Arnie’s event is in great hands

This week sees the third Arnold Palmer invitational to be staged since the great man passed away, and it’s gratifying to see the field will be as strong as any in the years when he was alive. Palmer used all his charm to build up the event to become one of the best on the PGA Tour and was rewarded with some incredible finishes, usually involving Tiger Woods (right), who has won it eight times but was forced to withdraw with a neck strain last night. in Palmer’s absence, the tournament appoints a figurehead to act as its ambassador, and it could hardly have chosen better than this week’s representative, Justin Rose. Rory Mcilroy kept the magic going last year with one of his special back-nines on sunday to win, and this trio will be joined by a sprinkling of the best players on the planet. The build-up to the Masters is truly about to begin.