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low him for an entire round. There was press access on certain holes with the most advantageous location being at Amen Corner.

You could see the golfer’s approach shots on No. 11, the playing of the treacherous No. 12 and the tee shots off No.13. Itwasanexciting place to be any day of tournament week, but the excitement went up several notches when Arnie came through.

In 1979, he missed the cut but stayed around for the weekend as the new chairman, Bill Lane, had asked him to participate in the trophy presentation that took place on Sunday.

During a lull in the final round soon after the leaders had made their tee shots on the first tee, I sat down in the clubhouse with the first four-time winner of the tournament and turned on a tape recorder for a lengthy conversation with him.

He said his biggest disappointment came when he hit his approach shot into the bunker on the final hole in 1961 and double bogeyed the hole to lose to Gary Player by a stroke.

When asked about his favorite hole on the course, he said. “I think that the corner is probably the most exciting series of golf holes that I have ever played—starting with 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15—they may not be the most difficult holes in golf, but they are certainly the most exciting under tournament conditions when the pressure is on and the wind is blowing and all the things that can happen are happening; those holes are going to give you the thrill that you really want or might be looking for in golf or in life.”

No professional athlete ever had the rapport with the media that Arnold Palmer had. He was patient and courteous, always accommodating and forever honest and candid. Hemadethe rookie writers and broadcasters feel comfortable and relaxed. He was a favorite of the media just as he was to golf fans over the world.