AUGUSTA, Ga. — Arnold Palmer did not hit a ceremonial tee shot this morning, but he rode to the first tee in a golf cart and joined Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player for the official beginning of the 80th Masters.
Wearing the green jacket he won four times at the Masters, Palmer, 86, gave his customary thumbs up and clapped his hands to the thousands of fans who formed a gauntlet that stretched from the clubhouse area to the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club.
Palmer was followed in a procession by his wife, Kit, Nicklaus, Player and members of the three families who made their way to the tee to see golf’s Big Three, who combined for 13 Masters victories, hit the ceremonial opening shots.
Among the people to watch were Rickie Fowler, two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who is an Augusta National member.
“It’s wonderful to see, what they meant to the game,” Crenshaw said. “They are ambassadors of the game.”
Masters chairman Billy Payne introduced Palmer first, saying of the Latrobe native and seven-time major champion, “He will forever be in our hearts.” Palmer has been an honorary starter at Augusta National since 2007, but this was the first year he opted not to hit a tee shot because of health issues.
Nicklaus said he asked Palmer at the past champions dinner Tuesday night about the possibility of hitting some type of shot on the first tee. “I don’t care if you putt it off the tee, I think everybody would love to have you do anything,” Nicklaus said. Palmer said he would think about it, but told Nicklaus this morning he decided against it.
“It’s probably the right thing,” Nicklaus said. “Arnold’s balance is not good and that’s what they’re worried about. I think he was delighted to be out there. I think we were delighted to have him there. Both Gary and I thought it was more about Arnold this morning than anything else and that was just fine.”
Player, 80, who said he did 1,300 crunches and leg-pressed 400 pounds the day before to get ready for the 8:05 a.m. tee shot, then striped a drive that he said he dedicated to Palmer. Nicklaus, who is 76, followed and admitted he was outdriven by Player again.
“That’s OK,” Player said afterward. “You were outdriving me for 50 years.”
The festive occasion, though, was not the same without Palmer, arguably the most popular golfer of all time, taking that infamous swing with the half-twirl at the top of the follow-through. Palmer was driven from the first tee and did not accompany his two friends and former rivals to the clubhouse.
He also did not attend the press conference that immediately followed.
“It was gratifying and sad, because everything shall pass,” Player said. “But it was nice to have him on the tee. I dedicated my first tee shot to him in respect. ...
“It’s sad, the passage of time,” Player said.
First Published: April 7, 2016, 2:00 p.m.
