Maginnes: There will never be another quite like the King
By John Maginnes, PGATOUR.COM Contributor
If you are of a certain age you don't need to be reminded that Arnold Palmer really is the King. You don't need to be reminded that he had Tiger's game, Adam Scott's looks and more charisma than anyone who has played the game before or since.
Watch him walk around Bay Hill this week during the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard and you can still see the swagger in the stride, the glimmer in the eye and the eternal graciousness that made him the most popular player to play the game until ... well, you know the rest.
It is hard to believe that the King turns 80 in September. No single player has been more responsible for the state of the modern game than Arnie. No one deserves more credit. The profession of golf was shaped both on and off the golf course by Mr. Palmer. As much as players today credit the purses to Tiger's popularity they should thank Arnie for all those endorsement dollars that make their worlds go around.
Beyond the empire that enjoys the shade under Arnie's umbrella today, though, there is the player of yesteryear who should be equally remembered. From 1960-1964 Mr. Palmer won 29 times on the PGA TOUR, including six of his seven major championships. No other player since Byron Nelson has a record that comes close. Jack Nicklaus, who is 11 ahead of Arnie on the all-time wins list, was never as prolific over a similar stretch. Tiger, for all his greatness, has only matched that major dominance.
Now, I am not suggesting that Arnie was a better player throughout his career than Tiger has been. It seems a sure bet that Tiger will go down in history as the greatest player of all time. But that four-year stretch for Arnie may have been the greatest four years anyone has ever played.
When reminded of that last year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the tournament's host and namesake spoke candidly about what it's like to attempt to live up to the expectations that come with that kind of dominance. Never before or since has a player carried so much responsibility. It was Mr. Palmer's dominance and then his rivalry with Jack that popularized the game and brought it into the living rooms of millions.
This is a special week and yet another opportunity for the game to thank the King. Tiger understands the importance of those who came before him. As he sets his sights on what is left of the records he has yet to claim Tiger does so with a level of respect you rarely see in other sports. Like Mr. Palmer appreciated Nelson, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan's contributions to the game, Tiger admires Arnie and Jack. There are so few who have soared so high and navigated the rarified air of dominance that a mutual appreciation is implicit.
That mutual admiration was on display a year ago when Tiger strode to the 18th green needing birdie to avoid a playoff. The 24-foot, big-breaking putt seemed no better than an outside chance for the No. 1 player in the world. Arnold stood, smiling, to left of the green, just inside the throng of people. Even Tiger's most staunch supporters could only hope that he would find the magic at the home hole.
But somehow Arnie knew. He said as much to the friends around him as Tiger studied the putt from all angles. He cheered as the putt disappeared, and moments later he congratulated his champion with a warm embrace. Two eras meeting, one remembered and one witnessed.
Arnie and Bay Hill have set the stage again for Tiger. The torch was passed a long time ago. But the magic hasn't been there yet since Tiger's return from last year's season-ending knee surgery. Perhaps merely being in the company of one who knows, and one who has lived it, will be enough for Tiger to return to form.
John Maginnes is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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