American managed to change attitudes

Arnold Palmer did not win The Open Championship when he first played in the tournament at St Andrews in 1960.

But, like wearing cardigans and mixing iced tea with your lemonade, he is credited with making it something “cool” for Americans to do.

Just a year earlier not one American pro played in the Open at Muirfield.

It was seen as too far away and not that profitable.

Palmer changed that attitude and, at a time when television was taking off, opened up golf to a whole new American audience.

Fast forward a staggering 55 years to July 15 2015, and perhaps it wasn’t a surprise there were more than a few tears as Palmer said farewell to St Andrews, aged 85, during that year’s Open Championship.

On the eve of the contest, Paul Lawrie pitched in for eagle to help seal victory for Arnold Palmer’s team in the traditional Champions Golfers’ Challenge.

And it was a special moment as Palmer, who struggled to walk, took time out from his buggy to take applause from the galleries.

Yesterday Thomas Cullen, 51, from Kennoway, was on a day out at the Old Course with his mum Helen, and he said that will always be his abiding memory of Palmer, seeing his team win the Champions Challenge.

The Leven Thistle Golf Club member, who has been to watch Arnold Palmer’s Invitational Tournament in the USA several times, said: “It was absolutely tremendous. He was a legend and will be sadly missed.”

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “It is with great sadness that we have awoken to hear the news of Arnold Palmer’s passing. He was a true gentleman, one of the greatest ever to play the game and a truly iconic figure in sport.”

Mr Palmer in action.