Life on Senior Tour has been a struggle of late for Palmer
Associated Press
Senior PGA Tour--CONCORD, Mass. (Aug. 24) -- It's getting easier for Arnold Palmer to shoot his age. Not much else is simple these days for the 70-year old golf great.
Although he shot a final-round 70 last week in the Novell Utah Showdown -- he also shot his age on his 66th birthday -- he still finished 7-over at 223 for the tournament. He'll try to build on that round this weekend in the FleetBoston Classic.
"I'm like any other golfer, I was encouraged," he said Thursday during a news conference at the par-72, 6,828-yard Nashawtuc Country Club. "If I played better, I'd want to play almost all the time. If I don't, the chances of me continuing to play very much on the Senior Tour is going to be limited."
Playing only 10 events last year, Palmer finished 135th on the Senior Tour money list. In 10 tournaments so far this year, he is 127th with $8,019 in earnings.
The prize money doesn't matter to one of golf's richest men -- almost all of his eight-figures in earnings is from endorsements -- but he does want to be able to compete.
"Who knows? Maybe I can get even better and have a few more years of playing," he said. "You know, I love it."
Palmer has played more this year because tournament sponsors are eager to have a fan favorite in the field. It also helps take his mind off his wife Winnie, who died of cancer last November.
"It's a little bit lonely at home," he said. "So I come out and play a little bit. It occupies me."
Asked if he enjoys being a golf ambassador, Palmer hesitated.
"I would like to think that every golf professional that plays the game is an ambassador for the sport. I know that's wishful thinking," he said. "But what golf gave me, I could never give back. I try."
Palmer isn't just paying his debt to golf on the course, he also helps build them. Right now his Palmer Course Designs has 74 courses in various stages of construction.
One of them broke ground last month in Norton, outside of Boston, and it is expected to be open by the fall of 2002. Palmer said the trick is making the course difficult enough for the professionals without making it impossible for weekend players.
"I don't build golf courses to build obstacle courses," he said. "I don't want you to shoot your worst score. I want you to go away happy.
"At the same time, if Tiger Woods comes and wanted to play the gold course, he will have a terrific challenge."
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