Legendary Arnold Palmer appeared on the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive program where he was asked about Rory McIroy and his stature now in the game.

Palmer, now aged 83, is the winner of seven Majors and like McIlroy he is one of golf’s most popular stars and its most important trailblazer, because he was the first superstar of the sport’s TV age, which began in the 1950s. He is part of “The Big Three” in golf, along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who are widely credited with popularizing and commercialising the sport around the world

Arnold Palmer jokes he will break Rory McIlroy’s arm if he doesn’t compete in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

So when ‘The King’ was asked about the heir apparent, Palmer directed this friendly reminder to the 23-year old Northern Irishman.

“I’m going to tell you something,” Palmer said with a smile.

“If (McIlroy) doesn’t come and play Bay Hill, he might have a broken arm and he won’t have to worry about where he’s going to play next.”

Bay Hill lands next season on March 21, and with the pushback of the Masters, it seems likely that Rory will add Arnie’s tournament to his schedule, but it was still great to hear him issue such a “threat” to the young Northern Irishman.

And a check of www.golfobserver.com reveals McIlroy is yet to tee up in Arnie’s event.

And Palmer had been asked his assessment of McIlroy, and at a time there is this hype about a pending switch to Nike:  “He’s playing extremely well and needs to stay in the mold he’s in and not to rush into anything.

“I’ve noticed some things happen with his contract and things like that and thus far he seems to me to have handled it pretty well, and I think that’s important.

“But if there’s something I would say to him and that is he doesn’t need to rush anything.

“He’s still only 23 and I didn’t play my first professional tournament to I was 25, so think about that and the years ahead of him he has to play golf.

“So he’s doing well and should continue to do well  ……”

It was then that Palmer raised his left arm and in pointing his index finger at the TV show’s diabolical host, sounded his tounge-in-cheek warning to the current Worle No. 1.