While the focus at the 81st Masters has been generally on the players in preparations for their first shots on Thursday, one huge part of Augusta National Golf Club history is missing and several stars took time to discuss Arnold Palmer’s absence.
Palmer, who won four green jackets in even years between 1958-64 and parlayed that stretch of his golf career into being anointed the King of the game, died last September. He’s not at Augusta for the first time in 63 years and it’s being felt on Tuesday as former champions looked toward Tuesday night’s Champions Dinner.
Here’s what former champions said Tuesday about Palmer:
SIX-TIME WINNER JACK NICKLAUS
I don’t know how many people realized how much Arnold took me under his wing when I was 20, 22 years old. When I first started on the Tour, Arnold was very good to me. In spite of having a gallery that wasn’t so good to me, he was never I’ve said many times … I may have had to fight Arnold’s gallery but I never had to fight him.
He was very kind to a young guy starting out. I appreciated it very much. We had a lot of great times together. We traveled a lot together. We did a lot of things. Our wives were close friends. …
He taught me … how to handle things. One of the things early on, probably maybe first, second, third tournament in on the Tour, I asked him, I said, What do you do after a round?
He said, I always drop the sponsor a note.
I said, I think that’s a good thing to do.
So for my first year, my first couple tournaments, I don’t think I ever failed to drop a sponsor a note after a tournament, thank you for the tournament and thanking the people, the volunteers and so forth and so on.
And my later years of playing, part of that habit probably got relaxed by a lot of people, because I’ve had a lot of sponsors come to me and say, Jack, every year I get a letter from you. I don’t get one from anybody else.
And that came from Arnold.
THREE-TIME WINNER PHIL MICKELSON
It’s a very awkward feeling to not have Arnold actually be here. You feel his presence, his display, his showcase in the champions locker room. His jacket, clubs, scorecards from past victories; his spirit is here. It always will be here. But to not actually have his physical presence is extremely awkward. It will be most noticeable at tonight’s dinner.
I’m hoping that we go around the table and everybody tell, especially like Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Bob Goalby, guys that spent a lot of time with him; I hope everybody tells a few Arnold Palmer stories because I feel like that would be appropriate, as well as very entertaining and interesting to all of us.
2015 CHAMPION JORDAN SPIETH
I thought it was incredible that he made the trip last year. I was taken aback when I heard he was going to be there, because he wasn’t in great health and that he kind of rebounded a bit around this time.
Last year I stepped back and I did a lot of listening, other than what was required to tell him, hey, this is what you’re actually eating. Most of it was listening. And there was some incredible stories told. It’s just a special dinner.
I don’t think guys would really appreciate me going into any more detail. But I thought that it was a tremendous honor to have Mr. Palmer there, and it was certainly emotional, and I’m not sure what this one will be like.
And I think it’s going to be very, very special for Danny (Willett). I think that’s a cliché, but it will be, and it’s a unique room with unique people. I’m just happy to be part of it. It’s the Masters Club, is what it’s called, and this will be my second time and my first time not hosting, so it will be a new experience for me, as well.
I’ll have to find a seat and so I’ll probably get in there and try and reserve a seat next to some people. Zach already told me I could sit with him at the cool kids’ table (laughter).
About the Author
