Arnold Palmer: Tour Pros remember . . . “I first met Arnold Palmer in..”

Rory McIlroy: 

"I was playing my first Masters and I was right on the corner of where the 13th hole turns, like right at the end of the pines up the right, and he was just sitting there and yeah, that was the first time. I remember I think he was out in a golf cart, had a pink shirt on, had a gray pair of slacks. Put his big massive mit out at me and shook my hand and that was the first time I met Arnold Palmer, which is, to me, playing on possibly my favorite golf hole in the world sort of, it’s a bit of, as golfer it’s a bit of a fairy tale, I guess. ….. I really got a chance to talk to him and sit down with him the Thursday night of this tournament in 2015. We sat down and had dinner in the clubhouse."

Like Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy got off to a slow start at Bay Hill in 2017 with a 2-over 74 on his card.  The Ulsterman is in a different position than Fowler, however. He’s been out of competition as his rib injury mended and he needs to sharpen up his game if he’s going to be ready for the challenge of North Augusta.

McIlroy’s first encounter with The King came at the Masters – perhaps that will give him some special inspiration at the 2017 Masters.