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owns—first cut down a pair of clubs to young Arnold’s
size. The future champ began swinging away, eventu
ally launching an astonishing career that would include
seven major tournament triumphs and 92 career wins
worldwide.
Palmers headline-making triumph in the 1960 U.S.
Open, following his second of four lifetime Masters wins
two months earlier, almost single-handedly energized the
entire sport, ignited a legion of fanatical Palmer fans—the
fabled "Amies Army”—and educated tire entire country
on the excitement of competitive golf.
Almost half of Palmers time today is split among
golf-related business and personal appearances. Com
petitively, he remains active with the Champions (PGA
Senior) Tour, though lie lias cut back, making just eight
appearances last year.
Off the links, Palmer and wife Kit, whom lie mar
ried in January 2(X)5, divide their time between homes
in Latrobe, Pa. (pop. 8,994), and Bay Hill, Fla (pop.
5,177).
Palmers admirers point to the sease of integrity,
sportsmanship and confidence he has brought to every
phase of his career. "He's a true-blue person and ic shines
through," says Jerry Palmer, 61, Arnold’s younger brother
and general manager of Latrobe Country Club as well
as his brother’s residential and commercial properties in
Latrobe. "What he says, he means.”
Palmer’s well-known integrity in the golfing world
spawned his long-running offshoot career as an adver
tising spokesman, something that came naturally.
With everything from automobile oil to home-health
care and long-lasting batter-
ies, Palmer’s friendly face
invited consumers to try
the
'Tm pleased if I can
help anyone do some
thing that will help
them in their lives,"
says Palmer, who now
devotes much of his
time to philanthropy.
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Ualuable lessons learned
But even the man with the Midas touch wasn’t
invincible to life’s occasional arrows. Palmer is a pros
tate cancer survivor who has crusaded tirelessly for
early detection through regular testing ever since his
encounter with the disease in 1997. “Early detection
is the key to almost all cancers,” says Palmer, who has
raised millions of dollars for prostate cancer research
by serving as honorary chairman of Arnie’s Army
Battles Prostate Cancer, a golfing program affiliated
with the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Ultimately, the scary event was just a bump in the
l road for Palmer, who says he has learned some valuable
|; lessons during times of difficultly and defeat. One
came in 1966 at a tournament on the Cherry Hills
■ course outside Denver. Solidly ahead entering the final
round of the U.S. Open, Palmer saw his command
mf ing lead whittled away by the relentless, ironically
Palmer-like charge of Billy Casper, who ultimately
H edged Palmer for the title. That defeat is not lost on
" him to this day.
“When you reflect on something like losing a seven
stroke lead, it’s difficult,” Palmer concedes. “But after
having won the Open and then losing the Open, like I
did then, I found out a lot more about life, friendships
and what life was all about. It was extremely
gratifying to know tliat winning a golf
tournament such as the Open at
B that point in time wasn't the only
tL thing in die world that can be
Si gratifying.”
A large part of that gratification for Palmer con
tinues to be giving his best effort to whatever he’s
involved with. And, as always, the Palmer method is
a personal one.
“He'll walk down the halls and take time to talk,”
says Bozard of the golfing icon’s visits to the medical
facility bearing his name. “I’ve seen him stop and
gather two or three of our housekeeping staff around
him and tell them just how much he appreciates them
keeping the place so clean.” During moments like
that, Palmer’s reputation as a sports immortal, wealthy
benefaccor and astute businessman are overshadowed
by a more immediate, more intimate impression.
“We just really see him,” Bozard says, “as a very
kind, gentle, tenderhearted person.”
Alan Rws is a freelance writer living in Bisbee. Ariz.
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