BAY HILL INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES

March 19, 2003

Arnold Palmer

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, thank you. Good morning.

I think the State of the Bay Hill Invitational is as good as it's ever been and getting better by the day.

The golf course I think is good, and you could say if you look at what you wrote last year, that I said this last year and I'll say it again this year, the golf course is in excellent condition.

The greens are going to be firm, again. Fairways are really very good. And the roughs are going to be tough. They are going to be a full four inches and the ball is sinking in the rough, which means that the players that get in the rough are going to have to putt some strength into hitting it out.

I doubt that the greens will be as fast as I had hoped they might be. But they will be fast and they will be good putting surfaces. Maybe a little easier putting because they won't be quite as fast as we had hoped for any number of reasons, a lost rain that we've had lately and some other factors. But they are in good condition.

Of course, you know, I think it's great that Jack came to play and we'll look forward to that and hoping that he'll play well. Of because a lot of things will depend on how well he plays.

The field is good. Many years ago, and this being our 25th event, someone suggested to me that some of the winners early on weren't headliners and maybe the golf course was responsible for that. I think that, whatever you want to call it, myth, has sort of gone away since the No. 1 player in the world has won three times in a row that, kind of answers that question.

I think that's about all I have to say. We're happy to say so many of you here. We're flattered that you come to Bay Hill. I can recall 25 years ago when we had some representatives, very few I might add, from the media, to see this room almost full now is certainly, I feel a compliment to the tournament.

Q. Was there any thought about pairing you and Jack together tomorrow?

ARNOLD PALMER: I suppose there was some thought about it. I don't know how far they got into that. I'm sure that Jack and I are sort of indifferent about it. We don't have a feeling.

Matter of fact, we didn't really discuss it, but I think it worked out just fine the way it is.

Q. Tiger is trying to win this thing for the fourth straight time, and you won three in a row at two different places. Can you just sort of speak to how hard it is to put together that kind of string, or maybe after winning the first couple it gets easier, I don't know.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I think it's difficult. Just imagine winning any tournament two years in a row, as far as that's concerned. Certainly the golf courses that you play, and there are some that you really enjoy playing, and that is always going to have some effect on how you play.

I think over the years, well, let's just take the Bob Hope where I won quite a lot. You know, my attitude going to that tournament was always very positive. And because of conditions, the golf courses, the atmosphere, I liked it. So I had a lot of success there and I think that's part of the reason.

I hear when Tiger comes here, I've heard him say, well, you know, I've won at Bay Hill when I was a junior and I think that is a definite influence. It's a positive influence on him, and anyone, who plays well in a certain spot.

Four times, it's tough. It's going to be even tough for Tiger. But I certainly think he is capable of doing just that.

Q. You've seen the galleries that follow Tiger Woods around. How did they compare with your Army back when you were at the top of the game?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I would say depends on where you're talking about, but I think the galleries are� -- well, on the overall, are getting larger. But in certain spots, we had pretty good-sized galleries over the years. And I must say that they were larger in some areas versus others.

You know, I can think when the Bob Hope Desert Classic, again, I refer to that, you can count the people on both hands that were there for the best part. And now, as you see, they are humongous crowds, big crowds for that tournament. And that has happened in a lot of place where is it started out and it wasn't so heavy and now it's very heavy.

Even here, we had good crowds in the early days. But I think, you know, the ticket sales this year, are going to probably surpass any previous year's ticket sales.

Q. Your grandson, Sam, is only a freshman in high school, he's an excellent golfer, he's going to be caddying for you two, and hopefully four days this week, what do you hope he learns from being out on the course with you?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I think this is a very valuable experience for him. There's no question about the fact that he can play. He has every shot in the bag. It's a question of how he applies himself to making those shots.

I suppose that if I had something that I wanted him to learn over the next couple of days or whatever, it would be to manage himself and just use his head a little bit more when he plays.

Today, he makes as many birdies as anyone playing golf when he plays a golf course like this, but he makes a lot of mistakes, too, big mistakes. I would hope that he would learn not to make those mistakes, to keep the ball in play and to� -- he can hit the shots. It's just a question of where he hits the shots.

Q. Considering your reception yesterday on the golf course, are you glad you decided to play this year?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I'm glad I'm playing. I'm not happy with the way I'm playing. Physically I'm not as good as I should be. I've been working out with Freddie back there, and trying to get up to speed.

Hopefully I'll feel a little better tomorrow and be able to do the things that I want to do on the golf course. I am pleased that it has worked out the way it has, and I suppose my only question would be how well I play or how poorly I play, and I'd like to play a little better than I've been playing.

Q. You've been playing tournament golf at the highest level now for 50 years. What motivates you to keep going on?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, my motivation is the game itself and the people that I've been associated with for 50 years, more than 50 years, actually. I've been playing� -- I played my first PGA TOUR event in the Dapper Dan in Pittsburgh in 1947, and I was a high school boy. I had won some local high school events and some amateur tournament the around. I had been playing off and on ever since. I've played a couple more as amateurs and then turned professional.

You know, the game is so fascinating, and, of course, I'm seeing the same things when I'm coming down right now as I saw coming up on the other end, and that's fascinating to me.

The other thing is the people never seem to stop rooting for you, even though they know that things are getting to that point where there's little chance of, say, winning a golf tournament. On the other hand, I get the feeling that they get a kick out of rooting and having something to motivate them to get you going and playing better.

Q. Knowing what Augusta means to you, what's your mindset this year knowing you're not going to be playing, is it any different?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, as you know, I am very, very fond of Augusta. I think that if there's a place that I had to go, it would be Augusta, and I'm disappointed in a lot of things that have happened. Right now, I continue to be disappointed.

But, if the good Lord is willing, I'll be going to Augusta a lot and I will continue to go there. I can't tell you what it means to me. It was sort of the kicking off place for everything that happened to me and any life. I won my first major there. I went on to do some pretty nice things.

I suppose that part of that, it was the motivation come January 1, each year, everything I did in my life at that point was direct myself to the Masters and Augusta, and I've enjoyed it. I enjoyed getting ready to go and going there and playing and the things that happened there. My association with Jones and Cliff Roberts were things that I'll never forget and I'll remember them very fondly.

So as I said, I'm a little disappointed at the way things have turned. I hope that we can get on with it and have the tournament as great as I always thought it was and will continue to think it is.

Q. You mean disappointed with the Past Champions' rule?

ARNOLD PALMER: Just everything that's happening. I suppose I have a little feeling about the exemption program just generally but it won't change my love affair with Augusta.

Q. Do you think that the changes in equipment that are happening in the game, the ball is going so much farther, the course is being lengthened, et cetera, is that something that's the nature of the game, the way it changed when you were younger, your equipment got better in your early days and scoring was better. But do you think the changes in equipment are happening now are such that they are going to alter the fundamental nature of the game and take away shot-making and take away the ability of the non-long hitter to play the game at the highest level?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I wish I could answer that question. I can only give you my opinion.

The game has been through constant changes from the day I started playing professional golf. We equipment changes, with golf course changes, with the new, let's call it modern architecture, which has changed certainly the view of a lot of golf courses, and when we go back to some of the golf courses that we played in the early days, whether it be Oakmont or Winged Foot or Merion or you name it. Most of those clubs had made and adapted some changes.

I think that we will continue to see changes in golf courses, and I'm not talking about lengthening golf courses particularly. I think that at some point we're going to have to stop just lengthening golf courses to appease the players. This will be some of that in the years to come but it won't be the major thing. I think we'll probably see the roughs get a little tougher. We'll see the fairways get a little narrower. We'll see the greens get a little faster and harder, and we can do that right now.

But if I were to rule the situation and had the ultimate say as to what was going to happen in the future, I would slow the golf ball down. I just think that everything -- we're going to get better players. You can't stop the people from being more physical, more mentally alert, more sharp playing the game. That's going to continue and we want it to.

But the one thing that we can pull back and keep the golf courses, the old, good golf courses and the new golf courses that we're building right now, competitive with the game and the strength of the players is slow the ball down. And that doesn't mean just for the professionals that, means everyone. The poorer golfer won't notice it. He won't notice the slowdown in the golf ball.

Q. Do you believe that we're headed towards maybe two different standard, professional and amateur standards, maybe professional and amateur ball?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that question because I don't like that thought. I certainly think that is one of the creations that we're looking at and that would be two different standards.

I really would not like to see that but it may be inevitable. It may be something that is going to happen.

Q. You said when you did a Golf Channel interview recently that you might at some point express an opinion on the gender issue and the membership issue at Augusta, so I'm giving you the chance to do it now.

ARNOLD PALMER: I think I've said all I'm going to say about Augusta. I'm just very pleased to be a member and very pleased to have the opportunity to go there.

Q. Do you have an idea of what your timetable may be to accept the role as an Honorary Starter at Augusta National?

ARNOLD PALMER: I have not.

Q. Are you pleased with the Palmer Cup and do you think that it delays some college students from turning pro so that they can play the Palmer Cup?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I hope. And I'm very pleased with the Palmer Cup. It has made some great progress. I see continuing progress every year, and we're doing everything we can to enhance that event.

Q. Turning at a more somber tone, war might start the same day this tournament starts. What are your thoughts about the war and sports' role as a diversion when things like that are going on?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, of course, I'm not one that likes war, period. That's one thing.

In this case, I trust our government and part of the decisions they are making. I'm going to support them whatever. And I think that there's not many people in this room that would like to see a war, but if it's necessary and the President thinks that we need to go in there, I'm going to support him.

As far as sporting events are concerned, I have heard them say, and I've heard many comments about keeping life as it is. If you start ending everything that people enjoy doing it's going to be� -- as time goes on. I don't think it's unpatriotic to have a sporting event going on. I think those people over there that are fighting and away from home look to see with a we're doing, and I think that when they get up in the morning, I think they look to see what won the golf tournament or who won the baseball game. I think that their morale would be lesser if we stopped doing all those things.

I think they would like to see it. That's my opinion, I think they would like to see what we are doing and follow the things. You know, it's just like you getting up in the morning to see who won the basketball game last night. Well, those guys do the same thing, I think and that diverts them from the fact that they are in danger and all those things. I think that gives them something to look forward to.

Q. Do you know the Bushes at all? Have you ever played golf with any of them?

ARNOLD PALMER: Yes.

Q. Both of them?

ARNOLD PALMER: Most all of them. (Laughter.)

Q. Does that mean father and son?

ARNOLD PALMER: I have not played with George, President. I know him. Horseshoe.

Q. Played horseshoe?

ARNOLD PALMER: At Kennybunkport.

Q. Who won?

ARNOLD PALMER: I don't remember. (Laughter.)

Q. We have come to kind of take crowds and golf events now for granted. When the crowd really started following new large numbers, can you recall the feeling what it was like and did you realize this was sort of a landscape leap, in a sense?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I can remember the crowds when I was coming on and particularly at Augusta. I was thrilled by the fact that they were following me and rooting as they were. That was part of the motivation that I had to play and play well.

That's why I continually say, thank goodness for the crowd and why I say, hey, wow, without those people rooting and doing the things they are doing, we would not have a game.

Q. Did you realize early on that this was different from maybe what had gone before?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I'm not sure it was different. I think maybe their enthusiasm gets greater and greater as time goes on. I think as you see things happening when I was playing or when you see Tiger doing things like the potential for winning four in a row here at Bay Hill, I think that motivates the crowds. That gives them some incentive to come and watch and to see whether he can do it or not.

Having Jack come and play is another incentive. It brings things to the surface that tells you about what's going on and makes a tournament like this just a little more enjoyable for those crowds.

Q. Yesterday Jack said that you would probably find a way to play in at least one PGA TOUR event until you were 93. How accurate was that?

ARNOLD PALMER: God I, hope so. (Laughter.)

I really doubt that, but, you know, who knows. I watched Paul Runyon who just passed away recently, and I saw the enthusiasm about a year or two ago that Paul still had in his 90s for the game, and the sharpness with which he talked about the game and I liked that. I see Byron Nelson, who I think is one of the great people that ever played the game, and I see his enthusiasm for golf today. I think that's pretty wonderful.

If I am fortunate enough to get to 80 or whatever, I don't think my enthusiasm for golf and the desire to want to go play will ever diminish.

Q. In terms of rivalry, do you think Ernie comes as close to being a rival as Tiger has ever had?

ARNOLD PALMER: You know, I think it's pretty tough right now for anyone to rival Tiger. But certainly Ernie Els is a man who when I first saw him play golf, I thought that he would be that man that could challenge and maybe be a rival for anyone that ever played the game. I still give him that chance.

I'm sort of, like the statistics say, Tiger is No. 1, Ernie is No.� 2, and will he become 1? It's going to take a lot of effort, and I don't know him well enough to know whether he has the desire to spend that much effort to be No. 1.

Q. When did you first meet Ernie, at Oakmont?

ARNOLD PALMER: No. I think here, actually. We invited him to play here. I played with him at St. Louis --

Q. Bellerive?

ARNOLD PALMER: Yes, and I was very impressed. He didn't play particularly well, but I was impressed with the way he played and I've been watching him since he first came to the United States.

Q. Going back to the war theme, as the host of the tournament, how much input did you have in whether or not to play and if so, what input did you provide?

ARNOLD PALMER: Whether we play the tournament or not?

Q. Right. In the event of a war.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I think we are committed at this point to play. Short of the President of the United States or my friend, Tom Ridge, saying it's critical to us that you do not play, we're going to play.

I suppose if they requested that we didn't, we would not play. But I don't think that's going to happen and I think I've given you my feeling about that. I think the guys over there fighting look to see what's going on here.

Q. You spoke about, you've played golf with a number of U.S. Presidents. When you play with them, do they ever ask you for advice, either about golf or about other things or what do you talk about?

ARNOLD PALMER: Oh, all the time. (Laughter.)

Q. Well, what would you talk about on the golf course?

ARNOLD PALMER: I've spent a lot of time with Eisenhower and we talked about everything from golf to war to you name it, opinions.

I spent a lot of time with 41, (President George H. Bush) a former president, and I played a lot of golf with him and I consider him a very close personal friend and his wife, and we talk about everything. We talk about the things that we enjoy, playing golf, he's big on charity. He likes to have reasons to do things like that. He's an energetic person and I don't think that will change. Most of the presidents that I've been with have shown a lot of stamina, a lot of "go get 'em" type character, and I like that very much.

Q. How many people initially told you the Golf Channel will never work and how much satisfaction do you have right now in seeing where it is today?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, we can't count the number of people who said, "Are you crazy, doing a Golf Channel"?

But there was one guy that was pretty determined and he made me determined and that was Joe Gibbs. When he first talked to me about doing the Golf Channel, the conversation went pretty much, if you don't come along with me to do this, I'm not going to do it. I had some reservations. He convinced me that we were on the right track and then of course we both really dug in and you see what's happened. Hell, now they are talking about another one.

Q. Since Jack is playing in your tournament, will you play in Jack's tournament?

ARNOLD PALMER: I doubt that. (Laughing). I doubt that I will play at Muirfield. I might go there but I don't know that I'll play.

Jack hasn't invited me yet. (Laughter.)

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