The Ryder Cup is known for rowdy galleries. A vocal heckler walked the walk after talking the talk during the practice round on Thursday.

Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan took multiple cracks at a 12-foot putt on No. 8 and missed every time. David Johnson, of Mayville, North Dakota, let them know about it, saying he could make the putt. Henrik Stenson pulled Johnson from the gallery and Justin Rose laid a $100 bill right next to the ball, daring Johnson to make it.

After wisecracking that the putter he was handed was too short, Johnson muttered, “home soil, right?” Then he drilled the putt , eliciting a roar from the crowd. Johnson pumped his arms wildly and earned high fives from the entire Euro foursome as they exited the green.

Has the @rydercup started already?? pic.twitter.com/s6EImcbnZv

— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) September 29, 2016

CHASKA, Minn. – Momentum means everything at the Ryder Cup.

Shot to shot, match to match, even era to era, it’s swung back and forth between the United States and Europe, sometimes at a glacial pace and occasionally with head-turning speed.

This time, it’s the visitors who arrive with the wind at their backs. Europe has won the last three, six of the last seven and eight of the last 10.

But if the history of that small gold trophy that English seed merchant Samuel Ryder first put up for grabs in 1927 proves anything, it’s that momentum is hard to catch and even harder to hold onto.

Here are five key swings in momentum at past Ryder Cups:

1967: “The finest golfers in the world.”

Golfers don’t come any tougher or more taciturn than Ben Hogan. The United States had largely dominated Ryder Cup play in the preceding four decades – against teams drawing players only from Great Britain and Ireland – but captain Hogan must have sensed his side was about to step on the gas. He listened as counterpart Dai Rees introduced his team at length and in glowing terms to the audience at the Champions Golf Club in Houston. Then Hogan asked his team to stand, read their names and said simply: “Ladies and gentlemen, the United States Ryder Cup team … the finest golfers in the world.” The Americans won 23 1/2-8 1/2 and kept their grip on the cup for the next eight matches in a row.

1987: First European victory on U.S. soil

Players from continental Europe joined the fray in 1979 and first made their mark with a rare, lopsided home win at The Belfry in 1985. Many of the young golfers who would become Europe’s “golden generation” – Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Jose-Maria Olazabal, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam – were just hitting their stride. But they had to prove their mettle by scoring a first-ever win on U.S. soil – at Muirfield Village, no less, on a course Jack Nicklaus designed. Trailing after two days, a U.S. charge in singles was blunted when Ben Crenshaw, frustrated by a missed putt, broke his putter in half and used his 1-iron or sand wedge on the greens the rest of the way. He lost to Ireland’s Eamonn Darcy on the final hole and Europe appeared to be set for a long run of success.

1991: “War by the Shore”

American golf fans didn’t care much about the Ryder Cup when their countrymen were dominating. But the galleries at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, for the “War by the Shore” let Europe know how much they wanted it back. Rowdy and close enough to the players on most holes to let those sentiments be heard in explicit terms, the matches came down to the final putt on the final hole of the final singles match between Langer and Hale Irwin. Langer missed a 6-footer for par and a chance to retain the cup.

1999: What are all those people doing on the green?

The swing in momentum at Kiawah turned out to be short-lived. The U.S. team won in 1993, but returned to Brookline Country Club after back-to-back losses in 1995 and 1997, and were down 10-6 heading into the final-day singles. Captain Crenshaw wagged his finger at reporters as he walked out of a news conference, saying “I’ve got a good feeling about this.” In the team room that night, future U.S. President George W. Bush read the famed “Victory or Death” letter penned by Col. William Barrett Travis to the team. Americans won the first seven matches, Justin Leonard made a 45-foot birdie putt at the 17th green as teammates, caddies and even some wives stormed onto the green and soon after, the greatest final-day comeback in Ryder Cup history went into the books. Unfortunately for the U.S. team, this swing was even shorter-lived.

2012: “It ain’t over until we say it’s over!”

Europe arrived on a roll, having won four of the last five. But back on home soil, it was the Americans who were rolling, leading 10-5 late Saturday and 2-up in the last match on the course. But Englishman Ian Poulter had other ideas. He birdied the last five holes to make it 10-6 and a suddenly resurgent Europe mowed down the Americans 8 1/2-3 1/2 in singles. German Martin Kaymer faced a 6-footer – the same length from which countryman Langer had missed almost 20 years earlier _ to clinch the win. “I did think about him, especially when I walked around the hole and read the putt from the other side,” Kaymer said. He poured it into the cup.

BEIJING – Ariya Jutanugarn birdied the final four holes for an 8-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over Canada’s Brooke Henderson on Thursday in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.

In position to take player of the year lead from idle Lydia Ko with a ninth-place finish or better, Jutanugarn had 10 birdies and two bogeys at Reignwood Pine Valley in the first of six events in the Asian Swing.

“All the players really want to win the award like player of the year,” Jutanugarn said. “I really want to, but right now I think I’m not really worry I’m going to win. I think I just have to be like, ‘Just keep play like this and have fun on the course.”’

The 20-year-old Thai player is No. 2 in the world and leads the LPGA Tour with five victories. Winless entering the season, she won three straight events in May, took the major Women’s British Open in July and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.

“Feel good, because like this year the only goal I want to do is I want to win my first tournament, so I did,” Jutanugarn said. “So, after I won my first tournament on tour, I really want to win a major, and I did. So, right now just have fun and enjoy on the course.”

She’s making her first appearance in the event that was cancelled last year.

“I really enjoy it,” Jutanugarn said. “I like everything here.”

The fourth-ranked Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., birdied three of the final four holes in a bogey-free round. The 19-year-old won the major KPMG Women’s PGA in June for the first of her two victories this season. She plans to play all six events in Asia.

“I’m looking forward to being really in Asia for the first time,” Henderson said. “I’ve visited a few other times, but this will really be the true taste of a bunch of different countries and language and culture. I am really looking forward to it.”

She travels with sister/caddie Brittany Henderson.

“It’s been an awesome year so far,” Brooke said. “And to have her there caddying for me, travelling together, you know, she’s my best friend and my sister, and I really enjoy it a lot.”

Two other Canadians are in the tournament. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., opened with a 1-under 72 and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp fired a 1-over 74.

Americans Lizette Salas and Jennifer Song shot 68.

“I’m very proud of myself,” Salas said. “Even after the bogey on 16, I fought back with back-to-back birdies, I didn’t panic.”

Song worked recently with instructor Robin Symes on her ball flight.

“I felt pretty good about my shot,” Song said. “The last couple weeks I wasn’t happy with my ball trajectory, so before coming here I met my coach and worked on my swing and tried to get the normal trajectory that I want. I think that really helped me out this week.”

Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith and South Koreans Amy Yang, Mi Jung Hur and Ilhee Lee shot 69.

Chinese star Shanshan Feng topped the group at 70, holing out from the fairway with a wedge for eagle on the par-5 16th. The bronze medallist in the Rio Olympics, she won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA in 2013 at 26 under.

South Korea’s Mirim Lee, the 2014 winner, had a 72.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Cloud cover and blustery winds set the backdrop for the second round of the World Junior Girls Championship at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club. China’s Du Mohan carded a 2-under 70 to climb into a share of the lead alongside first-round leader Yuka Saso of the Philippines.

Du from Fujian, China, collected five birdies on the day, including a back-to-back pair on Nos. 15 and 16, to move to 1-under in the competition. Saso of Santa Rosa, Philippines, opened the day at 6-under, but the 15-year-old relinquished her lone hold of the lead following a 5-over showing.

“I putted very well today,” said the 14-year-old Du. “I had a lot of long downhill putts, but my distance control was very good. I was able to get the feeling [of the greens] very well and got five birdies.”

“I am very proud to be representing China,” she added. “I hope I can do my best and finish the week under-par.”

A second consecutive even-par round has San Pietro Val Lemina, Italy, native Caterina Don tied with Hee-Jung-Lim (Paju, Korea) and Harmie Nicole Constantino (Taguig, Philippines) in third.

The trio representing the Philippines – Saso, Constantino and Sofia Angela Legaspi of Quezon City – maintained its lead in the team competition at 3-under 285. Teams USA, Korea, Sweden and China are tied for second at 4-over 292.

The unique opportunity to play for her homeland is not lost upon Constantino.

“I’m really proud to play here and represent my country,” said the 15-year-old. “Of course, not all kids can play in this tournament, so being a part of it is really good for me.

“We are one of the [smaller] countries, we don’t have many players, so I’m really proud to say that I’m from the Philippines. We didn’t have much confidence coming here because there were bigger countries, so it’s really nice to be here and play this [well].”

Matching 73s from Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., and Surrey, B.C., native Hannah Lee have given the pair of Canada Two members a share of 18^th to lead the Canadian contingent.

The third round of tournament play will begin at 8 a.m. Additional information from the competition can be found here.

Who wouldn’t enjoy reading a book written by “the luckiest man in town”?

Especially someone who “went around the world a few times on someone else’s dime.”

Who wouldn’t want to hear the tales of a guy who witnessed 58 of golf’s major championships, 10 Ryder and/or Presidents Cups, 10 Olympics, a dozen Super Bowls, 14 World Series, hundreds of NHL, NBA and MLB post-season games and thousands of regular-season games? Plus horse races, car races, boxing, and just about every other sporting endeavor.

For more than four decades, Dave Perkins, the aforementioned self-proclaimed “luckiest man in town,” covered sports and, in his new book, Fun and Games: My 40 Years Writing Sports, he shares a smidgen of what it is like to be in the media rooms, press boxes, bars and other haunts that his profession led him to.

Like the man himself, the contents are honest, irreverent, funny, entertaining, frequently off-colour and often politically incorrect.  And, occasionally, emotional and introspective.

And that makes for a great read from cover to cover, whether you are just interested in the “inside the ropes” golf insight or fascinated by behind-the-scenes revelations about the other sports he covered.

Golf is Perkins’s first love. Aside from being a devotee of the game, he says, “I most enjoyed covering golf because there were no night games. It took me to nice places, just about everyone was civil and the press was usually treated extremely well.”

As usual, he is being intentionally cavalier.

Ask him what was the best sporting event he ever covered and the response will surprise you. It did me.

It was the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa, for reasons that are not immediately apparent.  They are well worth discovering.

Overall, and I agree, he makes a compelling argument that the best event to witness in person is the Open Championship.

His brushes, often bristly like the burly hirsute man himself, with the glitterati are not confined to sports figures, either. Bill Clinton, Meg Ryan, and others had their moments with him. More memorable for Perkins, I assume, although I have not read the memoirs of either Clinton or Ryan.

In total disclosure: I know Dave, I like Dave, and I was there for some of the golf-related episodes he relates.

Many do not make the pages of his book. As he says, “Some of the subjects of those missing stories are not dead and neither are their wives. So best to let idle lawyers stay idle. There’s still plenty to go around.”

Uncharacteristically circumspect. But characteristically accurate.

Fun and Games just scratches the surface of his 40 years of newspapering which began at The Globe and Mail and flourished at The Toronto Star.

I hope there’s a sequel.  Lawyers be damned.

Just leave my name out of it.

Fun and Games: My 40 Years Writing Sports (288 pages, paperback, $19.95) is published by ECW Press and is available from book retailers everywhere, as well as online. It can also be found online.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – A steady wind blew through Mississaugua Golf and Country Club as the 2016 World Junior Girls Championship got underway. Despite the gusty conditions, the trio representing the Philippines built a distinct early advantage to top the team competition by 11 strokes.

Leading the way was Yuka Saso of Santa Rosa, Philippines, who posted seven birdies on the day en route to a 6-under 66 with her lone blemish coming by way of a bogey on No. 3.

“I wasn’t expecting this at all, I was trying to just enjoy the course and the moment today,” said Saso. “I was hitting well, especially my second shots and my putting. I was able to get the speeds of the greens, which was good because they were fast.”

The 15-year-old felt comfortable with the wind, having taken it into account in her game plan coming into the round.

“The course was hard today and the wind made it even tougher. I made sure to add five to 10 yards on each shot and I think I did well to manage the affects of the wind. Heading into tomorrow, I want to work on my driving and just remain focused. I’ll hit the putting green and then the range this afternoon.”

Holding second is Saso’s teammate Harmie Nicole Constantino from Taguig. The 15-year-old carded five birdies to reach 3-under. The pair and Sofia Angela Legaspi of Quezon City lead the team competition at a combined 9-under. Varel, Germany, native Esther Henseleit holds third and was the only other player to finish below-par with a 1-under showing.

Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., leads the six Canadians in the field. The 15-year-old holds a share of fourth at even-par alongside Italian Caterina Don of San Pietro Val Lemina.

“[The team element is] new and a lot of fun because we are staying as a team,” said Chun, a member of Canada One. “I have received a lot of support from the coaches and the other team members, so it has been great.”

With a total of 2-over 146, Canada One comprised of Chun, Mary Parsons (Delta, B.C.) and Chloe Currie (Mississauga, Ont.) are knotted in second with Team China and Team USA.

The second round of tournament play will begin at 8 a.m. Additional information from the competition can be found here.

With Golf Canada’s fiscal year coming to a close at the end of the October, Golf in Schools has tallied 230 adoptions to Elementary, Intermediate, and Secondary schools across Canada. That figure translates to an additional 27,600 students being introduced to the sport on an annual basis.

The upward trend in adoptions comes following the inaugural Adopt a School Week—a nation-wide initiative launched to celebrate the collective efforts of all adoptions that take place across the country. With support from industry partners—the Provincial Associations, PGA of Canada and the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA)—Golf in Schools was donated to 58 schools during Adopt a School Week.

The campaign received significant support from the Canadian Seniors Golf Association (CSGA), who backed the initiative with a matching program to essentially double the impact of those taking the initiative to adopt in their communities.

Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of over 3,000 registered schools delivering the curriculum. For Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer, that number presents a great opportunity to build community relationships.

“With Golf in Schools adoptions, we hope to help establish the relationship between facilities and schools in communities across Canada,” said Thompson. “Establishing that link can enhance the school’s delivery of the program, while also contributing towards future membership numbers at the corresponding facility.”

Click here to learn how you can help grow that trend.

—

Developed by Golf Canada in partnership with the PGA of Canada and Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada, Golf in Schools is an educational curriculum delivered at the Elementary, Intermediate and High School level. Established in 2009, Golf in Schools has grown to be in over 3,000 schools across Canada, equipped with age-appropriate equipment and a teacher-friendly learning resource. As of 2015, Golf in Schools revised its lesson plans to include a Life Skills framework, integrating both interpersonal and intrapersonal skills into everyday life lessons throughout the program.
www.golfcanada.ca/golfinschools

Fonthill, Ont. – Golfers from across the country descend on Niagara Falls this week for the inaugural Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada National Final.

Taking place Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the famed Lookout Point Country Club in Fonthill, Ont., the national final features 25 teams—comprised of four amateurs and a PGA of Canada Professional—playing in a 36-hole Ambrose Scramble format.

“It’s great that such a historic and wonderful golf course like Lookout Point is hosting the very first Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada National Final,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “Teams from all across Canada will undoubtedly enjoy the one-of-a-kind golf at Lookout, but they’re also going to be treated to the off-course experiences they won’t soon forget.”

In addition to Hyundai; TaylorMade-adidas, BioSteel and Triple Bogey Beer and will all be on-site at Lookout Point for participants to enjoy experiential brand activations.

“We’re excited for everyone playing in the Hyundai PGA Scramble National Final to interact with our great partners this week,” said the PGA of Canada’s Chief Business Officer Jeff Dykeman. “This really is a once in a lifetime event and for those coming to be able to say they played in the first one is pretty special.”

Situated on the highest point in the Niagara region overlooking Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Niagara River and the city of Niagara Falls, Lookout Point Country Club is an impressive venue unto itself.

The 1922 Walter Travis designed gem is home to World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Streit; two-time PGA Women’s Championship of Canada winner, Cathy Sherk; five-time PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winner Bill Kozak; and PGA TOUR Champions winner Rod Spittle.

Spittle, who was named Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada ambassador earlier this year, will be on hand at Lookout Point throughout the national final. The Champions Tour winner will also be participating in a Q&A during Thursday evening’s opening reception dinner.

“I was thrilled to be asked to be involved with the Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada and to have the final at Lookout Point Country Club near my hometown of Niagara Falls, Ont., makes it that much more special for me,” Spittle said. “I think the concept Hyundai Canada and the PGA of Canada have come up with is a fantastic way for the every-day golfer to play some amazing golf courses in a format that’s both fun and competitive for everyone.”

The Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada saw thousands of golfers from across the country participate in the series of events this summer. The 25 teams participating at Lookout Point made it through local and regional qualifying events and will tee it up next week with a PGA of Canada professional playing on their team with the hopes of becoming the first ever-national champion.

Former PGA Tour winner and Sportsnet golf Analyst Ian Leggat will emcee the opening ceremonies, while SCOREGolf’s Rick Young will handle closing ceremonies emcee duties.

TSN 1150 Hamilton radio is set to conduct a live-to-air broadcast from 12-3 p.m. during Thursday’s practice round. Listeners can expect to hear interviews with Spittle, Bernard, national final participants and more.

Those not playing in the Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada National Final can still take part in all the action throughout the week at Lookout Point through social media. Watch on Facebook Live with multiple live streams—which include player interviews, behind-the-scene looks, drone flyovers, opening and closing ceremonies, and more. Follow the #hyundiapgascramble hashtag on Twitter and Instagram as well for great content.

For more information about the Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada, visit the website by CLICKING HERE.

It is with great sadness that Golf Canada joins the international golf community in mourning the loss of golf legend Arnold Palmer who passed away on September 25, 2016 at the age of 87.

Affectionately known as ‘The King’, Palmer, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, will be remembered as one of the most influential figures in the history of golf.

“On behalf of the entire Canadian golf community, we are extremely saddened by the loss of a legend and would like to express our most sincere condolences on the passing of Arnold Palmer,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “Mr. Palmer meant so much to the game both on and off the golf course and his influence on the sport has had an immeasurable impact. His legacy reflects a storied champion, business leader, mentor, philanthropist, visionary and a true gentleman. We are extremely proud of Mr. Palmer’s special connection to Canadian golf and join the international golf and sporting communities in celebrating the life of arguably the finest ambassador golf has ever known.”

Palmer competed in 17 Canadian Opens during his storied playing career (1955-1958, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1971-1979).

His victory at the 1955 Canadian Open at Weston Golf and Country Club was his first career PGA Tour victory. A statue of Palmer’s Canadian Open win at Weston – based on a photograph by Gordon W. Powley – was erected in 2005 to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the historic victory.

Including his win at the 1955 Canadian Open, Palmer earned seven Top-10 finishes at Canada’s National Open Championship (T9 in 1956; 2^nd in 1964; 7^th in 1967; T10 in 1973; 4^th in 1975; and T8 in 1978).

He also competed in a pair of Canadian Senior Opens, finishing tied for 12^th in 1983 and tied for 58^th in 1996.

As well, Palmer played in the PGA of Canada Championship on four occasions, including a victory in 1980; 6^th in 1978; T49 in 1981; and T12 in 1983.

A global ambassador and proponent for golf as a charitable platform, Palmer delivered the keynote address to help celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Canadian Open in 2004.

NOTE TO MEDIA – photos of Arnold Palmer from the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame are available to download here.

Palmer made mark on Canadian golf, including first PGA Tour win in 1955

Bill Paul recalls meeting Arnold Palmer in 1981 and being just as impressed with the man as the golf legend.

“I was maybe 22 and he was whatever (52),” Paul, former tournament director of the Canadian Open and now Golf Canada’s Chief Championships Officer, said Monday. “I remember it because he’s the king of golf and I’m this little peon, but he treated me like I was anybody else.

“He treated everyone the same. And every time I’d meet him after that, he remembered me and knew my name.”

Many people who met Palmer, who died Sunday in a Pittsburgh hospital, have similar stories about the King, who went from being a caddie to one of the greatest names in the sport but never seemed to forget where he came from.

Palmer certainly left his mark on Canada, and not only for the courses he helped design like the Whistler Golf Club or Northview in Surrey, B.C.

The Latrobe, Pa., native posted the first of his 62 PGA Tour victories in 1955 at the Weston Golf and Country Club near Toronto. Palmer was a Tour rookie that year and traveled between tournaments by car with his first wife Winnie. The couple camped in a field behind the superintendent’s shed at Weston.

Then he blew away the pack en route to a four-stroke win and the top prize of $2,400.

“Things came together pretty much for me in this Canadian Open and it got me started on the winning trail,” Palmer said of the win.

In 2004, Paul invited him to help celebrate the Canadian Open’s 100th anniversary and was stunned when the four-time Masters champion said “I’ll go to the Canadian Open and I’d like to speak at it.”

“When he said ‘yes’ it was unbelievable,” said Paul.

A year later, Palmer was back at Weston to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first PGA win, which included playing in a skins game with Dave Barr, Ray Floyd and Mark Calcavecchia. A statue of Palmer hugging the trophy was unveiled at the course.

Palmer went on to become one of golf’s all-time greats and was credited with sparking the sport’s mass appeal at a time when the game had just started to be shown on television.

He also led the way for other athletes in capitalizing on his fame and achievements by launching a clothing line, a golf course design company, helping start the IMG sports agency and other ventures.

“As promoters and organizers we all tip out hats to Mr. Palmer for what he meant to sports and what he showed in his life,” said Paul.

Here’s video of Arnold Palmer’s 1955 Canadian Open victory courtesy the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame & Archives.

Also, here’s video of Palmer speaking at the 100th playing of the Canadian Open.

Arnold Palmer brought a country club sport to the masses with a hard-charging style, charisma and a commoner’s touch. At ease with both presidents and the golfing public, and on a first-name basis with both, “The King” died Sunday in Pittsburgh. He was 87.

Alastair Johnston, CEO of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, confirmed that Palmer died Sunday afternoon of complications from heart problems. Johnston said Palmer was admitted to the UPMC Hospital on Thursday for some cardiovascular work and weakened over the last few days.

“Today marks the passing of an era,” said Johnston, Palmer’s longtime agent at IMG. “Arnold Palmer’s influence, profile and achievements spread far beyond the game of golf. He was an iconic American who treated people with respect and warmth, and built a unique legacy through his ability to engage with fans.”

Palmer ranked among the most important figures in golf history , and it went well beyond his seven major championships and 62 PGA Tour wins. His good looks, devilish grin and go-for-broke manner made the elite sport appealing to one and all. And it helped that he arrived about the same time as television moved into most households, a perfect fit that sent golf to unprecedented popularity.

“If it wasn’t for Arnold, golf wouldn’t be as popular as it is now,” Tiger Woods said in 2004 when Palmer played in his last Masters. “He’s the one who basically brought it to the forefront on TV. If it wasn’t for him and his excitement, his flair, the way he played, golf probably would not have had that type of excitement.

“And that’s why he’s the king.”

Beyond his golf, Palmer was a pioneer in sports marketing, paving the way for scores of other athletes to reap in millions from endorsements. Some four decades after his last PGA Tour win, he ranked among the highest-earners in golf.

“Thanks Arnold for your friendship, counsel and a lot of laughs,” Woods tweeted Sunday night. “Your philanthropy and humility are part of your legend. It’s hard to imagine golf without you or anyone more important to the game than the King.”

On the golf course, Palmer was an icon not for how often he won, but the way he did it.

He would hitch up his pants, drop a cigarette and attack the flags. With powerful hands wrapped around the golf club, Palmer would slash at the ball with all of his might, then twist that muscular neck and squint to see where it went.

“When he hits the ball, the earth shakes,” Gene Littler once said.

Palmer rallied from seven shots behind to win a U.S. Open. He blew a seven-shot lead on the back nine to lose a U.S. Open.

He was never dull.

“I’m pleased that I was able to do what I did from a golfing standpoint,” Palmer said in 2008, two years after he played in his last official tournament. “I would like to think that I left them more than just that.”

He left behind a gallery known as “Arnie’s Army,” which began at Augusta National with a small group of soldiers from nearby Fort Gordon, and grew to include a legion of fans from every corner of the globe.

Palmer stopped playing the Masters in 2004 and hit the ceremonial tee shot every year until 2016, when age began to take a toll and he struggled with his balance.

Canadian golfer Mike Weir, who captured the Masters in 2003, tweeted from his verified account.

Everyone knows the great champion Mr Palmer is, but having spent time with, he’s an even better human being. #RIPAP pic.twitter.com/6KORU5M0KI

— Weirsy (@MikeWeir) September 26, 2016

Fellow Canadian golfer Graham DeLaet also reacted to the news on Twitter.

Arnie was one of the special people in our game. Treated everyone with so much respect. So glad I was able to meet the King. #RIP

— Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) September 26, 2016

He also shared this tweet.

If Mr. Palmer’s life was a round of golf, he’s the only guy to ever shoot 57. #TheKing

— Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) September 26, 2016

It was Palmer who gave golf the modern version of the Grand Slam – winning all four professional majors in one year. He came up with the idea after winning the Masters and U.S. Open in 1960. Palmer was runner-up at the British Open, later calling it one of the biggest disappointments of his career. But his appearance alone invigorated the British Open, which Americans had been ignoring for years.

Palmer never won the PGA Championship, one major short of capturing a career Grand Slam.

But then, standard he set went beyond trophies. It was the way he treated people, looking everyone in the eye with a smile and a wink. He signed every autograph, making sure it was legible. He made every fan feel like an old friend.

Palmer never like being referred to as “The King,” but the name stuck.

“It was back in the early ’60s. I was playing pretty good, winning a lot of tournaments, and someone gave a speech and referred to me as ‘The King,”’ Palmer said in a November 2011 interview with The Associated Press.

“I don’t bask in it. I don’t relish it. I tried for a long time to stop that and,” he said, pausing to shrug, “there was no point.”

Palmer played at least one PGA Tour event every season for 52 consecutive years, ending with the 2004 Masters. He spearheaded the growth of the 50-and-older Champions Tour, winning 10 times and drawing some of the biggest crowds.

He was equally successful off with golf course design, a wine collection, and apparel that included his famous logo of an umbrella. He bought the Bay Hill Club & Lodge upon making his winter home in Orlando, Florida, and in 2007 the PGA Tour changed the name of the tournament to the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The combination of iced tea and lemonade is known as an “Arnold Palmer.” Padraig Harrington recalls eating in an Italian restaurant in Miami when he heard a customer order one.

“Think about it,” Harrington said. “You don’t go up there and order a ‘Tiger Woods’ at the bar. You can go up there and order an ‘Arnold Palmer’ in this country and the barman – he was a young man – knew what the drink was. That’s in a league of your own.”

Palmer was born Sept. 10, 1929 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the oldest of four children. His father, Deacon, became the greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club in 1921 and the club pro in 1933.

He had two loves as a boy – strapping on his holster with toy guns to play “Cowboys and Indians,” and playing golf. It was on the golf course that Palmer grew to become so strong, with barrel arms and hands of iron.

“When I was 6 years old, my father put me on a steel-wheeled tractor,” he recalled in a 2011 interview with the AP. “I had to stand up to turn the wheel. That’s one thing made me strong. The other thing was I pushed mowers. In those days, there were no motors on anything except the tractor. The mowers to cut greens with, you pushed.

“And it was this,” he said, patting his arms, “that made it go.”

Palmer joined the PGA Tour in 1955 and won the Canadian Open for the first of his 62 titles. He went on to win four green jackets at Augusta National, along with the British Open in 1961 and 1962 and the U.S. Open in 1960, perhaps the most memorable of his seven majors.

Nothing defined Palmer like that 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills. He was seven shots behind going into the final round when he ran into Bob Drum, a Pittsburgh sports writer. Palmer asked if he could still win by shooting 65, which would give him a four-day total of 280. Drum told him that 280 “won’t do you a damn bit of good.”

Incensed, Palmer headed to the first tee and drove the green on the par-4 opening hole to make birdie. He birdied the next three holes, shot 65 and outlasted Ben Hogan and 20-year-old amateur Jack Nicklaus.

Palmer went head to head with Nicklaus two years later in a U.S. Open, the start of one of golf’s most famous rivalries. It was one-sided. Nicklaus went on to win 18 majors and was regarded as golf’s greatest champion. Palmer won two more majors after that loss, and his last PGA Tour win came in 1973 at the Bob Hope Classic.

Tom Callahan once described the difference between Nicklaus and Palmer this way: It’s as though God said to Nicklaus, “You will have skills like no other,” then whispered to Palmer, “But they will love you more.”

“I think he brought a lot more to the game than his game,” Nicklaus said in 2009. “What I mean by that is, there’s no question about his record and his ability to play the game. He was very, very good at that. But he obviously brought a lot more. He brought the hitch of his pants, the flair that he brought to the game, the fans that he brought into the game.”

Palmer combined power with charm, reckless abandon with graceful elegance. Golf no longer was a country club game for old men who were out of shape. He was a man’s man, and he brought that spirit to the sport.

It made him a beloved figure, and brought riches long after he stopped competing.

That started with a handshake agreement with IMG founder Mark McCormack to represent Palmer in contract negotiations. Palmer’s image was everywhere, from motor oil to ketchup to financial services companies. Even as late as 2011, nearly 40 years after his last PGA Tour win, Palmer was No. 3 on Golf Digest’s list of top earners at $36 million a year. He trailed only Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Palmer’s other love was aviation. He piloted his first aircraft in 1956, and 10 years later had a license to fly jets that now are the standard mode of transportation for so many top players, even though the majority of them are merely passengers. Palmer flew planes the way he played golf. He set a record in 1976 when he circumnavigated the globe in 57 hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds in a Lear 36. He continued flying his Cessna Citation 10 until he failed to renew his license at age 81, just short of 20,000 hours in the cockpit.

Through it all, he touched more people than he could possibly remember, though he sure tried. When asked about the fans he attracted at Augusta National, Palmer once said, “Hell, I know most of them by name.”

Only four other players won more PGA Tour events than Palmer – Sam Snead, Nicklaus and Woods.

Palmer’s first wife, Winnie, died in 1999. They had two daughters, and grandson Sam Saunders plays on the PGA Tour. Palmer married Kathleen (Kit) Gawthrop in 2005.

Details on a memorial service and burial will be announced later.

Palmer was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997, which was caught early. He returned to golf a few months later, winking at fans as he waded through the gallery, always a smile and a signature for them.

“I’m not interested in being a hero,” Palmer said, implying that too much was made about his return from cancer. “I just want to play some golf.”

That, perhaps, is his true epitaph. Palmer lived to play.