Paying tribute to the Augusta master
By CNN's Don Riddell
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LONDON, England -- Phil Mickelson finally won his first major, but the main highlights of the 2004 U.S. Masters included two rounds of golf played by a man aged 74.
This man hadn't made the cut at Augusta since 1983 and he hadn't won on tour for 31 years.
He shot 84s on Thursday and Friday when the crowds gave him an ovation longer and louder than even he had experienced before.
We are of course talking about Arnold Palmer. The man who has come to embody everything the Masters stands for, and whose love affair with the beautifully-manicured Augusta course is now in its 50th, and final year.
"I thought about how many times I've walked up that 18th fairway," said Palmer who is giving serious consideration to taking over as the Masters honorary starter.
"I can think of the four times that I won the Masters. I can think of a couple of times that I didn't win that I felt like I should have won.
"I can think of the fans that have supported me. I think of all the things from the beginning, 1955 and '56 and '57.
"Emotion? A lot.
"The fact is that one of the things I wanted to do was what I did today, and that was finish 50 years at Augusta."
The question being asked is whether we'll ever see his like again. Palmer dominated The Augusta National for the best part of a decade.
In the eight years from 1958 he was either trying on a new jacket or helping someone else into one. Four of his seven majors came at Augusta, including his first and last.
And for 50 straight years he was never away from the place. Even surgery for prostrate cancer several years ago couldn't prevent him from driving down Magnolia Road.
With six titles to his name, Jack Nicklaus might have more green jackets in his wardrobe, but it's Palmer that the supporters make pilgrimages to see.
Television celebrity
He was golf's first television celebrity -- a true man of the people. His calm, but aggressive playing style wowed the fans. His "brat pack" good looks and confident swagger brought a female following too.
Palmer would regularly wander over to the ropes to engage the fans in conversation, and would make a point of gazing into the galleries as a way of acknowledging their presence.
What a contrast to some of today's biggest names, who are too focused on the game to even notice their surroundings.
And how many of today's superstars could we expect to be turning up at any tournament in their 70s? I think we'd all be surprised if any of them would.
There are too many distractions these days. And the sheer amount of money being banked by the top names will eventually dull their competitive edge.
Tiger Woods, for example, has already banked over $40 million in prize money. For all his success, Arnold Palmer made less than $2 million.
But the fact that he still makes up to $20 million a year in endorsements and appearance fees is a perfect illustration of his enduring popularity.
And after this year he will be sorely missed by the thousands of fans at Augusta who, over the last half-century, believe they've come to know him personally.
Palmer jokes that he knows them all by name, and admits he'll miss them too.
