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WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP

May 4, 2011

Arnold Palmer

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

Q. What's the course feel like out there?
ARNOLD PALMER: Well, it played tougher than I've ever seen it play, but it's great. I think it's set up for a real good tournament.

Q. It seemed like you were in great spirits today, even joking with the crowd at one time when you hit a sand trap. What's it like for you to hear your name called out everywhere you go? Do you ever get used to that feeling?
ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I enjoyed the day and I enjoyed the people. I haven't been here for a while, and I lived here for a number of years, as you know, and it was great. Everything was good. Johnny was great, my grandson Sam hit the ball pretty good, and I'm looking forward to having a good week.

Q. Rocco Mediate told me earlier that you were the guy who taught him how to conduct himself on the course and how to interact with fans. When somebody says something like that, what's that mean to you, especially coming from a guy like him that's very popular?
ARNOLD PALMER: Well, it means a great deal. Rocco is one of my boys. He's doing very well, I think, and he's a great guy. I like to see him play and continue to play good.

Q. You guilted Johnny into the back tees. You wanted to play the tips today?
ARNOLD PALMER: Hey, you know, it's something -- when you do something wrong and it's minor, don't do it. If you're going to do it, do it right, so we did today. We played where we had no business playing. (Laughter.)

Q. What was it like being out there with your grandson playing here? Special feel for you out there?
ARNOLD PALMER: Well, it was great, seeing him play and getting a feel for what's going on in his life right now. Of course you know I did it for 50-some-odd years, and to see him now doing it -- and he's having a bit of a struggle, but I think he's going to do well. He's strong, he looks pretty good playing, and I look for him to do well this week.

Q. How often do you play these days?
ARNOLD PALMER: This is the first time in -- I've played twice in about ten days, that's all. I don't play much anymore, as little as possible, and hopefully even a bit less than that.

Q. In your prime if you had played with this equipment, how would you have played with today's equipment?
ARNOLD PALMER: Oh, my. That's a good question. I don't know. The equipment that we have today is fantastic stuff, and it would have been fun in my day to have all this modern stuff, the golf ball, the clubs, but I'm still rooting for shortening the ball down a little bit.

Q. You have a lot of history in Charlotte. Do you feel a special bond with this city?
ARNOLD PALMER: Well, this has been sort of a second home to me for many, many years, going back to my Wake Forest days, when Dick Finney was a football player here and then went to Wake Forest and played golf and some other people from here who I befriended over the years. So there's a lot of reason for me to enjoy Charlotte.

Q. You had a big gallery following you today. How did that make you feel, to see so many people that wanted to come out and watch you play?
ARNOLD PALMER: Well, that was very flattering. They knew I wasn't going to play any kind of great golf, but it was fun. It was fun seeing the people. I saw so many old friends. That was the thrill for me, and it made the day. It made it a nice day for me.

Q. Golf is considering changing a rule based on what happened to Webb Simpson last weekend. He took a stroke penalty because the ball moved by force of nature, which forced him into a sudden death playoff and then he lost. What do you think about that rule?
ARNOLD PALMER: Well, that's a situation for the United States Golf Association, and I think they'll look into that properly, and I hope that they'll find something to do that will alleviate things like what happened to Webb last week. He really deserved a little better fate, but he handled it extremely well, and that's kind of the name of the game as far as I'm concerned. He handled it well. He's a good player, and he will win down the road, and that's the important thing.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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