Dublin, Ohio …
Sam Saunders, and the grandson to the late, great Arnold Palmer, was asked a question not about his grandfather but his grandfather’s fiercest rival for almost their entire careers.
That person is this week’s Memorial tournament host … Jack Nicklaus.
“Mr. Nicklaus was at the funeral service for my granddad and he was as kind as ever — and he was obviously as kind as he’s ever been to me,” said Saunders after teeing off in the very last group running and post a superb four under par 68 and share seventh place.
Sam Saunders, and the grandson of the late Arnold Palmer, talks of his relationship with Palmer’s fiercest rival … Jack Nicklaus. (Photo – pgatour.com)
“And he’s always been one of my biggest supporters. And it’s been really neat. I tell people this all the time, I remember the first time I played with him, I was 15 years old. I think I met him at Augusta, but I didn’t played with him that time. Two years later I won the Florida high school state championship, and I had a personal note from him. I hadn’t seen him since.
“But the fact that he was keeping up with me and throughout my career he’s kept up with me and always wished me the best and offered me some really good advice.
“So I admire Mr. Nicklaus as much as anybody in the world. He’s just a wonderful human being and has done so much for the game of golf, but just for the world, too. He’s just made a great impact”.
It also prompted the question to the now 29-year old what was the best piece the 18-time Major winner offered Saunders.
“Oh, man, I think he just — just to stick at it,” said Saunders.
“Just keep doing what I’m doing. Like my granddad told me, stick to your system and don’t get down on yourself and there’s going to be hard times out here, and he gave me that advice, just really stay the course and do what you know how to do and keep on working hard at it.”
And Saunders, who is looking to hold onto his Tour card for the next season, spoke of his fondness for Muirfield Village course and a tournament, given it was first staged in 1976 and three years after Palmer captured the last of his 62 PGA Tour tites.
“I just have a huge amount of respect for this place, I don’t know if that makes sense,” he said.
“I have a lot of respect for the golf course. I have a lot of respect for the tournament, the history of it and obviously for Mr. Nicklaus. It’s an honour to get to play here. It’s actually really fun to finally play a good round here. I’ve really struggled the two years I played previously.
“But I knew this was going to be a good golf course for me some day. I’m not a bomber. I like to hit the ball straight. And I actually hit fades now. And I couldn’t play this golf course before because I only hit a big hook off the tee. And it’s nice to hit cut shots off the tee and be able to move the ball on second shots into the green. It fits my eye really well.
“It’s a course I’ve been looking forward to coming back to, because I knew even though I struggled in the past it was going to fit my game pretty well.”
