PALMER CUP closes out in presidential fashion.
The final-day surprise at the Arnold Palmer Cup on Sunday probably wasn’t the Internationals’ continued strong play, as they came away with a victory over the United States.
Patrons and volunteers huddled around the Alotian Club circular driveway around 2 p.m. to see whose motorcade of four SUVs surrounded by several police cars had approached the club’s front steps. Before long, it was discovered that former President Bill Clinton was at the club where he later served as the guest speaker at the Palmer Cup’s closing ceremonies.
Clinton emerged from the Alotian Club clubhouse after the competition with its founder Warren Stephens and members of both the U.S. and International teams. The teams took up the first rows, while Clinton, Stephens and other officials lined the last set of seats in back.
Golf Coaches Association of America Deputy Director Dustin Roberts served as the emcee for the closing ceremonies. Arnold Palmer Enterprises CEO Jon Podany also had his turn. There were other congratulatory words thrown out to the players and coaches.
Kaylee Benton (University of Arkansas) then presented Clinton with a framed picture of the signatures of the Palmer Cup participants before the 42nd president of the United States took the dais for the keynote address. Clinton was quick to mention his numerous times playing on the course, but he said he was thankful he was there in a different capacity Sunday.
“I want to thank Warren for the chance to come back to Alotian,” Clinton said. “This is the only time I’ve came here where I didn’t have a crisis of conscience for telling my score.”
Clinton lavished praise on Stephens and the golf course ranked 31st on Golf Digest’s 100 Top Courses in
2019.
“This had been a great gift to the state,” Clinton, 72, said.
Clinton shared how much he enjoyed playing golf, even finding some time to do so while he was commander in chief beginning in 1993, and saying he felt “guilty as sin playing,” but he got over it.
Clinton also addressed the more than 50 caddies sitting on the back steps of the clubhouse, saying he once did the same as a youth at a professional tournament in Hot Springs. The experience, he said, got him out of school but still left him worried about doing a good job as a looper.
Clinton shared tales of teaming up for a match with Palmer, known as The King in his heyday. Although Palmer agreed Clinton’s game was lacking most of that day, Clinton made sure to note that Palmer appreciated the two-term president’s putting for the round.
Clinton, who presented the winning International team with the Palmer Cup trophy to conclude the ceremonies, said Palmer was good for golf. Clinton, who wore a hat at times to help protect himself from the sun, said he still uses golf as a learning tool.
“I always felt golf was good preparation for life,” he said.