Video: Even The King Is Dying To Play No. 2 Again

/

As the lowly media hotel WiFi grinds to the inevitable screeching halt, I was unable to watch this video of Arnold Palmer talking about the new/old look Pinehurst No. 2, but I hear he is so impressed by what he saw that he wants to tee it up.

The speeds here are so slow—they don’t call it the Microtel for nothing—that I can’t even get a YouTube video to play. One can imagine what all of my peers are doing with their Internet connections.

Anyway, The King:

Seminole Brings The '13 Major Champs Together!

/

The Seminole Member-Pro--think Tavistock Cup without the helicopters but with no shortage of Tanqueray and a surprising number of grown men with names that sound like 19th Century book publishers wearing pastel shorts and loafers with no socks--was played Monday at the Donald Ross masterpiece and it marked the first and only gathering of 2013's four major champs: Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson and Jason Dufner.

 Erik Matuszewski previewed the day for Bloomberg and said Mickelson teamed with Jimmy Dunne.

Rex Hoggard reports a good time was had by all, especially these men:

Rory Sabbatini, paired with amateur Hugh Kenworthy, won the gross division of the Seminole Member-Pro in a match of cards with Roberto Castro and Russell Ball, who claimed the net division title with a 59.

Golfweek.com rounds up the player Tweets from Seminole.

But way more exciting was the news from Tim Rosaforte on Golf Central that Arnold Palmer hit a grand opening tee shot. Rumored to have had a little health scare earlier this year, The King apparently looked awesome and hit a booming drive to get the proceedings under way. Best news I've heard all year.

The King's State Of The Game: Do Not Credit Me For "Salvaging" The Open Championship, It Was Frank Stranahan

/

Arnold Palmer makes his once-a-year GolfChannel.com appearance to expand on the "State of the Game," and because so many he knew passed away in 2013, The King remembers friends, rivals and even those he had less than perfect relationships with.

While the disharmony with Ken Venturi was well known and Palmer's take here fascinating, I was even more interested in his views about the late Frank Stranahan and The Open Championship.

One last note about Frank. I am often given credit for “salvaging” the British Open in the early 1960s. We can argue whether the game’s most historic championship really was in danger of sinking, but it is safe to say that after World War II, many American competitors simply found it easy and more profitable to compete here in the United States. Frank never quit on the Open. He continued to compete there on a regular basis, and finished second in 1947 and 1953. His devotion to the Open Championship is what inspired me to go over in 1960. I won the following year, and I’ve been credited ever since with “saving” the Open, but it was Frank who paved the way.