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A18 SPORTS
Friday 17 March 2017
Memories of Palmer abound as tournament begins at Bay Hill

DOUG FERGUSON PGA Tour event this year - in
AP Golf Writer Florida, no less.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Sam Grillo made the most of it.
Saunders stepped onto After two soft bogeys - a
the first tee at Bay Hill and three-putt from 25 feet
flashed a quick thumbs-up on No. 3 and missing the
to the crowd, the trade- green from 120 yards in the
mark gesture of his grand- fairway on the par-5 fourth
father. For the next four - the 24-year-old Argentine
hours, memories of Arnold came to life with seven
Palmer were all around him birdies. That included a 50-
Thursday. foot birdie putt on No. 9
Nothing hit him harder, and a 40-foot birdie putt on
though, than his walk to the No. 17.
16th tee. ‘’If I had my hands out of
Parked next to the tee was my pockets for a minute or
Palmer’s cart - that’s where two, I would be freezing,’’
his grandfather loved to Grillo said. ‘’But I was able
watch the action at the to keep it in the fairway
Arnold Palmer Invitational mostly all day and I was
- and Saunders grew emo- able to make a few good
tional. putts on 9 and 17, and that
‘’I started thinking about all kept me going.’’
the years that I’ve played Grillo played Bay Hill last
in the tournament, and I Emiliano Grillo, of Argentina, watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the first round of the year. It was the first time he
just started thinking about Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament in Orlando, Fla., Thursday, March 16, 2017. saw the King in person, rid-
him driving around in the The Associated Press ing in his cart.
cart and watching me,’’ out the way he wanted, ever. leaving him at 74. ‘’And this year, it’s like I was
Saunders said. ‘’And just to though that sometimes was Saunders hit 5-iron from a Even so, it was a big day. expecting again to see him
see it sitting there empty ... the case for the King, too. fairway bunker on the par- The week is a celebration arrive at the driving range
yeah, that’s hard. I think we The first Arnold Palmer In- 5 16th and came up short of Palmer, who died Sept. with his golf cart,’’ Grillo
all feel that. I had my emo- vitational without the be- into the water, leading to 25, for the tournament he said. ‘’They did some spec-
tional moment, looked at loved tournament host be- bogey. His 4-iron landed brought to Bay Hill in 1979 tacular job this year honor-
it, and then got my head gan with Emiliano Grillo of an inch from the hole and and played until 2004, ing him. Everybody’s wear-
where it needed to be to Argentina and Matt Fitz- nicked the pin on the par- when he hit driver off the ing umbrella - I have the
play the next hole.’’ patrick of England opening 3 17th. And he went after deck on the 18th hole with umbrella on my sweater to-
And then he finished like at 5-under 67 to share the the flag with a 6-iron on 16-year-old Saunders on day - and everybody is car-
Palmer, taking on tough lead on a Bay Hill course the 18th and again found the bag. rying the name of Arnold
shots. They just didn’t work that looked better than water for a double bogey, Saunders not only re- Palmer with great honor.’’
ceived a sponsor exemp- Fitzpatrick played in warm-
tion, he was placed in er and slightly easier con-
the star pairing for the ditions in the afternoon,
afternoon with Rory McIl- running off four birdies in a
roy and Brandt Snedeker. six-hole stretch around the
McIlroy twice made bo- turn.
geys from the bunker and They were one shot clear
three-putted from 18 feet of former U.S. Open cham-
on the fringe in his round of pion Lucas Glover, Paul
74. Casey and Charley Hoff-
Palmer’s 29-year-old grand- man. Glover entered the
son was at Bay Hill to play, tournament on Oct. 3, a
though he realized this was day before Palmer’s public
not a normal round. Asked funeral service in Latrobe,
how much he thought of Pennsylvania.
Palmer, he said, ‘’All day.’’ Defending champion Ja-
‘’How can you not? He’s son Day was among those
everywhere,’’ Saunders at 2 under.
said. ‘’I see him, I feel him, The greens were particular-
you hear about him. There ly pure, and especially fast,
were so many well wishes which kept scores down.
out there toward me to- It was the highest score
day, and his presence is to lead after the opening
overwhelming. It always will round at Bay Hill since 2005.
be.’’ Saunders has lost track of
Multicolored umbrellas - how many times he has
the famous Palmer logo played Bay Hill, and he was
- were everywhere at Bay aware of his mistakes. He
Hill. They were on shirt col- hit three balls in the water,
lars and caps, golf bags starting with a 3-wood that
and even the covers of fair- came up short on the par-5
way metals. Parkas might sixth that led to bogey. He
have been more appro- blamed two on poor ex-
priate, especially with the ecution, and one on a bad
round beginning in 39 de- decision. He wishes he had
grees, the coldest start of a hit 5-iron on the 18th.q