business event for the EMA region (Europe, The Middle East and Africa), will this year focus on topics relating to financing, development, golf tourism, and design, and will include interactive panel discussions, country focus sessions, key-note presentations from industry experts, and an array of networking opportunities.
For more information about the Golf Business Forum, visit: www.golfbusinessforum.com

Posted by scurry at 04:19 PM

January 14, 2009

Arnold Palmer and Bob Hope

Two old friends will be getting together in the desert this week and the golf world is invited to whoop it up right along with the chuckling chums.

Arnold Palmer and Bob Hope have been linked in golf and fun for more than 50 years. The gala 50th anniversary of the Bob Hope Classic, Jan. 19-25, will be hosted by Palmer, the man who through dint of being a five-time Hope winner, could for years have practically claimed co-ownership of the tournament.

“It is very special to me to be asked to serve as host of the 50th anniversary Bob Hope Classic,” Palmer says. “I enjoyed some of my greatest success in the Hope in the early years and have loved the Palm Springs area ever since I first laid eyes on it.

“I consider it a great honor to follow in the footsteps of Bob Hope as host of this wonderful tournament, which has been a PGA Tour mainstay for so many years. I thought the world of Bob Hope and spent many priceless hours with him on and off the golf course.

“He loved the game and was a great contributor to its growth and popularity.”

The Hope, coming just two months prior to the March 23-29 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club, (www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com), puts Palmer in the unique position of hosting two marquee PGA tournaments before the season’s first major, a fact not lost on Hope organizers.

“We are privileged to have Arnold Palmer as our host for this special year and we know Bob would agree,” says Hope Classic president Dave Erwin. “There is not a more appropriate person to help us celebrate our 50th year of this wonderful event. In addition to his success here as a player, it was because of Arnold’s classic style and unmatched connection to his adoring fans that we ever reached such an honorable milestone.”

The Palmer-Hope relationship predates by nearly four years the wave of sporting and celebrity popularity that would make the Palmer name as famous as Hope’s. It was in 1954 after the Latrobe golfer’s pivotal U.S. Amateur victory that Hope invited the 25-year-old Palmer to New York to appear on the monthly “Bob Hope Show” in the then-still fledgling television industry.

“I was in awe of Bob Hope and the situation,” Palmer told Kingdom Magazine recently. “Bob made me feel like I had known him for years from that very first show. And I was surprised at how casual he was about it. He made some offhand comments about how to play golf and how good he was.”

No one, not even the soon-to-be professional himself, sensed at the time just how good Palmer was about to become.

It wasn’t until the Masters in 1958 that Palmer truly vaulted onto the national consciousness, a place from which he’s never been dislodged.

He went on to win 92 times on the PGA Tour, highlighted by seven major championships. The total ranks him fifth on the all-time winner’s list, but it was his go-for-broke style and approachable, charismatic personality that’s made him an indelible fan favorite.

Many of his career playing and course design highlights have Coachella Valley desert roots. He played his first tournament there in 1956 at the Thunderbird Invitational, a tournament that was home to his first desert win in 1959 with a come-from-behind final-round 62.

The next year he won the inaugural Palm Springs Golf Classic, the tournament that would be renamed for host and golf fanatic Bob Hope. He won the Hope again in 1962, ‘68, ‘71 and in ‘73 overtook and fended off a tenacious Jack Nicklaus for what would be his final victory of his stellar PGA Tour career.

He returned in 1986 to participate in the first Skins Game played at PGA West.

He skipped the tournament for the first time in 1997 when he underwent successful prostate cancer surgery. But he was back the next year and in 2001 he shot a 1-under par 71 to become the first player in tournament history to shoot his age.

And, competitive golf aside, Palmer’s had more than his share of memories that had nothing to do with pressure putts and high-stakes golf.

In 1963, he appeared in Hope’s popular movie, “Call Me Bwana.”

Palmer’s left his mark in other ways, as well. Arnold Palmer Design Company has designed five Palm Springs-area courses, three of which -- SilverRock Resort, Bermuda Dunes and Palmer Private at PGA West -- are in this week’s Hope rotation.

After a week of galas, golf and recollections about both Palmer and Hope, who died at age 100 in 2003, Palmer will return to Bay Hill and begin immersing himself in the upcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational. Much of the pre-tournament buzz centers on speculation if defending and five-time champion Tiger Woods will make his heralded return to Tour golf after following up his stirring 2008 U.S. Open victory with knee surgery.

“We’re sure hoping that it will be his time to make his return to professional golf,” Palmer says. “I hear he’s training very hard. I hope he’ll be ready to make his return to defend again at Bay Hill. The tournament date’s moved to the end of March and that should help our field, always a strong one, be stronger still. Also, being later in the spring will improve weather and course conditions. We’re very excited at Bay Hill.”

But first things first: Palmer will be spending time treading much-loved and familiar ground. It’s a place studded with so many Palmer courses, memories and events (and don’t forget Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant, www.arnoldpalmers.net, in La Quinta!) that reporters filing stories from the desert can be excused if the datelines refer to PALMER SPRINGS, Calif.

Because that’s what it’ll be all next week.

Posted by scurry at 02:13 PM

January 07, 2009

Picture Gets Clearer With GOLF CHANNEL -- Now in High Definition

Reprising his role when GOLF CHANNEL originally launched in 1995, co-founder Arnold Palmer officially launches the network’s new HD channel to help kick off its coverage of the 2009 PGA TOUR season. (Photo credit GOLF CHANNEL/Mark Ashman)

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 7, 2009) – GOLF CHANNEL’s exclusive coverage of the first three PGA TOUR events of 2009 in high definition is merely a tip of the cap to the network’s newly launched HD channel, which will bolster the network’s schedule with more than 2,100 total HD hours of tournaments, original programming and news this year.

The tournament season kicks off Thursday with the exclusive telecast of the Mercedes-Benz Championship from the picturesque Plantation Course in Maui, Hawaii, which will air for the first time in high definition. GOLF CHANNEL will then stay in the islands for the PGA TOUR’s Sony Open in Hawaii, the Champions Tour’s Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and the LPGA Tour’s SBS Open at Turtle Bay, all shown in HD for the first time.

GOLF CHANNEL HD and its standard definition channel will simulcast more than 100 tournaments in 2009 featuring many of the world’s best players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Lorena Ochoa. These players, among other stars, will appear in GOLF CHANNEL’s HD coverage of full-round PGA TOUR events plus all early round and weekend lead-in action from spectacular venues, such as the TPC at Sawgrass and Pebble Beach Golf Links. HD coverage also will include some of the biggest events in golf like the McDonald’s LPGA Championship, as well as The Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup – two continental clashes that have become major events on the golf landscape. And viewers will travel around the world with a generous slate of European PGA Tour events in HD.

"Golf benefits from HD more than almost any sport. For the first time, GOLF CHANNEL HD viewers will be able to fully appreciate the stunning beauty of Hawaiian courses like at Kapalua and Turtle Bay or at Scotland's Loch Lomond,” said GOLF CHANNEL President Page Thompson. “With the incredible picture quality and wider screens, HD viewers will be able to immerse themselves more fully in the strategy of the game, now seeing the full scope of the rolling terrain and the subtle contours of the greens that are so difficult to perceive in standard definition."

Bolstering GOLF CHANNEL tournament coverage this year will be technical features designed to enhance the HD viewing experience, including the Emmy Award-winning Mutual of Omaha Putting Line powered by AimPoint graphics technology, which shows viewers where a golfer must start his putt in order to hole it at the optimum speed and the path the ball must follow.

Complementing live golf action, GOLF CHANNEL also will feature more than 125 original hours of news in HD. Live From will generate news coverage from golf’s major championships, including the Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship, as well as marquee events like THE PLAYERS Championship, The Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup.

Original Programming Produced in HD

Rounding out GOLF CHANNEL’s HD portfolio will be a host of original programming. New series like the unpredictable Hank Haney’s Project Barkley (working title) or the thought-provoking Golf in America will be produced in HD. In addition, Big Break Prince Edward Island will be the first Big Break to air in HD, along with specials such as Uneven Fairways and Nicklaus Around the World.

GOLF CHANNEL’s dedicated HD channel reaches nearly 16 million homes across the United States. Research has shown that viewers that have HD are twice as likely to watch GOLF CHANNEL and other live sports on TV, especially the PGA TOUR.

The dedicated HD channel is yet another milestone for GOLF CHANNEL. Since launching in 1995, the network has set the gold standard for other niche cable start-ups and is now available in more than 120 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies.

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For more information contact, GOLF CHANNEL Public Relations, 407/355-4653

Posted by scurry at 09:06 AM

December 15, 2008

GolfDigest Q&A with Arnold Palmer

Read the full web-extra interview by Matt Ginella at http://www.golfdigest.com/courses/2009/01/arnoldpalmer

Posted by scurry at 05:21 PM

December 10, 2008

Palmer, Grandson Sam Saunders Impress in Father/Son Event

Arnold Palmer and his grandson, Sam Saunders, teamed up again in the Del Webb Father/Son Challenge tournament and for the second year in a row put on an impressive performance.

Palmer and Saunders, a junior on Clemson University golf team, followed up a tie-for-sixth finish in 2007 with a tie-for-seventh this December at ChampionsGate Golf Resort near Orlando, Florida. They posted two rounds of 64 in the 36-hole scramble event won by Larry Nelson and his son, Drew, with a score of 123.

Eighteen fathers who have won major championships on the PGA Tour team up with sons or daughters in the unique tournament televised by NBC that showcases the greatest players in the modern era of the game. Palmer was extended a special invitation several years ago to play with his oldest grandson in the event.

The Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation in Orlando is among the beneficiaries of the tournament proceeds.

Posted by scurry at 04:39 PM

NEWPORT DUNES OPENS TO GREAT REVIEWS

New Arnold Palmer Design golf course in Port Aransas, Texas Newport Dunes Golf Club in Port Aransas, Texas, just opened this autumn, but the Arnold Palmer-designed course is already being recognized as one of the few true links courses in the United States. It has no trees and lots of wind and roll, making it a must-play destination for links course lovers.

“I always wanted to design a golf course in the traditional style, and I am excited to have had the opportunity with Newport Dunes. It is a hidden gem that will draw the attention of golfers throughout the region and across the country,” Palmer said of the latest work by his Arnold Palmer Design Company, with headquarters at Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.

APDC was founded in 1972 and has been responsible for the design of approximately 300 golf courses around the world. Newport Dunes is located on historic Mustang Island in the vintage town of Port Aransas, a location along the Gulf of Mexico noted – in addition to golf -- for its deep-sea fishing, bird watching, beach, ocean and leisure activities.

The par-71 golf course stretches to 6,985 yards from the championship tees and plays through the sand dunes of the Texas coast. It will be sure to challenge any golfer with a warm gulf breeze, fast and rolling greens, and deep stacked and walled bunkers.

“The signature holes are Nos. 13, 14, and 15,” Palmer said. “These holes are located along the Gulf of Mexico and are routed through natural sand dunes. Each of the holes offers spectacular views of the beach and the ocean. The course is designed in the true links style with pot bunkers that are very similar to the classic courses such as St. Andrews.

Posted by scurry at 09:08 AM

December 09, 2008

Palmer Attends 20th Anniversary Merrill Lynch Shootout Dinner with First Foursome

Arnold Palmer joins Raymond Floyd, Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman (referred to as the "First Foursome") December 11, 2008 to host the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Merrill Lynch Shootout at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida.

The 24-player PGA Tour sanctioned Shootout that began in 1989 was inspired by the original Shark Shootout that was contested in Grand Cypress in 1986. That single day, 18-hole match benefiting the Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital served as the inspiration for the current event.

The tournament and interview with the First Foursome will be covered by broadcast partners NBC and Golf Channel.

Posted by scurry at 12:54 PM

October 31, 2008

PALMER COURSE SELECTED BEST IN CHINA

A golf course designed by Arnold Palmer Design Company – Beijing Cascades – has been selected as the "Best New Course in China 2007-2008" by Golf Magazine China.

"It’s very nice to be recognized as doing the best work in China right now. We intend to maintain that reputation with our work there in the future," said Arnold Palmer about the No. 1 designation.

The design of the 18 holes at Beijing Cascades Country Golf Club began in May 2005 and the 7,272-yard, par-72 golf course opened in 2007. The location is in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, on Dongwei Road.

Arnold Palmer Design reached the Chinese capital three decades after Palmer reintroduced golf to that country. Palmer's Chung Shan Hot Spring design in southern China in the 1980s was the first new golf course in the country in more than half a century and touched off China’s still-on-going golf boom.

A private golf club for members only, Beijing Cascades features deluxe villas designed by DFS Architects of Canada and a top-notch clubhouse which includes a swimming pool, restaurant, cafeteria, pro shop, business center, meeting rooms and guest rooms.

Beijing Cascades takes its name from the breathtaking scenes of cascading water to be found on the property. Clear lakes, winding bridges and manicured gardens may also be seen.

An additional nine holes at Beijing Cascades have been designed and are currently under construction. The new holes should be open next year, and Palmer promises they will be "just as stunning as the first 18."

Work is also underway on a new Arnold Palmer Design course in Kunming, China, and should be completed next year.

Posted by scurry at 05:45 PM

October 01, 2008

Palmer Honored at United States Navy Memorial's 2008 "Lone Sailor" Awards Dinner

WASHINGTON, D.C. [October 1, 2008] – Sports legend and Coast Guard veteran Arnold Palmer was honored last night for his service to country and community at the United States Navy Memorial’s 2008 “Lone Sailor” Awards Dinner. Joining Mr. Palmer were honorees A. G. Lafley, Chairman and CEO of Procter and Gamble and former Navy Supply Corps Officer; and Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA), currently serving his 16th term of office and member of the Appropriations and Homeland Security Committee. John McConnell, recently deceased founder of Worthington Industries, was also recognized posthumously. The black tie gala was held at The National Building Museum, 401 F. Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Palmer was honored with the Lone Sailor Award, given to Sea Service veterans who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers while exemplifying the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. He joins an impressive list of men and women who have distinguished themselves by drawing upon their military experience to become successful.

For further information on the U.S. Navy Memorial and the Lone Sailor Awards Dinner, visit www.navymemorial.org, or call (202) 737-2300.

(l-r) Former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, presenter at the 2008 Lone Sailor Awards Dinner, with sports legend and Coast Guard veteran Arnold Palmer and Rear Adm. Richard A. Buchanan, USN (Ret.), President and CEO of the United States Navy Memorial, at the September 30 gala benefit in Washington, DC.

Posted by scurry at 02:30 AM

September 22, 2008

Team USA Takes the 2008 Ryder Cup

"Congratulations to team USA on it's inspiring victory at Valhalla." said Arnold Palmer. The final tally read: U.S. 16 ½, Europe 11 ½. It was the largest margin of victory for the U.S. since an 18 ½ - 9 ½ thumping of the Europeans at Walton Heath Golf Club in 1981.

Posted by scurry at 04:23 PM

September 19, 2008

Arnold Palmer's Guide to the Ryder Cup 2008

Rarely has a Ryder Cup been more eagerly awaited than the 37th version of this 81-year-old series which tees off in earnest on the morning of Friday 19 September.

Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, where two PGA Championships have been staged over the past dozen years, is the venue for this imminent biennial contest between the best male professional golfers from the United States and Europe.

Enjoy the Arnold Palmer foreward and interview from this years guide or visit the official Ryder Cup website.

Arnold Palmer Ryder Cup 2008

Posted by scurry at 12:42 PM

THE KING ON THE CUP

Fresh off a design visit to White Oak Plantation in Tryon, North Carolina, where he relaxed with back-to-back major winner Padraig Harrington, Arnold Palmer was feeling expansive. With his dog Mulligan, as always, by his side, Palmer talked at length about the impending 2008 Ryder Cup with correspondent Chris Rodell. Palmer's Ryder Cup record of 22-8-2 in Ryder Cup play remains one of the top records ever in the vaunted competition.

Q: Tell us about the 1967 Ryder Cup at Houston's Champion's Club - you did a little low altitude reconnaissance over the Champion's Club?

Arnold Palmer: It was in my Jet Commander. I got a call and had to explain to the FAA what I did. I didn't really violate any aviation rules, but I was low enough that I scared some cattle. I had the whole British team on board with me at the time. They all threw up.

Q: The Euros have so much exuberant camaraderie and when the Americans try to duplicate it they come off looking stiff. What would you advise to get them to loosen up?

AP: The European team spends a lot of time traveling together on the European tour. They stay at the same hotels and they have a camaraderie that comes from the nature of the travel. It puts them together and consequently they all become buddies and friends. They know each other. The American guys are less inclined to travel together. They usually fly airplanes to the tournaments. They're not put in any atmosphere where they are together constantly, as the European team is. It keeps the Americans from ever getting really close. It's not something that's planned. It's just the nature of the beast.
It's tough. They can make an effort to get together and play together, and that would help their attitude as far as competitiveness is concerned.

Q: What is it about the Ryder Cup that causes some players like Colin Montgomerie to become so surprisingly dominant when they can't seem to close in the big ones during medal play? Would you pick him for your team?

AP: I know Colin, but I don't know him well enough to forecast his nature. He's certainly played will in the Ryder Cup and has played well in general for a lot of years. I'd sure pick him for the team. He's a player of great renown and has proven he has the ability to compete at the top level at the Ryder Cup.

Q: There has been some talk that the Ryder Cup might stretch to four days of competition and adopt the Presidents Cup format. Would you agree with this?

AP: If four days would be better, then that's fine. I suppose that would have to be determined by the officials and the networks. I think the galleries would support it.

Q: Paul Azinger was expected to set up Valhalla to suit a long-hitting American team. But with the likes of Justin Leonard and Ben Curtis among the eight automatic qualifiers, should he re-think that strategy?

AP: I think Justin and Ben are good enough players that they can handle any situation on any length golf course.

Q: What effect will the absence of Tiger Woods have on the Ryder Cup?

AP: It certainly is a downer, but on the other hand I could take a positive attitude and say the other players will spine up and show they have the ability to carry the flag without him.

Q: Do you believe Padraig Harrington's back-to-back majors will give the European team any significant boost?

AP: I don't think it's going to make a great deal of difference. Having won three majors in the last year is certainly a positive. I talked to him the other day and he's certainly a very nice young man. I give him all the due I can, but I don't think winning any major will have any influence at the Ryder Cup. I'd met him before, but didn't get to spend as much time with him as I did the past days. I got him to commit to playing Bay Hill and I'm very pleased about that. And it didn't take a bit of arm twisting. He was very, very willing to tell me he'd be at Bay Hill, and we'll be glad to have him.

Q: Padraig's an investor at White Oak. How's that course coming along?

AP: He's going to have a house there. It's an Irish property owned by the famous Irish rally car racer Austin McHale. It's in the North Carolina foothills with a lot of stones and streams. It's very attractive. They've done a very fine job. We're all very enthused with how White Oak's going to turn out.

Q: When he lost to Harrington at last year's Open, it took Sergio Garcia the best part of nine months to rediscover his form and confidence. How long will it take him to recover from this latest disappointment and will the Ryder Cup help in that respect?

AP: I think he'll do very well. I think Sergio's a great player. Some guys, it just takes a little longer. I was one of them. I was older when I started winning. I think Sergio has a great chance to be an outstanding player as time goes on. I think he needs to just slow down and really get to it, and I think that's going to happen.

Q: How big an advantage is it to have the Ryder played in your home country?

AP: Not much. I think most of the guys who play on either side have enough experience to understand the circumstances. They're veterans or they wouldn't be on the team. The crowds won't affect them.

Q: What will you be doing during the week of the Ryder Cup?

AP: I'll certainly watch it and I'll certainly be very interested in it. I've toned down my travel and am going to fewer events unless I've been asked participate in a charity event. I'm really becoming more of a homebody and not traveling so much. I've been enjoying watching the Olympics, too. I think those two American gals that won the gymnastics gold and silver are really attractive and are wonderful athletes. It's been fun to watch.

Q: What ingredients does a course need to be a Ryder course?

AP: Heritage and tradition are certainly important, but I don't think things like that matter much to the audiences. I don't think an older golf course with lots of heritage and tradition is going to make a difference when it comes to playing the matches.

Q: Are there any courses you are currently constructing that could be future Ryder Cup venues?

AP: I think all of them would be outstanding venues. Some would be less likely to host because of the venue or the surroundings wouldn't be appropriate, but we've built some great quality courses that would be outstanding for Ryder Cup purposes.

Q: Which was harder to arrange, persuading the PGA of America to stage the 1975 event at Laurel Valley, or helping your course at The K Club become the host venue in 2006?

AP: In each case, it required an effort that I was more than happy to make. I was very pleased to have the world see the Ryder Cup at the K Club and participate in it. And even though I wanted the Americans to win and they didn't, I think it was extremely successful. Same with Laurel Valley with the opposite outcome where I was pleased to be the captain and have it at my club, which is something that doesn't happen very often.

Q: Golf is, for the most part, an individual's sport. How does a Ryder captain build a team dynamic?

AP: Sometimes I think we talk too much publicly. I think we need to deal with the individuals on a more private basis. The hype for the Ryder Cup is very important and it's important for the press to get enough to do their big stories. But I also think it's important for the players to have a confidence among themselves. And, more importantly, they have to have the confidence, the knowledge and the feeling that they can win. If they go with the attitude that they're the underdogs and are not as good as the opposing team then they're in trouble and I think that's been the case as of late.

Q: You were the last playing captain of the U.S. team, are there any current players that you think could fulfill that dual duty, or is the modern captain's role just too large a job?

AP: I'd like to think there's still room for a playing captain. I think it adds a little intrigue to the matches. I'd like to see Paul Azinger play his way onto the team. I think that would be wonderful. And I think that would certainly be possible. Most of the recent captains have been in the twilight years of their PGA Tour careers, but I'd like to see it happen again someday with a younger captain.

Q: This year Azinger has four picks. Do you think that makes his job easier or more difficult?

AP: I think it gives him more of an opportunity to select guys that he knows are hot and are playing very well. I suppose I would consider that a plus.

Q: What's the off-course Ryder Cup experience like for the teams? Do you think it's changed from when you were playing, and if it has, then how?

AP: I enjoyed watching the guys and encouraging them. I wanted to be there to add some confidence to their mind set to help pull them together. That was important to me, to get all the guys in a frame of mind where they were really starting good and could keep that momentum going. I'm sure that still goes on.

Q: How was it possible that you won The Masters in 1958 (and several other tournaments) but weren't selected for the 1959 Ryder Cup team?

AP: I wasn't earning points because I wasn't a PGA member. I was still in my apprentice period and back then that lasted for five years. They changed all the rules right away after that, but it was too late for '59. Had that same system been in place in 1997, neither Tiger Woods nor Justin Leonard would have qualified to play at Valderama.

Q: What was you worst Ryder Cup moment?

AP: (ponders) I don't know that I'd ever had a worst moment at the Ryder Cup. Every team I played on won. I didn't like losing, but when I did lose matches to Peter Oosterhuis or Peter Allis, with whom I had some great matches, it was after I'd done my best. And sometimes that's going to happen.

Q: What was your greatest Ryder Cup moment?

AP: The first Ryder Cup I played on when they played 'God Save the Queen' and 'The Star-Spangled Banner' were certainly touching moments. I was very proud. Then there was the time in '67 on Hogan's team where Julius Boros and I were getting trounced in a four-ball against Hugh Boyle and George Will. I looked up and saw Jackie Burke. He said, 'Well, Palmer. Let me see you get out of this one.' I said, 'C'mon, Jackie, give me a break.' He says, 'I'll give you a break. I've heard about all your charges. If you win this match I'll hand make you a beautiful clock.' Well, that clock's sitting on the shelf in my workshop over there. That was special.

Q: Who was your toughest ever opponent in all the Ryder Cups in which you played, and why?

AP: I think they're all tough. Anyone who earns his way onto the Ryder Cup is good and capable of kicking anybody's rear at some point or another.

Q: If you could re-play one shot from your prestigious Ryder Cup history, which one would it be and why?

AP: No, I can't think of a single shot that had me saying, 'Gee, I'd love to have that one back.' That would really take some very deep thought and that kind of deep thought isn't there anymore (laughs).

Q: Who do you think will win at Valhalla, and why?

AP: I think it's a toss-up. It's going to be tough. I suppose if I had to give one team an edge, I'd give it to the European team. Both teams have some very fine players, but the Europeans have some players with the real hot hand and will be difficult to beat.

Posted by scurry at 07:37 AM

September 18, 2008

Arnold Palmer Forward to the 2008 Ryder Cup

Courtesy of Victory at Valhalla Arnold Palmer's Guide to the Ryder Cup 2008

THE RYDER CUP has been a marvelous event over more than eight decades, and it particularly pleases me that its prestige on both sides of the Atlantic continues to grow. It is now without question one of the most important occasions, not just in golf but the whole of sport.

Unfortunately, the U.S. team has been on the receiving end of some sound beatings during our past three encounters with Europe and all patriotic American golf fans, including myself, are keeping fingers crossed that fortunes will be reversed at Valhalla.

The absence of Tiger Woods, will be a blow to captain Paul Azinger––but the Ryder Cup is a team event and if his team-mates rally round, pull together and play the course they can emerge victorious. Each one of them is going to have to stand up and be counted.

Quite a few rookies will be turning out for the U.S. this time and I think that can only be a good thing. Some of them may be inexperienced, but playing without fear will be the key in the pressure-cooker arena of Valhalla.

It is quite clear we can expect another strong display from the Europeans. I have been particularly impressed by Padraig Harrington, but there have been some other standout performances this season from the likes of Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter. It's going to take quite and effort from our Americans if they are to regain Sam Ryder's iconic trophy.

Some of my fondest golfing memories are from the Ryder Cup, both as a player and as a captain, and it was therefore a matter of considerable pride that the 2006 matches were staged over the Palmer Course at The K Club near Dublin. Despite the weather––and they had plenty of it that week––the course held up well and delivered a memorable, if ultimately one-sided spectacle.

Enjoy this magazine. I hope it provides you with an insight into the event, its history and the players, and prove to be a useful companion to the three days of the Ryder Cup.

I hope that in terms of the quality of golf and the ethics of fair play that the 37th installment in this historic series lives up to the standards set by so many of its predecessors.

Whatever the result, my fervent wish is for the game of golf to be deemed the winner.

~ Arnold Palmer

Posted by scurry at 09:30 AM

September 03, 2008

EXCITEMENT IS THEME AS TICKET SALES START FOR 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard

With its latest dates ever – two weeks before the Masters – expectations are high as ticket sales begin today for the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

The API will be played on the week of March 23-29, the same slot on the PGA Tour schedule occupied until two years ago by The Players Championship and last year by a World Golf Championship event. Those tournaments attracted large numbers of highly ranked players from the World Ranking, playing their way to Augusta.

The 2009 Masters will be on the week of April 6-12.

Tournament Director Scott Wellington said: “We have always had one of the best fields of players in the world, according to the World Ranking, including most of the highest-ranked players. But we believe next year we will have more depth of players who previously have not included us on their schedules.

“We also hope we will get several more higher-ranked players.”

This will be the 31st year of the PGA Tour event which started in 1979 at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. The latest tournament dates previously were March 22-25, 1990, and the earliest dates were February 26-March 1, 1981.

The 2009 API ticket brochure features defending champion Tiger Woods and the theme line for the year: “The Signature of Excitement.” – a reminder of Woods and his fist-pumping finale in 2008, when he holed a rousing 24-foot putt on the final green to win by one stroke. Woods posted a pair of 66s on the weekend for a 270 total, 10 under par, and his fifth professional victory at Bay Hill.

“No one knows when Tiger will return, but with Tiger here the excitement would be over the top. Regardless, we believe we will have one of our best fields ever,” Wellington said. For tickets to the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the ticket office at Bay Hill at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Posted by scurry at 12:06 PM

August 14, 2008

Arnold Palmer to be Recognized for Service to Country & Community

Sports Legend and Coast Guard Veteran One of Four Sea Service Veterans and Supporters Fêted at 2008 Lone Sailor Awards Dinner September 30

WASHINGTON, D.C. [August 14, 2008]– Sports legend and Coast Guard veteran Arnold Palmer will be honored for his service to country and community at the United States Navy Memorial’s 2008 “Lone Sailor” Awards Dinner on Tuesday, September 30. Joining Mr. Palmer are honorees A. G. Lafley, Chairman and CEO of Procter and Gamble and former Navy Supply Corps Officer; and Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA), currently serving his 16th term of office and member of the Appropriations and Homeland Security Committee. John McConnell, recently deceased founder of Worthington Industries, will also be recognized posthumously. The black tie gala is set for The National Building Museum, 401 F. Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Palmer will be honored with the Lone Sailor Award, given to Sea Service veterans who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers while exemplifying the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. He joins an impressive list of men and women who have distinguished themselves by drawing upon their military experience to become successful.

“Our honorees are living examples of how service to country changes lives and helps develop leaders – whether it be in the world of sports, politics, government, the private sector or the arts,” said Rear Adm. Richard A. Buchanan, USN (Ret.), President and CEO of the United States Navy Memorial. “The common theme they all express is that their public service has made them who they are today and motivates them to continue to give back to our society.”

A budding golf career came to full life after Palmer completed his three-year hitch in the Coast Guard in early 1954. Later that same year, he won the U. S. Amateur Championship, turned professional, married and launched one of the greatest careers in the history of the game.

In the process, he became a very successful business executive, prominent advertising spokesman, skilled business jet pilot and prominent golf course designer and consultant. He has participated in countless philanthropic activities both locally and nationally during his lifetime, among them nearly 20 years of service as Honorary National Chairman of the March of Dimes and more recently supporting national programs dealing with prostate cancer prevention, treatment and research.

On the golf courses of the world, he amassed 92 professional victories, including the Masters Tournament four times, the 1960 U.S. Open championship and the British Open championship in 1961 and 1962. His exploits were recognized by the Associated Press as the “Athlete of the Decade” in the 1960s and with the Hickok Belt (professional athlete of the year) and Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year in 1960.

“Certainly, my three years in the Coast Guard played in big part in what came along later in life for me,” said Palmer. “It helped prepare me to deal with the ups and downs that everyone faces as an adult in today’s world. I wouldn’t trade those three years in the service for anything.”

Conveniently located on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (between 7th and 9th Streets), the United States Navy Memorial, known as “the Anchor of Penn Quarter,” honors the men and women of the United States Navy – past, present and future. The outdoor plaza features a “Granite Sea” map of the world, towering masts with signal flags, fountain pools and waterfalls and The Lone Sailor© statue. Adjacent to the outdoor plaza is the Naval Heritage Center, where visitors can find educational displays about the contributions of the men and women of the Sea Services (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine). Also housed in the Naval Heritage Center is The Navy Log, the National Registry of Sea Service, where members, veterans and their families can search for shipmates and register a permanent record of their service for free. Call (202) 737-2300 or visit www.navymemorial.org for more information.

Posted by scurry at 05:58 PM

May 30, 2008

Palmer Attends USGA Grand Opening

On June 3, 2008, Arnold Palmer will attend the USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History grand re-opening ceremony.

Moving forward The Palmer Center will be the premier institution in the world for the study and education of golf history.

The Palmer Center will offer more than 7,500 square feet of public space, with more than 5,000 square feet of that space devoted to permanent exhibitions discussing key moments in USGA Championship history. A collection of the nation's most significant golf artifacts and documents also will be displayed here. Many of these artifacts will be on display to the public for the first time.

The museum's galleries will provide visitors with engaging displays enhanced by multi-media elements and interactive kiosks. Collectively, the exhibits will present a new history of golf in the United States, focusing on the relationship between the game and the major historical, political and cultural events of the nation.

The signature architectural feature of the Palmer Center, the Hall of Champions, will celebrate every USGA champion and championship, beginning in 1895 with the first U.S. Amateur. A rotunda, illuminated by a clerestory, will feature all 13 USGA trophies, while listing winners of every championship on bronze panels that encircle the hall. Several kiosks situated throughout the exhibition galleries will host a new USGA Championship database that will allow visitors to search every championship by player, site and year.

For more information on the USGA Museum visit www.usga.org.

Posted by scurry at 12:30 PM

May 26, 2008

Five guys, one question: What's your favorite Palmer story?

Frank Nobilo, Robert Trent Jones II, Chi Chi Rodriguez and others tell their favorite Palmer stories.

Five guys, one question: What’s your favorite Arnold Palmer story?

A U.S. Open always draws experts from diverse fields to what for one week is the absolute center of the golf universe.

That makes it a good time to ask a variety of golf industry people -- players, architects, golf journalists -- about the one story they like to tell about golfing icon Arnold Palmer above all others. Here are some of their answers:

• Frank Nobilo, former PGA player & current commentator The Golf Channel: “You could say that Arnold Palmer kept me from quitting golf. It was back in 1995 at the Masters and I was playing dreadfully. I’d shot an 81 the day before and had thought about withdrawing. I was really about my game. I told my coach I was planning on quitting and he said, ‘Man, you couldn’t if you wanted to. You’re scheduled to golf tomorrow with Arnold Palmer.’ What was I going to do? Let Arnold Palmer play Augusta as a one-ball? So I showed up the next day determined to do my best. He didn’t know me from Adam, but Arnold greeted me on the first tee with the warmest handshake and twinkle in his eye. Just that look let me knew he was out there to have fun and I was invited to be a part of it. And what a time it was. Neither one of us was going to nudge our way onto the leader board, but it was a lively round and I got to have my own mini-Masters with Arnold Palmer.”

• Bubba Watson, professional golfer: “My favorite Arnold Palmer story? That was the day I got to meet him and shake his hand. Yeah, he probably shook a couple hundred other hands that day, but I spent the next week showing people that hand that shook the hand of Arnold Palmer.”

• Chi Chi Rodriguez, World Golf Hall of Famer: “People on tour used to complain that Arnold Palmer got preferential treatment. I’d ask them, ‘Do you want preferential treatment, too? Then start treating everyone the way Arnold Palmer does.’ When I came on tour in 1960, he was the man who came up and offered his friendship. He treated me with great respect. He’s old school like that. He treats everyone with respect. And, man, I loved the way he played the game. Some guys went for the pin some of the time, but Arnold always went for the pin. Still does. Man, you could put the pin thousands of feet below sea level on the deck of the Titanic and Arnold would scramble to find a scuba suit and get diving. He’ll always go for it. That’s why I like Sean O’Hair this week. He plays like Palmer. Had O’Hair hit a 9 iron instead of a wedge into the 17th at TPC everybody would be talking about him as a favorite here at Oakmont. Keep your eye on him.”

• Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: “My favorite Palmer moment may have came during the end of an interview I did with him a few years ago. He’d just gotten married and was a happy newlywed. I figured I’d ask him about if he used Viagra or not. I was a little reluctant to ask because I knew we’d get a lot of letters from people saying I was an impudent young jerk with no manners -- and I was afraid he might react that way, too! But I asked him and he came to life. He got a big smile on his face and said he didn’t need it. That he was still charging. I think the interview would have gone much better if I’d have asked him that first. He welcomed the question and was happy to talk about his virility. We got some letters complaining about the question, but Mr. Palmer didn't mind one bit.”

• Robert Trent Jones Jr., architect of more than 240 courses in 40 countries: “I could tell you tons of stories, but it would always come back to his warmth and generosity. The think I like about him, too, and this may surprise some people, are the courses he designs. I’m a big fan. Some marquee players design courses for their own ego, They never can get it through their heads that the key to designing courses is drainage, drainage, drainage. You need to spend 10 years working on bulldozers or hire people who have done the nitty-gritty. Arnold’s been smart enough to surround himself with the best people in golf, starting with Ed Seay and Erik Larsen. They're wonderful course designers and great people, too. Really, Arnold's building himself a nice legacy apart from his competitive career with the great courses he and his team have put together. My favorite Palmer designs? I like Orchid Island Golf Club in Vero Beach, Florida. I think they did a tremendous job at PGA West in La Quinta and Tralee Golf Club in Ireland has some brilliant holes out on the dunes.”

Posted by crodell at 06:23 PM

March 21, 2008

ARNOLD PALMER NAMED HOST OF 2009 BOB HOPE CHRYSLER CLASSIC

The man who won the event five times will host its 50th anniversary next year

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Golf and Palm Springs icon Arnold Palmer will host the 50th anniversary of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, to be played Jan. 19-25, 2009.

Palmer has not only played the tournament 42 of its 50 years, he also won five of his 62 PGA TOUR titles there, including his last, and he’s as much a staple of the Coachella Valley as the tournament itself.

“We can’t think of a more appropriate person to help us celebrate our 50th year of this wonderful event,” said Bob Hope Chrysler Classic President Dave Erwin. “In addition to his success as a player here, Arnold’s classic style and unmatched connection to his adoring fans helped us reach such an honorable milestone. We feel privileged to have him as our host for this special year and know that Bob would agree.”

“It was very special to me when I was asked to serve as the host of next year’s 50th anniversary Bob Hope Chrysler Classic,” said Palmer, who won the inaugural event in 1960. “I enjoyed some of my greatest success in the Hope in the early years and have loved the Palm Springs area ever since I first went there. I consider it a great honor to follow in the footsteps of Bob Hope as host of this wonderful tournament, which has been a mainstay on the PGA Tour for so many years. I thought the world of Bob Hope and spent many priceless hours with him on and off the golf course.”

Palmer’s 62 career wins – seven majors – rank him fifth on the all-time wins list, but it was his go-for-broke style and approachable, charismatic personality that made him a fan favorite.

Below is a detailed timeline of Palmer’s connection to the tournament.
1960: Palmer wins the inaugural Palm Springs Golf Classic, the tournament that would be renamed for Bob Hope.
1962: Palmer wins Palm Springs Golf Classic for second time.
1963: Palmer has a cameo in Bob Hope's movie "Call Me Bwana."
1966: Palmer loses a playoff in the Hope tournament to Doug Sanders.
1968: Palmer wins third Hope title.
1971: Palmer defeats Ray Floyd in a playoff to win his fourth Hope title.
1973: Palmer overtakes and then holds off Jack Nicklaus to win his fifth Hope title and the 62nd and final PGA Tour title of his career.
1997: Palmer misses the Hope tournament because of prostate cancer surgery, the first time he skips the tournament.
2001: In the final round of the Hope at the Palmer Course at PGA West, Palmer shoots a 1-under 71, becoming the first player in event history to shoot his age.

The 50th annual Bob Hope Chrysler Classic Hosted by Arnold Palmer is Jan. 19-25, 2009. Since the inception of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in 1960, the tournament has donated $45.5 million to charities throughout the Coachella Valley. For further details, visit www.bhcc.com or call 1.888.MRBHOPE (672.4673).

Posted by scurry at 02:52 PM

March 19, 2008

BACK NINE AT CHERRY HILLS: THE LEGENDS OF THE 1960 U.S. OPEN

NEW YORK, March 17, 2008 – HBO Sports has begun production on BACK NINE AT CHERRY HILLS: THE LEGENDS OF THE 1960 U.S. OPEN, a documentary that recounts the unforgettable finish of the 1960 U.S. Open Golf Championship, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports. Examining the historic changing of the guard that took place as ambassadors of golf’s past, present and future – Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus – battled down to the wire at Cherry Hills Country Club, the hour-long presentation debuts WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO, the evening before the world’s top players tee off at the 108th U.S. Open Golf Championship.

“This is an incredible story in a sport that we’ve never previously explored at HBO,” said Greenburg. “The 1960 U.S. Open was much more than just a historic golf tournament. The golf that was played and the athletes that performed at Cherry Hills nearly 50 years ago represented the very essence of the emerging sport. You had three generations of stars in Hogan, Palmer and Nicklaus. Each had a unique relationship with his father and each grew up in a different era, yet there they were, fighting it out on the back nine at the U.S. Open.”

While the story reaches its climax on the final holes at Cherry Hills Country Club in suburban Denver, the path each of these sports icons took to this historic juncture is equally important. BACK NINE AT CHERRY HILLS: THE LEGENDS OF THE 1960 U.S. OPEN spans the early years of the three, all of whose lives were shaped by their relationships with their fathers. Ben Hogan’s Texas boyhood was tragic: His father committed suicide when Ben was nine years old, leaving him to struggle with his “demons” through the Depression and war years, determined to make something of himself as a pro golfer. Arnold Palmer, the Pennsylvania blue-collar groundskeeper's kid who constantly sought his father’s approval, was not allowed to mingle with the country club kids, but his strength and charisma brought him early success playing golf in post-war America. Jack Nicklaus, the exceptionally talented country club kid from Ohio, had a loving, friendly relationship with his pharmacist father during the prosperous years of the Eisenhower 1950s.

The special story of these three great men battling to the wire at Cherry Hills transcended the world of sports. Besides capturing the sheer excitement of the tournament, the documentary will illuminate the sporting landscape that Hogan, Palmer and Nicklaus helped shape, and reveal the mood of the country that watched as these men changed their profession forever.

Famed sportswriter Dan Jenkins called this remarkable event “too big, too wildly exciting, too crazily suspenseful, too suffocatingly dramatic. What exactly happened? Oh, not much. Just a routine collision of three decades at one historical intersection. On that afternoon, in the span of just 18 holes, we witnessed the arrival of Nicklaus, the coronation of Palmer and the end of Hogan.”

High-profile interviews include: golfers Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Ken Venturi and Dow Finsterwald, and author and former Sports Illustrated writer Dan Jenkins.

The Dallas Morning News has written, “HBO is the undisputed champion of sports documentaries.”

The executive producers of BACK NINE AT CHERRY HILLS: THE LEGENDS OF THE 1960 U.S. OPEN are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; producer, Margaret Grossi.

For more information, please visit http://www.hbo.com/events/usopen/

Posted by scurry at 06:56 PM

March 16, 2008

Exclusive 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard Reports

Final Round

WOODS HAS ANOTHER UNBELIEVABLE FINISH FOR HIS FIFTH VICTORY IN ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

As Tiger Woods studied his 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, he was convincing himself that he could make it, because he had a similar putt in the same situation seven years earlier at the Bay Hill Club.

He was not alone in his thinking.

Arnold Palmer, the tournament host, stood behind the 18th green, waiting to present the trophy. He said to tournament director Scott Wellington: "You know what's going to happen, don't you?"

On the green, Woods struck the putt then started backing up, his eyes riveted on the ball. A third of the way along, the putt took a break to the right as Woods lowered into a crouch, his right hand moving towards his hat.

When the putt tumbled into the hole, Woods produced a celebration like none before. He arose, turned and slammed his hat to the ground as he let out a roar.

Moments later, Woods looked perplexed when caddie Steve Williams handed him his hat. "I was like, 'How did he get my hat?'" Woods said. "Evidently, it came off. I need to see the highlights. I was so into the moment of the putt going in and winning the golf tournament."

Woods and Palmer hugged, and Palmer said: "It doesn't surprise me you made the putt." To those around him, Palmer added: "Damn, I used to play and I know about these things. That's unbelievable."

It was the 64th victory on the PGA Tour for Woods, just 32 years old, tying him with Ben Hogan for third place on the career list behind Sam Snead (82) and Jack Nicklaus (73). Earlier this year, Woods passed Palmer (62). "It's pretty amazing to be in that kind of company," Woods said. "I've had an amazing run in my career, and hopefully, it continues."

The victory was his fifth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He became the first player in PGA Tour history to win four different tournaments at least five times each. It also extended his then-current PGA Tour winning streak to five (he placed fifth in his next tournament).

He closed with a six-under-par 66 for a 270 total, 10 under par, to win by one stroke over Bart Bryant, who shot 67 but said he was not surprised by the winning putt. "That's why he's Tiger Woods," Bryant said. "He has an incredible way of pulling off the shot or the putt when he needs to. He's done it before. He'll do it again."

Following Bryant, tied for third place at 273, were Cliff Kresge, who also shot 67, and Vijay Singh and Sean O'Hair, both with 69s.

Not since 2001, here against Phil Mickelson, had Woods won a PGA Tour event by one stroke with a birdie on the 72nd hole.

"I kept telling myself, 'I've done this before. I did it against Phil, and this time it's a bit deeper into the green and the putt has a little bit more break and it has a little more grain. I've done it before, and I can do it again," Woods said.

While everyone else was talking about the putt, the next morning when Woods called his swing coach, all he wanted to talk about was the shot that set it up. "He was so happy with himself," Hank Haney said.

It was a 5-iron from 164 yards, and those two numbers are an example why that was an exquisite shot. The wind had switched and was coming into him from the right. The flag was tucked behind the lake on a green framed by rocks. Bunkers guard the back of the green, which slopes toward the water.

Woods could have hit an 8-iron that distance, but Haney said Woods is all about control, and he prefers to use more club than usual in the wind.

On the shot, Woods held a slight cut with his 5-iron against the wind and posed over the shot until it landed safely, 25 feet above the hole. Williams, his caddie, held out his hand and Woods slapped it with force.

"It's always fun to see shots he gets excited about," Haney said.

"The hardest thing to do under pressure is play a delicate shot," Haney added. "Under the hardest conditions, you'd rather have a shot that you can swing at hard. All he could talk about was the shot on 18. He told me, 'I knew if I didn't do it right, I could up-shoot it into the wind and it's in the water. If I flipped it, I hit it into the back bunker.' He had to commit to do it correctly. And he pulled it off.

"That was phenomenal. That made him feel good."

Said Williams: "I just hope people, whether they like Tiger Woods or not, whether they like sports or not, realize what we're seeing. This is the greatest golfer ever they are looking at."

"You've all heard what I've had to say about Tiger in the past," Palmer said. "I can't see him doing anything but continuing to pass other people's records in the future. I don't see any change in what he's doing or how he's doing it. I think he is just in a position to continue to do the things that he's done very well up to this point."

The Associated Press, The New York Times, and Golf World contributed to this report.

First Round

COUPLES, HENRY POST 65s TO SHARE LEAD

Two men who haven't been in the lead for quite some time were well out in front of the one player who isn't used to being anywhere but at the top.

Former Bay Hill champion Fred Couples, who missed nearly all of last year because of his chronically bad back, fired an early 5-under-par 65 to set the pace in the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. Late in the day, J.J. Henry posted one of only three bogey free rounds at the Bay Hill Club for his best score ever here to join Couples in the lead.

The two veterans were among the 33 players ahead of world No. 1 Tiger Woods, who has won his last four PGA Tour starts and eight of his last nine overall. The winner of four straight titles at Bay Hill (2000-2003), Woods couldn't get out of first gear with his swing in posting level-par 70.

"I just did not hit my irons very good," said Woods after his round of two birdies and two bogeys on a day with plenty of sunshine and mild breezes. "I missed some greens that I don't normally miss. "I missed one with a sand wedge, one with a pitching wedge - mistakes I don't normally make.

"I drove it well today. I drove a few drives to the right with my driver, but other than that, drove every single fairway. Just didn't take advantage of it."

Plenty of others did, however, though No. 2 Phil Mickelson wasn't among them. He bogeyed his opening hole and struggled to a 2-over 72.

England's Lee Westwood forged the lead alone with six birdies in his first 12 holes, but he couldn't sustain the run and ended up one-shot back at 4-under 66, tied with defending champion Vijay Singh, 1999 runner-up Tom Lehman and Lucas Glover.

Five men, including No. 8 Jim Furyk, were two behind with 67s.

Couples and Henry aren't the most likely pair to be perched on top.

Newly minted as the U.S. Presidents Cup captain for 2009, Couples, 48, started just three events last year because of his creaky back. He hadn't led a tournament since the third round of the 2005 Memorial Tournament and hadn't led after the first round since the 2003 Players Championship.

"I like to play well, and this year I've hit the ball pretty well," Couples, who won the 1992 Arnold Palmer Invitational, said after his second-best score in 55 rounds at Bay Hill. "Today was a good round on a very, very tough course, and that's kind of what I got out of it."

Henry, 32, who had missed four of seven cuts this year, hadn't broken par in eight rounds over three previous starts at Bay Hill. He hadn't held a lead since the first round of the 2004 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

"Thanks for reminding me of that. Appreciate that. I shoot the best round of the day and all I hear is that," Henry said jokingly when his record at Bay Hill was mentioned.

"To be honest with you, it's been a little bit frustrating the start of the year for me," he said, turning serious. "I felt like I've actually worked hard early this year and towards the end of last year, and was really excited about starting the '08 season. I feel like I've been close, I really have. I had not quite figured it out. Maybe my ball-striking has been pretty good, and today finally just everything clicked and hit a lot of fairways and greens, which you have to do on a difficult golf course like this."

Couples also hit plenty of fairways (12) and greens (11), but unlike a week ago at the PODS Championship he was able to convert more opportunities. He needed a mere 23 putts.

He admits that he's excited by being named Presidents Cup captain, but his performance was more a product of feeling better and being able to put more work into his game.

"There's definitely a boost. It's very exciting," Couples said of his role as captain. "(But) nothing that I know of except for practice is going to make you play better. I did work with [instructor] Butch (Harmon) before I went to Tampa and I started to feel pretty good. I actually played OK there.

"But coming here, you know, I think just seeing everyone and having Tiger laugh at you and Mickelson, and have a few young guys tell me they want to make the team ... you know, it's all a nice feeling. I don't know how long it's going to last. But you know, it's good. It's good, because I'm playing."

And playing quite well, at that.

First Round

LEHMAN HAS HIS BEST ROUND OF THE YEAR

It's no surprise that Tom Lehman is playing well again at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. After all, he's finished in the top 10 at Bay Hill on four occasions, including a runner-up showing in 1999, and seven times overall in his 15 appearances.

But at age 49 and coming off a dispiriting run on the West Coast, Lehman wasn't exactly brimming with confidence when he arrived in Orlando.

His fortunes dramatically improved when the former British Open champion opened the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a 4-under-par 66 to put himself on the leaderboard for the first time this year.

"The ability to play good golf is always there no matter how old you are. It just seems that it gets more difficult to do it consistently," Lehman said after traversing Bay Hill suffering one bogey against five birdies, including a 7-footer at the treacherous 18th. "I can play extremely well at times, but I don't play extremely well for extended periods of time like I used to."

Lehman hopes he can extend Thursday's play three more days after a solid performance - a vast departure from recent results. In five starts this year he's missed three cuts and was 55th and 58th in the other two.

"I play well here, generally. I like the course. It seems to fit my game," said Lehman, who lost to fellow Minnesota native Tim Herron in a playoff in 1999. "I like the way it looks. And I've played here a lot, so I've learned how to play it."

Since his last start at the Northern Trust Open, Lehman has relearned a bit about his swing with the help of close friend and former Tour player Dennis Trixler, who visited him in Scottsdale, Arizona. Trixler figured out Lehman's problem - a reverse pivot that was making his head dip on the backswing. That flaw removed, he's swinging well again, and hopeful for the rest of the week.

"I hate to play poorly, I just hate it," Lehman said. "The first five weeks of the year was a comedy of errors. Sometimes you just have to try to figure out, 'where do I have to go from here?' You go back to the simple little things, and just take care of the small things. If I can do the small things right, then the big things will take care of themselves."

First Round

HELLO AGAIN FOR WOODS, WILSON

Mark Wilson is no stranger to playing alongside the No. 1 player in the world. It's just that it's been awhile.

Wilson was paired with Tiger Woods for the first time in his professional career in the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, and despite a quadruple-bogey 8 on the 18th hole, Wilson ended equaling Woods's score of even-par 70.

The last time Wilson shared the fairways with Woods was the final of the 1992 USGA Junior Amateur Championship at Wollaston Golf Club in Milton, Massachusetts. Woods won his second of three straight Junior Amateur titles, 1 up, after rallying from two down with five holes to play. (Woods won his first in 1991 at Bay Hill.)

"Things have changed a lot since then for both of us," Wilson said with a wry smile. "I have one win (at last year's Honda Classic) and he has a few more. He's a little better now than he was then.

"It was fun. We have children about the same age, and we talked about that ... dirty diapers and all," Wilson added. "You know, it wasn't something that was going to be overwhelming. I think I've been around long enough to be pretty secure with what I'm doing on the golf course."

Said Woods: "It's good to see him out here and a lot of guys that I grew up playing junior golf with and college golf with are all out here now. So a lot of good memories."

FURYK UPSWING

Jim Furyk, who has dipped to No. 8 in the world, wasn't happy with his play on the West Coast. After tying for fifth at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, he didn't post another finish better than 20th and was knocked out in the first round of the World-Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

His game appears on the upswing after an opening 67 at Bay Hill.

"I think it's decent. It's not where I want it to be, but I'm not upset with it," said Furyk, whose best finish in the Arnold Palmer Invitational is a tie for eighth in 1998. "I played a good round. I would like to get a good week under my belt and build that one week to a few weeks and right now get some confidence."

TENNIS ANYONE?

Sergio Garcia, who briefly dated female tennis star Martina Hingis, hasn't lost his affection for the courts. The talented Spaniard was engrossed in a singles match with Andy Martinez, Tom Lehman's longtime caddie, late in the afternoon on Bay Hill's clay courts. Garcia was unwinding after shooting an even-par 70, tied for 35th place, in the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Second Round

SINGH STAKES HIS DEFENSE WITH 66-65 START

Thin to win is a common expression in golf.

Vijay Singh might be taking it to new extremes.

Eighteen pounds lighter after contracting food poisoning on a recent trip to a tournament in India, Singh is nonetheless playing the heavy again at the Bay Hill Club. The defending champion chipped in from off the green twice to shoot a 5-under-par 65 and forge a two-stroke lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

Singh, 45, completed 36 holes in 9-under-par 131, two strokes better than Carl Pettersson, who also shot 65 for 133. Jim Furyk, Lee Westwood and Ken Duke were another stroke back at 134. Furyk and Duke shot 67 and Westwood 68.

Playing for the 16th year in a row at Bay Hill, where he has three times been runner-up, Singh posted his 13th straight sub-par score here and leads at the halfway mark for the second time.

"I hit the ball really good off the tee. I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities," Singh said after matching his career low at Bay Hill. "It also helped by chipping in twice, as well, so those are always good to have. You know, playing solid, not doing anything special. Not doing anything too much wrong, either, of the just cruising along."

While Singh was cruising, four-time Bay Hill champion and No. 1 player in the world Tiger Woods was snoozing. Woods, who has a four-tournament winning streak on the PGA Tour on the line, fell farther off the pace after a 2-under 68. At this stage last year, Singh was in an identical position to Woods now, 138 and seven back of Rocco Mediate.

"I just wasn't swinging the club very well today, and when I did put myself in position to make a putt, I didn't make them," said Woods, who won his four titles consecutively from 2000-03. "I'll have to play better and make a lot more putts than I have been."

The cut fell at 2-over-par 142 with 71 players advancing.

Among the casualties sent packing were Dan Forsman, the 1986 winner, Tim Herron, the 1999 winner, Rod Pampling, the 2006 champion, and Rocco Mediate, last year's runner-up. Other notable players missing the cut included Paul Casey, Colin Montgomerie, Luke Donald, Scott Verplank, Stuart Appleby, Charles Howell III and Bay Hill member Daniel Chopra, who captured the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship.

Meanwhile, Wake Forest senior Webb Simpson birdied the last two holes and became the sixth amateur in tournament history to make the cut, shooting his second straight 71 for a 142 total.

Pat Perez recorded the 11th hole-in-one in tournament history and the second of his career on the way to 65, knocking in a 5-iron from 218 yards. He's among eight players tied with Woods for 20th place, as is first-round co-leader Fred Couples, who shot 73. J.J. Henry, who shared the first-round lead with Couples, is among four players tied for sixth after an even-par 70.

Singh, who lost a playoff at Pebble Beach earlier this year, played solidly but also benefited from two shots finding the hole from off the green. He canned a 45-foot chip at the par-3 14th hole for birdie, and then, after missing the green right of the par-5 sixth hole, found the bottom of the cup again, this time from 32 feet.

A famous practice player, Singh was down for five days with food poisoning, a "forced rest," he said. He didn't start hitting balls again until last Friday and didn't start to feel up to full strength until Wednesday's pro-am.

Fortunately, he's familiar with Bay Hill and comfortable here, and it's showing.

"I've played here, for, goodness, 15 years, every year, and it's very familiar," said Singh, winner of 31 PGA Tour titles, the last coming at this event. "I played more golf here than I did in TPC (Sawgrass, where he has a home) more or less, because TPC, I just go and play the tournament there. Here, it's every year I've played it. I've played more rounds here than any other tournament I've played.

"So, I'm just very familiar, very aware of where to hit it and where not to hit it, and just the familiarity I have with the golf course, the better I play," he added. "My game plan is the same. I don't change my game plan. More or less, sometimes I don't need a yardage from the caddie. I just know where to hit it; that's how much I know the golf course."

Second Round

IMMELMAN, DAVIS PLAY ON AFTER 64s

Moving day came early - but not a moment too soon - for two international players during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

Taking advantage of a friendly mix of soft greens and softer breezes, South Africa's Trevor Immelman and England's Brian Davis each fired 6-under-par 64s, the low rounds of the tournament, to save themselves from what looked like a short week of work.

Immelman, 28, who has a home in Orlando, improved nine strokes thanks to a round of seven birdies against one bogey. The key to his day was hitting 15 greens in regulation.

Davis, 33, improved even more dramatically, trimming 11 shots off his opening score after converting nine birdies. Ironically, Davis hit the same number of greens each round - 13 - but his luck proved diametrically opposite. He needed just 24 putts compared to 36 the first round.

"I found something," said Davis, who tied for seventh at the Honda Classic two weeks ago after leading through 36 holes. "I played good today. I played good. I just hit it close quite a lot of times, and again, I left myself four-footers underneath the hole and that makes such a difference."

"I would say in general it was one of my best rounds," added Davis, who moved up from a tie for 101st to a tie for 29th place.

Immelman improved 66 places to a share of 16th place.

"It's been a massive difference between today and what I've produced the rest of the season, which has been pretty rubbish," said Immelman, who tied for seventh two weeks ago at the Honda Classic, his only top-10 finish of the season. "You know, I got off to a nice start and birdied my first hole which was the 10th, and just kept it going. And today I was able to make some free swings out there and hole the putts. When I hit it close, I holed the putt, and it was a great feeling to finally get a good round under my belt.

Like Davis, putting was the difference for Immelman.

"Yeah, I've put a lot of work into my putting in the last few weeks, and didn't putt very well yesterday and did some more work when I was done last night," Immelman said. "It's all about confidence. Once you start rolling a few in, that hole starts to look slightly bigger."

Second Round

SIMPSON ADDS NAME TO AMATEUR LIST

Amateur Webb Simpson, a senior at Wake Forest - attending on the Arnold Palmer Scholarship - joined a distinguished group in making the 36-hole cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

With his second straight 1-over-par 71, Simpson became the seventh amateur to qualify for the weekend at Bay Hill in the tournament's 30-year history. John Cook was the first in 1979, followed by Mitch Voges in 1992, John Harris in 1994, Matt Kuchar in 1998 and 1999 and Bubba Dickerson in 2002.

Simpson, 22, who plans to turn professional this summer, birdied the 17th and 18th holes at Bay Hill, two of the most difficult on the course, to sneak in on the number with a 142 total. He holed a 12-foot putt on the par-3 17th, and then holed out from off the green from 15 feet at the 18th.

"I'm just trying to soak it in," said Simpson, a U.S. Walker Cup player competing for the second time at Bay Hill after winning his second Southern Amateur title in 2007. "This year I feel a lot more at home than in 2006, which is good because I need to get used to being out here."

HOMETOWN HERO

After shooting an 83 in the second round of last week's PODS Championship, Cliff Kresge returned to his Orlando area home and worked hard on some adjustments to his swing. Now his fortunes are on the upswing.

Kresge is tied for sixth place after two rounds at Bay Hill at 5-under 135. His 68 followed 67 in the first round. Both scores better than any of his six previous rounds here.

"A couple of weeks ago I made a little bit of a swing change, and it seemed to have really paid off," Kresge said. "I'm getting a little more confidence with it, and I'm able to hit consistent shots, and I'm just ready to play now."

He's also ready to win on the PGA Tour, particularly at Bay Hill. "This would be as special as any major in my book because it's my hometown, so it would be really special for me."

MAJOR PHIL

Phil Mickelson, winner at Bay Hill in 1997, fired a 67 to move to 1-under 139 for the championship - a good round on a golf course that he has seen evolve into one of the toughest on the PGA Tour. "It has slowly become that," Mickelson said when asked about the course being on par with major venues in terms of its demands. "With the conversion of the par-5s to par-4s ... it's just getting a lot more difficult."

Third Round

WOODS, SINGH IN RECORD LOGJAM AT TOP

An unprecedented logjam atop the leaderboard at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard sets up a final round of priceless possibilities.

Five men, including four-time Bay Hill winner Tiger Woods and defending champion Vijay Singh, share the lead at 6-under-par 204 after a topsy-turvy day full of highs and lows, eagles and others. Also in the mix are Bubba Watson, Bart Bryant and last week's winner of the PODS Championship, Sean O'Hair, who fired a bogey-free 63, the low round of the tournament.

The five tied at the top eclipsed by two the previous record for the number of players sharing the 54-hole lead set in 1990.

Just like Singh did a year ago, Woods, the No. 1 player in the world, made up seven shots in the third round after a solid 4-under 66. Woods, who has 63 career victories, has won 42 of 45 on the PGA Tour when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead. A victory would tie him for third on the all-time list with Ben Hogan.

"It was a lot better today," said Woods, who won four straight at Bay Hill from 2000-03, all while playing in the final group, as he will with O'Hair. "Certainly hit the ball a lot more clean today and I was controlling my trajectory. If you don't hit the ball, you know, well today, you can shoot a pretty high number pretty easily."

Singh looked like he was going to be one of them, spilling five shots in the first eight holes before steadying himself for a 3-over 73. Bryant, one of seven men who were in first place at some juncture, posted his third consecutive 68. Watson also had 68.

"I just hung in there. I knew there was a lot of golf to be played," said Singh, 45, seeking his first win since last year's victory at Bay Hill. "I just believed in my swing and kept going. I fought back, and at least I have a chance."

Join the crowd. Twenty-four players are within four shots of the lead, including Nick Watney, whose eagle at No. 12 elevated him to a two-shot edge, only to see that evaporate with a quadruple bogey at 16. He ended up with 70.

The hot and increasingly windy day produced results so odd that one of the leaders, O'Hair, shot an inward 30, tying the nine-hole record, and another, Singh, stumbled to an outward 40 to end up in the same place. The top three players on the leaderboard at the start of the day - Singh, Lee Westwood and Carl Pettersson - combined to shoot 9 over par.

"I think it's anybody's game," Bryant said. "But if you're going to say, does it have somebody's game, obviously, he (Tiger) is the guy to beat, there's no doubt about it. That's not to say that somebody can't go out and play a great round and beat him, and not to say he's going to play perfect golf, either. It's definitely there for the taking."

O'Hair's score, which lifted him 49 places, was the lowest since Palmer converted the course to a par 70 last year. He had a chance to tie the course record shared by Andy Bean and Greg Norman but left short a downhill putt for birdie at the 18th.

Singh began the day with a two-shot lead, but gave way to Watney, who after an eagle at the 12th got to 9 under par. He yielded control to Bryant, who couldn't hang on either, promptly dunking a ball in the water at 16 and making bogey.

Ken Duke also had a piece of first place until bogeys at two of the last three dropped him into a tie for seventh with Watney, Westwood, Tom Lehman and Orlando's Cliff Kresge.

In sixth place alone is Hunter Mahan, who was 7 under par through 13 holes before settling for 65, moving up 32 places.

Of course, all eyes will likely be on Woods, who responded not only to a pre-round pep talk from Palmer, but also a bit of ribbing Friday night from Watson, who frequently joins him for practice rounds.

"You knew he was going to play good," Watson, the only left-hander in the lead group, said. "I sent him a text last night and said, 'You'd better get off your butt and start doing something,' and he did. No matter if he's struggling he finds a way just like today he found a way."

Watson added that "everything he (Woods) does, it's going to be incredible and it's going to be unbelievable." Still, he wasn't about to capitulate. "I think it's going to be a good battle coming down the stretch," he said. "It's going to be fun."

Third Round

BAY HILL AGAIN IN TIGER'S SIGHTS

Tiger Woods in first place is the last place his peers would like to see him.

All Woods wanted at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard was to shoot a score that would get him in contention for his fifth straight PGA Tour victory and fifth professional win at Bay Hill, where he began his march through the record books with the 1991 USGA Junior Amateur Championship.

Instead, after a clutch 4-under-par 66 on a hot and increasingly windy day, Woods rose all the way to the top, tied with four others, with 18 holes remaining. Given that he is 42 of 45 on the PGA Tour when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead, his chances for adding to his 63 Tour titles improved appreciably.

"I'm back in the tournament," Woods, 32, said early in the afternoon, before the winds freshened and pacesetters started falling back towards the No. 1 player in the world. "It's nice to have to go out there and play a good round of golf and win the tournament instead of having to play a great round of golf to hopefully get myself back in the mix. I did the work today to get myself back in the tournament."

Woods, indeed, did the work, mixing six birdies against two bogeys to improve his score by two strokes for the second day in a row. His 70-68-66 progression puts him at 6-under-par 204 and in a good frame of mind for the sprint to the finish.

"I feel good. I just wanted to get myself back in the tournament," said Woods, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational four straight times from 2000-03. "I was on the periphery there, seven back. A good round can win the tournament."

After struggling with his swing the first two rounds and making few putts, Woods went back to his home in nearby Isleworth and worked out a few kinks. In the third round, he hit 10 fairways and 14 greens. The last of his six birdies - after he hit it to 2 feet at 15 - came at the difficult 485-yard par-4 16th when he stiffed a 6-iron to four feet. It was just one of three birdies for the day on a hole that played the most difficult with a 4.507 average.

"It worked out perfect," he said.

Just like most of the events that unfolded."It's very wide open," he said. "A bunch of guys have a chance. If the wind blows like it did today, then it will be very interesting tomorrow."

Third Round

O'HAIR EQUALS RECORD WITH 30

Sean O'Hair was pondering a trip to Sea World with his children in the afternoon. This after a spotless round of golf at Bay Hill that had him swimming with the big fishes once again.

Winner last week at the PODS Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida, O'Hair glided around the Bay Hill Club with a bogey-free 63, the low round of the tournament, which lifted him from the ranks of also-ran to contender in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

O'Hair, a former Orlando resident, began the day 1 over par for the tournament and 10 strokes behind 36-hole leader Vijay Singh. When he holed out with a closing 30 on the inward nine, O'Hair had moved up from a tie for 49th to a tie for third and was three behind Singh, who hadn't yet hit a ball.

He'll begin the free-for-all final round tied for first place with a chance to become the only player besides No. 1 Tiger Woods in the last two seasons to win back-to-back starts.

"That (repeating) would be cool," said O'Hair, 25, who last week overcame a three-stroke deficit to Stewart Cink for his second PGA Tour title. "I just need to do my part and let it fall into place, not think too much, not try too hard. I need to do the same things I've been doing and stay out of my own way."

O'Hair's score was the lowest since Palmer converted the Bay Hill course to a par 70 last year. He had a chance to tie the course record shared by Andy Bean and Greg Norman, but he left short a downhill putt for birdie at the 18th.

"That green is just a little slow than the rest and I didn't adjust," shrugged O'Hair, who eagled the par-5 12th hole for the second day in a row and added five birdies. One was a chip-in from off the green at the 14th from 65 feet.

"That kept some momentum going," he said.

O'Hair hit 12 fairways and 16 greens, which were soft after overnight rains and relatively smooth given that he and partner Retief Goosen were in the seventh group to tee off. As the round progressed, O'Hair simply went with what turned out to be a very good flow.

"You can't think about what you are shooting. You can't think about what you want to shoot. You can't think about anything but the next shot," O'Hair said. "You are literally going one shot at a time and just allowing it to happen rather than trying to make something happen."

Tournament:Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard
Ending:March 16, 2008
Purse: $5,800,000
Total FedExCup Points: 25,000
Course:Bay Hill Club & Lodge
Par:70

Posted by scurry at 06:28 PM

February 08, 2008

WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME MEMBER ARNOLD PALMER DONATES GOLF CLUBS TO THE FIRST TEE OF PITTSBURGH

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL - Arnold Palmer has donated hundreds of golf clubs to The First Tee of Pittsburgh. The clubs are the remaining inventory of the Arnold Palmer Golf Company when it closed in 2000 and includes multiple sets of woods, irons and drivers for men and women. Palmer has served as honorary chairman of The First Tee of Pittsburgh since its inception in 2000 and has been supportive to the Chapter in many ways.

Palmer has strong ties to Pittsburgh going back to his amateur days and teen years when he was competing in events of the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association. He has received many honors over the years from Pittsburgh organizations and is a member of Oakmont Country Club. His golf at Oakmont is an important part of his personal history in the game.

“I have wanted to do something useful with these clubs for a long time. I can’t think of anything that would serve that purpose better than to put them in the hands of The First Tee for its wonderful programs,” said Palmer. “I am very happy with the decision to give them to The First Tee of Pittsburgh, where I am proud to serve as honorary chairman. I grew up and played virtually all of my golf in my early years in Western Pennsylvania.”

The Chapter will use the adult clubs for age appropriate participants. They will also be used for clinics held at the Chapter and some will be provided to young people who have shown a keen interest in golf and The First Tee.

“We are very happy and grateful for Mr. Palmer’s donation. He has been a wonderful part of The First Tee of Pittsburgh and has always been very available to us despite his busy schedule,” said Bruce Stephen, former Chapter executive director and current board member of The First Tee of Pittsburgh.

About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, FL at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more 2.2 million participants and students in 48 states and five international locations – Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Singapore. Former President George Bush serves as honorary chairman.

Posted by scurry at 11:55 AM

December 03, 2007

An Arnold Palmer with an Arnold Palmer chaser

Pittsburgh eatery develops a sandwich in honor of Palmer

For fans who’ve longed to break bread with Arnold Palmer, it’s a dream come true. And all it costs is $6.50. That’s how much it'll set you back to enjoy an Arnold Palmer sandwich at a popular string of independent Pittsburgh restaurants that are world famous for honoring local heroes.

The Arnold Palmer is ringing up steady sales at Peppi’s, according to sandwich entrepreneur Lou Bosser of Peppi’s Restaurants in Pittsburgh.

“It has a chicken breast, bacon, onions, ranch dressing and provolone cheese and people are snapping them up,” Bosser says. “It’s a popular sandwich.”

And it's named after a popular man. The sandwich debuted just weeks after GQ magazine declared Palmer to be one of the 50 most stylish men in history.

Arnold Palmer, the sandwich drew its inspiration from another increasingly popular Arnold Palmer, the refreshing half iced tea and half lemonade concoction that can be ordered online at www.arnoldpalmer.com or at www.arnoldpalmertee.com.

“A couple of my young guys were drinking some Arnold Palmers,” Bosser says, “and I told them that he’s one of the most legendary guys to ever come out of western Pennsylvania. I started telling them all about him, all he’s done and what he means to our region and it dawned on me that it was time to name a sandwich in his honor.”

Peppi’s has three Pittsburgh locations and earned national recognition when Sports Illustrated, The New York Times and major television broadcasters began reporting about the restaurant’s delicious Rothlis-burger sandwich when the Pittsburgh Steelers were advancing in 2006 toward their fifth Super Bowl.

Named in honor of Steeler quarterback Ben Rothlisberger, the sandwich is a combination hamburger, hot sausage and grilled onions topped with scrambled egg and two slices of American cheese.

Posted by crodell at 05:27 PM

Palmer, Saunders finish strong at Father-Son

Palmer, 78, and Clemson sophomore forge best finish in years

The name Arnold Palmer was on the leader board again this week and the world of golf felt good about it. Palmer and grandson Sam Saunders finished the Del Webb Father-Son Challenge at Champions Gate near Orlando at 18-under and tied for sixth place behind winners Larry and Josh Nelson at 24-under.

According to Phil Stambaugh’s news story posted on www.pgatour.com, “One of the feel-good stories of the week came from 78-year-old Arnold Palmer and grandson Sam Saunders, who enjoyed their best finish in their five-year history in the event. Behind the prodigious length and the maturing game of Saunders -- a Clemson sophomore -- Palmer and Saunders followed their opening-round 62 with a 63 to finish tied for sixth. Their previous best finish in the event was 12th-place finishes in 2003 and 2004.”

“It's been a while (since I played),” Palmer said. “Sam played really well, there's no doubt about that. Once in a while I was there for him to tap in a putt for a birdie or par."

The strong finish came on the heels of the announcement that Palmer will be honored January 14 in Orlando by the Golf Coaches Association of America as only the third non-coach to earn its Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into its Hall of Fame.

"I am certainly looking forward to receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Golf Coaches Association of America," Palmer said. "I consider it a particular honor in as much as my golf at Wake Forest played a major role in leading me into a career in professional golf. I have kept in close contact touch with collegiate golf through the years and was very pleased to lend my name to the Palmer Cup when it was founded a decade ago."

Palmer joins Karsten Solheim and Byron Nelson as previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The GCAA's marquee event, The Palmer Cup presented by Monster, is named in Palmer's honor. The annual event between top college players from the U.S. and Europe was first held in 1997 and has become one of the most widely respected amateur events in the world. Additionally, the national championship medalist in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, as well as the NAIA, are honored with the Arnold Palmer Award presented by Callaway Golf.

Posted by crodell at 05:15 PM

November 12, 2007

Palmer to Receive GCAA Lifetime Achievement Award

Golf legend to be honored at Hall of Fame Banquet Jan. 14

NORMAN, Okla. — Arnold Palmer will be honored with the GCAA Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual Hall of Fame Banquet Jan. 14 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Fla. In addition, Palmer will become only the third non-coach inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame.

“I am certainly looking forward to receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Golf Coaches Association of America,” said Palmer. “I consider it a particular honor inasmuch as my golf at Wake Forest played a major role in leading me into my career in professional golf. I have kept in close touch with collegiate golf through the years and was very pleased to lend my name to the Palmer Cup when it was founded a decade ago.”

Besides the magnificent performance record, Palmer’s magnetic personality and unfailing sense of kindness
and thoughtfulness to everybody with whom he comes in contact have endeared him to millions throughout
the world and led to the informal formation of the largest non-uniformed “military” organization in existence -- Arnie’s Army. Seven of his victories came in what the golfing world considers the four major professional championships. He won the Masters Tournament four times, in 1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964; the U.S. Open in spectacular fashion in 1960 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver and the British Open in 1961 and 1962. He came from seven strokes off the pace in the final round in that U.S. Open win and finished second in four other Opens after that. Among the majors, only the PGA Championship eluded him. He finished second in the PGA three times. Palmer was also a two-time NCAA medalist, in 1948 and 1949, while at Wake Forest.

The golfing great has been the recipient of countless honors, the symbolic plaques, trophies and citations scattered throughout his personal, club and business worlds, the epitome coming in 2004 when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony. He has received virtually every national award in golf and after his great 1960 season both the Hickok Professional Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year trophies. He is a charter member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and a member of the American Golf Hall of Fame at Foxburg, PA, and the PGA Hall of Fame in Florida. He is chairman of the USGA Members Program and served as honorary national chairman of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation for 20 years. He played a major role in the fund-raising drive that led to the creation of the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women in Orlando in the 1980s. A long-time member of the board of directors of Latrobe Area Hospital he staged a major annual fund-raising golf event for that institution for six years that led to the formation of the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation.

The GCAA’s marquee event, The Palmer Cup presented by Monster, is named in Palmer’s honor. The annual
event between the top college players in the United States and Europe was first played in 1997 and has become one the the most widely respected amateur events in the world. Additionally, the national championship medalist in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, as well as the NAIA, or honored with the Arnold Palmer Award presented by Callaway Golf.

Palmer joins Karsten Solheim and Byron Nelson as previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

- GCAA -

For Immediate Release
Contact: Dustin Roberts
Golf Coaches Association of America
(405) 329-4222
http://gcaa.collegiategolf.com

Posted by scurry at 02:51 PM

October 19, 2007

USGA Museum And Arnold Palmer Center On Schedule For 2008 Opening

E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.org

Far Hills, N.J. - Extensive progress has been made in the renovation and expansion of the United States Golf Association Museum in north-central New Jersey, where the new home for the world's premier collection of golf artifacts, memorabilia and historical items is on track to open in the spring of 2008.

Located adjacent to the USGA's headquarters, the fully renovated Museum, together with the new Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History will comprise a 33,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that will display more than 2,000 of the USGA's most treasured artifacts.

"The development of the Palmer Center is just one step -- albeit the most critical one -- in our effort to strengthen the Museum, its programs and its role within the USGA," said USGA President Walter Driver . "Our goal moving forward is to develop and brand the Palmer Center as the premier institution in the world for the study and education of golf history."

Construction of the Palmer Center began in December 2006 and is now more than 70 percent complete. With the exterior of the structure now fully enclosed, workers are focusing on the installation of the building systems and the construction of the interior walls, floors and ceilings.

The museum's galleries will provide visitors with engaging displays enhanced by multi-media elements and interactive kiosks. Collectively, the exhibits will present a new history of golf in the United States , focusing on the relationship between the game and the major historical, political and cultural events of the nation.

Renovations to the interior of the existing museum, which has been closed since March 2005, are concurrently underway. Home for the past 35 years to the USGA Museum (the oldest museum in the country dedicated solely to sports), the renovated building will house offices and meeting rooms on the upper level. The main level will continue to function as a public space, featuring galleries devoted to the accomplishments of BobJones , BenHogan and Arnold Palmer. The Museum will continue to serve as the main focus for visitors to USGA headquarters and the gift shop will offer newly created products derived from the exhibition experience and world-class collection.

The new USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History will open to visitors in spring of 2008. A grand opening celebration is planned for June.
Media Note: Images are available on a designated lightbox.
Enter lightbox (user name and password are case sensitive)
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Name: PalmerPR
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Media Contacts:
Craig Smith, Director, Media Relations and
Rand Jerris, Director, Museum and Archives
U.S. Golf Association
(908) 234-2300

Posted by scurry at 10:15 PM

October 10, 2007

"Legendary" Palmer Scores on Influential List

Business Week Ranks him among top 100 in all sports

The Business Week list of the 100 most influential people in the world of sports contains all the job descriptions you’d expect. There’s commissioner, owner, president, CEO, chairman and other titles drawn straight from corporate elite’s financial reports.

But one title stands out for looking like it was lifted from fables about King Arthur or Harry Potter. The title?

Legend.

That’s what Business Week chose to put beside Arnold Palmer’s name (and only one other) when it dubbed Palmer the 76th most influential figure in 2007 sports: Arnold Palmer, PGA Legend.

Great work, if you can get it.

Palmer’s name is unique to the list in that he’s nearly four decades removed from the heydays of the profession that first made him famous. The other 98 are still actively engaged in their life’s pursuits. Fellow “legend,” Earvin “Magic” Johnson, comes in at 95.

According to Business Week, the top 10 are:

1. Roger Goodell Commissioner, NFL
2. Tiger Woods Golfer
3. David Stern Commissioner, NBA
4. George Bodenheimer President, ESPN, ABC Sports; co-chairman, Disney Media Networks
5. Bud Selig Commissioner, MLB
6. Brian France Chairman, CEO NASCAR
7. Dick Ebersol Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics
8. Phil Knight Chairman, Nike
9. Sean McManus President, CBS News and Sports
10. Rupert Murdoch Chairman, CEO, News Corp.

Besides Palmer and Woods, the only other golf-associated names to make the list are PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem, no. 34, and IMG Senior Vice President and global managing director of golf, Mark Steinberg, no. 72.

Palmer’s lucky, too, in that his is the only occupation on the list where if he says, “Hey, I’m taking the day off to play golf,” he’s not going to hear any griping from angry shareholders. In fact, people get upset if Palmer’s not golfing enough.

If that’s, indeed, the case then all is right in the Palmer world. After a recent working vacation to Pebble Beach, Palmer has confirmed he’ll be playing in the following events: On Thursday, October 11, he’ll be in the pro-am at the Administaff Small Business Classic at the Augusta Pines Golf Club near Houston; and he’s looking forward to joining his grandson, Sam Saunders, now a sophomore at Clemson University, again at the Father-Son tournament at ChampionsGate Golf Club Nov. 28 through Dec. 2 near his Bay Hill winter home in Orlando.

A legend’s work is never done.

Posted by crodell at 09:42 AM

September 22, 2007

ArnoldPalmer.com Named Best

Wins prestigious web award from the Web Marketing Association

In the eyes of many golf-loving Americans, Arnold Palmer is the greatest. Now, at least in the eyes of one prestigious panel of award-bestowing experts, so is his website.

ArnoldPalmer.com was recently named one of the Web Marketing Association’s Best Web Sites of 2007. The Palmer site, which is anchored by a daily timeline item harkening back to a corresponding news item from Palmer’s vivid and colorful past, was one of just 96 winners selected from 2,400 entries from more than 40 countries.

Web Award Winner Arnold Palmer Enterprises

Arnold Palmer - The Official Website
Sports Standard of Excellence

For Palmer, who celebrated his 78th birthday on September 10, a lifetime of earth- and airborne achievements has notched a first in yet another realm, the internet.

“Yes, this is the first time I’ve ever won a web award!” he says. “I couldn't be happier that ArnoldPalmer.com was chosen as one of the best. It's the one place where all the fans can go to instantly learn everything that might interest them about our charities, my history, our businesses, Kingdom Magazine, the outstanding golf courses we’ve built and what's new in our world.”

Organizers said entries were judged on design, copy writing, innovation, content, interactivity, navigation, and use of technology. Teams of independent Internet professionals representing a variety of relevant disciplines of web site development weighed each entry. Judges included members of the media, advertising executives, site designers, creative directors, corporate marketing executives, content providers and webmasters.

The WebAward competition format allows Web sites to compete head to head with other sites within their industry to win the Best of Industry and Standard of Excellence awards. Here’s the award and here’s the announcement.

The Web Marketing Association (http://www.webmarketingassociation.org) works to create a high standard of excellence for web site development and marketing on the Internet. Founded by the Web Marketing Association in 1997, when the letters “www” still looked like a sloppy typo, the WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks for the best web sites.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to immerse yourself in www.ArnoldPalmer.com, now's the time.

Because it’s only here at ArnoldPalmer.com that will you learn the surprising connection between Arnold Palmer and Tony Soprano, and why you’d be a wise guy to listen to Palmer’s astute Super Bowl picks. It’s here where you can read about the day in 1970 that Johnny Carson tabbed the golfer to be his “Tonight Show” stand-in, and it’s here where you’ll learn just what insights U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts sought from Palmer the Spring 2007 day after the golfer dined with The Queen.

ArnoldPalmer.com is what happens when old school goes high tech. This is what happens when one of the most storied lives -- not just in golf, but in all America -- is given the most lavish and loving consideration that only a medium like the world wide web can bestow.

And it’s all right here, fresh and new everyday, all the insight, warmth and glory. It’s a virtual cornucopia of Palmer knowledge and trivia that, until now, couldn’t be contained between the covers of even the most voluminous biographies.

“I'm proud of the team that's taken advantage of this fantastic medium to give the fans such an excellent high-tech umbrella for everything that's going on in our world,” Palmer says. “I hope fans will check it out. I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.”

Posted by crodell at 09:57 AM

GQ says Palmer's historically cool!

Names him to list of 50 most stylish men in history

The magazine that’s synonymous with cool has named the 50 men it admires for their enduring cool. One of them is Arnold Palmer.

And it happened the same week the man who’s regarded as the greatest golfer on the planet said he still looks up to Palmer. “He’s the King,” said Tiger Woods. “To even be mentioned in the same breath as Arnold Palmer means you’ve done something special. To have him at 62 wins and I’m one away . . . I never would have dreamt this in my wildest dreams.”

Records will always be broken, and Tiger’s smashing lots of them.

But cool endures, as GQ points out in its gala 50th anniversary edition that highlights who it thinks are the 50 coolest, most stylish men, from the last 50 years. It’s a virtual hall of fame of American masculinity studded with profiles of Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Bob Dylan, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Tom Brady.

And, yep, Arnold Palmer.

GQ writes: In the early 1960s, Arnold Palmer was more than a golfer: He was a superstar—the Elvis Presley of sports. With his horde of fans (Arnie’s Army) and his pomaded pompadour, Palmer brought golf to the masses. He could dress, too, favoring flat-front gabardine pants with a heavy crease and wool cardigans. And those fitted golf shirts: “There was some talk that maybe my muscles were too big for the shirts,” Palmer admits today. But sportswriter Frank Deford has testified that Palmer’s cool came from those L&M’s: “All America had this image of Palmer taking a cigarette out of his mouth, throwing it on the green to putt, and then sticking it back in his mouth. It was golf’s equivalent of Bogart and Bacall. It’s odd to think of a cigarette as an athletic totem, but back then it was sexy. Palmer with a cigarette was like those old convertible ads with a beautiful woman sitting in the front seat and her scarf blowing in the wind.”

Posted by crodell at 09:53 AM

September 06, 2007

Palmer statue, nature preserve enjoy festive celebrations

The gateway to Latrobe, cradle to a host of indelible American icons, will be bracketed by ceremonies dedicated to celebrating two of its most beloved emissaries: Arnold and Winnie Palmer.

On Sunday, the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve on the northern side of U.S. Route 30 and S.R. 981, officially opens to the public, and on Monday directly across the busy highway at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, a statue will be unveiled honoring the airport’s namesake on the day of his 78th birthday.

The statue of Palmer, strikingly similar to one gracing the grounds at Augusta National where Palmer won four Masters championships, is the work of renown, award-winning sculptor Zenos Frudakis, the creator of the Augusta piece. A public dedication ceremony, to be attended by Palmer, will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday.

The statue is positioned in front of the main terminal at the former Westmoreland County Airport where Palmer, a world-record setting aviator, learned to fly. From their mutual humble beginnings, both the golfer and the airport have thrived, and the airport was re-named for Palmer in 1999 on his 70th birthday.

Palmer’s renown would be secure if he’d never even set foot on a golf course. He’s a world-record setting aviator who in 1976 helped circumnavigated the world in a Lear 36 business jet in just 57 hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds. Writing about the record, Time magazine said, “Considering the water hazards and long pars, the 46-year-old Palmer didn't do a bad job. He was 77 1/2 days ahead of Phineas Fogg.”

The Palmer Airport, too, is soaring in other ways. With free parking, it is becoming a regional departure hotspot for savvy western Pennsylvania commuters looking for easy access to national hubs. The Airport enjoys updated terminal facilities and fine dining and banquet facilities overlooking the newly extended 8,224-foot-long runway. Northwest is the airport’s premier airline, and regular charters to Orlando, Nevada and Atlantic City are available.

And as of Sept. 10, all commuters entering the terminal will be greeted by the 7-foot tall, 250-pound statue of the airport’s most familiar pilot. As impressive as it is, the statue will be dwarfed in scope by the spacious 50-acre monument just across the highway.

According to a commemorative book about the project, The Winnie Palmer Nature Preserve is “what happens when everybody’s best intentions are allowed to harmonically triumph. It’s something to think about the next time you allow yourself to luxuriate in a place of peace, education and inspiration that was allowed to flourish naturally, all because a group of people agreed that real community progress doesn’t always have have to start with pavement.”

The majestic Preserve is a natural playground of orchards, wildflowers, birds, frogs and other native delights. It came about after the late Winnie Palmer worked with activists, corporations and environmentalists to ensure that the scenic parcel of land framing St. Vincent College would not fall to developers’ bulldozers.

With a restored hallmark barn as the centerpiece of the property, the acreage is a wonderland of serenity for hikers, bird watchers or anyone seeking to engage the elements. The land will also serve as a living laboratory for the St. Vincent College Environmental Education Center.

Combined, the two Palmer projects give added heft to the notion that Latrobe is on the verge of becoming a tourist destination for those eager to enjoy the splendors of the Laurel Highlands.

Besides Arnold Palmer, Latrobe is the birthplace of the first banana split and the first professional football game. In addition, you need to fly into Arnold Palmer’s airport if you ever want to visit Mr. Rogers’s Neighborhood. Palmer and the late Fred Rogers, the beloved children’s TV show host, were Latrobe High School classmates. And St. Vincent College is the summer home of the five-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, and the site of the soon-to-be-open Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media.

Winter sports are enjoyed at nearby ski resorts, and golfers from around the world are making reservations to fly into the Palmer Airport to enjoy rounds of golf at Latrobe Country Club, now available for pre-arranged public play upon the discretion of the club’s pro shop. National golf magazines have featured the club and its five finely-appointed guest houses as a great destination for lovers of golf and all things Arnie.

Posted by crodell at 04:03 PM

August 01, 2007

Palmer, "Greats of Golf," to play in Minnesota

Arnold Palmer will make his first appearance of the year on the Champions Tour August 4-5 when he plays in a special, unofficial event in conjunction with the 3M Championship at the TPC Twin Cities course in Blaine, Minnesota, outside Minneapolis. It will be his first public competition since the Wendy’s Champions Skins Game in Hawaii January 13-14.

He, Don January and Miller Barber, three of the biggest stars in the early years of the then PGA Seniors Tour, will again make up one of the three teams competing in the “Greats of Golf” exhibition, which will be integrated into the regular 54-hole tournament.

The other threesomes in the best-ball-of-threesome competition are Billy Casper, Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Tony Jacklin, Gene Littler and Charles Coody. All nine men will play in a pro-amateur at 3M’s Tartan Park golf course on Friday, August 3.

Posted by crodell at 10:37 AM

July 27, 2007

Rolex honors Palmer, Nicklaus, Player

The world's premier timekeeper fetes golf's Big Three

Rolex, the name synonymous with elegance, craftsmanship and quality, found time this week to honor three golf legends who exude those same characteristics.

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player were in Geneva, Switzerland, to celebrate what is, perhaps, the longest on-going relationship in modern sports history. The three golfers have been associated with the 102-year-old watchmaker for nearly half its existence.

"Like you, we at Rolex honor excellence and achievement," said Rolex managing director Patrick Heiniger. "We equally honor the humor and humanity that each of you radiates. It is thanks to that magical mix that we are here together so many years down the road.

"What we share transcends our association through sport and is rooted in the timeless values that each one of you celebrates in your daily life, be it through your philanthropic work, your business activities, your passions, your hobbies.”

Palmer and the business manager for all three golfers, the late Mark McCormack, first met the late Andre Heiniger, Patrick’s father and then Rolex’s managing director, while on a business trip to Japan in 1961, and the relationships grew from there. Nicklaus and Player were presented with Rolex watches to mark their U.S. Open victories in 1962 and 1965, respectively, and Palmer became Rolex’s first golf ambassador in 1967.

Joining the Big Three were their wives and two other world-class sportsmen and Rolex ambassadors from the same era, the Grand Prix racing champion Sir Jackie Stewart and the Olympic and World Cup champion skier Jean-Claude Killy. They were all presented gold Rolex GMT Master II watches to mark the occasion.

The guests were also given a tour of watchmaker's factory prior to a ceremony in Rolex's Andre Heiniger Auditorium. A video of the Big Three created especially for the occasion was shown before Patrick Heiniger spoke and recognized the Big Three in these words:

“In 1960, Arnold gave new life to the British Open and made it a championship never to be missed by the best players. As a result he created the modern Grand Slam.

“In 1965, Gary overcame all odds to be the third golfer ever, and the first of his generation, to win all four of the major golf championships in his career.

“In 1986, Jack proved that he was indeed the golfer of the century, winning the Masters at 46 years of age, to increase his total to 18 majors, five more than the great Bobby Jones.”

After the ceremony there was luncheon in Rolex’s executive dining room for all attending, and that the tour of the Rolex facilities was continued. In the evening, Heiniger entertained the Big Three and their wives with a private dinner to conclude their visit.

That was only part of a whirlwind week that saw Palmer and wife Kit depart The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe in his Cessna Citation X on July 22 at 5 a.m. Accompanying the aviator was chief pilot Pete Luster and his wife, Mary. The flight was accomplished with just one refueling stop, in Newfoundland.

The group spent two days in Prato, Italy, near Florence where Palmer stopped at the Golf Club Le Pavoniere where club members reveled in the company of a man they've long admired.

"It was a great day spent with a legendary golf champion," said club president Gianni Hills. "We were able to follow him through 18 holes and it's something none of us will ever forget."

Posted by crodell at 10:51 AM

July 12, 2007

Arnold Palmer Becomes Great Grandfather

A happy day for the Palmer family.

Arnold Palmer's granddaughter, Katie (Katherine Ann) Spears, and her husband, Parker, are the proud parents of Charlotte Winifred Spears, born in the early morning hours of Thursday, July 12, in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s the first grandchild for Katie’s parents, Roy and Arnold’s daughter Amy Saunders, who live at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida. The parental grandparents are James and Sue Spears of Charlotte, N.C. The baby weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19 inches long at birth.

Posted by crodell at 12:28 PM

June 20, 2007

Palmer and Woods share No. 2s

In one of his most overlooked years of greatness, 1961, Arnold Palmer laid the groundwork for a career of impressive finishes.

Golf historians generally regard Arnold Palmer’s 1960 season as one of golf’s greatest. The contention is hard to dispute.

Consider: During 30 tournaments in which Palmer entered in 1960, he won nine times, including The Masters and The U.S. Open; he had two second-place finishes and three thirds. In all, he finished in the top ten 23 times.

Those are just some of the statistical reasons that led Palmer biographer Thomas Hauser to conclude: “No year meant more to a sport than 1960 meant to golf, and the man with the magic wand was Arnold Palmer.” What was dubbed Palmer’s “Golden Year” was capped when Sports Illustrated selected the golfer for “Sportsman of the Year” the same year sporting legends like Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Bill Russell and Johnny Unitas were having banner years that would eventually be immortalized in hall of fame shrines.

But if 1960 was indeed Palmer’s “Golden Year” then there can be no disputing his “Silver Year.”

It was 1961.

And, according to research done by Palmer assistant Doc Giffin, it was every bit as remarkable as 1960.

In ‘61, Palmer entered 29 tournaments (one fewer than ‘60), and had six wins compared to the nine he posted in ‘60. 1961 was the year he won the first of two consecutive British Open championships. It was the only major he’d win that year.

But further on down the leaderboard is where Palmer really makes a dent in the argument that ‘60 was statistically superior. And it’s interesting to consider in light of Tiger Woods’s second-place finish at Oakmont, a place where he played near-flawless golf but just couldn’t get the fist-pumping birdie putts to drop.

In ‘61, Palmer had five second-place finishes and three third-place finishes (1960 had two seconds and three thirds). Most remarkable was that in 29 tournaments, Palmer finished in the top 10 an amazing 24 times.

Tour statistics bear out that ‘61 was statistically superior. His average finish in 1960 was seventh, but it rose to sixth the following year.

In all, the two-year stretch includes 59 starts, 15 victories, seven second-place finishes, six thirds and 47 times in the top 10, a stretch of competitive consistency that’s rarely been equaled in professional golf.

Palmer would go on to claim 92 PGA and Senior tour victories with 61 second-place finishes, 42 of which were on the PGA Tour.

So how does Palmer in 1960-’61 stack up against Woods, whose last two years could arguably be his best? Remember, in the win category, these years include the seven consecutive wins in which Woods was electrifying the golf world in pursuit of Byron Nelson’s immortal streak of 11 consecutive victories.

You could say it’s close.

As of Sunday’s U.S. Open, Woods had entered 24 tournaments over the last 18 months. The stretch includes an amazing 11 victories with three seconds, a third; and 17 top tens. Number crunchers could agree that the percentages are remarkably similar.

And consider this: during Palmer’s 1961, he opened the season by missing the cut at the Los Angeles Open, then went the rest of the season finishing worse than ninth only four times. In nine 2007 events, Woods has bottomed outside the top 10 three times with ties for 15th, 22nd and 37th respectively.

Who knows? Maybe Tiger would add to his win total if he played more often. Or maybe the wear would reduce his statistical greatness.

All that is known is that as of June 18 and the happy birth of Sam Alexis Woods, daughter of Tiger and Elin, it is inevitable that terms like “No. 1” and “No. 2” will take on a whole new meaning to the proud Papa.

That is unless he delegates midnight diaper changing duties to someone else.

Posted by crodell at 10:35 AM

June 13, 2007

ARNOLD PALMER JOINS GOLF DIGEST AS PLAYING EDITOR

Magazine’s Exclusive All-Star Roster Already Includes Nicklaus, Woods, Sorenstam, Mickelson, and Watson

NEW YORK—Golf legend Arnold Palmer has signed a long-term agreement with Golf Digest to serve as an exclusive Playing Editor. The announcement was made today by Jerry Tarde, Chairman and Editorial Director of Golf Digest Publications, a division of Condé Nast Publications.

Through the agreement, Palmer will contribute bylined instruction and feature articles exclusively to Golf Digest. Palmer officially joined the Golf Digest staff with the magazine’s June issue and was the subject of the popular “My Shot” interview—which appears as part of the magazine’s U.S. Open Preview section.
“Golf Digest and I share the same values in our desire to give back to the game and belief that golf fans come first,” said Palmer. “Golf Digest is the No. 1 golf publication in the world. I’m excited to be part of the team and help people play golf better.”

“Adding Arnold Palmer to our staff marks a milestone in the history of Golf Digest,” Tarde said. “Arnold joins Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Phil Mickelson and Tom Watson as exclusive contributors to the magazine—pretty much wrapping up the greatest champions, current and past, alive today.”

In addition to the players mentioned above, Golf Digest’s elite roster of Playing Editors includes Ernie Els, Johnny Miller, Nick Price, Justin Leonard and David Toms. Golf Digest also has a number of renowned teachers on staff, including Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter and Hank Haney.

Arnold Palmer was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. He is fourth on the PGA Tour all-time win list with 62 victories, including four Masters, two British Opens, one U.S. Open and one U.S. Amateur.
Golf Digest is part of Condé Nast Publications and is the largest and most widely read golf publication in the world. Condé Nast Publications, a unit of Advance Publications, includes twenty-eight consumer magazines and their websites, eight uniquely branded websites, the Fairchild Fashion Group, Parade, the Condé Nast Media Group, and the Shared Services Centers.

# # #

Media Contact
Andrew Katcher (212) 630-2488

Posted by scurry at 12:19 PM

Miller says beating Palmer tougher than Tiger

NBC Sports color commentator Johnny Miller says beating Arnold Palmer in Pittsburgh in 1973 was tougher than beating Tiger anywhere in 2007. His two rounds with Palmer steeled him for the second most remarkable charge in U.S. Open history.

Johnny Miller "thinks" Arnold Palmer’s gotten over it. He "thinks" he’s accepted what happened and has come to terms with it.
He shouldn’t be too sure about that.
As fierce a competitor as there ever was, it’s unlikely Palmer will ever get over the sinking feeling he had while standing on the 11th green at Oakmont C.C. on June 17, 1973. Palmer’d started the final round tied for the lead with Julius Boros, John Schlee and Jerry Heard. Still leading with Boros, he was convinced he was cruising to his second Open championship victory in front of legions of adoring Palmer loyalists from throughout western Pennsylvania. The He was certain the hometown victory would ease the sting of the historic loss he felt on that very course to Jack Nicklaus 11 years earlier.
And that’s when he looked up at the scoreboard and saw that a 26-year-old -- go ahead and say it -- “smart alec kid” had posted an Open record final-round 63 on rain-softened greens to vault to the top of the leaderboard and eventual victory.
“I really blindsided him with that,” says Miller, today the outspoken color commentator for NBC Sports. Miller will be in the broadcast booth starting Thursday as the network begins its coverage of the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont. He made his comments about Palmer on Tuesday following a press conference with more than 100 reporters. “He must have felt like I’d picked his pocket and come up with a U.S. Open trophy.”
Gotten over it? Nah.
Oakmont pro Bob Ford says he and Palmer played a sentimental round at the course in July 2006 and Palmer recalled exactly where on the 11th green he was standing when he, Boros and Schlee saw the record-setting round Miller’d posted.
“He said he couldn’t believe it,” Ford said. “It just shocked him.”
It was the second of three consecutive shockers Palmer would feel on day when things went awry. He'd missed a short birdie putt on 11 before seeing Miller's run of red numbers way down the leaderboard, and then he hit what appeared to be a perfect drive on 12 that kicked off a sprinkler head and into deep rough.
While Palmer had trouble accepting the fateful turns, Miller says with a dashing bit of bravado he embraced it.
“He never saw me coming,” Miller says. “Schlee told me his reaction to my score and it wasn’t pleasant. You have to understand, I was paired with Palmer for the first two days of the tournament and must not have impressed him. But that was one of the best parts of the week for me. I held my own with him. Not many guys would ever win the Open playing two days with Arnold Palmer in 1973 for the first two days. I ran the gauntlet of those fans and shot 69-71 during the first two days. A lot of guys have trouble even making the cut under those conditions. To be able to do that with all his fans around was almost, to me, as much pressure as anything that happened all week. Maybe that prepared me for Sunday, to be honest with you.
“Because not many guys could play with Palmer in those days. It was definitely tougher than playing with Tiger today. That’s what playing with Palmer in Pittsburgh in 1973 was like.”
While nearly every golf fan remembers Miller’s 63, few recall his 76 the day before, a round that almost knocked him out of contention. He began the final round in five-way tie for seventh place.
“For me, one of the things that makes that round so special was the caliber of players I had to beat,” Miller says. “The leaderboard had Nicklaus, Boros, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Gene Littler and Palmer all playing at or near the top of their games.”
Funny, several days after his landmark victory, Palmer and Miller were again paired and once again Miller did something that confounded Palmer.
Call it an “ace-ssist.”
“We were paired together on the 230-yard par 3 5th hole at Firestone Country Club in Akron at the American Golf Classic,” Miller recalls. “I was holding a 4 wood and was all ready to hit when Arnie dropped his ball. I backed away, he apologized, I readjusted then stepped up and hit. The ball landed about five feet in front of the pin and rolled in just like a putt. Then I turned to Palmer and thanked him for his help. Maybe readjusting made the difference between an ace and just another really good shot.
“I don’t think I was his favorite guy back then, but good things were happening to me when I was around Arnold Palmer in June 1973.”
Miller points out that two of Palmer’s most painful losses -- the one to him and the one to Billy Casper at the 1966 U.S. Open -- occurred at the hands of practicing Mormons, prompting Miller to quip, “He may have gotten over it, but I doubt you’ll see any ‘Mitt Romney for President’ stickers on Arnold Palmer’s car. We Mormons haven’t been too kind to him.”
Incidentally, Miller’s final round comeback from six shots down is only the second greatest comeback in U.S. Open history.
Whose is first?
Arnold Palmer’s. He came from seven shots down on the final day to win the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills.

Posted by crodell at 11:19 AM

Palmer on ESPN, Golf Channel from Oakmont

Arnold Palmer will be interviewed live on ESPN Wednesday at 3 p.m. the day before the start of the U.S. Open at historic Oakmont C.C. near Pittsburgh.

Host Chris Berman will ask Palmer about his near life-long involvement with one of the world’s greatest golf clubs.
The interview will precede a scheduled press conference that will be broadcast on the Golf Channel.
The day will be capped by a gala cocktail hour hosted by Golf World, which has asked Palmer to raise the congratulatory toast celebrating the magazine’s 60th anniversary.
Palmer also plans to attend the closing ceremonies Sunday and attend the post-tournament cocktail reception.
That means Palmer will be hustling between two of the busiest locations in western Pennsylvania -- Oakmont and Latrobe where his home course will be hosting, among others, former Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge, LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci, and former LPGA star Mary Bea Porter-King.
Guests and visitors have been flocking to Latrobe one hour from Oakmont following Open rounds to play, visit and purchase Palmer memorabilia from the historic club

Posted by crodell at 11:01 AM

May 28, 2007

Wyndham Worldwide Launches Sweepstakes, Ad Campaign Featuring Arnold Palmer

PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Global hospitality company Wyndham Worldwide is launching a blockbuster marketing program including sponsorship of a PGA TOUR golf tournament, a national TV campaign featuring golf legend Arnold Palmer, and the Wyndham Foursome Sweepstakes, all designed to introduce consumers to its unparalleled range of accommodations.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/wyndham/28495/

Building upon its title sponsorship of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, NC (Aug 13-19), Wyndham Worldwide also is introducing its first- ever national advertising campaign, an on-site presence at TOUR events, Internet promotion and, at most of its 6,000-plus U.S. properties, a Wyndham Championship in-room video promoting tune-in to the Tournament broadcast.

"We are very excited about this fully integrated approach to educate consumers about our hotel, rental and vacation ownership brands," said Steve Holmes, Chairman and CEO of Wyndham Worldwide. "We have been a public company for under a year and have already established a strong presence as a major force in the travel industry, giving consumers a wide range of choices in lodging, vacation rental and vacation ownership. The launch of a national advertising campaign is an important step in the evolution of Wyndham Worldwide as a powerhouse in leisure travel."

Wyndham Worldwide and Palmer signed an exclusive marketing partnership to develop Arnold Palmer Golf Holidays by Wyndham. Wyndham Vacation Ownership is developing a signature line of Palmer-branded travel products featuring select golf destinations throughout the United States. The vacation packages will be made available to current and prospective Wyndham timeshare owners and will include a wide selection of activities appealing to all levels of golf enthusiasts.

"Playing good golf is the goal of every person who's ever picked up a golf club, and the fact that they can use it as an excuse for a vacation is something that I think is wonderful," commented Palmer.

"Partnering with Arnold Palmer, a legend known around the world as one of the game's most beloved champions, is a tremendously incredible opportunity for us," said Wyndham Vacation Ownership President and Chief Executive Officer Franz Hanning. "Golf has always been among the most popular activities to enjoy while on vacation and this initiative enables us to showcase a wide selection of activities to our more than 800,000 owners and also appeal to golf enthusiasts seeking a world-class vacation experience."

Palmer will also be featured in a national television advertising campaign promoting the Wyndham Foursome sweepstakes that will award four travel packages. The campaign debuts during this week's telecast of the Memorial Tournament on the GOLF CHANNEL and CBS and will feature Palmer encouraging viewers to enter for a chance to win one of four prizes: an Orlando Golf package including five days of instruction at the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy, a week in the Caribbean at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort in St. Thomas, a week in a country home in Ireland, or a week-long California road trip.

In addition to the promotion with Palmer, Wyndham is using its significant distribution channels to raise awareness about the tournament and promote tune-in to the broadcast:

- At hundreds of locations across Wyndham's 10 hotel brands, an in-room video with commentary from Palmer will promote tune-in to the Wyndham Championship, the concluding tournament to the PGA TOUR Regular Season that determines final player seedings heading into the first-ever PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. The video will air between June 1 and August 19th. - Callers to any of Wyndham's multiple toll-free reservation lines who are put on hold will hear a message from Arnold Palmer inviting them to tune in to watch the Wyndham Championship. - The home pages of all individual brand Web sites as well as WyndhamWorldwide.com will have a click-through banner promoting the sweepstakes as well as a link to the Wyndham Championship site. - Several hotel brand print ads will include a snipe promoting tune-in to the broadcast. - Wyndham Vacation Ownership will have an onsite presence at 10 PGA TOUR Events to drive sweepstakes entries and promote the many benefits of vacation ownership.

Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world's largest hospitality companies. Wyndham Worldwide offers individual consumers and business-to-business customers a broad suite of hospitality products and services across various accommodation alternatives and price ranges through its premier portfolio of world-renowned brands. Wyndham Hotel Group encompasses almost 6,500 franchised hotels and over 539,000 hotel rooms worldwide. RCI Global Vacation Network offers its more than 3.4 million members access to over 60,000 vacation properties located in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of approximately 150 vacation ownership resorts serving over 800,000 owners throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Wyndham Worldwide, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., employs more than 30,000 employees globally.

ATTENTION MEDIA: Consumers can access the digitized downloadable file at: http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/media_center
Wyndham Worldwide

CONTACT: Lisa Burby, Vice President Communications of Wyndham Vacation
Ownership, +1-407-921-7775 (cell), +1-407-370-5146 (office),
lisa.burby@wyndhamvo.com; Chris Smith, Director of Public Relations for PGA
TOUR Business, +1-904-273-3379, csmith@pgatourhq.com; Betsy O'Rourke, SVP
Marketing & Communications of Wyndham Worldwide, +1-301-332-6530 (cell),
+1-973-753-7422 (office), betsy.o'rourke@wyndhamworldwide.com

Web site: http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/media_center
http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/

Published May. 28, 2007
Copyright © 2007 SYS-CON Media. All Rights Reserved.

Posted by scurry at 11:55 AM

May 14, 2007

Arnie & Oakmont

A Beaut of a Brute

By Chris Rodell
as originally seen in KINGDOM MAGAZINE, issue 7

A look of grave concern creases Arnold Palmer’s face when asked his advice on how an average golfer can achieve a good score the day he’s scheduled to play Oakmont Country Club. “Well, I suggest you start by playing someplace else,” he says.

In fact, telling golfers who’ve been scarred by the brute that you’re scheduled to play golf at Oakmont is like telling a priest you’ve been dispatched to retrieve Satan’s pitchfork. They call you crazy. Try to talk you out of it. Say small prayers on your behalf.

As well they should. For all its stark beauty, Oakmont is one hell of a golf course: 7,255 yards, nearly 200 penal bunkers and greens so lightning fast the busybody U.S.G.A. crews preparing the course for the 2007 U.S. Open will be tasked to slow . . . them . . . down.

The rich Palmer legacy resonates at Augusta where he won four times, at Cherry Hills where the charge was born, and at St. Andrews, Royal Birkdale and Troon where Palmer is credited with inventing the fabled British Open as we know it.

But no major tournament venue is more closely associated with Palmer than Oakmont, and no course dished out more pain and poignancy than the course he grew up dreaming of conquering. When towheaded boys fantasize about winning the World Series with a final swing of the bat, it’s always Yankee Stadium. When those boys are western Pennsylvania golfers, the dreams are of snaking in the winning putt on the 18th green in the shadows of Oakmont’s gabled clubhouse.

For Palmer, the dream came true at a very young age.

“I was just a kid when I beat Jack Benson there to win the 1949 Western Pennsylvania Amateur,” he recalls. “Oakmont is so full of tradition from the locker room to men standing and laughing in the wooden floored barroom. The course is always in excellent condition. It just really resonates with all that’s great about golf. At 18, it was such an unbelievable thrill to win there.”

That win, however, is an asterisk in Palmer’s career at the course that is just one hour on the Pennsylvania Turnpike west of his Latrobe home. It was at Oakmont where the symbolic changing of the guard took place in 1962 when Jack Nicklaus beat Palmer and an often belligerent crowd of Palmer stalwarts to win the U.S. Open. And in 1973, Palmer stood on the 12th green as the final leader of that year’s U.S. Open when he was stunned to see Johnny Miller had posted a record-setting 63 to vault to victory. And it was at Oakmont in 1994 that Palmer closed the door on his U.S. Open career before a crowd so adoring that tears spilled down the old golfer’s face as their 18th green ovation washed over him.

In fact, tears are Oakmont’s only water hazard. It is a heartbreaker. Forty-four years after the watershed tournament, Palmer still sounds mournful when talking about the ‘62 Open and how he let it get away.

“I used to putt those greens pretty well when I was younger, but in ‘62 Nicklaus beat me on the greens by 17 shots . . . 17!” he says, sounding as if he could snap a stout-shafted putter in half at the mere recollection. “I’ve never played the greens when they weren’t like lightning. Never played it once in my life when the stimpmeter reading was under 11.”

Had it not been for Oakmont, the word “stimpmeter” might never have even been introduced into golf’s vernacular. It was here at the 1935 U.S. Open, that renowned amateur Edward Stimpson noted the diabolical greens were so fast that only one man, eventual winner and western Pennsylvania resident Sam Parks Jr., was having success putting. Stimpson left determined to create a device that would measure the consistency of green speed so golfers everywhere could prepare. Thus, the birth of the stimpmeter.

Golfers at the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot skated across greens that stimped at 12.5. Oakmont members breathe sighs of relief when they stimp in the neighborhood of 13. The course will be unrecognizable to golfers who last played it in 1994. A massive tree removal program uprooted more than 3,000 magnificent hardwoods to restore the once leafy landmark to its barren, foreboding look of its 1903 introduction.

Bob Ford is Oakmont’s head professional and has golfed there with Palmer many times. Not once, he says, has Palmer stepped out of character and looked backward. Not once did he stop to dwell on the past.

Until last summer. Ford says Palmer had stopped by on July 11, 2006, to play a round prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star festivities occuring that day at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park.

“That’s the only time I’ve ever played with him that he even got the slightest bit reflective,” Ford says. “Never once did he look back or mention past tournaments until that recent summer day.”

Ford says Palmer stood at the side of the par 5 ninth green and recalled how he’d been at that spot in 1962 in two. He told Ford how he’d been just off the green, right next to the flag with idealistic thoughts of birdie, maybe -- cross your fingers -- a pivotal eagle. But Palmer, chagrined, recalled how the greens took a bite out of his ambitions and he stalked off with a discouraging bogie.

“Then on 12th green, he said how he stood there in 1973 and had been head-to-head in the lead with Julius Boros when both looked up at the leader board and saw Johnny Miller had posted his record-setting 63 on the rain-damped greens,” Ford says. “He couldn’t believe it.”

As the round continued, Ford says he was struck by how nostalgic Palmer was going through the years and rounds that are indelibly etched into the history of one of America’s most legendary courses.

“I got the feeling that maybe he thought it was one of the last times he’d ever play there, and it saddened me to think Arnold Palmer was having those thoughts,” Ford says.

But in the end, it won’t be those wistful moments Ford says he’ll recall from an otherwise ordinary round with an extraordinary gentleman. It won’t be Palmer talking about tournaments and titles that got away four decades ago. It won’t be the echoes of the cheers and the reciprocal love between a hometown boy who’d gone global and the fans who loved him so fiercely for both his successes and failures.

No, Ford says the recollection he’ll most cherish happened before the round even started. And the unlikely instigators were some scrawny youths clinging to a fence separating the Oakmont pool from the nearby first tee.

“We were getting ready to tee off and we heard these kids applauding,” Ford says. “We turned around and a bunch of the boys had climbed out of the water and were hanging on the fence to watch Arnold Palmer tee off,” he says. “They hadn’t even been born when he won his last tournament, but they were cheering him like he was Tiger Woods.

“He smiled, waved, turned to me and said, ‘Bob, that’s what keeps bringing me out after all these years.’ It made me tingle all over. That’s what I’ll always remember most about that day. That’s the memory I’ll cherish forever.”

Posted by crodell at 03:32 PM

May 08, 2007

Palmer dines with Queen, gives putting pointers to the Supremes

Arnold and Kit Palmer made one of the most demanding cuts of the 21st century on a sun-kissed Washinton evening. They were among the 130 A-list guests invited to fete Queen Elizabeth II at the White House on May 7.

The truly regal affair was widely considered to be the most spectacular dinner in official Washington in the past 10 years. Palmer’s name on the guest list added a dash of grit and grace to a roll that included Vice President Dick Cheney, Nancy Reagan, Peyton Manning and violinist Itzhak Perlman.

The Palmers received elegant gold-rimmed invitations (hand-penned by a calligrapher and then engraved) in April. The gala dinner May 7 is the highlight of a two-day extravaganza in which Palmer dined at the head table with President George W. Bush and Queen Elizabeth, gave putting lessons to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts at the highest court in the land, and was feted as one of just six life-time Tour Achievement winners at the new clubhouse at the TPC at Sawgrass.

“Even for Arnold Palmer, the last two days have been remarkable,” says Palmer spokesman Doc Giffin. “Both Arnold and Kit had a splendid time at the White House dinner honoring Queen Elizabeth. It was a very special evening and they were thrilled to be invited.”

If it was a national A-list that scored one of just 130 invitations to the dinner, then Palmer has vaulted to the A-list of the A-list. He was chosen to sit at the main table with both President Bush and Queen Elizabeth and guests Nancy Reagan, Alma Powell (wife of Colin Powell), Tricia Lott (wife of U.S. Sen. Trent Lott), Ashley Manning (wife of Indianapolis Colt quarterback Peyton Manning), CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz, and Chief Justice Roberts.

The five-course dinner included “spring pea soup with fern leaf lavender,” “saddle of spring lamb” and three different wines. The dinner was the first, and probably will be the only, white-tie event of the Bush presidency.

The Palmers were up early to enjoy another memorable meeting the day after the dinner. Kit Palmer, who is a personal friend with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, accepted her friend’s invitation to see the Supreme Court. While there, Palmer gave putting lessons to a trio of renown rules sticklers who might be hiding snazzy golf shirts beneath their black robes.

“He was putting on the carpet in Chief Justice Roberts’s office and giving some pointers to Roberts, Kennedy and former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who, incidentally, is the only Supreme Court Justice to ever score a hole-in-one,” Giffin says.

From there, the Palmers flew to Jacksonville, Florida, where Palmer was set to attend a black-tie dinner at grand opening of the new clubhouse at the TPC at Sawgrass, home of the Tournament Player’s Championship. Palmer, one of just three living recipients of the Tour’s Lifetime Achievement Award, will address the gathering.

Besides Palmer, only five other men have ever been deemed worthy of the award since it was first bestowed in 1995. The others are Pete Dye, Jackie Burke Jr., Byron Nelson, Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen.

Following the whirlwind two days, the Palmers flew to Bay Hill Club in Orlando to do one of the few things he enjoys more than dining with royalty.

Palmer golfed with friends.

Posted by crodell at 04:08 PM

May 03, 2007

Play Latrobe C.C. during U.S. Open week . . . and all summer long!

This may come as a surprise to golf fans eager to descend on western Pennsylvania June 11-17, but there are still good tee times available at one of the world’s most fabled golf courses.

No, we’re not talking about Oakmont C.C., site of the 2007 U.S. Open. Oakmont’s tee sheet that week is, of course, booked by the world’s top golfers striving to make their mark on a course whose name reverberates through golf history as one of the game’s most hallowed sites.

But just an hour east down the Pennsylvania Turnpike is another legendary golf name that is welcoming golf pilgrims from around the world.

The course is Arnold Palmer’s Latrobe Country Club.

“We get calls from people all over who are amazed that they can be our guest for a day at Latrobe,” says Randy Bisi, the man who holds the head pro position once occupied by Deacon Palmer, the man who taught Arnold Palmer how to golf.

While the club’s primary responsibility will always be to respect the priorities of its valued members, the club will work with guests to ensure that those interested in playing will be given the member sponsorship necessary to secure tee times, according to Jerry Palmer, Latrobe Country Club General Manager. “We have a magnificent golf course and we’re very proud of it. We want people who’ve always dreamed of playing Latrobe to have the opportunity to do so all summer long. We understand how much this means a lot to golfers all over the world and we want them to have the chance to enjoy the club the way we and the members do every day.”

The club has four finely appointed guest houses on property for visitors to stay overnight. Bisi says those accommodations are booked through Open week, but good tee times are available. “Even on days when we’re crowded, there are still tee times available after 4 p.m.,” he says. “Golfers could enjoy Oakmont in the morning, drive to Latrobe, and still have plenty of summer sunshine left to play a round at the club where Mr. Palmer learned the game.”

And, make no mistake, it’s no exaggeration to say that the name Latrobe resonates with golfers just as much as St. Andrews.

“A man who’d never heard the history of golf described it as, ‘A game invented by Arnold Palmer up in Pennsylvania where you make a long putt on the last hole and win a lot of money.’”

That’s what tournament organizer Gene Hallman told reporters in 1993 after Palmer’s presence at the Bruno’s Memorial Classic in Birmingham, Alabama, resulted in a 15 percent surge in ticket sales.

Reached today, Hallman says he remembers talking with a local reporter when the quote came off the top of his head, but that the essential truth of the statement still stands.

“Oh, absolutely,” he says. “Arnold Palmer’s the most enduringly popular athlete of all time and to a lot of people -- even non-golfers -- the name Latrobe ranks right up there with St. Andrews, Pebble Beach and Augusta.”

The difference between those places in general and St. Andrews in particular is that Latrobe is an eight hour drive from 40 percent of the U.S. population and that you can play it for about the same as it would cost to park your car at an international airport for the days it would require to fly to Scotland and play a couple days of golf.

Oh, and there’s one other difference: Latrobe has Arnold Palmer.

“It’s not just his trophies and memorabilia you see here at the club, a lot of times you see Mr. Palmer,” Bisi says. “He’s here almost all summer. He’s on the course, he’s in the grille room, he’s on the putting green. To walk in his footsteps is a thrill to a lot of golfers who grew up idolizing him, but to have him walk up, smile and shake your hand and welcome you to Latrobe Country Club is as good as it’s ever gets for many golf fans. It’s something they’ll never forget.”

To arrange tee times and accommodations and member sponsorship throughout the year, contact the pro shop at Latrobe C.C., 724-539-8588 or visit www.latrobecountryclub.com.

Posted by crodell at 04:52 PM

April 16, 2007

Palmer a hit on HBO's The Sopranos

Arnold Palmer is used to being in the company of presidents and royalty, but Arnold Palmer and mob bosses? It happened Sunday on an episode of HBO's highly acclaimed crime show, "The Sopranos."

In the scene, boss Tony Soprano greets rival Little Carmine Lupertazzi at a local country club to discuss a recent mob hit. When the waitress asks Lupertazzi what he'll have for lunch, he orders some seared Ahi Tuna, mixed vegetables and says, "And bring me an Arnold Palmer."

Like the Emmy-winning show, the Arnold Palmer is itself a highly acclaimed drink invented by the golfer and favored in upscale spas, golf clubs and fine restaurants across the country.

Does this make Mr. Palmer a material witness to homicide? Chris Byrd, a partner of the Orlando-based Innovative Flavors, LLC, makers of Arnold Palmer Tee, says no. “They’d have trouble putting Mr. Arnold Palmer in the can over this one, but if I were a can of Arnold Palmer, I’d consider getting some legal representation.”

The refreshing Arnold Palmer is half iced tea and half lemonade and can be ordered online at www.arnoldpalmer.com or at www.arnoldpalmertee.com

Posted by crodell at 11:10 AM

April 13, 2007

Palmer and Harbour Town '69, a Perfect Match

The old veteran hadn’t won in 14 months and many said his best days were far behind him. The flashy tour rookie needed to make a good impression or risk being relegated to second-tier status in a PGA field crowded with other worthy aspirants.

From the very first, Arnold Palmer and Harbour Town Golf Links were a match made in Low Country heaven.

It’s hard to imagine now to the multitudes of tourists who flock to its magnificent beaches, and play golf on its world class courses, but just 38 years ago, Hilton Head Island, S.C., was a sleepy coastal island that was more marsh than magic.

Promoters say Palmer’s surprise 1969 victory at the first Heritage Classic literally put the island on the map. “Palmer saved us,” recalled John Gettys Smith in 1994. Smith was a public relations executive for Sea Pines Resort, the island tip development that became the model for hundreds of other coastal Southern gated communities eager to capitalize on northerners’ love for sunshine and golf. “His win brought us instant recognition.”

Harbour Town was the first golf course design that Jack Nicklaus, under the headline tutelage of Pete Dye, ever worked on. With its landmark lighthouse as the backdrop for the 18th green along Calebogie Sound, it remains one of the top golf courses in the country. But, as with many fledgling tournaments, it was having trouble attracting attention for the tournament, then held during the busy Thanksgiving weekend.

A last-minute withdrawal left promoters scrambling to fill a high-profile spot. They called Palmer. He agreed to play, but only on the condition he could land his plane at the still-under-construction airport. It was arranged and photographers snapped pictures of Palmer carrying his golf bag from his plane.

Columnist Jim Littlejohn of the Hilton Head News recalled in 1991 how veteran golf writer Charles Price told naysayers Palmer’s mere participation would assure success. Littlejohn wrote, “Everyone kept asking Price who’d be playing and he’d always say, ‘Nicklaus will play in it because he helped design it and with Nicklaus and Palmer, you won’t need anyone else.’”

Palmer did more than play. Coming off a four-week tour layoff, he vowed to put persistent putting woes “out of my mind or die trying.” In addition, he’d been doing 50 situps each evening and again in the morning to strengthen his ailing hip. A 1-under par 70 gave him a three-stroke lead going into the final day and brought with it a flood of national reporters to the remote island to write another series of euphoric “Palmer’s back!” stories.

He wound up fending off Richard Crawford and Bert Yancey, and did a mock stagger across the 18th green into the arms of Nicklaus before being given the $20,000 first place check. Pictures from the victory show a grinning Palmer holding the trophy with the skeleton of what was the still-unfinished landmark lighthouse in the background.

Smith later recalled: “Our little press tent was barely able to handle the huge surge of reporters from all over the country. But by Monday there were stories all around the world about Palmer’s big win at Harbour Town. It’s impossible to calculate what the Palmer win meant for Hilton Head.”

Posted by crodell at 04:17 PM

April 05, 2007

Palmer Tee Shot Opens '07 Masters

Arnold Palmer returned to The Masters Thursday to hit the ceremonial first tee shot, an honor previously bestowed upon revered champions such as Sam Snead and Byron Nelson. Dave Anderson of The New York Times writes: “His ball won’t go as far and probably not as straight as it did when he was winning the Masters every other year from 1958 to 1964, but who cares? Arnold Palmer will be on the first tee at Augusta National again, and that’s enough for anyone who remembers seeing him here when real soldiers at nearby Fort Gordon were the original enlistees in Arnie’s Army.”

"I was very impressed with all the people who came rushing through that gate when it opened," Palmer said. "It seemed like 20,000 people out there."

Palmer told reporters the competitive fires still burn, 52-years after as a rookie he played his first Masters round with the great Gene Sarazen.

“You realize it’s over, and it’s been my life for over 50 years,” he said. “It’s a hard pill to swallow. I’ll sit at home and watch on television from time to time,” referring to even the best of today’s touring pros, “and think, ‘You know, I could have done that better.’ ”

To view a video clip of the '07 tee shot visit www.masters.org

Posted by crodell at 09:43 AM

April 03, 2007

Arnold Palmer to Launch 2007 Masters Thursday

The question that has been posed to Arnold Palmer ever since and even before he played in his final Masters Tournament in 2004 -- Will you become the Honorary Starter? -- has been answered. Billy Payne, the new Chairman of the Masters and Augusta National Golf Club, announced Tuesday at a specially-arranged press conference that Palmer, a four-time winner of the prestigious tournament and an Augusta National member, will hit the opening shot of this year's event Thursday morning. A massive turnout is expected to witness the historic occasion. The announcement preceded Palmer's annual attendance at the Champions Dinner at Augusta National Tuesday evening.

Palmer will be just the sixth person to serve as Honorary Starter in the long history of the Masters, which began in 1934. Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod inaugurated the role in 1963. Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen took over in 1981 and Ken Venturi filled in for Nelson in 1983. Sam Snead joined Nelson and Sarazen in 1984. The position has been vacant since Snead died following the 2002 Masters.

"The time was right to make this decision," said Palmer, who played in 50 consecutive Masters from 1955 through 2004. "As you know, Augusta is one of my favorite places and the Masters has meant so much to me personally throughout my career. I have always been treated so warmly there by the patrons. I hope in some way I can show my gratitude to the fans who have followed and supported me these many years."

"We are absolutely delighted that Arnold has accepted our invitation to become an Honorary Starter," enthused Payne in making the announcement at the Media Center. "This is wonderful news for the Masters and his legions of fans."

Posted by dgiffin at 03:22 PM

March 15, 2007

From small town to big time for Palmer

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -Even now, Arnold Palmer has a hard time realizing how far his tournament has come.

Tanned and relaxed, he stared out at some four dozen people, most of them media, a bank of cameras at the back of the room. To his side was the new trophy with a statue of Palmer lashing away with his driver.

The winner also will get $990,000, about half as much as Palmer made in his 50 years on the PGA Tour.

The name of the tournament has a nice ring: The Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"My daughters are responsible for that,'' Palmer said Wednesday. "While I was playing, I would have never allowed it. That was first stipulation for not making any name change. I liked the Bay Hill Invitational logo. But when I stopped playing, that sort of opened the door for the possible name change.''

He remembers being asked to host the tournament at Bay Hill in 1979, and "it's worked out pretty well.''

"The first tournament was $100,000, and that was about the average on tour in those days,'' he said. Of course, this year we're $5.5 million. That's reasonable progress in 29 years.''

There has been progress all around him.

Palmer hails from Latrobe, Pa., and he used to travel to south Florida to practice in the winter when he first turned professional. But the Miami area was too crowded for his tastes, so he began scouting areas up and down the coasts of Florida.

It was by chance in 1965 that the Orlando Chamber of Commerce invited him to an exhibition at Bay Hill, along with Jack Nicklaus, Dave Regan and Don Cherry. He fell in love with the course, and asked about buying it from 10 partners, a process that took some time.

Still, it was just what the King wanted.

"The only thing out here was orange groves, snakes, a few birds, but a lot of wonderful freshwater,'' Palmer said. "It was quiet. It was about a 15- or 20-minute drive to downtown, which was great. It was a small town.

"Well,'' he paused to smile, "you know the story from there.''

A few years later, Disney scooped up some 27,000 acres and announced plans for a theme park. Palmer's friends figured he knew what he was doing, but even Palmer wasn't sure how much the town would grow, how it would become a tourist mecca.

"I was really looking for a quiet place to just do a nice golf course ... and here we are,'' he said.

He has a golf course that has hosted the PGA Tour for almost three decades.

And the name isn't the only change.

Wanting to make Bay Hill more of a challenge, Palmer has changed par 5s at Nos. 4 and 16 into par 4s, making the course play as a 70. The 16th used to be the last spot among the final five holes where players could think about making birdie.

"Now the party's over after the 13th,'' Joey Sindelar said. "That last hour will be torture.''

Still, the biggest difference will be the scores to par.

"I would probably predict that the scores will be much the same as they have been in past years,'' Palmer said. "I don't think we'll see a lot of major changes. The only thing that we'll see that might be a little different is that the players won't be as many under par as they have been in the past.''

One thing that has become difficult to predict is how Tiger Woods will fare at Bay Hill.

The tournament has attracted one of the strongest fields of the year, with Jim Furyk and Adam Scott the only players missing from the top 10 in the world. Masters champion Phil Mickelson is back for the first time since 2002, while Ernie Els is playing Bay Hill for the 15th consecutive year.

Woods once played so well at Bay Hill that some suggested calling it the Tiger Woods Invitational.

But that's misleading.

True, he captured Palmer's tournament four straight years through 2003, when he won by 11 shots. And when people were speculating over his seven-tournament winning streak on the PGA Tour, some tended to chalk up an automatic victory at Bay Hill simply because Woods has won so often.

But it has been a classic case of feast or famine.

Woods has finished 20th or higher four times at Bay Hill. Among regular PGA Tour events, The Players Championship is the only other event where he has finished so far behind so often. In the 14 tour events he played as an amateur, majors included, the only time he failed to break 80 was in 1994 at Bay Hill.

And when he teed off Thursday, he was trying to end a streak of 11 consecutive rounds at Bay Hill without breaking 70.

"This week, all I have to do is shoot under par and I do it,'' he said. "It's one of those weird things. As I said, I feel comfortable on this golf course, but for some reason I just haven't played well. I haven't put it together.''

Posted by scurry at 01:33 PM

March 06, 2007

The NEW ArnoldPalmer.com - Version 2.0

This is what happens when old school goes high tech. This is what happens when one of the most storied lives -- not just in golf, but in all America -- is given the most lavish and loving consideration that only a medium like the world wide web can bestow.

Because there have been many splendid biographies written about Palmer. They highlight the 92 tournaments, including six major championships, he’s won. They detail how the son of a Latrobe, Pennsylvania, greenskeeper became a confidant of presidents, kings and Hollywood royalty. But not until ArnoldPalmer.com 2.0 has the common fan of this uncommon man had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily doings of someone who’s stood arm and arm with history for the past 60 years.

ArnoldPalmer.com 2.0 breaks down the Palmer life into day-by-day increments. “On This Day . . .” in the Experience Timeline gives you a daily update on one significant headline-making event in world of Palmer. Pretty neat, eh? Sure, but we weren’t satisfied settling for one item per day. Thanks to the genius of Palmer assistant Doc Giffin, we had access to more than 50 years of newspaper and magazine clips that detail Palmer’s meetings with presidents, the time in 1970 when Johnny Carson tabbed the golfer to be his “Tonight Show” stand-in, to when the lives of at-risk infants were saved in Arnold Palmer hospitals.

Every day mingles insight, warmth and glory. Take June 23. That was when President George W. Bush presented Palmer with the Presidential Medal of Honor (2004), coincidentally, 11 years to the day after Palmer was still basking over being honored by President Bill Clinton with the first National Sports Award (1993) and the same June 23 day Palmer won the 1985 Senior T.P.C. Championship earning $36,554.

Or try July 29, a day when Palmer won three different tournaments in three different states over three decades for an escalating first place prize of $3,800 (1956), $11,000 (1963), and $20,050 (1971).

Or better still, just try your birthday. See if Palmer had one of his 19 aces on the day you were born. Hint: if you were born in September, your chances are really good. Tell your buddies. Make it a game you can play while you’re waiting to tee up: Who’s birthday is more meaningful in the life of Arnold Palmer? “On This Day . . .” is home to more than 1,200 fascinating options to consider.

And that’s not all. Every career stat, decades of candid photographs, Palmer quotes, quizzes and quips are all here. It’s maybe the only place on the web you can spend hours learning about a genuine hero who broke world records in aviation and at the same time help fight prostate cancer. Because as any student of Palmer knows, life isn’t just about being good. It’s just as much about doing good.

Because this is is the place where every future Palmer biographer will begin his or her detailed and illuminating work. In fact, spend any time here and you’ll be qualified to author a fine Palmer biography all of your own.

For those of you who aren't familiar, Arnold Palmer and his trademark 4-color umbrella, are also a major fashion brand overseas. In Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malasyia and Indonesia the Arnold Palmer name represents a posh and stylish fashion label centered around the american icon. By navigating to the brands section you're able to click a country and see their latest fashion look-books, store locations and licensees. Yes, there are Arnold Palmer stores in Japan!

But with all due respect to learned researchers, this site wasn’t constructed with work in mind. Like Palmer and the game he loves so much, ArnoldPalmer.com 2.0 is pure fun. Dig in, click around. The answer to every question you’ve ever wanted to ask Palmer during a friendly round of golf is within these pages. So run your cursor over this home page. Discover the links that’ll take you inside on a journey of discovery.

All there is to do is act like Arnold Palmer.

And charge!

Posted by scurry at 02:13 PM

February 18, 2007

Palmer's Past Repeats Itself

Arnie's Career Similar to Tiger's

By: Larry Bohannan
The Desert Sun

LA QUINTA - Every golf tournament wants him in its field. Every sponsor wants him in their tournament or their commercials. Every television broadcast hopes to focus its cameras on him.

That might sound like the career of Tiger Woods, the brightest - and some say the only - star in golf today. But it happened 15 years before Woods was born, and the player in demand was Arnold Palmer.

Palmer, golf's biggest and most successful star at the dawn of the television age in the late 1950s, may be the only golfer who can grasp the kind of external pressure Woods is receiving from fans and media these days. They want Woods to play more PGA Tour events, revive lagging television ratings and generally push the sport to greater heights. It was no different in Palmer's heyday.

"Was there pressure? Sure, there is a lot of pressure. Jack (Nicklaus) had the same thing. Everybody does," Palmer said sitting in his La Quinta home inside Tradition Golf Club, site of one of his eight desert course designs. "And of course a lot of us were very conscious of that. But you have to live your life. You can't stop and go play everywhere. You would ruin your existence."

Palmer, 77 and now retired from competing in official PGA Tour or Champions Tour events, fueled the boom in golf's popularity in the 1960s. His dramatic comebacks - he rallied from seven shots back in the final round to win the 1960 U.S. Open - his go-for-broke style and his blue-collar work ethic brought new fans and excitement to a sport that was too often perceived as staid or elitist before his arrival.

Like Woods today, there was often a sense in the early 1960s that if Palmer wasn't in a tour field, the event didn't matter as much. Now 47 years after his seminal 1960 season of eight wins including the Open and the Masters, Palmer might be forgiven for looking at the modern PGA Tour pro with a "We did things different in my day" attitude. Instead, Palmer said he sometimes wishes he had been able to force himself to cut back on his tournament appearances and play a schedule more like Woods.

"Maybe I should have (taken weeks off) a little more. It might have enhanced my position on the tour a little bit," said Palmer, who averaged 29 tournament starts a year from 1955 to 1961. "You know, it's difficult. I was so grateful for the fact that I was there and could do what I was doing. I wanted to do everything I could do to enhance it and make it better for everyone else."

By contrast, Woods has averaged 19 PGA Tour starts in his first 10 seasons on tour and has never played more than 21 events in a year. Woods played 15 in 2007, the minimum required for full tour membership, though he took 10 weeks off because of his father's death. Still, Woods has 55 career victories, fifth on the tour's all-time wins list. Palmer is fourth with 62 wins.

Palmer said he felt similar pressure but in less-public ways.

"The commissioner would call you sometimes. I've had occasions when that happened. But not to the point where they called and said 'You've got to play.'" Palmer recalled. "Deane Beman might call and say, 'Arnie, it would really help us if you would consider playing in an event.'"

Palmer said he received similar calls from Joe Dye, the commissioner before Beman. Woods has certainly had similar conversations with people behind the scenes, Palmer said, but Palmer doesn't criticize Woods or any player for playing fewer than half of the tour's available events.

"I played a lot, as you know. And I tried to accommodate. But there was a time when I played so much just trying to accommodate, I wore myself out," Palmer said. "And I got sick, mentally and physically. That doesn't mean that I was literally sick, but I felt awful and my game was not good."

Palmer recalled arriving in Fort Worth, Texas, for the Colonial tournament one May after having played a heavy schedule of tournaments early in the season.

"I was exhausted. I got sick. And that was a case where I wanted to be excused from the tournament," Palmer said. "I was on site and sick, but they kept me and they wouldn't let me go. And I understood."

Some things have changed significantly over 40 years of golf - primarily money. When Palmer won eight tournaments in 21 starts in 1962, he earned a record $128,230 for the season. The winner of today's Nissan Open will earn $936,000 for the week.

"You can't help but look at the money. They have got it. I mean, if you finish second or third in a tournament, you are set for the year, financially," Palmer said. "So that definitely has to have an effect."

Palmer said many players in his era played week to week just to make ends meet. A missed cut and no paycheck for a week could be a disaster for a struggling player.

"I won $75,000 in 1960. Well that was the top. Down the list not very far, you find out you were winning $20,000 or $25,000, even for a medium-type player," Palmer said. "You could barely make it on the tour. Your expenses were getting close to what you were winning. That made a lot of guys play a lot more than they otherwise might have played."

There were differences in the two players' careers. Palmer didn't turn pro until he was 25, while Woods was a pro at 19. And while Woods is generally considered unchallenged for the top spot in the game, Palmer's career spanned the winning eras of Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Billy Capser and Palmer's greatest rival, Jack Nicklaus.

For the demands to ease on Woods, and for tournaments to feel comfortable without Woods in the field, Palmer says the competition needs to step up.

"Golf needs someone to challenge Tiger. He is so good and he is, right now, just my opinion, out there by himself," Palmer said. "It's kind of like how (Byron) Nelson was in his day. I think Tiger will continue to play and play a very dominant game."

Arnie Articulates
On the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, which Palmer won five times: “It was a week off for me, just to be playing there. And the people like Ernie (Dunlevie) and the people that were running the tournament were all buddies. It was a week I wouldn’t miss for anything. Today, it would be the same situation for me. Tiger hasn’t had the experience. Had he, he might feel differently.”
On Woods’ dominance of the tour: “You can’t help but admire everything he does. It’s like at the British Open last year. He looked up at the leader board, saw he was three shots back and made three birdies in a row. That’s the kind of guy he is. He’s tough.”
On playing internationally, something he did often early in his career: “I had a couple of goals in my life about playing. One was to win as many countries’ championships as I could. When I started, I won the Panama Open, I won the Colombian Open, the U.S. Open, the British Open, the Canadian Open. One of my goals was to win as many national opens in the world as I could. And I tried for a while. But then I got curtailed, because of the travel and all the things, I just couldn’t do.”
On playing nearly every PGA Tour event at one time or another: “I skipped a lot of tournaments, but I played them all at one time or another. I kind of had a thing about that. Like the PGA. I never won the PGA, but I wanted to. The same thing applied to the (regular) tournaments. Palm Springs, L.A., Phoenix, Tucson, I wanted to win at least one time in every city in America. That was something I pursued. I did reasonable.”
On his best wins: “There is one thing that I always liked, and that was when there was a full field when I won. I wanted everybody there. And I think Tiger feels the same way. I think he likes the full field, he likes the competition and he doesn’t want a soft field. And I felt that way.”

Posted by scurry at 05:17 PM

February 12, 2007

API Will Again Feature the Best Golfers in the World

The 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard is again expected to have one of the strongest fields of the year in world golf, potentially with as many as 13 of the current top-15 players on the Official World Golf Ranking.

The most recent player addition is Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who committed on Monday following his victory in the Dubai Desert Classic over a strong field that included world No. 1 Tiger Woods. Stenson, who scored the decisive point in Europe's 2006 Ryder Cup victory over the United States, is now ranked No. 10 in the world.

This will be Stenson's first appearance in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, previously known as the Bay Hill Invitational. The PGA Tour event is scheduled for the week of March 12-18 at Palmer's Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida.

Early commitments have also been received from Jim Furyk and Ernie Els, who are ranked respectively No. 2 and No. 4 in the world. Of the current top-15 players in the world, all but two have played at Bay Hill regularly or in recent years, including Woods, the champion for four consecutive years, 2000 through 2003.

Defending champion Rod Pampling, ranked No. 33 in the world, is among 15 players who have entered from the current top 50 players in the world. There have been 54 commitments as of today, and there will be a minimum of 120 players in the field. Greg Owen, the runner-up to Pampling last year, is included in that number.

Others are Nick O'Hern (No. 16 in the world), Davis Love III (No. 17), Jose Maria Olazabal (No. 22), K. J. Choi (No. 23), Michael Campbell (No. 29), Angel Cabrera (No. 31), Tim Clark (No. 32), Justin Rose (No. 36), Brett Wetterich (No. 41), Carl Pettersson (No. 43) and Charles Howell III (No. 47).

Fred Funk will be coming back from the Champions Tour after his top-10 finish last year. Other commitments include former Masters champion Mike Weir, former PGA winner Shaun Micheel, and these PGA Tour event winners of the past year: Eric Axley, Chris Couch, Charley Hoffman, Will MacKenzie, Troy Matteson, Cory Pavin, John Rollins, John Senden, D.J. Trahan, and Dean Wilson.

Joining Stenson and Olazabal so far from the European team in the 2006 Ryder Cup are Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood, while from the American team, commitments have been received from Wetterich, Vaughn Taylor, Zach Johnson, and Scott Verplank.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard traditionally has one of the strongest fields of the year and usually is behind only the four major championships, the World Golf Championship events, and The Players Championship. Last year's Bay Hill field included nine of the top 15 players in the world and 30 of the top 50.

Tickets for the 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

Posted by scurry at 04:44 PM

February 02, 2007

And the winner is . . .

. . . Colts, 31-24. That's Arnold Palmer's prediction. "I take the Colts for two reasons: Peyton Manning at quarterback and the Colts are a faster team," he says.

For those disposed to placing a small wager, Palmer looks for a 7-point spread which matches the line predicted by USA Today expert oddsmaker Danny Sheridan. Sheridan's over/under of 48 1/2 means Palmer thinks the smart money will bet "over."

Why listen to a golfer when making a Super Bowl wager? Palmer is the 2003 Super Sage Award winner given annually by Scripps Howard news service to the celebrity that comes the closest to accurately predicting the winning score. Palmer won the year Tampa Bay beat Oakland, 48-21, to win Super Bowl XXXVII.

Past Super Sage Award recipients include Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, actor Dennis Farina ("Law and Order") and Palmer's long-time congressman, U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown). Youth actor Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense) has the longest winning streak in the celebrity poll's 17-year history, having accurately predicted the winner seven consectutive times.

Posted by crodell at 02:27 PM

January 31, 2007

The First Tee Program gets boost from Arnold Palmer Invitational

Golf to be introduced to fifty elementary schools in Orlando

On February 3, educators from The First Tee National School Program will train OCPS elementary school physical education instructors on how to introduce their students to the game of golf during regular gym classes.

The four-hour training session will take place at 9 a.m. at Robinswood Middle School in the gymnasium in Orlando. Each participating school will receive a set of modified golf equipment specially designed for safely instructing children either in a gymnasium or on an outdoor playing field.

“The goal is to present the game of golf to the students at a young age the same way sports like basketball, baseball, football, and soccer are presented,” said Scott Wellington, tournament director of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which is helping finance the program along with the PGA TOUR. “We are hoping the program will build participation among the children of Orlando, the next generation of fans for the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the PGA TOUR.” Fifty (50) elementary schools will receive the program over the next two years with over 20,000 elementary students participating!

The First Tee National School Program is an entry-level golf curriculum designed to be part of elementary school physical education programs. Taught by physical education teachers and based on national physical education standards, the National School Program is a safe, fun, and effective way to introduce school children to the basics in golf skills, etiquette and play. The program also includes the element of character education through the inclusion of The First Tee Nine Core Values (honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment).

“Through the National School Program we are able to expose a wide range of students to golf and its inherent values,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., executive director of The First Tee program. “As we expand each year to schools across the country, more and more children will learn this valuable life sport and have the choice to make it a part of their lives.”

So far, the National School Program has introduced golf to some 490,000 children in 1100 schools across the nation.

About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, FL at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has opened over 250 golf-learning facilities in 46 states and five international locations, and has introduced the game of golf and its values to over 675,000 participants.

Posted by scurry at 04:48 PM

January 30, 2007

Continued Refinements at Bay Hill Club

Founder and host approves change to par-70 layout
For Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard

Ceaseless in his love for and devotion to the game of golf and tireless in his efforts to make one of the best PGA TOUR events better, Arnold Palmer continues to make refinements to his Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida, in preparation for the 2007 edition of his tournament, which has been renamed the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

While only minor adjustments have been made to Palmer’s prized layout since Rod Pampling’s victory last year, players may find the scoring dynamics a bit different. That’s because the Championship Course will be adjusted down to a par-70 configuration for this year’s 29th edition March 12-18, though it remains par 72 for the membership. Two par-5 holes, the fourth and 16th, are being converted to par-4s, though their yardage won’t change much; the fourth will measure about 480 yards while the 16th will be close to 500 yards. The course’s overall yardage of 7,267 won’t be diminished appreciably.

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a few years now, and I figured it was time, simply for the way the game is progressing along,” Palmer says. “You look at how they approach certain holes … most of the guys are hitting irons into 16. It’s playing as par-4 anyway. So I thought we should take a look at this. I think this will make it more interesting for the overall tournament in relation to par.”

Other adjustments to the golf course are of a cosmetic variety. Most prominent is a renovation of the bunkers. The edges have been cut, which makes them slightly larger and gives them a cleaner look. New white sand has been installed for consistency of appearance as well as playability. The remainder of the layout, from the denseness of the rough to the speed of the greens, is being cultivated for optimum playing conditions.

Palmer’s Bay Hill course has always been one of the top challenges on the PGA TOUR. With its humps, mounds and bunkers protecting large, firm greens, and its broad fairways lined by thick rough, the Championship Course presents a series of difficult but fair holes. Last year, amid placid playing conditions, Bay Hill ranked in the middle of the pack on the PGA TOUR in terms of difficulty, with the field averaging 72.225 strokes.

“The golf course is probably as good or better than ever,” Palmer says. “I say that every year, and every year I think we manage to make it a little bit better, a little more challenging. I think the players will find it in great shape and provide the kind of test that a golf course should. If you take care of the golf course first then everything else sort of falls into place.”

For tickets to the 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com or call the Bay Hill Club ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

Posted by scurry at 04:49 PM

January 17, 2007

Palmer birdie nets $100,000

Arnold Palmer rolled in a clutch 10-foot putt to end a day of struggles with one euphoric success. The single putt earned Palmer, 77, and playing partner Loren Roberts $100,000 on the second day of the Wendy’s Champions Skins Game at Wailea Golf Club’s Gold Course in Wailea, Hawaii. The putt dropped on the second playoff hole, No. 16, the same 208-yard par 3 Palmer’d birdied to tie earlier when he sunk a 25-footer.

The playoff birdie kept the Palmer-Roberts team from ending the event without a skin, something even his competitors said didn’t want to see happen. “Even though we were competing against him, we want to see him succeed and he did,” said Tom Watson, who partnered with Jack Nicklaus to win nine skins and $320,000 to edge the Gary Player-Jay Haas team’s six skins for $290,000. The Raymond Floyd-Dana Quigley team began the back nine tied with Nicklaus-Watson at two skins and $60,000, but were blanked during the day and finished last.

It was the first time since 2000 that every team took home some money. Palmer’s superstar opponents weren’t the only ones hoping to celebrate a Palmer skin. Palmer had been chagrined at having left Roberts in many awkward positions in the alternate shot format.

“I played pretty poorly up ‘til then, but the galleries stayed with me. So, I was happy to finally give them something to cheer about,” Palmer said. “Thanks to my partner for keeping us in it most of the way with some truly great recovery shots.”

The eight invitees have combined to win 553 tournament victories around the world, including 46 majors, and more than $103 million in prize money.

Posted by crodell at 02:01 PM

January 04, 2007

Palmer to Play this Month in Hawaii

Arnold Palmer will tee it up next weekend (Jan.12-14) in the Wendy's Champions Skins Game. Palmer, who will be playing for the 19th time since competing in the inaugural senior version of the TV-popular Skins Game in 1988, will team up with Loren Roberts this year. Arnold missed only the 1997 Senior Skins following his prostate cancer surgery and has played in more of those events than any other golfer.

The new format for the Wendy's Champions Skins Game features four two-man teams, who will vie for the $770,000 purse in alternate-shot competition. Palmer and Roberts will be facing three other potent duos - Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, Gary Player and Jay Haas and Raymond Floyd and Dana Quigley. Interestingly, all four Hall-of-Famers who competed in the first-ever Skins Game in 1983 -- Palmer, Nickaus, Player and Watson -- will be playing at Wailea.

Tickets are $10 for the Jan. 12 Pro-Am, which begins at 9 a.m. Admission on Jan. 13, for the first nine holes, or Jan. 14, for the final nine, is $25. Play begins at 8 a.m. on the weekend. A three-day pass is $50. Children 12-and-under are free with a ticket-holding adult.

Tickets can be purchased at the Wailea pro shops, Fairmont Kea Lani, Four Seasons Maui, Grand Wailea, Ka'anapali Golf Club, and the Maui Golf Shop and Roger Dunn Golf Shop in Kihei. They will also be available at the gate.

Posted by scurry at 04:14 PM

November 17, 2006

Golf Digest Celebrity Invitational

Golf Digest magazine hosted its second annual Golf Digest Celebrity Invitational at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles on November 6, 2006 to benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Hosted by Arnold Palmer and in support of Arnie’s Army Battles Prostate Cancer, the event featured musicians and celebrities from TV and film paired with amateur golfers. Twenty-five celebrities participated, including Richard Schiff, Peter Gallagher, Richard Karn, Dougray Scott, Joe Mantegna, Engelbert Humperdinck and Kenny G, who was recently named No. 1 in Golf Digest's ranking of the "Top 100 in Music." Marty Rubino, a cancer survivor with a 25 handicap, had a hole in one and won a 2007 Porsche Cayenne. Ketel One, endorsed by Mr. Palmer, was one of the event sponsors.

The event helped raise nearly $200,000 for prostate cancer research.

Posted by scurry at 02:51 PM

November 16, 2006

Make a Purchase You Will Feel Really Good About

Arnold Palmer, Samsung and CompUSA have teamed up to benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has been helping to heal children from Central Florida and around the world for more than 17 years. And now you can help too.

During November and December, when you purchase any Samsung mobile phone or select Samsung IT products at any CompUSA store, a portion will be given back to the Arnold Palmer Hospital. Or you can help by purchasing special donation coupons online at www.compusa.com/fourseasonsofhope or at any CompUSA location.

Since great causes run in the Palmer family, you can also participate in an auction to benefit the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Children & Babies. Click here to start bidding and helping.

To find out more about the hospital, visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.org. To learn more about Arnold Palmer, visit www.arnoldpalmer.com. And for more information about Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope, visit www.fourseasonsofhope.com. Because a little help can make a big difference.

Posted by scurry at 03:39 PM

November 15, 2006

Palmer, Grandson Set for Father/Son Challenge

Arnold Palmer and his grandson, Sam Saunders, will team up for the fourth time in this year's Father/Son Challenge tournament the week of Nov. 30-Dec. 3, at ChampionsGate Golf Resort near Orlando, Florida. Saunders, a freshmen at Clemson University, is a scratch amateur, who was a medalist in last year's U.S. Junior Amateur at Longmeadow Country Club in Massachusetts.

The annual Del Webb Father/Son Challenge, which features a 36-player field comprised of 18 PGA TOUR or Champions Tour professionals and their son or daughter, is entering its 12th year and NBC Sports will televise the event nationally.

The unique 36-hole scramble format makes this event one of the most renowned and affable Challenge Season events in golf, as evidenced by the legendary players that are a part of the showcase. In order to be eligible, all of the fathers must have won a major championship on the PGA TOUR.

The teams will play for the prestigious Willie Park Trophy replica belts named in honor of the winner of the first British Open in 1860, in addition to a $1,085,000 purse.

This year’s tournament activities begin with a two-day pro-am on Thursday, Nov. 30 and Friday, Dec. 1. The 36-hole event, played under a scramble format, will be Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3. NBC will televise the event on both days.

Posted by scurry at 04:53 PM

November 04, 2006

Golf Channel to Air Hall of Fame Induction

The induction of the late Mark McCormack and Arnold Palmer's acceptance remarks on his behalf will have a place on the hour-long highlight show of the World Golf Hall of Fame ceremony to be aired by The Golf Channel at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day,

McCormack was inducted along with Vijay Singh, Larry Nelson, Marilynn Smith and the late Henry Picard at the Hall of Fame shrine at St. Augustine, Florida, on Monday, October 30. He was honored with the organization's Lifetime Achievement Award.

McCormack's handshake agreement in 1960 to serve as Palmer's business manager launched what, as International Golf Management (IMG), was to become the largest sports management firm in the world. He died on May 16, 2003.

Posted by dgiffin at 11:35 AM

October 16, 2006

"It's Time" -- Palmer Ends Tournament Career

Arnold Palmer declared that "it's time" to bow out of individual tournament golf after withdrawing from the Administaff Small Business Classic on Friday, October 13, in Houston, Texas, ending a competitive career that began in Western Pennsylvania when he was a high school amateur in the late 1940s.
"Right now, I have no thoughts of playing any more tournament golf," said the 77-year-old Palmer, who has played professionally since giving up his amateur status on November 18, 1954. "I'll play some father-son and skins game events, some charity events, and that's it."
It was not an easy decision for him, even though he had been drastically cutting back his tournament schedule in recent years and had played only one earlier tour event this season (Constellation Energy Classic in Baltimore.) He was emotional as he talked about it after, his body aching, he hit two balls in the water at the fourth hole in the Administaff tournament's opening round, stopped keeping score and accompanied playing partners Lee Trevino and John Mahaffey the rest of the way.

"To know it's really over, that's tough," he said. "It's been my life. To stand out there and not be able to make something happen is very traumatic. When the people all want to see a good shot, you know it and you can't give it to them, that's when it's time."
The legendary Hall-of-Famer never used the word, retirement. Not only will he play occasionally, as he mentioned, in team and charity events and casual golf with his friends and associates, he will remain fully active in business. Particularly with his Arnold Palmer Design Company, which has been involved with nearly 300 projects in its 35-year history and has just moved into new quarters at his Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida.
"I'm going to concentrate on designing and building golf courses now and really spend a lot of time doing that. That's going to be my major passion now. I have a great crew and I am going to spend a lot of my time with them."
For the record, Palmer completes his career with 92 professional victories, posted between the Canadian Open in 1955 and the Crestar Classic on the Champions (Senior PGA) Tour in 1988, and a host of amateur titles, most notably the 1954 U.S. Amateur Championship.
He won four Masters (1958-60-62-64), two British Opens (1961-62) and the 1960 U.S. Open on the PGA Tour and two Senior PGA Championships (1980-84), two Senior Players Championships (1984-85) and the U.S. Senior Open (l981) on the Champions Tour.

Posted by dgiffin at 03:29 PM

October 13, 2006

ADMINISTAFF SIGNS ARNOLD PALMER TO LIFETIME ENDORSEMENT CONTRACT AS NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON

HOUSTON – Oct. 13, 2006 – Administaff, Inc. (NYSE: ASF), a leading provider of human resources (HR) services for small and medium-sized businesses, today announced that it has extended its endorsement contract with golf legend and small business owner Arnold Palmer.

Palmer, who has been the Administaff spokesperson since 2004, will continue to be the face of the brand through the company’s unique, multifaceted marketing program.

“Administaff and Arnold have proven to be a great team, and we’re delighted that this winning combination will continue for many years to come,” said Paul J. Sarvadi, chairman and chief executive officer of Administaff.

“I am proud to continue my association with Administaff, both as a spokesperson and as a client,” said Palmer. “My involvement with the company was an easy decision due to our shared values and beliefs.”

The contract was finalized during the Administaff Small Business Classic™, a PGA Champions Tour event in which Arnold Palmer is participating as one of an elite field of champion golfers.

About Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer is one of the best-known sportsmen and small business owners in the world today. As a professional golfer, he has won 92 national and international championships – 61 of them
on the U.S. Tour. His golf titles include four Masters, two British Opens and the 1960 U.S. Open. He also has represented the United States seven times in the Ryder Cup Matches as either a player or captain. He was recognized for his achievements in an Associated Press poll as the “Athlete of the Decade” for the 1960’s. During his illustrious career, Palmer has received virtually every national award in golf as well as the Hickok Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 1960. Palmer is president of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, a multi-division structure encompassing much of his global commercial activity that is centered in Cleveland. He has been involved in automobile and aviation service firms over the years and still is the principal owner of Arnold Palmer Motors (http://www.arnoldpalmermotors.com), an automobile dealership in his hometown of Latrobe, Penn. In addition, Palmer owns two country clubs, Latrobe Country Club and Bay Hill Country Club (http://www.bayhill.com) as well as a golf course design business (http://www.palmerdesign.com). For more information on Arnold Palmer visit http://www.arnoldpalmer.com.

About Administaff

Administaff is the nation’s leading professional employer organization (PEO), serving as a full-service human resources department that provides small and medium-sized businesses with administrative relief, big-company benefits, reduced liabilities and a systematic way to improve productivity. The company operates 41 sales offices in 22 major markets. For additional information, visit Administaff's Web site at http://www.administaff.com.

Posted by scurry at 05:36 PM

October 09, 2006

STONEHOUSE PUBLISHING INKS LICENSING DEAL WITH THE “KING”

World Class Panoramic Golf Course Photographer Patrick Drickey to Immortalize ‘Arnie’s Greatest Moments and Greatest Course Designs”

Omaha, NE —Stonehouse Publishing Company announced today that it has become an official licensee of Arnold Palmer Enterprises and, as such, will create a signature line of prints commemorating the King’s greatest moments in golf. In addition, Stonehouse will have the right to use Palmer’s authentic and lithograph signature and brand logos on prints featuring courses such as Bay Hill, Pebble Beach and Latrobe County Club.

Stonehouse will create a series of prints utilizing its trademark panoramic golf course photography to capture Palmer’s major championship victories at the Open Championship, U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues. Great courses such as Cherry Hills, Royal Birkdale and Royal Troon will be spotlighted in the collection. The prints will be available on www.stonehousegolf.com, www.arnoldpalmer.com and through select On and Off Course golf retailers.

“It is an honor to develop a line of Stonehouse prints that celebrates a legend the likes of Arnold Palmer, and we are thrilled to be working with him and his team” said David Vogrin, President of Stonehouse Publishing. “We are confident the Palmer series will rekindle memories of Arnold’s triumphs with members of his Army, and create an interest with younger fans that did not have the chance to witness one of golf’s most exciting players firsthand.”

The newly executed deal is for the period of three years, and Stonehouse expects to release the first of the Palmer series on November 1st in time for the 2006 holiday season.

To check out the entire Stonehouse portfolio, visit www.stonehousegolf.com. Stonehouse panoramic golf course prints range in size and price from the 9” x 15” framed Miniature Edition, available for a suggested retail price of $45.00, to the 30” x 50” framed Ltd. Edition bearing Mr. Palmer’s authentic signature for a suggested retail price of $1,999.99. For more information on Arnold Palmer’s businesses visit www.arnoldpalmer.com.

About Stonehouse Publishing, Co.
Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Stonehouse Publishing, Co. was founded in 1995 by Photographer Patrick Drickey to deliver “the fine art of golf” to consumers. Stonehouse Publishing goes to great lengths to ensure that each of its panoramic images of the finest golf holes in the world are shot in the perfect light and from the golfer’s perspective. All of the Stonehouse Publishing prints are printed and assembled by hand in the United States. To view the Stonehouse collection first-hand and for more information on the company, visit www.stonehousegolf.com.

About Patrick Drickey
Patrick Drickey is a Pioneer of Panoramic Golf Course Photography and his portfolio includes images from the world's great destination and championship courses, including Whistling Straits, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and many others. His panoramic format is ideally suited for vividly capturing the scope and breadth of a golf course and his 25 years of experience as an architectural and landscape photographer apply well as a golf course artist. While capturing light and landscape is important, Patrick’s attention to the reproduction of each image is unsurpassed. He personally oversees the preparation of every fine art lithograph and collector watercolor rendition. These reproduction processes are very rare and far more costly than usual photographic reproductions that are mass-produced, but the results are self-evident. Patrick is the founder of Stonehouse Publishing, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Posted by scurry at 02:07 PM

September 26, 2006

Death of Byron Nelson Saddens Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer expressed his deep regret on the death of Byron Nelson when informed this afternoon (Tuesday, September 26.) His comments:

"I was terribly disturbed to learn that Byron Nelson has passed (away). He was one of the great people of all time, in addition to being one of the greatest players who ever lived. His record speaks for itself. I don't think that anyone will ever exceed the things that Byron did by winning 11 tournaments in a row in one year. But, I suppose that is not the most admirable thing that he did, although it was certainly tremendous. He was a fantastic person whom I admired from the time I was a boy. He just did nothing during his long life but make great contributions to the game of golf and life itself."

Posted by dgiffin at 04:36 PM

September 01, 2006

Funds Sought for Palmer Airport statue

The Latrobe Foundation is conducting a fundraising drive to raise $35,000 to erect a statue of Arnold Palmer to grace the terminal entrance of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Palmer's hometown.

Contributions of $1,000 or more will be displayed with the contributor’s name adorning a plaque at the base of the statue. Contributions of $100 or more will have their names embossed on golf balls that will be used to construct a towering “Wall of Balls” near the statue.

Tax deductible contributions can be sent to the Latrobe Foundation, Palmer Statue Project, P.O. Box 143, Latrobe, Pa. 15650-0143. Be sure to write “Palmer Statue Fund” in the memo portion of the check.

Posted by crodell at 01:27 PM

August 08, 2006

Arnold Palmer to Attend Ryder Cup in Ireland

Arnold Palmer will fly to Ireland in late September to attend to course design business and spend time at the prestigious Ryder Cup as it is played in Ireland at the K Club course outside of Dublin that he and his associates designed in 1991. Palmer, who is the second most productive point-maker in U.S. Ryder Cup history, has not been on hand for Ryder Cup competition since his second captaincy in 1975 at Laurel Valley in his native Western Pennsylvania.

The legendary golfer is anxious to see how the cream of the American and European crop of pros handle the highly-regarded, parkland-style course, which his company fine-tuned for owner Michael Smurfit after the most prestigious international team competition was awarded to Smurfit and Ireland for the first time several years ago. The Ryder Cup will be played on the Palmer course, part of the 36-hole complex at the magnificent K Club resort, on September 22-24. Although the United States leads in the biennial event, 24 wins against nine defeats and two ties, the Americans have lost four of the last five meetings and have not won in Europe since a victory in England in 1993.

On the business side, Palmer will attend activities connected to two Arnold Palmer Design Company projects - St. Lucia in the eastern Caribbean and White Oak in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and make a site visit and attend a reception for Milverton, a new course being developed in Ireland. These bring to nearly 300 the number of courses designed by the Palmer company world-wide over the last 35 years.

Palmer will pilot his Cessna Citation X on its non-stop flight to Ireland, landing in Shannon for the business commitments before moving on to Dublin for the Ryder Cup.

Posted by dgiffin at 03:23 PM

July 27, 2006

Palmer to Play in 'Greats of Golf' Event in Minnesota

Arnold Palmer will make his first competitive appearance in six months when he plays in the "Greats of Golf" segment of the Champion Tour's 3M Championship August 5-7 at Minneapolis. Palmer, whose most recent appearance was in the Wendy's Champions Skins Game in early February, will join with eight of his contemporary fellow stars of yesteryear in a two-round best-ball-of-three competition. It will be integrated into the regular senior event at the TPC of the Twin Cities and they also will play in a preceding special pro-amateur event at 3M's Tartan Park Golf Course on Friday.

Don January and Miller Barber will team up with Palmer and play against the threesomes of Bill Casper-Tony Jacklin-Gene Littler and Lee Trevino-Chi Chi Rodriguez-Al Geiberger in the event. All are Hall-of-Famers and/or winners of major championships on the regular or Champions Tours. Each will lead one of the nine teams in the pro-amateur.

This will be the third staging of the "Greats of Golf" event exclusively at the 3M Championship, but Palmer's first appearance in it.

Posted by dgiffin at 02:59 PM

June 30, 2006

Palmer Withdraws from Senior Open

Arnold Palmer issued the following statement on Friday, June 30, regarding the U.S. Senior Open Championship, to be played July 7-10 at Prairie Dunes Country Club, Hutchinson, Kansas:

"It is with great regret that I have come to the very difficult decision to advise the USGA that I am withdrawing from the upcoming U.S. Senior Open at Prairie Dunes. I have spent considerable time over the past few weeks attempting without success to bring my game up to acceptable standards to play in this important national championship. In my judgment, my golf right now is far below the level that I would feel comfortable with as a bona fide contestant. I hope that the fans who have given me such wonderful support over the years will understand and accept my decision."

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Arnold Palmer won the 1981 U.S. Senior Open at Oakland Hills Country Club, Birmingham, Michigan, the first year he was eligible to play in the championship. He defeated Bill Casper and Bob Stone in an 18-hole playoff. Palmer played in the next 24 Senior Opens through last year's championship at NCR Country Club, Dayton, Ohio.
Palmer's last competitive appearance was in the Wendy's Champions Skins Game at Wailea, Hawaii, in February. His most recent Champions Tour start was in the Administaff Small Business Classic at Houston, Texas, last October.

Posted by dgiffin at 11:12 AM

Palmer blast opens new Callaway Performance Center

Arnold Palmer striped a ceremonial tee shot that rolled to the end of the range at the new Ely Callaway Performance Center, the state-of-the-art golf research and fitting facility named after Callaway Golf’s late founder, Ely Callaway. Palmer was invited to hit the ceremonial first shot to inaugurate the 75,000 square foot facility, the hub of Callaway Golf’s 15-acre, two-building research and development operational campus. Also attending were JAG actress Catherine Bell, Alice Cooper, Phillip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire, and longtime Callaway friend and presidential advisor Vernon Jordan.

But it was Palmer who stole the show. Stepping from the stage, he handed his jacket to his wife, Kit, and tucked his tie into his shirt, wryly remarking, “Now I look like Walter Hagen.”

Palmer cracked his tee shot to the applause of the hundreds in attendance.

The signed club and ball are now on permanent display in the posh new lobby.

Posted by crodell at 10:24 AM

June 07, 2006

NEW TOURNAMENT LOGO FEATURES SIGNATURE, UMBRELLA

Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard Highlights Classic Symbols Associated With Tournament’s Legendary Host

The new logo of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, unveiled today by tournament director Scott Wellington, combines two classic symbols of Arnold Palmer – his looping, easy-to-read signature and his trademark multi-colored umbrella logo.

“His signature is arguably the most recognizable in all of sport, and we obviously wanted something that said Arnold Palmer. There was no need to reinvent the wheel,” said Wellington.

The PGA Tour event, which has been played since 1979 at Palmer’s Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida, most recently was known as the Bay Hill Invitational. MasterCard became the presenting sponsor in 2004. Invacare, Hertz and UBS are associate sponsors of the tournament.

“The new imagery captures the style and sophistication of someone who has done so much for the game of golf,” said Alan Heuer, COO, MasterCard International Incorporated. “As an organization, MasterCard is even more proud to help bring to golf fans the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard – and to be such an integral part of its new look and moniker.”

The Arnold Palmer signature and the umbrella logo are both recognized worldwide as signs of excellence, not only of a famous professional golfer, but also for quality merchandise.

Palmer takes pride and great care in his signature, saying, “I have always felt very strongly that if someone thinks enough of me that they want my autograph, I should provide one that they can read. Very little irritates me more these days than to see the illegible autographs that some people give out.”

The umbrella idea came from Palmer in a 1960s brain-storming session with his business manager, the late Mark McCormack, other lawyers and marketing experts. The focus of the meeting was on the need for some unique golf article as a logo. “How about an umbrella?” Palmer interjected. “A golf umbrella.”

Everyone agreed that the umbrella was one piece of golf equipment not claimed by someone else, and after clearance through a trademark search, the Arnold Palmer logo became the four-paneled, multi-colored umbrella, always tilted to the right, that has been promoted ever since on products and clothing around the world.
.
Palmer has told the story of registering at a hotel not too many years ago in Hong Kong, and signing his name. “The clerk looked at it and beamed widely at me and said, ‘Ah, you bring more Arnold Palmer shirts!’” Palmer related. “For a moment I was confused, and then it came to me. He had no clue that Arnold Palmer was in fact a golfer.”

The new name for the tournament was announced on March 8 by PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who said at the time, “We have been discussing the possibility of a name change with Arnold and his family … Arnold has been the face of the tournament for a number of years, and it makes sense that it bears his name to honor his countless contributions to the tournament and to the PGA Tour.”

Palmer said then, “It has been a matter of great pride for me when my name was placed on an entity of one sort or another over the years, but I can’t think of anything that brings me more pleasure and satisfaction than having it on the tournament that has meant so much to me for so long.”

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is scheduled in 2007 for March 15-18. The defending champion will be Rod Pampling, and other past winners include Tiger Woods (four times), Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Kenny Perry, Fred Couples, Payne Stewart, Paul Azinger, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, and Fuzzy Zoeller.

NOTE: FOR LOGO ART, PLEASE CONTACT DONNA ADAMS, 407-876-2888
OR EMAIL dadams@arnoldpalmerinvitational.com

Posted by scurry at 11:22 AM

June 02, 2006

Jack and Arnie: Talkin' Golf with Jim Nantz

Shortly after this year's Masters, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer sat down with Jim Nantz for a chat. With cameras rolling, they reminisced about their head-to-head battles and their relationship for 1 hour 40 minutes.

The plan was to turn the conversation into a half-hour show to air on CBS. Instead, "Jack and Arnie: Talkin' Golf" will be two half-hour shows, the first airing Sunday at 10:30 a.m. before the final round of the Memorial tournament and the second airing July 2.

The Royal Bank of Scotland, which employs Nicklaus as a spokesman, bought the airtime.

CBS is promoting the interview as a first.

"Arnold and I have been together lots of times, and obviously we've talked lots of times," Nicklaus said Thursday. "But we've never put together any kind of show for posterity.

"I think it's kind of neat that we did it. I don't know why it hadn't been done before. But, by gosh, it hadn't been, so it was time to do it."

The show displays a warm connection between these two golf legends, even though there have been reports over the years that they didn't get along.

"I think that, frankly, comes from the press," Nicklaus said. "I don't think the press ever really worries about the facts. Never let the facts interfere with a good story."

"Arnold and I have been friends. Sure, we've had our differences. Absolutely. I mean two guys don't walk around in euphoria all day long. I mean, we were obviously competing, and when you compete you have issues."

"But if I ever needed anything, I know Arnold would be there for me, and I think Arnold knows that if anything ever happened to him, I'm there for him."

"There were a lot of nice things that Arnold did for me when I first started on the [PGA] Tour that he certainly didn't have any reason to do."

Nicklaus equated the rumors about Palmer and him with those about a rift between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

"I heard when I was Presidents Cup captain [last year] that there was bad blood between Phil and Tiger. The first day I get there, Tiger and Phil say, 'Hey, come on, let's play some ping pong.' Two guys playing ping pong and having a good time, laughing, kidding each other. Is that bad blood?"

Sunday's show begins with Nicklaus talking about the first time he saw Palmer, on a Tuesday before an Ohio Amateur. Nicklaus was 14 at the time, and after his round, despite a heavy rain, Nicklaus stood and watched Palmer on the driving range for half an hour.

Says Nantz: "You didn't know he was stalking you back then, did you, Arnold?"

Nicklaus, 66, and Palmer, 76, continue in a similar vein, often poking fun at each other, as they talk about their many battles, beginning with the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills in Colorado.

Near the end of Sunday's show, Nicklaus talks about the final round of the 1964 Masters.

"I'll never forget that round," Nicklaus says. "I played with Dave Marr. Dave and I ended up tying for second, and Arnold, you won by six shots, I think."

Says Palmer: "You didn't play with Dave Marr."

Nicklaus: "I didn't?"

Palmer: "Nope. I played with Dave Marr because I remember this very well."

What Palmer remembers is a conversation he had with Marr on the 18th tee.

"I said, 'David, is there anything I can do to help you?' I knew you and he were going at it for second place."

Palmer says he was surprised by Marr's response.

"He said, 'Yeah' -- and he used a word that I won't repeat -- 'you can make 12 on this hole.' "

It appears as though Palmer and Nicklaus had fun getting together to do this show, and viewers should enjoy watching it.

Posted by scurry at 01:29 PM

May 30, 2006

AP Design Company Moving to Orlando's Bay Hill

The renamed Arnold Palmer Design Company will move its offices and operations from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to new quarters at Palmer’s Bay Hill Club at Orlando this fall. The relocation will enable Palmer to be more active in his roles as president and chairman of the long-established golf architectural firm, which has designed more than 250 courses in 38 states and 23 countries during its 35 years of existence.

Another motivation for the move was the illness of Ed Seay, with whom Palmer formed the company in 1971. Although unable to be fully active, Seay, a past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, will remain involved with the company as Palmer’s personal counselor. All of the firm’s present employees were invited to continue in their present capacities at the new Bay Hill offices. The target date for the transition is October 1.

“Since my golf has not been up to the standards I have always set for myself, I have not been playing in tour events this year,” said Palmer. “So that gives me the time to be more in charge of the company and personally get more involved in the designing. This is something that I have wanted to do for many years.

“With the company right at my club in Orlando, I can be hands-on much more of the time.”

Palmer had high praise for Seay, his long-time associate in the design business.

“Ed has been my lead man in the business and I consider him one of the greatest architects of all time. He has done a fantastic job for us,” he remarked. “Now, as my consultant, I will continue to turn to him for advice on all phases of our company operations.

“We are happy that many of the key people are moving to Orlando. We will be able to continue business as usual during the transition.”

Many of the Palmer-designed courses have been the sites for tournaments on the various tours in the United States and around the world. The new Classic Club at Palm Springs, California, was the headquarters course for this year’s Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and the Palmer-designed K Club course outside of Dublin, Ireland, will be the scene of the Ryder Cup Match in September.

Another notable achievement for the company was the creation of Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Course in southern China. It was the first new golf course in the country in more than a half century and touched off a golfing boom in that nation.

Interestingly, Palmer’s career as a course designer dates back to the early 1960s. He and his father, Milfred J. (Deke) Palmer, laid out the routing and oversaw the construction when Latrobe Country Club was expanded from nine to 18 holes. Arnold grew up at Latrobe CC, where his father was golf professional and course superintendent throughout his adult life. Arnold acquired ownership of the club in 1971, at about the same time as he and associates purchased Bay Hill.

Posted by dgiffin at 04:28 PM

May 26, 2006

Palmer to Play in U.S. Senior Open in Kansas

Arnold Palmer has submitted a entry for the U.S. Senior Open Championship, which will be played July 6-9 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas. It is scheduled to be his first tour tournament start of the 2006 season.

Palmer's last competitive appearance was in the Wendy's Champions Skins Game at Wailea, Hawaii in February, where he partnered with Peter Jacobsen, and his most recent Champions Tour start was in the Administaff Small Business Classic at Houston, Texas, last October.

Palmer won the 1981U.S. Senior Open at Oakland Hills Country Club, Birmingham, Michigan, the first year he was eligible to play in the championship. He has competed in all 24 Senior Opens that followed. At Oakland Hills, he defeated Bill Casper and Bob Stone in an 18-hole playoff. He returns to Prairie Dunes for the first time since playing an exhibition match there with Jack Nicklaus in 1962.

"My golf has certainly not been up to par of late," the 76-year-old Palmer said, explaining his reluctance to enter the championship until days before the deadline. Dissatisfaction with his game was a factor in his withdrawal prior to last week's Senior PGA Championship. "Hopefully, by the time I get to Kansas, my game will be much better."

In addition to the Senior Open, Palmer has won four other senior majors and a total of 10 Champions Tour titles. He captured the Senior PGA in 1980, the year he turned 50, and in 1984 and scored back-to-back victories in the Senior Players Championship (then the Senior TPC Championship) at Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland. He won 62 times on the regular PGA Tour and has 92 professional titles on his brilliant record. He also won the 1954 U.S. Amateur Championship at the Country Club of Detroit and is one of only two players to have won the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open. Jack Nicklaus is the other.

Posted by dgiffin at 04:11 PM

May 16, 2006

Palmer Withdraws from Senior PGA Championship

Arnold Palmer has withdrawn from the field of the Senior PGA Championship, which will be played May 25-28 at Oak Tree Country Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. He issued the following statement today::

"It is with considerable reluctance that I have come to the decision to withdraw from this year's Senior PGA Championship at Oak Tree. In addition to some serious business scheduling conflicts, I have become convinced that the caliber of my game is such right now that I would not be able to compete satisfactorily in the Championship."

Palmer, a two-time winner of the Senior PGA (1980 and 1984), has only missed the Senior PGA once since he first became eligible as a 50-year-old in 1980. He did not play at PGA National Golf Club in 1986. The tournament at Oak Tree was to have been his first start on the Champions Tour this year.

Posted by dgiffin at 11:04 AM

May 09, 2006

Palmer Lives Up to 'Shoot Your Age' Event

Arnold Palmer was one of just six players among a select field of 60 senior golfers who lived up to the title in the "Shoot Your Age Championship" television special aired on CBS prior to the final round of the PGA Tour's Wachovia Championship on May 7th. The 76-year-old pro great fashioned a one-over-par 73 in the first staging of the unique event on the Palmer-designed Legends Country Club course at The Villages in Central Florida.

Leonard Luken, an 87-year-old resident of Hilton Head, SC, won the tournament when he scored an 81 for his six-stroke margin. He was the only man who had a wider difference between score and age than Palmer and two others -- 87-year-old Joe Cheves, Morgantown NC, who shot 84, and 83-year-old Loyal (Bud) Chapman, who had an 80. Players had to drop out when their scores matched their ages and just two others -- Robert Harris, 77, Boynton Beach FL (75) and Archie Swanson, 87, Crystal River FL (87) -- reached the 18th green on the Legends course at the immense, leisure-oriented residential community.

Gary Player, 70, the other pro golfing great in the field, reached his age and ended his round on the 17th green. Nancy Lopez, the LPGA Hall-of-Famer, who also designed one of The Villages courses, was on hand for the event.

Palmer, who swapped stories and needling with Player, his long-time friend, TV playing partner and frequent tournament adversary, at interviews and events prior to the tournament, was pleased to have beaten his age but was disappointed when a three-putt on the last green deprived him of a par round. "I was reasonably pleased, but I am certainly not playing the type of golf that I would like to be playing. (Overall it was) very encouraging,' Palmer remarked afterward. "I am look forward to next year."

Posted by dgiffin at 03:37 PM

May 04, 2006

The Villages Shoot Your Age Championship

Tune into CBS Sunday, May 7th, 1:00 PM

In golf, there is one feat few have ever accomplished. Sam Snead was the first. Arnold Palmer has done it. So has Gary Player, several times. It is Jack’s burning final goal…Tiger and Vijay have never even come close. The goal…to Shoot Your Age.

For the first time ever, one of golf’s most elusive goals becomes a major television event…as a field of 80 golfers including Arnold Palmer and Gary Player tee off in The Villages Shoot Your Age Championship - to be televised May 7th 1-3 p.m. on CBS. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for any golfer to enter and come to The Villages to compete for the thirty-four (34) qualifying spots in the CBS main event.

SHOOT YOUR AGE WEEK takes place May 1-7, 2006 at The Villages in Florida. The qualifying event will be an 18 hole competition held Thursday, May 4th at Palmer Legends. The concept is simple - Everyone hits from the same tees - No handicaps. PAR IS YOUR AGE. The thirty-four (34) golfers with the lowest scores at or under PAR (their age) - qualify to play as one of the 80 golfers in The Villages SHOOT YOUR AGE CBS field.

Those entering qualifying receive special discounted practice rounds at The Villages - May 1-3 - as they prepare for the Thursday event. It's truly a dream of a lifetime for any golfer who believes they can come to Florida to shoot their age - Qualify - and then play that weekend along with golfing legends on CBS.

Visit www.shootyourage.com for more details.

Posted by scurry at 11:34 AM

Palmer Foundation Makes $2 Million Cancer Grant

The Arnold D. Palmer Charitable Trust is making a $2 million grant to the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute for the establishment of an "Arnold Palmer Endowed Chair in Cancer Prevention." This new initiative in cancer prevention enabled the UPCI to recruit Dr. Emanuela Taioli, a renowned expert in cancer risk and individual susceptibility, to head its division of cancer prevention and population science.

The announcement by Palmer and University of Pittsburgh officials preceded the annual UPCI fund-raising gala May 3 at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on Pittsburgh's South Side, where the school's football team shares expansive, modern training facilities with the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. The gala, which was attended by more than 1,000 supporters and raised $8.2 million for the UPCI, was held in the beautifully-decorated indoor football practice field at the Sports Complex.

Palmer has been a strong and active supporter of cancer programs on a national scale since undergoing successful prostate cancer surgery in 1997. The dreaded disease took the life of his first wife, Winnie, in 1999 and his daughter, Mrs. Amy Saunders, recovered completely following breast cancer surgery in the mid-1990s.

Posted by dgiffin at 11:25 AM

May 02, 2006

Prestwick to Host 2006 Palmer Cup presented by Monster

College golf’s Ryder Cup-style competition tees off at the Birthplace of the Open Championship

ORLANDO, Fla. — Historic Prestwick Golf Club has been selected as the site for the 2006 Palmer Cup presented by Monster announced the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The annual Ryder Cup-style competition will be played June 29-30, on the 6,544 yard, par 71 Prestwick Golf Club when the top collegiate players from the United States tee off against their counterparts from Europe. The Americans lead the series, 5-3-1.

“We are very pleased to hold the 10th Palmer Cup at the birthplace of championship golf, Prestwick Golf Club,” said GCAA President Tom Drennan. “I’m sure that both the finest college players from America and Europe will be looking forward to competing at such a prestigious venue. We are grateful to the members and staff of Prestwick for making this wonderful opportunity possible.”

Situated on the famous Ayrshire coast of Scotland, Prestwick shares a stretch of land with legendary courses Royal Troon and Turnberry, all who have played host to the Open Championship. Prestwick boasts the distinction of being the birthplace of the Open Championship, having hosted 24 Open Championships, including the first 12. In 1872, the club joined forces with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh to acquire the Claret Jug.

“Prestwick Golf Club is delighted to act as this years host Club for the Palmer Cup,” said Ian Bunch, Prestwick Golf
Club Secretary. “We look forward to welcoming the super stars of tomorrow to our very unique Club and Course. I believe Prestwick is one of the finest match play venues in Scotland and it will be a privilege to see these young players test their skills. The course is a true links layout with narrow fairways and fast undulating greens; there are a number of old fashioned blind shots which most of the participants will not have experienced. There will be a premium on accuracy as opposed to length and if the wind blows both sides will discover the special delights of golf in Scotland.”

Prestwick has been a strong supporter of amateur golf, having hosted 11 Amateur Championships. The first was in
1888 and the most recent in 2001 as part of the Club’s 150th Anniversary.

“Monster could not be happier with the opportunity to stage this top collegiate competition at the birthplace of the
Open Championship,” commented Andrew J. McKelvey, Chairman and CEO of Monster Worldwide. “The whole Prestwick experience will be outstanding for the talented young men who qualify for the Palmer Cup presented by Monster – college golf’s equivalent to the Ryder Cup.”

The 10th annual Palmer Cup presented by Monster returns to Scotland for the first time since 1998, when the event
was played at St. Andrews. Previous Palmer Cup host venues include Bay Hill, The Honors Course, Royal Liverpool, Baltusrol, Doonbeg, Cassique, Ballybunion and Whistling Straits. Past participants include Open Champion Ben Curtis, Jonathan Byrd, Luke Donald, Charles Howell III, Hank Kuehne, Bo Van Pelt, Michael Hoey, Matt Kuchar, Peter Lawrie, Hunter Mahan, D.J. Trahan and Ryan Moore. More information is available on The Palmer Cup at www.arnoldpalmer.com.

Monster, headquartered in Maynard, Mass., is the leading global careers website. Monster connects the most
progressive companies with the most qualified career-minded individuals, offering innovative technology and superior services that give them more control over the recruiting process. The Monster global network consists of local content and language sites in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Scotland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Luxembourg, India, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Finland. Monster was the official online career management services sponsor of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team. More information about Monster is available at www.monster.com or by calling 1-800-MONSTER.
Prestwick Golf Club was founded in 1851 and is located just 30 minutes southwest of Glasgow, Scotland, on the
famous golfing Ayrshire coast, a stretch of land unequalled anywhere in the world for prime golfing terrain. Prestwick shares its boundaries with Royal Troon and is just 20 minutes from Turnberry. More information is available on Prestwick at www.prestwickgc.co.uk.

Posted by scurry at 03:49 PM

U.S. Announces Palmer Cup presented by Monster Team

Haack to lead American team for second time

NORMAN, Okla. — Ryan Baca of Baylor, Duke’s Ryan Blaum, Roberto Castro and Kevin Larsen of Georgia Tech, Georgia’s Brian Harman and Chris Kirk, Luke List of Vanderbilt and Brigham Young’s Clay Ogden have been selected to represent the United States in the 2006 Palmer Cup presented by Monster announced the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

The annual Ryder Cup-style competition between American collegiate golfers and their counterparts from Europe will be held June 29-30, on the 6,544 yard, par 71 Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, Scotland. Georgia Head Coach Chris Haack has been named to lead Team USA, his second stint as Palmer Cup coach.

“I’m really happy with the team that we’ve put together for this Palmer Cup,” said Haack. “Not only do we have experienced players who are having great college seasons, but we have guys who have competed in Palmer Cups, Walker Cups and The Masters. Hopefully we will have as much success as we did last time I coached.”

Blaum and Castro each posted 3-1 records in last year’s Palmer Cup and teamed up for a four-ball victory in the
event’s opening round. Castro also served as team captain while Blaum was assistant captain. Haack - the only U.S. coach to have been selected twice to coach Team USA - previously served in 2002 when he lead the Americans to a 15.5-8.5 victory at Doonbeg Golf Club in Ireland.

Baca, Harman, Kirk, Larsen, List and Ogden will be competing in their first Palmer Cup.

Team USA leads the Palmer Cup series 5-3-1.

Posted by scurry at 03:37 PM

European Palmer Cup presented by Monster Team Announced

Players from six different countries compose squad

NORMAN, Okla. — Alejandro Cañizares of Arizona State, East Tennessee State’s Rhys Davies, Oscar Floren of Texas Tech, Georgia State’s Mark Haastrup, Stephen Lewton of NC State, Randstad Topsport Academie Rotterdam’s Joost Luiten, Pablo Martin of Oklahoma State and Stirling’s Richard Ramsey have been named to represent Europe in the 2006 Palmer Cup presented by Monster announced European Head Coach Peter Mattsson.

The annual Ryder Cup-style competition between American collegiate golfers and their counterparts from Europe will be played June 29-30, on the 6,544 yard, par 71 Prestwick Golf Club. The European squad - which trails the United States 5-3-1 - represents players from six different nations.

“We have players with a wide range of abilities from across Europe,” said Mattsson, the director of coaching for the English Golf Union. “Several of our players have links experience, which will be of great benefit, and a good mix between players based out of the United States and Europe.”

Cañizares, a senior from Manilva, Spain, will be competing in his fourth Palmer Cup. The Palmer Cup all-time leader in victories and points, the former NCAA champion has a 9-3 career record in the event.

Davies, a native of Bridgend Wales will be competing in his third Palmer Cup while Martin, hailing from Malaga, Spain, will be participating in his second. Davies Palmer Cup record is 3-4-1, although he did register a 3-1 mark while leading Europe to victory at Ballybunion in 2004. Martin went 1-2-1 last year at Whistling Straits Irish Course.

Floren (Sweden), Haastrup (Denmark), Lewton (England), Luiten (The Netherlands) and Ramsey (Scotland) will be
competing in their first Palmer Cup.

Posted by scurry at 02:43 PM

April 27, 2006

Palmer Garners Another Prestigious Honor

Another honor recently came the way of Arnold Palmer. He was selected as one of the 100 most influential student-athletes to have participated in NCAA events during their days in college. Palmer shares this distinction with the likes of five Presidents of the United States -- Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush and Richard Nixon. Others at the top of the list included Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Jesse Owens and John Wooden. Fellow golfers named were Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Patty Berg and Annika Sorenstam.

This list was compiled and made a part of the NCAA's 2006 Centennial Celebration.

Posted by dgiffin at 03:34 PM

April 26, 2006

Palmer to Start Light Schedule with Senior PGA

In the latest season debut in his long career, Arnold Palmer will make his first start of 2006 on May 25 in Edmond, Oklahoma, to play in the opening round of the Senior PGA Championship. As he has indicated in recent interviews, Palmer plans a limited schedule this year following that first event at Oak Tree Country Club, scene of the 1988 PGA Championship and the 1984 U.S. Amateur Championship.

He expects to enter a handful of tournaments on the over-50 Champions Tour and is undecided regarding the U.S. Senior Open in July at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas. His only other formal commitment to date was for the Champions Tour's Constellation Energy Classic September 15-17 at Hayfields Country Club at Baltimore.

Palmer counts two Senior PGA Championships among his 12 official victories on the Champions Tour. He won the initial one in his first season of eligibility in 1980 at Turnberry Isle Country Club, North Miami, Florida, then landed the 1984 title when the tournament was played on the Champion course at PGA National Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He has missed just one Senior PGA over the past 26 years.

Posted by dgiffin at 04:25 PM

April 24, 2006

Mister Palmer’s Neighborhood

ArnoldPalmer.com would like to introduce writer Chris Rodell. In this story Chris shares with us what it's like to live a stone's throw away from the legend himself on Arnold Palmer Drive. "Mr. Palmer's Neighborhood" will be printed in the 6th issue of Kingdom Magazine available this June. Look to hear lots more from Chris this summer on ArnoldPalmer.com.

The saucy old widow lady next door surprised me when she said she spent a lot of time watching televised golf. Then she about shocked all the hairs off my head when she confided the reason why.

She used to spend hours and hours with her hands in Arnold Palmer’s pants.

“He always paid me,” she said matter-of-factly. “To me, he was just another customer. His office called a while back, but I told them I don’t do that kind of thing anymore.”

She was Palmer’s seamstress, something I’d never known in the 12 years she and I had lived next door to one another on Arnold Palmer Drive one half mile from Latrobe Country Club and the humble home of Palmer himself.

Her casual mention and my giddy reaction -- I dashed inside and phoned five friends who assumed my breathless tone meant I’d just sired healthy quadruplets -- are sound indicators why I’ll never fit in as a year-round resident of the birthplace of the venerable gent, who in 1955 won the Canadian Open, the first of 92 illustrious victories.

My father served his country as a U.S. Navy chaplain’s assistant. It’s almost impossible to conjure a less perilous title -- Army pillow tester? -- for a World War II veteran. That’s why his stories as a foot soldier in Arnie’s Army struck his sons as more stirring than his days dusting Bibles on behalf of God and Uncle Sam.

He got sunburned at Oakmont in ‘62. Stiff new golf shoes blistered his feet on a long march following Palmer at Firestone in ‘75. He caught hell for spilling beer on the couch reaching for Kleenex to mop away tears when Palmer crossed the Swilcan Burn for the last time in ‘95. I was raised with a reverence for the man I still, out of respect, refer to as Mr. Palmer that is unsurpassed by statesmen, philanthropists and medical innovators.

But that’s not why I moved to tiny Youngstown (me and the 391 other locals are always snobbishly informing strangers that Mr. Palmer’s Latrobe Country Club is actually in Youngstown, 15696, not Latrobe, 15650).

I was a newspaper reporter in a small Latrobe bureau office that was right next to a friendly tavern that served 50-cent Rolling Rock drafts. The buildings were a well-struck 3-wood from Latrobe Brewing Company. When my wife-to-be and I were searching for an area home, it seemed prudent to move to a place that, in those days of Y2K computer bug hysteria, assured convenient access to a brewery that served good, cheap beer.

But the real reason is the same as why Palmer still resides here and why he’s still active with the club, Arnold Palmer Motors and the local airport that bears his name: I’d grown fond of the folks. They are tough, no-nonsense people who work hard and play hard.

We moved into 505 Main Street and I began a career of freelance writing general feature stories for various national magazines. It wasn’t until the local council changed my address to Arnold Palmer Drive that I began to concentrate on golf writing. Palmer isn’t tiny Youngstown’s only claim to fame. The rest of Main Street was renamed in honor of another famous resident, the late Mister Fred Rogers, a schoolmate of Palmer’s. In fact, I can leave my front door turn left and be on Arnold Palmer Drive or turn right and stroll down Fred Rogers Way.

Alas, my golf game tends to trend after Mister Rogers. It’s gentle, unfailingly polite and is something grown up meanies make vicious fun of. But that hasn’t stopped me from seizing the Palmer connection. “I may never be the best golf writer,” I reason, “but I can be the only one on Arnold Palmer Drive just down the street from Latrobe Country Club and Arnold Palmer himself.”

Even before employing that little professional conceit, I was awestruck every single time I had a brush with Palmer, a small town neighbor who wouldn’t know me from the Biblical Adam. I’d slow the car to a crawl when I’d see him teeing up on the club’s roadside 122-yard par 3 second hole -- he’s aced it four times -- in the hopes I’d see some magic.

A courteous motorist, he once waved me through a stale yellow light. I must have run five senior citizens and a school bus full of frightened toddlers off the road on my mad rush to the bar to spill the news to my buddies.

And I was among the small gallery at Laurel Valley Golf Club for the Pennsylvania Classic two weeks after September 11, 2001, and saw him make deliberate and bracing eye contact with every one of us while his forgettable partners teed off. In those still-fragile days, his lingering eyes seemed to convey encouraging strength. I understood that day the messianic charisma that’s inspired a nation for more than 50 years.

I remember the sunny Saturday morning outside the Youngstown Post Office, a small town social center, when my wife and I were approached by a striking autumn haired woman with a soft spot for golden retrievers like the one tugging at the end of our leash.

“He is magnificent!” she gushed, luxuriously kneading both hands deep into Casey’s fur. “Oh, you must have him come and meet our Prince! Please call. It will be so much fun!”

We promised we would. After she’d skipped away, my wife asked the identity of the bubbly stranger.

“That’s Mrs. Winnie Walzer Palmer,” I said. “She married young Arnold on December 20, 1954, the same day as my own father and mother were married. When my old man heard the coincidental news and sent them an anniversary card, she responded the next few years with ones of her own.”

I called a few weeks later, but was told she wasn’t feeling well. It was 1998. We didn’t know it, but she was suffering from the cancer that would defeat her in November 1999.

I’m mystified by reporters who treat their frequent dealings with Palmer the way I used to treat the poor schlubs who were appointed to the local municipal authority board. I understand a certain professional detachment is necessary to cover a subject, but this isn’t some politician seeking our dollars and votes. It’s not some preening movie star posing as an action hero out to charm the ticket-buying public. This is Arnold Palmer.

Thus, I’m terrified that someday I’ll be called upon in a professional capacity to interview Mr. Palmer because I know my most pointed question will be along the lines of, “What’s it like to be so great? And, please, try be honest . . . unless you don’t feel like it.”

I’m convinced my story would read, “It’s been five hours since I was privileged to sit down and meet the great Arnold Palmer. My right hand is still tingling from his introductory greeting. My fair and balanced conclusion is as such: this man is far too accomplished to have to submit to silly questions from impudent reporters like myself.”

Such gushing would earn widespread ridicule from industry colleagues. I’d be finished, unemployable, a lonely ghost rattling through the cobwebbed house with no prospects and nothing but time to dream in vain of better days that would never dawn.

On the bright side, that would leave me with plenty of time to learn how to work a sewing machine. I understand the neighborhood could use another seamstress.

Posted by scurry at 04:32 PM

March 29, 2006

PALMER TO DINE WITH FELLOW MASTERS CHAMPIONS

His string of consecutive playing appearances in the Masters Tournament ended at 50 when he competed for a final time in the 2004 championship, but Arnold Palmer will be in Augusta, Georgia, again this April, a stop he has made every year since he and his late wife, Winnie, arrived there in their car and trailer in 1955 for his first one.

As he did last year, Palmer will go to Augusta Tuesday, April 4, to attend the Champions dinner that evening in the historic Augusta National clubhouse. Tiger Woods, the defending champion, hosts the dinner, at which virtually all of the living former winners of the classic event, playing or non-playing, will gather. As tradition dictates, Augusta National Chairman William (Hootie) Johnson will be the only non-champion on hand.

Interestingly, Palmer and Woods each hold four Masters titles, trailing only Jack Nicklaus with his six championships in the history of the 73-year-old tournament, established in 1934 by the legendary Bob Jones and his close friend and confidante, Clifford Roberts.

Palmer expects to visit with his many friends among his fellow members Wednesday before departing the scene and returning to his home base at Bay Hill in Orlando.

He still recalls with pleasure his first trip to Augusta for the tournament. He and Winnie had traveled the PGA’s Winter Tour in two different trailers – a way of life they jettisoned weeks later when they returned to their home in Latrobe, Pennsylvania – and had yet to score his first professional victory. He received his invitation to the Masters that year as the current U.S. Amateur Champion.

The Palmers parked in a location near Daniel Field, Augusta’s non-commercial airport, where little more than a decade later, they would be landing in the first of the jets which he has owned and piloted ever since.

As for Palmer’s playing plans this year, his first tournament start may be in the Senior PGA Championship the last full week of May at Oak Tree Country Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. He won that championship twice in Florida – at Turnberry Isle Country Club in North Miami in 1980 and PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens in 1984. The 1980 win was his first as a senior.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:50 PM

March 22, 2006

Disaster Decided the 2006 Outcome

Disaster decided the outcome again the very next year. Just when he seemed to have the victory secured, Englishman Greg Owen shockingly three-putted the 71st green from near tap-in range for a double bogey. That brought Rod Pampling back into a tie and he won with his par as Owen bunkered his approach and bogeyed the 72nd hole. It was an unexpected blessing for the 36-year-old Australian, who had carried a four-stroke lead into the final round. Pampling, just the second overseas winner in the tournament’s 28-year history, closed with a 72 and was 14-under-par with his 274 total.

Neither player was in close range the first day, as Bart Bryant and Dean Wilson shot 66s, a stroke in front of former Bay Hill winners Ernie Els and Chad Campbell, Ben Curtis, Lucas Glover and Jason Gore. Pampling entered the picture Friday when he shot 65, the day’s low round, for 135 and, with Robert Allenby, trailed Glover (67-67) by one stroke. Pampling, who had only two previous victories during his 12-year international career, surged into his four-stroke lead Saturday when he birdied two of the last three holes for 67—202. Owen was at 206 with Glover (72) and Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, who tied the tournament record with his nine-under-par 63.

Owen took full advantage after Pampling faltered with an out-of-bounds drive at the 13th hole Sunday. Owen went a stroke ahead with his sixth birdie of the day at the 16th and had a two-shot lead when Pampling bogeyed the 17th before Owen missed a 40-inch par putt and, too hastily, a shorter one coming back to give Pampling the new life he needed to grab the victory.

Posted by scurry at 04:23 PM

March 16, 2006

It's Arnie's Place in Name and Spirit

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem confirmed that the Bay Hill Invitational will be renamed after this week to become the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

"We are particularly excited about this development for the future of the tournament here at Bay Hill," Finchem said. "Arnold, of course, is inextricably related to this championship. He created it. He and Jack Nicklaus created the PGA Tour; I often say, if it wasn't for Arnold, I wouldn't have a job."

Palmer founded the Bay Hill Invitational 27 years ago, when it was named the Bay Hill Citrus Classic. Under Palmer's guidance, the tournamenthas evolved into one of the Tour's premier events.

The name change occured after a suggestion by Palmer's daughter, Amy Saunders. Finchem concurred and made the change official. Importantly, I think what's happened here with the development of the tournament under Arnold's tutelage is very special," Finchem said. "It is one of those things that's a part of the texture and the fabric of the PGA Tour."

The name change is, in a word, a formality as Palmer has been the overseer of the tournament since he moved the event across Orlando from Rio Pinar to the Bay Hill Club in 1979.

"If it can be what I had hoped this tournament would be over the years, I'll be very happy for it," Palmer said.

When asked if we can expecct his comeback in the first-ever Arnold Palmer Invitational, Palmer responded, "I won't have any problem with that at all. I can promise you that. So it's pretty easy for me to say I will not miss trying to play."

Regarding his opinion of the condition of the course for this year's event, Palmer put it bluntly, "I suppose that the bottom line for our purposes is that the golf course is the best this year that it has ever been."

Players will notice that the rough is precariously deep, but the fairways are not narrower from regular member play. Palmer has allowed the rough to grow to 3 1/2 inches, topping it off last Sunday. It will not be mowed throughout the tournament. According to Palmer, the greens and fairways have responded to off-season treatments very well and the length of the golf course is unchanged. The greens will be running "a modest 11 or 12 on the speeds."

"We have kept it muc the same as it has been over the past few years," he said. "We haven't really tried to change the character of the golf course." Palmer takes great care not to trick up his prized golf course, leaving the classic layout alone for the membership, while providing the professionals a demanding challenge.

"Well, I really have to analyze the situation and look at it from all aspects of the game of golf," Palmer said. "One of the things we continually try and do is grow the game, and grow it not for the professionals necessarily, certainly in their interest, but grow the game for the people who go out and play the game and enjoy playing it."

So far, Palmer's plan for Bay Hill has worked even though the average driving distance on the Tour has risen over the past few years with the advancement of equipment technology.

"Last year, I was very happy with the consistency of how the golf course was treated by these long hitter, 12-under-par," he said. "If we can keep in that area, that doesn't change much in 50 years; it's still running around the same number."

Bob Byman won the first Bay Hill tournament with a 278 total in 1979.

It's a delicate balance, but one Palmer pays close attention.

"So I have to look at it from the point of view that I love the game and I don't want to ruin it for the guys who go out and shoot 80 or 85," He said. "I want them to be able to enjoy it and I want them to feel like they can go out and improve their games just like the professionals can improve theirs."

The game is in good hands with Palmer and renaming the tournament will remind us all of that.

Posted by scurry at 08:32 AM

Tiger Woods on the Arnold Palmer Invitational

"I think it's a title that it certainly deserves, he deserves it after what Arnold has meant to not only our game of golf here in the United States but around the world. It's certainly something that I think has been long overdue," Tiger Woods said.

Posted by scurry at 07:52 AM

Els Echos Palmer's Sentiments

Arnold Palmer indicated he wants the rough as difficult as ever this week to force players to become more accurate off the tee.

"I agree with Arnold," Ernie Els said. "We play the tour, the tour should be on a different level than you guys play on Saturday, Sunday mornings."

He agrees with Palmer's assesment of hitting it long and accurate in order to score.

"If you hit the ball a long way, you should be reasonably accurate, he said. "If you have a 35-40-yards wide fairway we should be good enough to hit it 310 and keep it in the fairway. And that's what we practice for. Not one player on tour has the philosophy of just oging out and hitting it all over the place."

Posted by scurry at 07:48 AM

March 11, 2006

Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard FIGURES TO AGAIN RANK AMONG WORLD’S TOP TEN

The Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard will have the second-strongest field in the world so far this year, and figures to again rank among the world’s top 10 tournaments for 2006 at the year’s end.

The players committed for the PGA Tour event scheduled for Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club for the week of March 13-19 include four of the top five players on the Official World Golf Ranking, nine of the top 15, and 30 of the top 50. So far in 2006, only the Accenture Match Play, one of the World Golf Championship events, has had a stronger field.

In 2005, Bay Hill’s field was the world’s ninth strongest behind only the four major championships, The Players Championship, and the three World Golf Championship events. The same four of the world’s top five players and nine of the top 15 were in the field.

The world’s top four players are entered this year, led by No. 1 Tiger Woods, the champion at Bay Hill for four consecutive years, 2000 through 2003. Then comes Vijay Singh (No. 2 in the world), Retief Goosen (No. 3), and 1998 Bay Hill champion Ernie Els (No. 4). Others from among the top 15 in the world who have entered are Sergio Garcia (No. 6), Jim Furyk (No. 7), Adam Scott (No. 9), 2005 European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie (No. 11), and reigning U. S. Open champion Michael Campbell (No. 15).

Other high-ranking players in the field are 2004 Bay Hill champion Chad Campbell (No. 19), Angel Cabrera (No. 22), Scott Verplank (No. 24), Geoff Ogilvy (No. 25), Jose Maria Olazabal (No. 26), Darren Clarke (No. 27), Stuart Appleby (No. 29), Tom Lehman (No. 31), Bart Bryant (No. 32), Stewart Cink (No. 34), Robert Allenby (No. 35), K. J. Choi (No. 36), Mike Weir (No. 38), Sean O’Hair (No. 40), Lee Westwood (No. 42), Brandt Jobe (No. 44), Zach Johnson (No. 45), John Daly (No. 46), Mark Hensby (No. 48), Lucas Glover (No. 49) and Carl Pettersson (No. 50).

2006 BAY HILL INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

Robert Allenby
Stuart Appleby
Arjun Atwal
Woody Austin
Clint Avret
Paul Azinger
Craig Barlow
Shane Bertsch
Henrik Bjornstad
Jason Bohn
David Branshaw
Jeff Brehaut
Mark Brooks
Bart Bryant
Angel Cabrera
Chad Campbell
Michael Campbell
K. J. Choi
Daniel Chopra
Stewart Cink
Darren Clarke
Ben Curtis
John Daly
Robert Damron
Patrick Damron
Brian Davis
Bubba Dickerson
David Duval
Ernie Els
Nick Faldo
Brad Faxon
Dan Forsman
Carlos Franco
Harrison Frazar
Fred Funk
Jim Furyk
Robert Gamez
Sergio Garcia
Brian Gay
Lucas Glover
Retief Goosen
Jason Gore
Paul Goydos
Nathan Green
Todd Hamilton
J. J. Henry
Mark Hensby
Tim Herron
J. B. Holmes
Charles Howell III
Mike Hulbert
Billy Hurley III
John Huston
Trevor Immelman
Fredrik Jacobson
Brandt Jobe
Zach Johnson
Steve Jones
Jonathon Kaye
Jerry Kelly
Hank Kuehne
Bernhard Langer
Paul Lawrie
Tom Lehman
Peter Lonard
Steve Lowery
Jeff Maggert
Hunter Mahan
Shigeki Maruyama
Len Mattiace
Bob May
Rocco Mediate
Shaun Micheel
Colin Montgomerie
Ryan Moore
Kevin Na
Sean O’Hair
Mark O’Meara
Joe Ogilvie
Geoff Ogilvy
Jose Maria Olazabal
Greg Owen
Ryan Palmer
Rod Pampling
Corey Pavin
Pat Perez
Craig Perks
Tom Pernice Jr.
Tim Petrovic
Carl Pettersson
Ian Poulter
Dicky Pride
Ted Purdy
Tag Ridings
Justin Rose
Sam Saunders
Adam Scott
John Senden
Paul Sheehan
Wes Short Jr.
Webb Simpson
Joey Sindelar
Vijay Singh
Heath Slocum
Jeff Sluman
Kevin Stadler
Vaughn Taylor
Kirk Triplett
Bo Van Pelt
Scott Verplank
Duffy Waldorf
Camilo Villegas
Charles Warren
Nick Watney
Bubba Watson
Mike Weir
Lee Westwood
Dean Wilson
Mark Wilson
Tiger Woods

Total Field -- 120

2006 BAY HILL INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD
PRO-AMATEUR FIELD

Appleby, Stuart
Bohn, Jason
Bryant, Bart
Campbell, Chad
Campbell, Michael
Choi, K. J.
Chopra, Daniel
Cink, Stewart
Clarke, Darren
Daly, John
Els, Ernie
Faxon, Brad
Funk, Fred
Furyk, Jim
Garcia, Sergio
Glover, Lucas
Goosen, Retief
Gore, Jason
Herron, Tim
Howell, Charles III
Jobe, Brandt
Johnson, Zach
Kaye, Jonathan
Langer, Bernhard
Lehman, Tom
Lonard, Peter
Maruyama, Shigeki
Micheel, Shaun
Montgomerie, Colin
O’Hair, Sean
O’Meara, Mark
Ogilvy, Geoff
Ogivlie, Joe
Olazabal, Jose Maria
Owen, Greg
Palmer, Arnold
Pampling, Rod
Pavin, Corey
Pernice, Tom Jr.
Petrovic, Tim
Pettersson, Carl
Purdy, Ted
Rose, Justin
Scott, Adam
Sindelar, Joey
Singh, Vijay
Slocum, Heath
Sluman, Jeff
Taylor, Vaughan
Van Pelt, Bo
Verplank, Scott
Weir, Mike
Woods, Tiger

Posted by scurry at 11:45 PM

Bay Hill Event Being Renamed to Honor Arnold Palmer

Will Become Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard in 2007

ORLANDO, FL – PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem announced today that the TOUR’s Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard is changing names after this year to honor its longtime host, World Golf Hall of Famer Arnold Palmer.

Beginning in 2007, the tournament will be known as the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. It is held annually at Palmer’s Bay Hill Club.

“We have been discussing the possibility of a name change with Arnold and his family and how it would be an appropriate tribute to one of the game’s all-time great champions and ambassadors,” Finchem explained. “There was a strong sentiment to do this, and in the end we determined that it might as well occur sooner than later, particularly now that Arnold has consciously reduced his competitive playing schedule.

“Arnold has been the face of the tournament for a number of years, and it makes sense that it bears his name to honor his countless contributions to the tournament and to the PGA TOUR.”

“It has been a matter of great pride for me when my name was placed on an entity of one sort or another over the years, but I can’t think of anything that brings me more pleasure and satisfaction than having it on the tournament that has meant so much to me for so long,” Palmer said.

The tournament first was introduced as the Florida Citrus Open Invitational in 1966 at Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando, before relocating to Bay Hill Club in 1979. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, which has been serving patients since 1989.

“The tournament name change is certainly most appropriate for the man who has changed the face of the sport over the last 50 years and continues to impact it on a daily basis,” said Tournament Director Scott Wellington. “This will do nothing but provide even greater awareness for our event, our loyal and dedicated sponsors, and Mr. Palmer's hospital and the Orlando community as a whole. We are tremendously excited about the future of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.”

“MasterCard is proud to be associated with Arnold Palmer, a man who has done so much not just for the game of golf but for the Orlando community. We look forward to many more priceless moments both on the course and at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children,” said Alan Heuer, Chief Operating Officer, MasterCard International.

About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.

In 2006, the three Tours will compete in nearly 120 events for approximately $325 million in prize money. Tournaments will be held in eight countries outside the U.S. and in 38 states.

In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for local charities. In fact, the three Tours reached the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions in late 2005. The PGA TOUR's web site address is www.pgatour.com and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

About MasterCard International
MasterCard Incorporated is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members' credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard, through its principal operating subsidiary, MasterCard International Incorporated, manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment card brands including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus® and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless® advertising campaign is now seen in 105 countries and in 48 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For more information, go to www.mastercardinternational.com.

Posted by scurry at 01:38 PM

March 09, 2006

Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard Benefits the New Winnie Palmer Hospital

The Palmer Family Legacy of Caring Continues

The Palmer family legacy is flourishing as the new Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies opens in 2006, thanks to countless individuals, organizations and companies who have joined in Orlando Regional Healthcare’s mission to improve the health and quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. As a tribute to Winnie’s many years of dedication, the new hospital for women and babies is named in her honor.

Together, Arnold and Winner Palmer helped form this vision for the hospital, and there is no one who better represents its core values of caring, service and commitment to excellence.

Winnie once wrote, “Nothing is more precious that the life and health of a child. And in many ways no medical challenge is greater than the care of seriously ill or injured children. It’s not simply a matter of treating ‘small adults.’ The care of children, especially infants, requires specialized equipment, expertise, and training.”

The Winnie Palmer Hospital fills a critical need, providing much needed space to meet the demand for labor and delivery services that is outpacing the region’s population growth. In 2005, the Arnold Palmer Hospital delivered more than 11,000 babies – 40 percent of all deliveries in the tri-county area – making it the busiest labor and delivery unit in the state and the third busiest in the nation. It also meets the demand for obstetric, gynecological and pediatric services that has risen for more than a decade.

The new hospital will provide important services for women at every stage of life, contains the capacity to meet future growth, and creates much needed room for the Arnold Palmer Hospital to expand its pediatric services.

The Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies will continue to exemplify the same nurturing, patient-centered philosophy demonstrated every day at the Arnold Palmer Hospital.

The Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies will join the renamed Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families to comprise the Arnold Palmer Medical Center – a concentration of services focusing on the special needs of children and women in Central Florida and beyond.

Proceeds from the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

For tickets to the 2006 Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard, or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.bayhillinvitational.com, or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843.

Posted by scurry at 11:40 PM

March 01, 2006

SAM SAUNDERS, ARNOLD PALMER'S GRANDSON, TO PLAY IN BAY HILL INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

High School Senior Given Spot in Tournament Field

Eighteen-year-old Sam Saunders has caddied in the Bay Hill tournament for his grandfather.

Twice he has played in final rounds as a marker -- with Peter Jacobsen and Dicky Pride.

This year, Arnold Palmer's grandson, a high school senior and plus-four amateur, will tee it up on Thursday, March 16, as a bonafide member of the championship field of the 2006 Bay Hill Invitational Presented by MasterCard.

Tournament officials extended one of the 20 available special invitations to the BHI to Saunders just days after the son of Roy and Amy Saunders, Palmer’s daughter and son-in-law, won the men’s club championship on the tournament course by 17 strokes. It was the second Bay Hill title for the Trinity Prep student, who plans to pursue his education and golf career at Clemson University.

“Sam has displayed his talent through the past couple of years and this is an opportunity for a young man to get out and get some experience in the game that might not otherwise come his way,” Palmer said. “So, we’ll see how he does with the big boys. I think that will be great.”

Among Saunders’ golfing achievements to date, he won the Florida State High School championship as a junior, was medalist at last year’s USGA Junior Amateur, was local medalist and played in the 2004 U.S. Men’s Amateur at the Winged Foot Club, site of this year’s U.S. Open, and won several national junior events, including the prestigious Sawgrass Invitational. He first won the Bay Hill men’s championship when he was a 15-year-old high school freshman.

Posted by scurry at 07:06 PM

February 28, 2006

There's Nothing Easy for the Field at Bay Hill Invitational Presented by MasterCard

Palmer’s Bay Hill Club is a well-respected, enduring test

One measure of a great golf course is its enduring value as a meaningful test, regardless of the improvement of the players who take it on and the equipment with which they arm themselves. The Bay Hill Club, which has hosted the prestigious Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard since 1979, has proven through the years to be one of the more exacting examinations on the PGA Tour.

“Bay Hill is definitely one of the best courses we play, one I’ve always enjoyed. It tests every part of your game,” says defending champion Kenny Perry, who submitted a solid performance in posting a 12-under-par 276 total and a two-stroke victory over Vijay Singh and Graeme McDowell. “You have to work pretty hard for what you get there.”

Last year Bay Hill was the 10th most difficult course on the PGA Tour, with the field averaging 73.243, more than a stroke over par. Andy Bean set the course record of 62 in 1981 and Greg Norman equaled the mark in 1984. Bay Hill is one of just eight Tour layouts that has not seen a course record set or equaled since 2000, and at only two regular stops has the course record endured longer than at Bay Hill.

Accomplished architect Dick Wilson designed the Bay Hill Club in 1961, but the championship layout didn’t find its identity or earn its high reputation until tournament host Arnold Palmer began in 1989 to slowly, surely and smartly bring it up to modern standards and its current par-72 configuration of 7,267 yards. The broad-shouldered golf course features narrow fairways accentuated by humps, bumps and bunkers, and large greens with strong contours. While generally regarded as one of the best driving tests on Tour, the Bay Hill Club, consistently regarded as one of the best resorts in America, demands much more than good tee shots because of its intriguing green complexes with firm and fast surfaces, its dramatic doglegs, and the intelligent integration of water hazards that initiate numerous risk-reward decisions.

Having said that, those who have found success at Bay Hill have usually enjoyed a good week with the driver. “It's a wonderful golf course for a long hitter, if they are driving it well, because of the way it's shaped,” says Tiger Woods, who won four straight Bay Hill Invitational titles beginning in 2000. “The par fives are borderline for most guys. Guys who are long can probably take a go at most of the par fives. Some of the par fours, since they are doglegs, longer hitters can cut the corners and shorten them up quite a bit.”

“It’s hard to play out of the rough here,” says Chad Campbell, who ended Woods’ reign with his impressive six-stroke victory in 2004. “Everything is sort of set up by how well you drive it, and you definitely have a tough time scoring if you’re not in the fairways. That’s probably the biggest key.”

Long tee shots aren’t necessarily an advantage, at least not all the time, according to 1999 winner Tim Herron. “I think you have to shape it both ways. I think the holes really set up nice. You can kind of see them and visualize your shot, and move it around.”

As far as key holes to consider, two par fours, the first and the signature 18th are annually among the toughest holes on the PGA Tour. No. 1 is a dogleg left of 441 yards. The home hole, also 441 from the championship tees, is renowned for its kidney-shaped green that wraps around water. “Nos. 1 and 2, right from the start the golf course is really tough,” says Ernie Els, the 1998 champion. “Then you have Nos. 17, and 18, that tough green, and the rocks there, it’s a good finish.”

Another hole that causes sweaty palms is the 558-yard par-five sixth, a dogleg left that wraps around a lake. John Daly made 18 there in 1998. “You can ruin your round right there,” Els says. “You want to make birdie, but you also don’t want to hit it left. Anything left is like out of bounds. You got to tee it up from the tee again with that water. So that’s a key hole, a very big hole.”

Loren Roberts, who won back-to-back Bay Hill titles in 1994 and 1995, says the holes around the turn, Nos. 7 through 11, can determine the outcome if a contender plays them too loosely. “I think that’s the meat of the golf course,” Roberts says. “You can’t fall asleep because you can start making bogeys one after the other. But that’s pretty much true of the whole golf course. It’s just not a golf course you can attack. You keep it in play and make some putts, and just go about your business. Physically and mentally, it’s a real challenge.”

Posted by scurry at 07:04 PM

February 22, 2006

Ernie Els, Fit Again, Readies for Another Bay Hill Invitational Presented by MasterCard

Arnold Palmer’s tournament a highlight in Big Easy’s schedule

Fully recovered from a knee injury that cut short his 2005 season, Ernie Els returns to the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard eager to resume his winning ways on the PGA Tour and revisit a layout that he enjoys and where he’s had some success. Traditionally drawing one of the strongest fields in the game, the Bay Hill Invitational, which is celebrating its 28th year, is scheduled for March 13-19.

Els, 36, who has a home in Orlando, was involved in a freak boating accident last July while on vacation and suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament to his left knee that required surgery. He did not play on the PGA Tour the remainder of 2005, but did play twice in his native South Africa in December, winning his second start at the
Dunhill Championship on the European Tour.

Returning again to Bay Hill, where he won in 1998, Els hopes to add to his 15 PGA Tour titles at one of his favorite venues. Nicknamed the Big Easy, Els won the storm-interrupted 1998 edition of the Bay Hill Invitational in a 36-hole showdown against Tiger Woods and Davis Love III. He separated himself from the field with a sterling third-round five-under-par 67, and despite a final-round 73, Els’ 274 total was good for a four-stroke victory over Jeff Maggert and Bob Estes.

“It was a great winning it at Bay Hill, because I was just a new resident there in Orlando,” Els recalls. “I had a lot of fans there from Lake Nona. Playing with Davis and Tiger. I think Davis, Tiger, myself, we were top three in the world then and we played 36 holes together there, so that was a really special one.”

It was also special because of Els’ relationship and personal history with the tournament’s host, Arnold Palmer.
“Arnold was so wonderful to me. I played with him in the 1992 PGA, and he told my agent at that time that he was going to invite me to his tournament,” Els recalls. “He wrote me a letter. He invited me out of the blue to come and play at his golf course. He has always been great towards me. He’s always been a friend of mine. I still have that letter, so that’s pretty cool.”

So were the spoils of victory. “I think getting the sword from Arnold, getting the jacket from Arnold, all that was great,” Els says.

Els, the No. 4 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, has won 10 of his 15 PGA Tour titles and 20 of his 42 international trophies after breaking through at Bay Hill. Since 2003 only Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have won more than the five titles Els has won on the PGA Tour. He missed last year’s PGA Championship because of his knee injury, but he hasn’t missed a cut in a major since the 1999 PGA while compiling 11 finishes of fifth or better, including the 2002 Open Championship at Muirfield, Scotland. He also has won two U.S. Open titles, in 1994 and 1997.

Els tied for 23rd last year on the 7,267-yard, par-72 Palmer-enhanced layout that is among the most challenging the game’s top players encounter all season. “It’s a good course, it’s a long hitter’s course, and I feel real comfortable there,” Els says. “The start is really tough, and the finish, 17 and 18 are very strong holes. But if you’re on your game there, you can make some birdies on the par-5s and take advantage of a few other holes. The rest is just play hard and try to make your pars.”

Els says his forced sabbatical was good for him on several levels, and that he’s ready to resume his chase for more victories, especially major championships.

“Obviously, when you have time off like that you can reflect and set goals, and I've had real time for myself and to be away from the circus, you know,” Els says. “I think all this time that I had off was very constructive for myself, my family, for my business, everything around. I have got things in place a lot better than I had them in the past. I've got clear goals again, I’ve got some energy again, and I'm looking forward to playing.”

Posted by scurry at 03:09 PM

February 14, 2006

Arnold Palmer Looks Forward to Another Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard

Legendary host pleased with course setup, potential field

No longer a competitor in the PGA Tour event he founded 27 years ago, Arnold Palmer nevertheless is eager to host another edition of the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard. The 76-year-old legend says that although he misses the competition, he has found his tournament an enjoyable enterprise simply by serving as its host.

"I always liked the challenge of playing. When you recognize that it's not fun to play when you aren't doing well, then you move on," Palmer said. "I had to come to that decision. But in other ways I enjoy the tournament as much as ever, and in some ways more so. I enjoy watching the golf, which I couldn't do when I was on the golf course. There are a lot of great players out there and it's fun to see how the course challenges everyone. I enjoy seeing the galleries and a lot of friends."

The 28th Bay Hill Invitational is scheduled for March 13-19 at Palmer's Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida. One of the premier stops on the PGA Tour, the Bay Hill Invitational traditionally draws one of the strongest fields among golf tournaments from around the world.

The defending champion is Kenny Perry, who became just the second man over age 40 to win the Bay Hill Invitational, joining Ben Crenshaw. Perry established a three-stroke lead after 54 holes and held on for a two-shot victory over Vijay Singh and Graeme McDowell.

Winner of 62 PGA Tour events, including seven major championships (four Masters, two British Open titles and one U.S. Open), Palmer continues to cut back his active playing schedule to focus on golf course design and other pursuits.

"I don't have many plans for golf this year," Palmer said. "There are people I work for, but I don't know that I will play in the events they sponsor (on the Champions Tour). I am considering it, but that's all. I'll be around. I'll always be around to promote the game; that won't ever change. But at this point I have no plans to play very much at all."

Over the years Palmer has turned the Bay Hill championship course into one of the most demanding on the PGA Tour with its thick rough and humps, mounds and bunkers protecting large, firm greens. In years past he has instituted changes here and there, some subtle and others quite dramatic. The par-72 course again stretches to 7,267-yards.

"We expect the golf course to be absolutely tip top," Palmer says. "There are really no changes from last year. Last year proved to be a good test of golf. The rough will be much the same as last year – not long but very intense, very full. It will put more of a premium on tee shots, which I like to see. The scores reflected the difficulty of the course last year, and the player who won it, Kenny Perry, he played very well to be able to win. It was an exciting finish, right down to the end. That's what you want."
"Everything we can control we like to control and we like to do our very best to put on a great tournament."

Posted by scurry at 11:41 AM

February 07, 2006

Mr. Palmer Will Again Host the Best Players in the World

Official World Golf Ranking confirms elite status of the field

The 2006 Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard is well on its way towards one of the strongest fields in world golf, with 20 players from among the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking already committed to PGA Tour event scheduled for the week of March 13-19 at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida.

With 52 commitments received as of today - there will be a minimum of 120 players in the field - the list already includes defending champion Kenny Perry, ranked No. 11 in the world, and other notables such as Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, and Adam Scott, ranked No. 3, No. 5, and No. 10 in the world, respectively. Current U. S. Open champion Michael Campbell, ranked No. 13 in the world, has also committed.

Others already in the field are David Howell (No. 14), Darren Clarke (No. 20), Stuart Appleby (No. 24), Jose Maria Olazabal (No. 25), Nick O'Hern (No. 27), Bart Bryant (No. 28), Stewart Cink (No. 31), K. J. Choi (No. 36), Sean O'Hair (No. 39), Mark Hensby (No. 40), Mike Weir (No. 42), Fred Funk (No. 43), Rod Pampling (No. 45), Lee Westwood (No. 46) and Peter Lonard (No. 50).

The Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard traditionally has one of the strongest fields of the year. In 2005, Bay Hill's field was the world's ninth strongest behind only the four major championships, The Players Championship, and the three World Golf Championship events. Thirty-four of the world's top 50 were at Bay Hill last year, a group which included four of the top five, nine of the top 15, and 20 of the top 30 players.

For tickets to the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard, or for more information, log on to the tournament web site, www.bayhillinvitational.com, or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

Posted by scurry at 12:43 PM

February 01, 2006

World's No. 1 player has much success at Bay Hill

Tiger Woods, the No. 1 player in the world and the reigning Masters and British Open champion, makes it a practice to not commit to a tournament until the entry deadline nears. That means he won't make the call on entering the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard for several weeks yet, but given his play at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida, he probably has the number on speed dial.

Woods, who has just embarked on his 10th full season as a professional, has competed at Bay Hill every year since he turned professional in late 1996, and the experience has been profoundly rewarding for the 10-time major championship winner. Woods, 30, enjoyed a four-year winning streak at the Bay Hill Invitational from 2000-03, a remarkable stretch accomplished only twice previously in PGA Tour history.

Speaking of streaks, Bay Hill also was the site of the first of three straight U. S. Junior Amateur titles Woods won from 1991-93. . He defeated Brad Zwetschke in 19 holes that began not only a three-year run as junior champion, but also, with three U.S. Amateur titles after that, an unprecedented six-year streak of U.S. Golf Association victories.

Coming off a season in which he won his sixth Jack Nicklaus Award for PGA Tour Player of the Year after winning six times, including his fourth Masters title and second British Open crown, Woods will undoubtedly be among the heavy favorites for the 28th edition of Palmer's prestigious invitational, which is scheduled for March 13-19.

"Obviously, Bay Hill is a wonderful golf course; it's always a good test," said Woods, who tied for 23rd place in 2005 with a one-under-par 287 total. "When you get on a course where you've had some success, it gives you confidence because you know you can do it again."

Begun by Palmer in 1979, the Bay Hill event boasts an impressive array of winners, including Tom Kite, Fred Couples, Ben Crenshaw, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, and the late Payne Stewart. Kenny Perry added his name to the roll last year with a two-stroke victory over Vijay Singh and Graeme McDowell.

No one has had anywhere near the success at Bay Hill Woods has enjoyed. He says the golf course "sets up well to my eye," and the proof is in his record. Among his records is an 11-stroke triumph in 2003 and $2,840,177 in career earnings. Woods has 24 sub-par rounds and 16 in the 60s at Bay Hill, and he has never missed the cut.

Woods was ranked second in the world at last year's tournament, but ascended to the No. 1 position again when he defeated Chris DiMarco on the first playoff hole at Augusta National Golf Club for his fourth Masters title. He went on to claim his sixth Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted stroke average and led the Tour in earnings for a sixth time with a career-high $10,628,024, the second-highest single season total in history. His six victories pushed his career win total to 46 on the PGA Tour, seventh on the all-time list. His 10 major championships rank third, one behind Walter Hagen and seven shy of the record mark of 18 established by Jack Nicklaus. He entered the 2006 season with career earnings of $55,770,760.

Despite all the successes, turning age 30, and settling into married life, Woods is very much the same player who emerged on the scene in 1996 almost as some kind of rock star.

"My whole goal is just to be better," says Woods, who went 24-day vacation from the game and didn't touch a club before making his 2006 debut last week with his 47th career victory at the Buick Invitational of California. "Even back when I was in 2000 going through that great run in 1999, 2000 and so forth, my whole idea was to get better. Right now, I'm trying to do the same thing, get better and each and every day."

Obviously, Woods' immense popularity hasn't disturbed his focus or desire, an attribute he shares with the tournament host. Woods enjoys a special connection with Palmer, who has been one of the most popular players in golf history and an icon among American sportsmen. Palmer, age 76, only last stopped competing in this event but he still enjoys playing as often as possible on one of the PGA Tour's most demanding layouts that he has tweaked over the years.

"It's cool when you can come over here any time during the week and see him out here playing," Woods says of Palmer. "You don't get a chance to see that in any other sport. And I think that's what makes it so exciting is that he's continued to play. He's continued to enjoy just being competitive and he's a great guy to be around. I've had a chance to hang around Arnold from a different perspective. I mean, just the stories that he'll tell you. It's been pretty special because he's pulled me aside a couple of times and we've just talked for hours."

Posted by scurry at 05:26 PM

January 19, 2006

Palmer's Next Tournament -- Wendy's Champion Skins

Arnold Palmer will tee it up in February in the revamped Wendy's Champions Skins Game. Palmer, who will be playing for the 18th time since competing in the inaugural senior version of the TV-popular Skins Game in 1988, will team with Peter Jacobsen, a frequent team partner in the past. The event will be telecast from the Wailea Resort's Gold Course on the Hawaiian island of Maui by ESPN-TV from 6:30 to 11:00 EST on Monday, February 6. Arnold missed only the 1997 Senior Skins following his prostate cancer surgery and has played in more of those events than any other golfer.

The new format for the Wendy's Champions Skins Game features four star-studded teams, who will vie for the $770,000 purse in alternate-shot competition. Palmer and Jacobsen will be facing three other potent duos - Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, Gary Player and Hale Irwin and Raymond Floyd and Dana Quigley, the leading money-winner for the 2005 Champions Tour season. Interestingly, all four Hall-of-Famers who competed in the first-ever Skins Game in 1983 -- Palmer, Nickaus, Player and Watson -- will be playing at Wailea. Nicklaus is the defending champion.

The payoffs will be $30,000 per team for the first six holes, $40,000 for the next six, $50,000 for holes 13 through 17 and $100,000 for No. 18. Ten percent of each player's winnings will go to charity -- 5% to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and 5% to the charity of his choice.
This will be the 22nd time that Palmer and Jacobsen will play in a sanctioned team event as partners. Arnold has won $1,205,000 in senior skins events over the years.

Posted by dgiffin at 09:45 AM

January 11, 2006

Bay Hill Invitational Presented by MasterCard Supports Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

With Arnold Palmer Hospital's national reputation for medical excellence, it is difficult to remember that just a few years ago, children and women in Central Florida who needed highly specialized medical care had no alternative than to travel to other cities for treatment. This began to change in the mid-1980s when a small group of physicians, community leaders, and Orlando Regional Healthcare came together with a vision for a world-class children's hospital.

They began their project by inviting Arnold and Winnie Palmer, known for their love of children, to tour to children's wing at Orlando Regional Medical Center. Arnold Palmer agreed to share his name with the new children's hospital - with the challenge that everyone involved strive to make it the best. The Palmers also began their significant financial support, however this was only the beginning of their involvement.

On September 10, 1989, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women opened, and in 16 years it has earned a reputation as one of the leading hospitals of its kind in the Southeast and the nation. It is a special place, offering an uncommonly personal environment that nurtures the mind, body and spirit as an integral part of the healing process.

Throughout the years, the Palmers created a legacy - not only in their personal giving but also in continued advocacy, championing the hospital and its mission as well as giving their time and energies. Arnold and Winnie Palmer spoke at community events and named Arnold Palmer Hospital as the principal charitable beneficiary of the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard. The Bay Hill Club also supports the hospital by hosting the yearly fundraiser known as Champions for Children, held in October.

Winnie Palmer also volunteered as honorary chairman of Kids Are the Responsibility of Everyone (K.A.R.E.), led tours, established an annual Halloween parade for the young patients, and served on the Foundation's board of directors until her death in 1999. In recent years Arnold Palmer has created the National Advisory Council, comprised of friends, family, and business acquaintances, to promote and support Arnold Palmer Hospital.

The Palmer legacy invites others in to love the children, volunteer alongside staff, give generously, and remain as dedicated to the mission as those that first held its vision. The dream of bringing world-class healthcare to our community for babies, children and women, born just twenty years ago, is thriving as others, just as passionate and committed, continue the legacy of excellence, caring and selfless giving that Arnold and Winnie Palmer have so generously shared with the community.

The 2006 Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard is scheduled for the week of March 13-19, featuring defending champion Kenny Perry and many others from among the world's highest-ranking golfers. For further information, log on to the tournament web site, www.bayhillinvitational.com, or call the Bay Hill ticket office at 407-876-7774, toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Tournament proceeds benefit the Arnold Palmer Hospital

Posted by scurry at 11:06 AM

December 01, 2005

Palmer, Grandson in Action Again

Arnold Palmer is making his final competitive appearance of 2005 this week, teaming up again with his 18-year-old grandson, Sam Saunders, in the WorldPoints Father/Son Challenge. The 11th renewal of the event, sponsored this year by MBNA at the ChampionsGate Golf Resort near Orlando, Florida, features four days of play with pro-amateurs on Thursday, December 1, and Friday, December 2. The tournament proper, with its scramble follows on Saturday and Sunday, December 3-4, and is being televised on NBC -- from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. EDT Saturday and from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. EDT Sunday. Larry and Drew Nelson are the defending champions. Raymond Floyd won the tournament five times, three with Raymond Jr. and two with Robert. Jack Nicklaus, Bob Charles, Craig Stadler and Hale Irwin and sons are the other former champions.

Posted by dgiffin at 02:59 PM

November 22, 2005

New Arnie's Army Screensaver Available for Download

This classic motion screensaver includes the new Arnie's Army logo, current date and is of course signed by Arnold Palmer. This screensaver is available at no cost to registered Arnie's Army members. Not a member? Register now and download it for free. The screensaver works on both Mac OS X and Windows 98/NT/2000/XP.

Posted by scurry at 02:37 PM

October 19, 2005

Palmer Insures Proficiency in Cessna Citation X Jet

Arnold Palmer takes no chances with regard to flying his personal jet aircraft. He and his chief pilot, retired Air Force colonel Pete Luster, polish their skills in handling his Cessna Citation X jet annually by undergoing mandatory, intensive recurrent training at a Flight Safety facility. This year they will attend classroom and simulator classes Dec. 17-19 at Flight Safety's new installation at the Orlando International Airport in the city where Palmer makes his winter home. Palmer has been flying since the late 1950s and has been a qualified jet pilot since acquiring his first jet aircraft - a Jet Commander - in 1966. The highlight of his aviation career came in 1976 when he and three other men set a new international record, flying a Lear Jet 36 around the world from Denver to Denver in 57 hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds. His long-time association with the airport at his hometown of Latrobe PA was recognized in 1999 when it was renamed the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, a first-class facility that recently received a state grant of $500,000 for hangar expansion. Luster has been with Palmer since 1996 when Arnold acquired the first of his two Citation X's. Palmer is expected to make an appearance during the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando Nov. 9-11.

Posted by dgiffin at 03:47 PM

September 28, 2005

Old Tractor Gets Companion

Thanks to the ingenuity and persistence of Commissioner Tim Finchem and the PGA Tour, Arnold Palmer's antique tractor of Pennzoil commercials fame has a worthy companion sitting by its side in the memorabilia warehouse at Latrobe Country Club. Seeking a unique gift for Palmer for his 76th birthday, Finchem launched a search for a duplicate of the 1922 Fordson tractor that Arnold's father, Deacon (Deke) Palmer, used to mow fairways in the early years at Latrobe CC. His son learned to drive before he was in his teens wrestling that vehicle around the club grounds.
The Tour's search party found their quarry in West Gardiner, Maine, a man by the name of Don Clough, who restores old tractors and other such machinery, and commissioned him to dress up and put into working order a 1922 Fordson that he had in his possession. The result was a spiffed up, bright and shiny red tractor with huge, wide steel wheels with more than a hundred 1 1/4-inch bolts embedded in the surfaces for traction. It crank-starts with gasoline, runs on kerosene and has no brakes. Finchem and his wife, Holly, surprised Arnold with the birthday tractor when they flew to Latrobe for an overnight visit with the Palmers.
The celebrated tractor that Arnold drove through so many Pennzoil commercials is a later-vintage (1947) Toro with rubber tires

Posted by dgiffin at 02:02 PM

September 21, 2005

Arnold Co-Hosts Top Shelf Wednesdays with Vince Cellini from Latrobe Country Club

Arnold Palmer Co-Hosts Top Shelf Wednesdays with Vince Cellini from Latrobe Country Club. Arnold takes us through some of his favorite and historic spots at the Country Club he and his father helped build. From the carved statue (out of a pine tree) of his father Deacon off the 18th fairway, to the land he promised his late wife Winnie he would never develop, to the exact spot of the house in which he grew up. The emotion Arnold displays as he describes these places and the memories that cover 76 years are not to be missed! Arnold even brings out the famous Pennzoil tractor that is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Watch The King and his Jester (Vince) all night long starting at 7:30 pm Eastern!

Program Lineup:

7:30 PM/ET - 2003 Presidents Cup H/L
8:40 PM/ET - The Big Break IV: All Access-Ye Olde Golfe Channel
9:50 PM/ET - Grey Goose 19th Hole
10:30 PM/ET - The Big Break IV: USA vs. Europe

Starts Wednesday at 7:30 PM/ET!

Posted by scurry at 05:00 PM

September 14, 2005

Bay Hill Invitational Presented by MasterCard Makes $25K Donation to Hurricane Relief Fund

Tournament host Arnold Palmer announced today that the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard will make a $25,000 donation to assist the victims of the recent Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast.

The contribution from Palmer’s PGA Tour event at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida, will be directed to the U. S. Golf Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, which is a combined effort by the PGA Tour, PGA of America, United States Golf Association, Augusta National Golf Club, Golf Course Superintendents Association, and LPGA.

“Our thoughts and prayers recently have been with the people of Louisiana and Mississippi who have suffered so much because of Hurricane Katrina,” Palmer said. “We are extending our charitable contributions this year and joining with the other golf organizations to lend our support.”

The principal charitable beneficiary of the Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard is the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women. The 28th annual tournament at the Bay Hill Club is scheduled for the week of March 13-19, 2006, featuring defending champion Kenny Perry and many others among the world’s highest-ranking golfers.

Media contact:
Bev Norwood
bnorwood@arnoldpalmer.com
216-436-3409

Posted by scurry at 10:20 AM

September 12, 2005

Wrestlemania XXVII: Tiger vs. Arnie

GOLFWEEK - Aug. 27, 2005 - In a recent article in Golfweek, Gary Player spoke out on a comment saying today's players are hitting longer because they're working out and are better athletes. The Black Knight answered with:

"Let me tell you something, Arnold Palmer would have beaten Tiger Woods in an arm wrestle. When Arnold was young, he lifted a gold bar (at a gold mine) in South Africa that no human being had ever done."

Player goes on to speak about the late long hitter George Bayer and how he averaged 320 yards with a lousy old wooden head and a steel shaft. Better athletes? Better watch out, the fiesty Black Knight will set you straight, and might twist you into a Figure 4 while he's at it.

Posted by scurry at 11:24 AM

Tune In and Watch! The Palmer Cup presented by Monster

The Golf Channel premiere telecast of the 2005 Palmer Cup presented by Monster is the night of Thursday, 9/22 from 8pm to 10pm. BSKYB in the UK and Ireland will be airing the Palmer Cup presented by Monster this Thursday night, 9/15. They will be airing on SKY2 three times that night and then in the morning on 9/16.

The United States dominated the final round singles matches of a competition that had been tied at the end of the previous three rounds to win the Palmer Cup presented by Monster at Whistling Straits The Irish. The Americans claimed the first six of the afternoon’s eight matches to defeat the Europeans 14-10. The victory was Team USA’s first since 2002 and moves the all-time series to 5-3-1.

Posted by scurry at 11:12 AM

September 05, 2005

Canada to Celebrate Palmer's First Pro Tour Win

"The Return of the King" is the theme around which golf officials in Toronto will stage a three-day fund-raising celebration marking the 50th anniversary of Arnold Palmer's first victory on the PGA Tour in the 1955 Canadian Open. The events will take place September 12-14 at the Weston Golf & Country Club, where Palmer scored the initial victory in a career that eventually saw him compile 92 wins throughout the world over the next three decades. The celebration, organized by the Greater Toronto Area Golfers' Association for its Greens & Dreams Fund, will have the Sick Kids Foundation as its major beneficiary. The primary events will be a pro-amateur tournament at Weston on September 12, a dinner that evening and the launch the next day of the "Kings & Queens Senior Amateur Championship," a new annual international tournament to be held at Weston each year. Marlene Stewart Streit, Canada's most prominent female amateur golfer, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame last November in Florida, will join Palmer in hitting ceremonial tee shots kicking off the Kings & Queens tournament on the 13th.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

September 01, 2005

Palmer, Grandson Set for Father/Son Challenge

Arnold Palmer and his grandson, Sam Saunders, will team up for the third time in this year's Father/Son Challenge tournament the week of November 28 at ChampionsGate Golf Resort near Orlando, Florida. Saunders, a high school senior, is a scratch amateur, who was medalist in this year's U.S. Junior Amateur at Longmeadow Country Club in Massachusetts.

In the popular Father/Son Challenge, now in its 11th season, many of the game's greatest players join with their sons for two rounds of scramble competition on December 3 and 4 following pro-amateur events the two preceding days. The pros will be playing for a $1 million purse and the Willie Park Trophy on ChampionsGate's International course. Larry Nelson and his son, Drew, are the defending champions in the tournament, which will again be televised by NBC Sports.

Posted by dgiffin at 04:17 PM

Granddaughter's Wedding Makes Birthday Special

September 10 will be a very special birthday this year for Arnold Palmer. He will celebrate his 76th at the wedding of his granddaughter, Katherine Ann (Katie) Saunders, 23, to James Parker Spears at Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, the Saunders family's summer home. Their principle residence is in Windermere, Florida. Both the bride and groom are recent graduates of Clemson University, where they met. Palmer has seven grandchildren and Katie will be the first to marry. Send Mr. Palmer your birthday wishes on our Submit Your Story page and if your entry is selected to be posted on the website you will receive a special gift by mail.

Posted by dgiffin at 03:38 PM

August 02, 2005

GQ Magazine - The Golf Commandments

This month in GQ, the article "The Golf Commandments" on page 76 lists their top ten thoughts on how to improve the game of golf. One guess who the first commandment is about.

"#1 No Double Pleats - Back in Arnold Palmer's heyday, golfers used to dress like breezy Rat Packers on holiday. Now they dress like assistant managers at OfficeMax. It's time to ditch those pleated khakis and oversize polo shirts. You can mix it up, fellas. Try a white belt, try some slim-fitting pants, and try wearing a shirt with sleeves that fit."

During the late 50's and 60's, Arnold was not only admired for his feats on the course, but also his cut clothes and charismatic charm. Look for Arnold's 1960 look to be taking the course again soon.

Posted by scurry at 02:48 PM

July 20, 2005

Arnold to Play in U.S. Senior Open at Dayton

Arnold Palmer will tee it up on Thursday, July 28, in his 25th consecutive U.S. Senior Open at the NCR Country Club in Dayton, Ohio. No other player has started in more than 19 (Dale Douglass). Palmer won the Senior Open in 1981 at Oakland Hills Country Club at Detroit, playing in the event the first time he was eligible, and has not missed the championship since then. The inaugural Senior Open, won by Roberto De Vicenzo at Winged Foot in 1980, had a 55 minimum age. That was dropped to 50 for 1981. Arnold was 51 when he defeated Billy Casper and Bob Stone in an 18-hole playoff at Oakland Hills that year, thereby becoming the first man to have won the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open. His best subsequent finish in the Senior Open was as runnerup to Miller Barber in 1984 at Oak Hill. Arnold competed in the 1969 PGA Championship, the last previous major event at NCR, but had to withdraw after the first round because of a back injury.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

Arnold Enters 3M Championship

Arnold Palmer will make one of his infrequent appearances on the Champions Tour August 4-7 when he competes in the 3M Championship at the TPC of the Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. It will be his sixth start of 2005 on the circuit. Besides two majors -- the Senior PGA at Laurel Valley and the Senior Open at NCR -- he has played in the MasterCard, Turtle Bay and Bank of America Championships. The TPC of the Twin Cities course was created by the Palmer Course Design Company. Arnold is only likely to play in two or three more Champions Tour events this season.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

May 17, 2005

Arnold on Jack's 'Retirement'

Arnold Palmer responded to media inquiries about the announcement by Jack Nicklaus that this year's British Open would be his final competitive tournament appearance as follows:

“I’m sorry that he’s ending his playing career, but I’m not surprised. Jack will do well in whatever he does in the future.”

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

May 07, 2005

Palmer Honored in Portugal

Arnold Palmer received another national honor during his working visit to Portugal in early May. Palmer, who was presented with the "Presidential Medal of Freedom" last June by U.S. President George Bush, was accorded similar recognition by President Jorge Sampaio -- the "Command Portuguese Order of Merit" on Saturday, May 7. Palmer was in Portugal to preside at the grand opening of the Victoria Course of the Vilamoura Golf Club in the country's Algarve resort area. The Palmer Course Design Company created the Victoria Course, one of more than 250 projects it has handled throughout the world over the last quarter century.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

February 09, 2005

Palmer Heavily Involved in Senior PGA Championship

Arnold Palmer expects to perform double duty in May when he plans to compete in the Senior PGA Championship at the Laurel Valley Golf Club and serve as honorary chairman of the major Champions Tour event. The tournament will be played May 26-29 at the prestigious Western Pennsylvania club with which Palmer has been associated since its founding in the late 1950s. It is located in Ligonier, some 10 miles from Palmer's original home and office at Latrobe. Palmer's first senior victory came in the 1980 Senior PGA Championship and he won again in 1954. All information about this year's Senior PGA is available at 1-800-PGA-GOLF (1-800-742-4653) or on the website: www.seniorpga2005.com.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

We're Talking a Billion

Professional golf's leading players have cashed in handsomely and directly through their tournament competition. A compilation prepared for the upcoming annual edition of the book, The World of Professional Golf, detailing every sanctioned professional tour tournament, reveals that the top 50 career money-winners have collected $1,117,669,572. Tiger Woods ($55,452,437), Ernie Els ($49,822,769) and Vijay Singh ($46,554,712) head the list. Remarkable when you consider that Arnold Palmer was in his 14th season when he became the first player to win $1 million on the PGA Tour.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

February 04, 2005

Palmer to Settle for Host Role at Bay Hill

Arnold Palmer, who has served as both a competitor and the host of the Bay Hill Invitational since he established it at his Orlando club in 1979, will relinquish his role as a player for the first time when the tournament presented by MasterCard begins on Thursday, March 17. Since Palmer, now 75, had previously declared that the 2004 Masters Tournament would be his final one as a player, he will not appear in a tournament during a PGA Tour season for the first time since he joined the circuit in 1955. However, he has indicated that he will continue to play selective events on the Champions Tour, including the Senior Open and Senior PGA Championships. The BHI is one of the invitational jewels on the PGA Tour which always attracts a strong international field in one of the run-up weeks to the Masters in April. Information is available on the tournament website: www.bayhillinvitational.com.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

February 03, 2005

Western PA to Toast Palmer at Pittsburgh Dinner

Arnold Palmer will be honored at Pittsburgh's most prestigious sports dinner on Sunday, April 17, when the Dapper Dan organization presents him with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Palmer, one of the area's most celebrated athletes for nearly a half century, was first honored as the 1960 Dapper Dan Awardee following a brilliant season during which he won the Masters, the U.S. Open and seven other tournaments. Palmer still makes his summer home at his native Latrobe. For further information about the dinner, contact the website: www.post-gazette.com/dapperdan.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

Southern Conference Honors Palmer

The Southern Conference has recognized the collegiate achievements of Arnold Palmer at its new headquarters in Spartanburg, SC, naming its conference boardroom in his honor. Palmer won the Southern Conference golf championship in 1948 and 1949 while the No. 1 man on the then-Wake Forest College team.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

Palmer to Deliver Wake Forest Commencement Address

Arnold Palmer, who has had ties to Wake Forest University since his college days in the late 1940s, will deliver the commencement address at the annual ceremony May 16 on the school's University Plaza at Winston-Salem. Palmer, then a prominent junior golfer in his native Western Pennsylvania, enrolled at Wake Forest in the fall of 1947 when the school was located in its namesake town and established himself as one of the top collegiate golfers in the country. He later became the first and most successful of a long succession of Wake Forest golfers who went on the fine careers on the PGA Tour. After many years of service on the Board of Trustees, he was elected a lifetime trustee in 1997. He established a scholarship there as a memorial to his close college friend and teammate, Marvin (Buddy) Worsham and an athletic dormitory was named in his honor.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

January 27, 2005

Arnold Palmer Weds in Hawaii

Arnold Palmer and his fiancee, Kathleen (Kit) Gawthrop, were married Wednesday afternoon, January 26, in a private ceremony in a beachfront cottage at the Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku, Oahu, Hawaii, where Palmer was to play in the Turtle Bay Championship on the Champions Tour over the weekend. It was the second marriage for both the bride and groom. Palmer's wife of 45 years, Winifred (Winnie), died on November 20, 1999. He is 75. Pastor Ron Valenciana performed the wedding ceremony, which was attended by Palmer's chief pilot, Pete Luster, and his staff assistant/caddie, Cori Britt. The new Mrs. Palmer resided in Tiburon, CA, near San Francisco. She has a son, two daughters and five grandchildren. Palmer has two daughters and seven grandchildren.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

January 18, 2005

Kingdom Magazine

People who enjoy golf don't just play the game. They live the life. To reflect this, Palmer, the sport's most beloved individual, and Ed Seay, the COO of PCDC, decided to provide their own exclusive magazine solely for the members and guests of the prestigious courses that they have designed across the U.S. The initial editions of KINGDOM, containing articles of the highest calibre, written by some of the best-known names in golf journalism covering every aspect of the game, have been warmly received. In addition to being gifted to the members and guests of Palmer courses, KINGDOM is also available for purchase by fee-paying guests at the top resort courses PCDC has designed.

For further information about the magazine, visit the website: www.tmcusallc.com.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

January 17, 2005

Palmer Launches Season in Hawaii

Arnold Palmer begins a three-week tournament visit to Hawaii with his appearance in the MasterCard Championship at Hualalai Golf Club at Kona on the Big Island Friday, January 21. He plays the following week in another Champions Tour event -- the Turtle Bay Championship -- at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's North Shore and concludes his stay in the Islands with the Wendy's Champions Skins Game at the Wailea Golf Resort on Maui, where he will compete against Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Craig Stadler.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

November 10, 2004

Australian Trip on Arnold's November Agenda

Arnold Palmer heads for Australia on Sunday, November 21, to participate in week-long activities in connection with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Australian Open in Sydney. Palmer will not play in the Hillcross Australian Open at the Australian Golf Golf, but the highlight of three golfing events in which he will participate during his stay Down Under will take place there. On Wednesday morning prior to the start of the prestigious national championship, which Palmer won in Brisbane in 1966, Palmer will join Australian greats Peter Thomson, Bruce Devlin and Bruce Crampton in a nine-hole "Parade of Champions" exhibition at the championship site. He will also play in events the next two days at the Royal Sydney and New South Wales golf clubs and will make a guest commentator appearance on the Centennial Australian Open telecast before returning to America. It will be Palmer's first visit to Australia since the late 1980s when he and his Palmer Course Design Company created the Pines Course at Sanctuary Cove on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

New Palmer Book Hits Bookstores

Arnold Palmer's latest book -- Arnold Palmer...Memories, Stories, and Memorabilia -- is now on sale in bookstores and attracting attention with its unique format. The publication, the 12th different book bearing the Arnold Palmer byline, focuses on 50 items of signifcant memorabilia and pictures with individual stories built around each of them. The novel feature of the book is the presence of 14 removable replica collectibles scattered through its 192 pages. It was produced by becker&meyer and published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York. Cover price is $35. For more information on the book, visit http://www.abramsbooks.com/index.php/d/2/1584793309

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

November 04, 2004

Arnold, Grandson Play Again in Father-Son

Arnold Palmer and his 17-year-old grandson, Sam Saunders, will compete for a second time as a team in the 10th annual Office Depot Father/Son Challenge December 1-5 at the ChampionsGate Golf Resort at Orlando, Florida. The event features many of the game's most prominent players and their sons and grandsons in a 36-hole, two-player scramble format, competing for shares of a $1 million purse and the Willie Park Trophy. The Father/Son benefits the Children's Emergency Department and Trauma Center at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women in Orlando, where Palmer has his winter home. Hale Irwin and son Steve are the defending champions. Saunders, a junior at Trinity Prep in Winter Park, won the individual title by five strokes in the Florida State High School Championships at Port St. Lucie on November 3. He shot 68-68--136.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

Arnold Partners with Eisenhower Medical Center

Arnold Palmer further expanded his involvement with cancer-fighting organizations with the creation of the Arnold Palmer Prostate Center at the Eisenhower Lucy Curci Cancer Center at Rancho Mirage in the Palm Springs desert area of California. Palmer, who been heavily involved with various organizations since undergoing successful prostate cancer surgery in 1997, will participate in the grand opening of the Prostate Center on January 14, 2005. The new facility at the prestigious Eisenhower Medical Center is a specialized prostate cancer treatment center with a unique blend of state-of-the-art technology, a highly-skilled medical team and a coordinated, compassionate approach to cancer treatment. Palmer has been associated with the Prostate Cancer Foundation for several years and involved with its current, nationwide "Arnie's Army Battles Prostate Cancer" program being staged at golf courses throughout the country.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

October 25, 2004

Arnold Saluted at Los Angeles Dinner

Noted Sportscaster Roy Firestone will present his annual award for the Westcoast Sports Associates to Arnold Palmer in recognition of his 50-year commitment to sports and his charitable contributions in his home communities through the year. The presentation will be made at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Saturday evening, October 31. Firestone will conduct a "Close Up"-like interview with Palmer as a highlight of the program. Previous awardees include Howie Long, Wayne Gretsky, Sugar Ray Leonard and John Wooden. The event raises funds to enable the WSA to improve the sporting environment for economically-disadvantaged children in Southern California.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

October 19, 2004

Arnold Has Successful Hernia Surgery

Arnold Palmer underwent successful surgery for an abdominal hernia at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, on Monday, October 18. The condition had been troubling Arnold since early in the year, first causing him serious concern during the Masters Tournament in April. While he continued to play during the ensuing months, he usually wore an elastic support brace around his waist on the golf course. He was released by his Mayo Clinic doctors the morning after the surgery and returned to his winter home at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida, to recuperate. It was uncertain how long he would have to wait before resuming practice, but he expects to be cleared by his doctors for his next scheduled competitive appearance in the UBS Cup event at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, the week of November 15.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

September 23, 2004

Arnold Captains UBS Team Again

Two unofficial golf events will wind up Arnold Palmer’s competitive schedule for 2004. He will again captain the American team and play in the annual UBS Cup Matches November 18-21, to be played this year at at the Cassique Golf Club on Kiawah Island, South Carolina and will team up for a second year with his 17-year-old grandson, Sam Saunders, in the Office Depot Father/Son tournament at Champions Gate Golf Resort in Orlando, Florida, on December 3-5. Prior to that, he will play in the inaugural Administaff Small Business Classic, a Champions Tour event in Houston, Texas, on October 7-10.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

Hall of Fame Exhibit Honors Arnold

The World Golf Hall of Fame will open a special exhibit November 14th honoring Arnold Palmer. The extensive display will include a wide range of items of memorabilia from Palmer’s extensive collection that will be on loan to the Hall of Fame for six months. A special dinner that evening will launch the exhibit and precede the induction of the four newest members of the Golf Hall of Fame – Tom Kite, Isao Aoki, Charlie Sifford and Marlene Stewart Streit – the following evening. Details http://www.wgv.com/hof/palmer_exhibit.html

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

September 19, 2004

Special Family Day Event at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport

Arnold Palmer was to take part in a special Family Day event at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport Sunday, September 19^th, as part of the year-long sesquicentennial celebration of Latrobe, his hometown and birthplace. Community leaders will join with Arnold in recognizing the first airmail pick-up, which occurred in Latrobe, with the original plane and one of the aerial mailbags that it plucked from the ground with a hooking device on display.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

September 10, 2004

Arnold Palmer Celebrates his 75th Birthday

Arnold Palmer celebrated his 75th birthday on September 10 not surprisingly on the golf course. Three of his golfing cronies – Johnny Harris, Tim Neher and Spider Miller – and their wives spent a quiet birthday week-end with him and his fiancée, Kit Gawthrop, in Latrobe.Among the many birthday greetings Palmer received was one from a friend who pointed out that as of that day it would be easier for him to shoot his age.

Posted by dgiffin at 12:00 AM

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