The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Stars should honor Arnie by showing up for his event
Too many elite players are skipping Bay Hill tournament.
ORLANDO, FLA. — It is a statue fit for a king. The King. Literally, figuratively, dashingly and philanthropically.
But if you look real closely into the eyes of the monumental 13-foot, 1,400-pound, larger-than-life likeness of Arnold Palmer unveiled at Bay Hill last week, you might just see a hint of disappointment.
Disappointment in some of the top players in the world who made the decision not to play at The Arnie — aka the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
It’s great that they’ve put Arnie’s statue on a pedestal, but the PGA Tour and golfers worldwide should always make sure his tournament is put on a pedestal as well. Without the dashing, swashbuckling Palmer almost single-handedly turning golf into a TV sport a half-century ago, where would it be now?
“You look at us with all of our logos on and our endorsement contracts and making so much money from this game,” Rory McIIroy said before teeing off at The Arnie last year. “Arnold really was the first one to do that.”
Rory was in the tournament this year, as were many other top players. But it should have been even stronger. Especially this year.
Wouldn’t it have been fitting if all of the world’s top players had made the pilgrimage to Central Florida to pay homage to the King and his beloved tournament in the year after he passed away?
Tiger Woods didn’t play for obvious health reasons, but you know he would be here if he could.
“I’m especially disappointed because I wanted to be at Bay Hill to help honor Arnold,” Tiger said a few days ago on his website. “This is one event I didn’t want to skip.”
Too bad some of the world’s other top golfers don’t feel the same. Too bad they don’t understand that this year in particular was when they should have rearranged their schedules to make sure they were here.
Where’s the No. 1 player in the world, Dustin Johnson?
Where’s Jordan Spieth and Sergio Garcia?
And, for crying out loud, where’s Phil Mickelson — the man who has emulated Arnie throughout his career and even borrowed the King’s famous thumbs-up salute when acknowledging adoring fans?
Let’s hear it for Rory for showing up. And Jason Day. And Rickie Fowler. And Hideki Matsuyama. If they were here to keep Arnie’s tournament alive and thriving, why didn’t everybody else show up?
“We want to focus on the players who are here,” says Marci Doyle, tournament director of The Arnie.
The question is: Can his tournament continue to thrive now that Arnie is gone? Don’t kid yourself, many top players played here in the past because they didn’t want to disappoint the King. Some were likely playing this year because it is the year after the King’s death.
But will they continue to play here when the tournament is sandwiched between more lucrative World Golf Championship events?
Former PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem came to Orlando last year and announced the purse at The Arnie would increase from $6.3 million to $8.7 starting this year and the winner will get a three-year exemption instead of the standard two years.
“Arnold Palmer is unquestionably one of the most important figures in the history of professional golf and someone who brought its appeal to the masses,” Finchem said then. “This tournament is an important part of Arnold’s legacy, and collectively we were inspired to work together to further advance its stature.”
Then why did the Tour schedule the World Golf Championship Match Play this week in Austin — an event that has a significantly bigger purse ($9.7 million) and a significantly smaller field (64 golfers)? More money, less competition. You do the math.
“The World Golf Championships do have an impact on our field,” acknowledges Roy Saunders, vice president of the Bay Hill Club and Arnie’s son-in-law.
“I wish Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth and all of the top golfers were here and I’m disappointed they’re not, but I respect that they have to manage themselves the way they see fit.”
Saunders gets emotional when looking up at the towering statue of his famous father-in-law.
He insists the tournament will be fine.
“Just as he used to do,” Saunders says, “we’re going to hitch up our pants and get it done.”