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Arnold Palmer Invitational – Preserving Arnie’s Legacy

By Kathlene Bissell

Apr 7, 2016; Augusta, GA, USA; Honorary starter Arnold Palmer (left) gives a thumbs up next to Jack Nicklaus (right) during the first round of the 2016 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2016; Augusta, GA, USA; Honorary starter Arnold Palmer (left) gives a thumbs up next to Jack Nicklaus (right) during the first round of the 2016 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Arnold Palmer’s namesake tournament continues this year,  with a little help from his friends.

Arnold Palmer made a lasting imprint on the game of golf. His friends want to make sure The King’s life is honored and that his legacy continues.

Peter Jacobsen, Graeme McDowell, Annika Sörenstam, Curtis Strange and former Secretary of Homeland Security, Pennsylvania governor, and long-time friend of Palmer’s, Tom Ridge will host the 39th Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The goal is to make sure Palmer’s life is honored and that his legacy of contributions to the communities where he lived continues.

Preserving Arnie’s Love of the Game

“Arnold was a force of nature, on and off the course,” McDowell said in a promotional message for the tournament. “We can’t fill his shoes but we can carry on his passion for helping others. I live with my family in Orlando and my children were born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, so I’ve been a direct beneficiary of Arnold’s charitable legacy. I’m honored to be part of such a remarkable event.”

“He loved the game of golf,” Jacobsen said about Palmer on PGA Tour Radio, adding that he hoped every exempt player would make an effort to enter the tournament.

As a host, Jacobsen said he intends to exemplify the enjoyment that Palmer had for the game and for life.

“I did a lot of things with Arnold, had a chance to compete with him a lot in best ball events and exhibition events, as we all did, and it is going to be a sad week, but it’s also going to be a fun week,” Jacobsen said in a media teleconference for NBC Sports.  “If Arnold were still here, Arnold would want everyone to have a good time. He would want everyone to be enjoying the game of golf, the love of the game, and he’d also like to — I think he’d also like us to remember the lessons that he passed along to us, and that’s really the key is keeping his legacy and his lessons alive.”

Jacobsen played with Palmer the last year that Palmer played in his own tournament.

“Jay Haas and I played with Arnold, and he missed the cut, but he got a great standing ovation on every hole,” Jacobsen added.

It Will Take 5 to Do What Arnie Did

According to the tournament organization, the five will participate in a variety of tournament activities that in the past were shouldered by Palmer.  They will attend pro-am parties and greet players.  It is anticipated that they will be a part of the trophy presentation.  In addition, the tournament said  there will be a special ceremony honoring Arnold Palmer which will occur the Wednesday prior to  the tournament.

“Probably not even five of us can fill one of his shoes,”Jacobsen added. “I know in talking with Curtis and all of the five of us, we’re going to be spread out trying to touch all the bases that Arnold touched during the Arnold Palmer Invitational.”

There will also be new photo spots and signage throughout the course.  Each photo spot will tell a different story about Palmer’s accomplishments.

The golf cart that Palmer used to drive around the course and observe play will be overlooking the 16th green.  There will also be an added emphasis on Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation, Palmer’s philanthropic organization which the tournament benefits.

Frank Nobilo will also be on the telecast for the tournament with Golf Channel, and he recalled memories of Palmer visiting the broadcast booth.

“As I’ve said 100 times, Arnold Palmer never met a stranger, and then to top it off, too, he would always come up to the tower at Bay Hill and would always sort of rub my cheeks and say, you’ve got to shave. So I’ll miss that this year,” Nobilo said in the teleconference.

“I won the U.S. Amateur in ’92, and received an invite for the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 1993 to play as an amateur,” Justin Leonard recalled in the teleconference. “The head golf professional there came over to me as I was registering and said, “Justin, I have a small request.” I said, yeah, anything. He said, ‘Well, Mr. Palmer would like to play with you tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m.; would that be okay with you?’ And I don’t know that I took a breath between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. I was so excited.”

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Arnie’s Army Keeps on Marching

“Part of my dad’s legacy was to inspire others to care about things he thought were important,” said Palmer’s daughter Amy Saunders, chairman of Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation in a press release about this year’s event. “With the help of his many friends, fans and followers, we intend to keep that light shining brightly.”

“We wouldn’t have what we have in the game of golf, I don’t think, without Arnold Palmer,” Jacobsen said. “I know a lot of the kids today, 20-, 25-, 30-year-old players, maybe they never met Arnold, they never watched him play, they don’t really appreciate the impact that he had on the game, but I know that Frank and Justin and I do, and a lot of the older players do. So it is my hope that we can continue Arnold Palmer’s legacy through the Arnold Palmer Invitational with strong fields for the next 30 years.”

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