Notebook: Palmer Says That's It

By John Albers and Alex Miceli

Kettering, Ohio - Major championship golf said goodbye Friday to its second legendary competitor in the past month.

With the rattle of a 6-foot bogey putt reaching the bottom of the 18^th hole at NCR Country Club's South Course on Friday afternoon, Arnold Palmer's career in major championship golf officially came to a close. Following the round, Palmer announced that this would be his last appearance in a major championship.

"As far as trying to compete in a major championship such as the Open or other tournaments, this is it," said Palmer after his round. "I'm through doing that. I will not be doing it anymore."

Palmer's longtime rival, Jack Nicklaus, bade farewell to major tournament golf at the British Open at St. Andrews earlier this month.

Palmer did leave open the possibility that he would continue playing in a select few

Arnold Palmer gives a thumbs-up to the gallery during his final competitive round in a major championship. (John Mummert/USGA)

tournaments, mainly related to charities, such as The First Tee, with which he is involved.

The 75-year-old Palmer played in 25 U.S. Senior Opens during his competitive career, winning only his first, in 1981 at Oakland Hills Country Club outside of Detroit. Prior to his Senior career, Palmer won seven major championships, including one U.S. Open, in 1960 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver. Through all the years, he's played in 62 USGA events: five U.S. Amateurs, 32 U.S. Opens and the 25 U.S. Senior Opens.

Palmer was embraced by the fans of Dayton throughout his visit. He stayed at the Wright Brothers' House at Hawthorne Hill all week and visited the United States Air Force Museum at nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

"That was my thrill this week instead of my golf," he quipped.

Indeed, Palmer's golf was not the main attraction. His two-round 166 total was 24 strokes over par and 21 strokes above the cut line. Palmer has missed the cut in his last seven Senior Opens.

Rather, fans flocked to his gallery for his gracious, fan-friendly manner and the chance to see one of the few true legends of the game.

"This was a great thrill for me because of the fans," said Palmer. "They have been just so supportive and my golf was so lousy that I expected them all to go home about noon."

No one left Palmer's gallery at noon or any time after on Friday. In fact, "Arnie's Army" gained followers throughout the day until the crescendo at the final hole.

After hitting a 6-iron within 10 feet of the hole, Palmer strode up to the green amid a long, generous ovation. Two putts later, one of golf's great champions had completed his magnificent competitive career.

"Am I emotional?  Certainly," said Palmer.  "You can't not be after being on the Champions Tour or the Senior Tour for 25 years. I feel very fortunate to have lived long enough to be able to do that. That, in itself, has a lot of sentiment to it. The fact that these people come out – I won one of the early Open Championships for the Senior Tour – and to see the crowds and the enthusiasm shown here this week does me a lot of good, and it is very emotional."

Feeling Good

Raymond Floyd won 22 times on the PGA Tour dating back to 1963 when he captured the St. Petersburg Open Invitational, but it would take him six more years to win his first major championship, the PGA at NCR.

That week Floyd shot 69-66 in the opening rounds and would hold off Gary Player by a stroke over the weekend.  Thirty-six years later Floyd would seem to have some local knowledge shooting 69-67 and is just three shots off the lead of the trio of Loren Roberts, Craig Stadler and Tom Watson.

"I've got good vibes," said Floyd about the course. "I don't remember the golf course at all, but things are kind of positive."

Floyd hasn't won on the Champions Tour since 2000 when he won the Ford Senior Players Championship and has only played in eight events this year, with his best finish coming more than a month ago in the Allianz Championship.

On a day when Floyd was given an honorary membership to the NCR club because of his victory in the PGA, Floyd found himself in his best position in a Senior Open after two rounds since 1998 when he was leading, but eventually finished third.

"Well, I'm healthy right now," said Floyd in reference to normal aches and pains of a 62-year-old golfer.  "I feel very, very good.  I'm swinging, I'm hitting the ball with some length because I can let go and I'm hitting fairways and greens."

Solid Group

It wasn't the best pairing on Thursday when rookie Loren Roberts, last week's Senior British Open winner Tom Watson and runner-up Des Smyth combined for 204 shots, or cumulatively 9 under.  Especially when first-round leader Craig Stadler was 7 under on his own.

But the worm turned in Friday's second round when the trio shot a combined 198, six shots better then Thursday, with Watson carding a 6-under 65, Smyth a 66 and Roberts a 67.

"I think, particularly Tom, he hit four shots stiff today, two of them with 4-irons, which is very impressive," said Smyth.  "I was happy with the way I played.  I was sort of hanging in there and I had a good strong finish.  I shot 33 on the front nine, which was my back, so I'm really happy with the total."

In a better-ball format the group would have shot on each side 30 for a combined 11-under 60.  With Watson leading the way with only 25 putts followed by Smyth's 26 and Roberts' 29, each player seemed to feed off the other. 

"Sure, you feed off that atmosphere, and we had a nice crowd and they were really excited about the way everyone was playing, so it gives you a buzz," said Smyth.

Out

Mark Pfeil withdrew halfway through the second round due to a back injury.  Playing in his fourth Senior Open, Pfeil had played nine holes and recorded a 42 before withdrawing.  He had shot a 6-over 77 in Thursday's first round.

Disqualified

Lee Brun of Jonesboro, Ariz., was disqualified when he signed an incorrect scorecard.  Making a four on the par-3 eighth hole Burn, signed for a three, which is a disqualification under Rule 6-6 of the Rules of Golf.  Burn had shot a 78 in the first round and signed for an 81 in the second round.  He was playing in his first Senior Open.