Legend Won't Be Playing In Senior Open

By Dave Shedloski

It wasn't more than a few weeks ago, just days after hearing how well his grandson had done in a U.S. Open sectional qualifier, that Arnold Palmer expressed his eagerness to play in another national championship himself. But there were also notes of anxiety and caution in his voice and words.

"I am looking forward to playing, but my game has to get better and I haven't been pleased with my progress," Palmer said in a telephone interview in discussing his entry into the U.S. Senior Open. "I am working on a few things in hopes of getting my game in relatively good shape, but it's going very slowly.

"I haven't found what I'm looking for. Not yet, anyway."

Arnold Palmer had played in every Senior Open, winning in 1981, except for the inaugural championship in 1980. (John Mummert/USGA)

Apparently, the King is still searching. Palmer, 76, withdrew Friday from next week's 27^th Senior Open at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan., citing discontent with his golf game. On the same day, Greg Norman withdrew from the championship as he continues to recover from knee surgery he underwent in February.

"It is with great regret that I have come to the very difficult decision to advise the USGA that I am withdrawing from the upcoming U.S. Senior Open at Prairie Dunes," Palmer said in a statement. "I have spent considerable time over the past few weeks attempting without success to bring my game up to acceptable standards to play in this important national championship. In my judgment, my golf right now is far below the level that I would feel comfortable with as a bona fide contestant. I hope that the fans who have given me such wonderful support over the years will understand and accept this decision."

Palmer, in his debut on the senior circuit, won the 1981 U.S. Senior Open at Oakland Hills Country Club, Birmingham, Mich., defeating Billy Casper and Bob Stone in an 18-hole playoff. He hasn't missed the championship since, playing in 24 more through last year's edition at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio, where he missed the cut with scores of 85-81-166.

Winner of seven major championships, including the 1960 U.S. Open, Palmer was buoyed by the bid of his grandson, Sam Saunders, at a sectional qualifier in Columbus, Ohio. Saunders, 18, who this fall begins attending Clemson on a golf scholarship, missed out on a playoff for a U.S. Open berth by one stroke after shooting 3 under par over 36 holes.

Saunders, the 36-hole medalist at the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur at Longmeadow Country Club in Massachusetts and a club champion at Bay Hill Club in Orlando, which Palmer owns and where he hosts the Bay Hill Invitational on the PGA Tour, said he's picked his grandfather's brain about Open championships. He also gladly accepted some advice. "He told me to play my game, and not to get too excited," said Saunders. "For the most part I think I did OK."

Intimidation was hardly a factor. "I really enjoy playing with the pros, and I'm probably more comfortable around them than a lot of them are when they play with my grandfather."

Palmer couldn't have been more proud of his grandson's effort. "I think it's great. I think he's doing really well. His game is maturing, and that gives me quite a thrill," he said. "I think we're going to see him moving up and, hopefully, playing in the Open very soon."

But it appears as if Palmer's U.S. Golf Association career, which also includes the 1954 U.S. Amateur title, is over – as well might be his competitive career in general. His last competition of any kind came in February at the Wendy's Champions Skins Game at Wailea, Maui, Hawaii. He hasn't appeared in a Champions Tour event since the Administaff Small Business Classic in October in Houston. His last PGA TOUR event was the 2004 Masters, his 50^th start at Augusta National Golf Club.

Palmer will be 77 years old in September. He still loves the game, but it's becoming less friendly and more frustrating to him all the time. "I'm just getting less out of game than I'd like," he said.

But, unlike his friend and main rival, Jack Nicklaus, who retired at the 2005 British Open at St. Andrews, Palmer won't ever say he's done playing competitive golf.

"You can't rule out anything, but I'll pick and choose very carefully," he said. "I would never come out and say anywhere that this is my last tournament. When they put me to the task I just say, as I've said many times before, I'm never going to announce when I'm going to quit. I'm just going to fade away."

Dave Shedloski is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.ussenior.com.