Palmer plays to the masses at par-3
Like the Pope to the masses, Arnold Palmer stood on the balcony of the California Cabin, waving to those who adore him so.
His silver hair subtly contrasting with his aqua sweater and yellow shirt, Palmer clearly was ready to compete in, not just participate in, one of the highlights of the Masters week for golf fans all over the world: the par-3 contest, which was scheduled to feature a full field of 102 participants.
How was it obvious Palmer was ready? Thirty minutes before he was supposed to tee off he was wearing his golf glove as he observed the crowds.
Like the pilgrims at St. Peter's, the people returned his adoration with cries of "We love you, Arnie!" and "Go get ‘em, Arnie!"
Though he and partners Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, three of the greatest living golfers, with 13 Masters victories between them, choose not to play in the "big tournament" that starts Thursday, they still tried to scare the flags and their competitors in the "little tournament" that draws tens of thousands to the sometimes overlooked side of Augusta National Golf Club. The trio didn't play as well as they hoped, but Palmer said they had fun. Luke Donald won the event, shooting 5 under on nine holes.
Carl Paratore came from Boston with the hope of seeing Palmer, among others. He came away with lots of photos of him on the balcony that he said he would frame and hang in his office.
Augusta's Renee James stood beside the tee box at No. 8, hoping for a chance to see Palmer and Player. She got more than that. They invited her to join them as they waited, and both signed her white Masters hat.
She was so excited she ran back up the hill, jumping up and down as she yelled to her friends what happened.
They had to calm her down because the Molinari brothers, Edoardo and Francesco, in the group ahead of Palmer, were about to tee off.
"That was a once-in-a-lifetime moment," she said.
Best shots
- Craig Stadler aced the 130-yard first hole.
- Phil Mickelson showed off his short game by putting in from the front fringe on No. 8 to a back pin placement.
- Duluth's Stewart Cink stuck his tee shot 13.5 inches away from the flag on No. 9.
Best moments
- Rory Sabbatini's 6-month-old son, Bodhi, got a little help from dad to putt out on No. 9. "I tried to get him to kick it, but he was being a little uncooperative," Rory said. "He was having too much fun jumping around." Yes, Bodhi wore the required white jumper caddies must don.
- Jeff Overton's dad, Ron, came closest to the pin on No. 9 in his group.
- Bubba Watson decided to help out the group behind him by tending the flag ... while they were teeing off. His confidence wasn't justified. None of them hit a hole-in-one ... or him. "First hole I got really close," Rickie Fowler said. "Aiming right at him. And I was trying to make it. But Bubba gave me a bad read."
Best quotes
- When asked if he was trying not to win, so as to avoid the par-3 curse, Padraig Harrington said, "Of course not. I've won it twice. I like to prove everybody wrong."
- D.A. Points' mother, Mary Jo, caddied for him. She didn't want the day to end. "He wouldn't play another nine. I begged him to play another nine."
- Tennis great Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champ, carried the bag for Zach Johnson. Roddick came to the tournament with some friends and said, "Wouldn't it be cool if I could caddie for someone?" Through mutual friends, Roddick ended up holding the bag for the 2007 Masters champ, which he called "pretty awesome." Roddick took up the game a couple years ago and said he plays whenever he can. "There's a lot of parallels [with Wimbledon], with the tradition and the pride that everyone takes just being here."
Staff writer Ken Sugiura contributed to this article.
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