Palmer, The Competitor, Says Goodbye To Masters



April 10, 2004
By Alex Miceli

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The second round of most competitive golf tournaments usually signals the end for virtually half the field. On April 9 at Augusta National Golf Club, however, it signaled the end of a Masters era for one heralded king.

Arnold Palmer leaves the Masters with four green jackets to his credit. (USGA Photo Archives)

Arnold Palmer decided that his 50th Masters would be his final one as a competitor. Sure he might return to compete in the Par-3 Contest or as a ceremonial starter, much the same way former champions Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson did for many years, but there will be no more strolls up 18 or trips through Amen Corner.

On April 9, Palmer, 73, fought back tears and sadness as he holed out at the 18th hole to complete that last competitive round. His score didn’t matter, neither did the fact that he missed a short putt for par. The gallery cheered his every move.

“It’s done,” Palmer said of his 50-year run.  “I won’t say I’m happy it’s done.  It’s time for it to be done for me. I look forward to watching the Masters and seeing the winners come around as they do each year and see the struggles that they have and the controversy that you will create from time to time, only to keep it interesting.”

Palmer’s final journey started at 12:46 in the afternoon and took more than five hours to complete. 

Dressed in what has been called a “Tiger Red” shirt, Palmer, the 1960 U.S. Open champion and 1954 U.S. Amateur winner, waved to the crowd, shook the hands of the 92-year-old Nelson and current Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson and then teed it up, hitting his drive down the first fairway with a unique swing that has never been copied.

The Masters and Augusta National, after all, was the birthplace of Arnie’s Army. That term was born here in 1958, the year Palmer won the first of four Green Jackets. But Arnie’s Army grew and followed him at every tour spot, through 62 victories and seven professional major titles.

“I’ve thought about how many times I’ve walked up that 18th fairway,” said Palmer. "I can think of the four times that I won the Masters. I can think of a couple of times that I didn’t win and felt like I should have won. I can think of the fans that have supported me and listened to them, and of course they all have something to say or most of them have something to say about what I’m doing when I’m walking up the fairway.”

Now Palmer, who has long been the spokesperson for the USGA Members Program, has called it a career, even though he hasn’t been truly competitive for more than a decade. His last made cut came in 1993 and his last victory was 21 years ago at the Bob Hope Desert Classic. Since those last wins, Palmer became a father and later a grandfather. In fact, his grandson, Sam Saunders, caddied for him at this year’s Masters.

Palmer is responsible for putting golf on the map during a time that only the country club set played the game, and then shepherded its development and success to the sport it is today.

Alex Miceli is a free-lance writer from the Golf Press Association.