“I remember it because he’s the king of golf and I’m this little peon, but he treated me like I was anybody else”.
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Cavner got the news of Palmer’s death early Sunday evening while out to dinner with former PGA Tour star Nick Price in Jupiter, Fla.
Palmer won the British Open in 1961 and ’62. The tournament was held at Blythefield Country Club, which is located in Belmont, Mich., between Grand Rapids and Rockford.
“Doing interviews this morning really brought it home, trying to tell stories about really my whole life knowing Arnold Palmer”.
Arnold Palmer, who rose to the top of the worldwide golf world and later became a successful businessman and humanitarian, was being remembered Monday across sports and business following his death on Sunday evening.
The Nicklaus-Palmer rivalry started when the two legends went head-to-head during the 1962 U.S. Open.
The head of his company, Arnold Palmer Enterprises, confirmed that Palmer died from issues related to heart problems.
Years ago, manager Clint Hurdle worked security at a senior tour event in Melbourne, Fla., escorting players from the 18th green to the clubhouse.
“Today marks the passing of an era”, said Johnston, Palmer’s longtime agent at IMG. Many Americans liked his aggressive style of play, and the way he seemed at ease with both presidents and the golfing public.
“Along the way he racked up win after win – but it wasn’t his success that made him King”.
“He helped me out for 20-something years when he didn’t have to”, Cavner said. By mid afternoon, Arnie was on the leaderboard, and had climbed into 8th place.
“When I think of Arnold Palmer, I think of his natural ability to relate to people, the close bond he had with his father, and how when I first came on Tour, he made young professionals like me feel welcome”.
“It’s truly the most electrifying moment of the tournament in the years that I was involved with it”.
“There would be no Golf Channel without Arnold Palmer”, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement.
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The state of MI became prime real estate for Palmer, as his playing career slowed down. However, it was his working-class background – Palmer’s dad was a greenskeeper and golf pro – as well as his humble spirit that helped the now-iconic sports figure grow famous. Even as late as 2011, Palmer was No. 3 on Golf Digest’s list of top earners at $36 million a year.
