Orlando, FL …
Rory McIlroy revealed he’s got every letter framed including one he received just a month before the passing of the late, great Arnold Palmer.
This week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational is a special tribute to the ‘The King’ who had passed away the same day McIlroy sensationally captured last year’s PGA Tour season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.
News of Palmer’s passing was purposely withheld till after the completion of the event.
And McIlroy, who had received a letter first from Palmer immediately post his 2011 US Open success at Congressional, spoke on the eve of this week’s $US 8.7m event of the impact Palmer made on the four-time Major champion.
“I first saw Arnold Palmer when I was playing a practice round in my first Masters in 2009 as I was right on the corner of where the 13th hole turns, like right at the end of the pines up the right and he was just sitting there,” said McIlroy.
“He was out in a golf cart, had a pink T-shirt on, had a grey pair of slacks.
Rory McIlroy and Arnold Palmer meeting during the 2015 Arnold Palmer Invitational
“I went over to see him and his put his big massive mit out at me and shook my hand and that was the first time I met Arnold Palmer, which is, to me, playing on possibly my favourite golf hole in the world sort of, it’s a bit of, as golfer it’s a bit of a fairy tale, I guess.”
But then it took a tongue-in-cheek “I will break his arm if he doesn’t play” remark from Palmer at this event in 2012 before McIlroy made a first appearance at Bay Hill in suburban Orlando three years later.
“I really got a chance to talk to him and sit down with him the Thursday night of this tournament in 2015 when we sat down and had dinner in the clubhouse,” he said.
McIlroy’s focus this week, apart from capturing a 14th Tour success, will be his preparations ahead of his Masters ‘Take 3’ and what will be a third attempt to win the coveted Grand Slam.
As revealed by http://www.golfbytourmiss.com earlier this week McIlroy played a practice round last Sunday at Augusta and plans to squeeze in a further practice round following next week’s WGC – Dell Match-Play Championship in Austin, Texas.
“I don’t think I’ve had two visits to Augusta in the lead-up to the Masters before but then each time I play, like last Sunday, they’re more just friendly games with the members,” he said.
“Maybe the visit I am planning the week after next will be a little bit more intense but it’s all about getting more comfortable with the course.
“So, the more I can make Augusta feel more comfortable, the more I can accomplish that dream that still awaits me.”
McIlroy is joined this week by ‘local’ Orlando resident Graeme McDowell who is among five special event ambassadors, but the only one contesting the event proper.
Organisers have grouped McDowell for the opening two rounds with Rickie Fowler, and recent winner of the Honda Classic, along with Canadian Adam Hadwin who captured last week’s Valspar Championship.
‘G Mac’, at now aged 37, is giving up nine years on Fowler and eight years on Hadwin and after securing his best Tour finish of 14th behind Hadwin a week ago, McDowell said he would more than delighted to finish the week clear of the World No. 9 ranked Fowler.
“If I can finish ahead of Rickie this week I am doing well and that would be a great result for me,” he said.
“I watched Adam Hadwin at the weekend there, I mean, first time winner, apart from one swing that he made on the back nine on Sunday, you couldn’t really have faulted the way the kid played. He closed that one out.
“You look back what Tiger did in his young career and in the early 2000s and that belief level, I think the old sort of turn pro and spend three or four years cutting your teeth and maybe in your late 20s or early 30s you might be experienced enough to go and win the biggest events in the world.
“But that the young players, whether it’s something to do with college golf or the level of amateur, how many opportunities the best players get to come and play professionally before they turn pro, there’s just a readiness level.
“I really feel like on the weekends, this whole tag line of choking, it doesn’t really happen anymore. You just don’t see guys backing it up anymore. Guys just keep the pedal down.”
