Golfer Brian Davis and his family continued their long-standing support of Arnold Palmer Medical Center today, donating $52,393 - one-quarter of his winnings from the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard - to Arnold Palmer Medical Center in Orlando.

Brian finished the four rounds of March's PGA TOUR event at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge at 5- under-par, in a tie for 4th place, and collected a $209,571.43 paycheck.

Today, as a thank you to Mr. Palmer for Brian's invitation to the tournament, and in support of the hospitals that bear Mr. Palmer's name, Brian delivered one-quarter of that money back to Mr. Palmer, to be used to benefit Arnold Palmer Medical Center. One-half of the funds will be directed the expansion of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; the other half will support the Hewell Kids' Kidney Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

"Arnold Palmer Medical Center has been so critical to our family, and has literally saved the lives of my children," said Brian, whose three children - Oliver, Henry, and Madeleine -have each needed medical service provided by Arnold Palmer Medical Center. "Giving back is a no-brainer for us. Mr. Palmer's generosity made those hospitals possible, and it's up to us a members of the community, and especially as professional golfers, to help support Mr. Palmer's legacy of caring and philanthropy."

Davis is not alone in his support of the work done at Arnold Palmer Medical Center.

Hunter Mahan, one of Davis' colleagues on the PGA Tour and currently ranked fifth on the Official World Golf Ranking, designated a $30,000 gift to the NICU in the name of Kieran Foley.

Kieran is the son of Mahan's coach, Sean Foley, and he was born in the summer of 2011 with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, an abnormal opening that can allow abdominal organs to move into the chest cavity. The condition forced the newborn and his family to spend several tense days in the NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital, and then four days into life, Kieran underwent surgery. Doctors fixed the problem in 22 minutes, and he mended for a few more days in the NICU.

Since that time, the Foleys have been grateful supporters of the life-changing work of the medical team at Winnie Palmer Hospital.

Mahan responded by directing The Presidents Cup 2011 charitable donation to the hospital. The contribution is a portion of the charitable proceeds generated from The Presidents Cup 2011 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, in which Mahan participated as a member of the victorious U.S. Team for the third time in his career.

The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money. Players are not personally paid for their participation; instead, each competitor, captain, and captain's assistant allocates their portion of the proceeds to chosen charitable causes. The NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital was one of five organizations chosen by Mahan.

ARNOLD PALMER HOSPITAL for CHILDREN
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

With a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 Friday on the Championship Course, Woods claimed a share of the 36-hole lead at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. It's a familiar position for the 14- time major champion, who is seeking his first PGA TOUR title since the 2009 BMW Championship.

With a 10-under 134 aggregate score, Woods stands atop a post-round leaderboard for the 18th time over the 60 competitive rounds he has played here. Overall, Woods has won seven times at Bay Hill, six coming in this tournament. His other victory here was in the 1991 USGA Junior Amateur.

Apparently so.

Joining Woods atop the standings is first-round co-leader Charlie Wi, who birdied three of his final six holes for a 68.

Just one stroke behind the pair is Jason Dufner, who had a 69, and 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, who plowed his way to the low round of the week thus far, a 9-under 63 comprised of seven birdies and an eagle. That was one off the tournament record shared by Andy Bean and Greg Norman.

"Shooting 63 on a golf course like this is always a lot of fun, and this is always an event that I like to put in my schedule," said McDowell, who finished tied for second in his Bay Hill debut in 2005, "It's a golf course that I feel like I can get it around, and like I say, Mr. Palmer is our host this week, it always has that special feel to it."

Defending champion Martin Laird shot 68 to make the cut at 140, leaving him six back. Other former winners playing this weekend are: Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Chad Campbell, Tim Herron, and Rod Pampling. Singh is highest in the standings among them at 69-139.

But Woods is the central figure as round three unfolds. This is the fourth time Woods has led after 36 holes at Bay Hill; three of those he converted into victories.

He played impeccably Friday, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation, something he hadn't done in more than four years. Swing changes he's been working on the last year seem to be paying off.

"It was a solid round of golf," Woods said with a broad smile. "I felt like I actually hit it better yesterday than I did today. I've made more putts today for sure. I felt great over the putter. My speed was good. I left a couple putts dead short, right in the center of the hole. Actually it really could have been a really low round today. A lot of positives today."

Woods, currently ranked 18th in the world, was asked if he needed a win this week, given his struggles the last two-plus years. "I want to win, yes, absolutely," he said. "But we've got a long way to go. It's not like it's over right now. We've got 36 holes to go."

Wi also said he played a solid round, but he'll need more of the same to keep pace with Tiger. He was eager for the challenge.

"I've known Tiger since junior golf days, since I was 13 and we played in college … and I'm comfortable with him," Wi, 40, said. "We've been friends a long time. Tiger is a good guy and I look forward to playing with him tomorrow. Hopefully I can get some of his energy towards me."

--Dave Shedloski

"My finish here in 2005 really kind of kick-started my PGA TOUR career," McDowell said Friday after his 9-under- par 63 launched him to the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend of the 34th edition of Palmer's tournament. "I haven't always played well here since, but it gave me confidence that I could handle just about anything. And I've always felt like I could get it around out here."

McDowell had missed the cut in his last two appearances at Bay Hill, but later in 2010 he moved into another category of player when he captured the U.S. Open at the Pebble Beach Golf Links – which, by the way, is owned by a partnership that includes Palmer.

McDowell, 33, had seven birdies and an eagle in his run up the board Friday. His eagle came at 16, where he sank a 7-foot putt.

Dufner's 3-under-par 69 Friday at Bay Hill gave him a share of the clubhouse lead with McDowell at 9-under 135 for much of the day until Woods came in with a 7-under 65 and seized the 36-hole lead at 134. Charlie Wi later matched Woods at 10 under par with his 68.

Good thing Dufner, who is seeking his first PGA TOUR title, is feeling good about his game. In the last three stroke-play events, including here at Bay Hill, he has opened with a 66. He finished tied for 10th at last week's Transitions Championship.

"I'm just really comfortable with where my game is at right now," Dufner, a Cleveland native who now lives in Alabama, said. "I think any given day, I can go out and shoot a 5 or 6under and do it pretty comfortably. If the putter were to get hot, I feel like I could go shoot some lower scores."

That might be what it takes to keep up with Woods, Wi, McDowell and others as a shootout looms. But the man who finished runner-up to Keegan Bradley in last year's PGA Championship, seems like he's ready for the challenge. Dufner ranks first in driving accuracy and fifth in putting through 36 holes. He has suffered just two bogeys.

"It's been a pretty comfortable Florida Swing for me as far as golf goes," he said. " Maybe a little frustrated scoringwise, not converting on as many birdies. But there has not been a lot of stressful situations the last two or three weeks."

Today, though, could be interesting. Woods thinks so, too.

"You know, obviously he's playing well," Woods said of Dufner. "Ever since last year's PGA on, he's really played well. Seems like he's taken his game to another level."

--Dave Shedloski

"I just lost my mind for a minute, which was a shame because even though I didn’t play well, I was still looking forward to playing again tomorrow. I enjoy Bay Hill," said Clark, 36, who has been battling an elbow injury that has limited him to five rounds this year.

Anthony Kim, a former U.S. Ryder Cup player, is in the midst of reviving his golf game, and he took a strong step forward Thursday at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge with an opening 3-under-par 69 that included his first career hole-in-one on the PGA TOUR.

"I've been working really hard and actually just keeping out of my own way, and even though that should be the easiest thing for a professional golfer, it's the hardest," said Kim, who has made only one cut in his first six starts this year. "I've been running my head into a brick wall. So I moved away from the brick wall and now I can swing and make some birdies out there."

And eagles, too.

"I didn't even know it went in," Kim confessed. I think Zach [Johnson] said it went in, and I looked over and it was missing. So it was nice to hit a good golf shot. I was hitting the ball very well."

He converted a pair of 14-foot putts after a 6-iron into 17 and an 8-iron into the signature 18th hole. "One of the things I've been trying to improve is my mental approach," the veteran Texan, 33, said. "I didn't have a lot going on, bogeyed a few holes I shouldn't have, but I stayed patient on a tough layout and got rewarded at the end. It certainly will make lunch taste better."

Walker's round also included a chip-in birdie from 40 feet at the par-3 second hole.

He's not intimidated anymore. The 40-year-old Californian opened with a 6-under-par 66 Thursday and grabbed a share of the first-round lead with Jason Dufner here at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in the 34th edition of Palmer's prestigious tournament.

Wi scored seven birdies, including a capper at the 18th, against one bogey in the early going Thursday, while Dufner, also seeking his first TOUR victory, eagled the par-5 16th after a 210- yard 4-iron to 20 feet to erase his lone bogey.

"The eagle on 16, nice way to finish the round," said Dufner, who turns 35 on Saturday, said after finishing the opening round with at least a share of the lead for the third time this year. "Pretty nice round again today. Hit a lot of fairways, which gives you an advantage here, being able to attack some of the hole locations from the short grass. So that was a pretty big key."

Nick Watney, who tied for fourth place here in 2009, shot a 68 for third place, while a large group three strokes behind includes six-time winner Tiger Woods and Orlando resident Justin Rose, the winner just two weeks ago at the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Also in that group was Anthony Kim, who aced the par-3 17th hole, his first on the PGA TOUR.

"I'm swinging the club well, hitting a lot of quality shots. So that's good. And my short game's pretty sharp," said Rose, whose closing 68 last year lifted him into a tie for third, his best showing at Bay Hill. "I have the ability to grind it out with the short game and play well. So a few strings in the bow right now, and it does boil down to making putts."

Defending champion Martin Laird opened with a respectable even-par 72.

Wi's round was impressive for more than just overcoming his worries about taming Bay Hill. There is also the matter of his disastrous final-round 78 at last week's Transitions Championship, where he suffered a 13 on the par-5 fifth hole.

A nine-time winner in international tournaments, Wi said he was mad for one hole and then got over it. He managed to joke about the ugly collection of shots – he hit a tree three times in a row and watched his ball carom out of bounds – with reporters after Thursday's performance.

"I didn't even think about it really. That was just a blip on the radar screen. Actually I figured I should have gone for some TOUR record so at least I could be remembered," he quipped.

Coming into this week, Wi had made just one cut in four appearances at Bay Hill, finishing tied for 24th last year. He has only broken 70 twice – and both were 66s. So, all in all, Wi was not expecting much out of the day.

"Since Pebble Beach [where he finished second], I've been playing OK, making cuts but not really... I haven't had too many strong finishes, and I've never really done well here," Wi said. "If I had shot a couple under today before I teed off, I would have been very pleased so to shoot 66 is a pleasant surprise."

--Dave Shedloski

"Throughout the first nine years of our partnership, MasterCard has helped raise more than $1.8 million that have directly impacted Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children," said Palmer, who began this event at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in 1979 and nurtured it into a top-shelf golf tournament. "I am looking forward to continuing our partnership over the next four years to deliver a world-class event for our players and fans while continuing to support the hospitals."

"I've said many times, there are lots of sponsorship opportunities that MasterCard is presented with around the world," said Chris McWilton, President, U.S. Markets, MasterCard. "But this one, it's a very easy decision to make, to continue the relationship with Mr. Palmer Bay Hill, and the TOUR around this event because of the great things it does for the hospital."

There are many great things that the tournament does for charity and the community, but McWilton conceded that the tournament host himself is a major factor in MasterCard's decision to continue a sponsorship begun in 2004.

"Obviously, Mr. Palmer is a legend, and what he brings to us as a brand is very important to us. We talk about MasterCard being at the heart of commerce. So it's not just about the monetary aspects of our business, but it's about doing things to make people's lives better and to make commerce easier and to have some emotion behind it. So if you know Mr. Palmer, as I've got to know him over the past five years, there's definitely a heart on this. It's not just a commercial venture. It's not just about making money. It's about the spirit that he brings to this experience."

Finchem couldn't have agreed more.

"Fundamentally, this is Arnold Palmer's tournament. He has put his heart and soul into it for decades," Finchem said. "And as such, it takes its place every year at the very top of what is special about the PGA TOUR as an invitational event, and the event of the man who is probably more impactful on where the PGA TOUR is today than anybody in history.

"I think all of the players, all of tournament, all of our sponsors and our charities are indebted to him for what he's meant to the game and what he's meant to the PGA TOUR."

--Dave Shedloski

Ask any tournament director on the PGA TOUR to pencil in his 'Dream Team' field, and each one would begin with two names: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. And both players are competing this week at Bay Hill. The participation of Woods, a six-time champion at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, came into question when a tight left Achilles forced him to limp off the 12th tee at Doral Resort's Blue Monster during the fi nal round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship. But Woods proclaimed himself well enough to start hitting balls again late last week (3/16), and will arrive at Arnie's Place having dominated there as no other player has.

Woods is seeking his fi rst offi cial Tour victory since the fall of 2009, and he's quite at home on the fairways of Bay Hill. Since missing the cut there as an amateur in 1994, Woods has made 14 starts and never missed a weekend. He also won the fi rst of his three U.S. Junior Amateurs at Bay Hill, in 1991. Under the tutelage of Sean Foley, Woods' swing is in considerably better shape than it was a year ago at this time, when the two still were working out many of the kinks. Woods departed Doral leading the Tour in total driving (a combination of driving distance and driving accuracy) after fi nishing 186th in that category in 2011.

Phil Mickelson won the 1997 API, roaring home in 6-under 30 on the back nine, sparked by an eagle at the par-5 12th set up when he hit driver off the deck for his second shot. He enters this year's event already having won in 2012, as he fi red a closing 64 to capture the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am playing alongside Woods in the next to last group. Mickelson lost in a playoff (to Bill Haas) at the Northern Trust. This will be Mickelson's 13th appearance at Bay Hill.

2. A bumper crop of rookies.

The Southern Amateur champion traditionally plays at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard. Harris English will continue that tradition, though it wasn't his amateur exploits that earned him a tee time at Bay Hill. English is one of the PGA TOUR's top rookies and earned his spot in the API fi eld by standing 55th on the FedEx Cup points list entering Transitions. English, a University of Georgia product, advanced through last year's Q-School after winning a Nationwide Tour event as an amateur.

He'd made the cut in his fi rst six events this season, including three top-20 fi nishes, before missing the cut at Transitions. "I'm just still learning out here," English said humbly. "I just graduated from college six, seven months ago." PGA TOUR winners Webb Simpson and Kyle Stanley are among those to play at Bay Hill by virtue of winning the Southern Amateur.

English won't be the only player in the API fi eld who was competing in the Southeastern Conference less than a year ago. Bud Cauley also is in the fi eld, and like English, has impressed early in his PGA TOUR career. Cauley earned a PGA TOUR card in just eight starts in 2011, joining the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to earn a PGA TOUR card directly out of college without going to Q-School. Cauley has past experience at Bay Hill, having played the AJGA's HP Boys Invitational here. These rookies look ready to impress.

3. The continued rise of Ryo.

Want to catch a superstar of tomorrow? Then take a look on the pairings sheet and follow Ryo Ishikawa. Japan's Bashful Prince has competed in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard the past three years, but this will be the fi rst time he does so as a PGA TOUR member. Ishikawa, ranked 47th in the world as he headed to the Transitions Championship, earned Tour member status by fi nishing runner-up to George McNeill at the recent Puerto Rico Open. It was his best fi nish in a PGA TOUR event.

Though it seems he has been around for some time, Ishikawa, who fi rst won on the Japan Tour as a 15-year-old amateur, is only 20 years old. He's one of golf's most exciting prospects, not only because of his advanced skill at such a young age, but for his picture-perfect swing and fl amboyant style.

Ishikawa, who has competed on two Presidents Cup teams, recently received a special invitation to compete at the Masters, where he fi nished 20th in 2011. His best Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard fi nish? He was 40th in 2010.

4. He can almost smell the azaleas.

Many players at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard are looking forward to the Masters. Few may be more excited about the season's fi rst major than Kelly Kraft, the U.S. Amateur champion. Not only will the Masters be his fi rst major, but his fi nal event as an amateur. Kraft completed his collegiate career at SMU last spring. He stayed amateur for the summer to make the Walker Cup team, then anticipated turning pro this past fall for Q-School. Winning the U.S. Amateur helped him achieve his Walker Cup goal, but also delayed his pro debut. Turning down the traditional U.S. Amateur champion's invitation to Augusta National is all but impossible.

Kraft has enjoyed his extended amateur career. He's made two trips to Australia, fi nishing 19th at the Australian Open. Kraft arrives to Bay Hill as one of the world's top amateurs, ranking sixth in the R&A World Amateur Rankings. Kraft won four prestigious amateur events last year, the biggest being his U.S. Amateur triumph at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, where he beat Patrick Cantlay, the world's No. 1 amateur, in the fi nal. "I'm looking forward to competing," Kraft said.

5. There's blazer chasing going on...

The winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard dons a sporty blue blazer after his victory. But there will be green jackets on the minds of some players, too. Following Bay Hill, there will only be one opportunity to qualify for next month's Masters, the final spot being reserved for a player not otherwise eligible who captures next week's Shell Houston Open.

The API marks the final week for players to climb into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking to lock in a spot for the Masters. Among those who will start the week on the outside looking in: former API champion Ernie Els, who was ranked 68thentering Transitions. A two-time Masters runner-up, Els has played the Masters every year since his debut in 1994. He could get in should he win the API, which he has done twice – 12 years apart – the last victory coming just two years ago at Bay Hill. He has not won since.

"I just want to get my game back," Els said at Transitions. "If I play Augusta, great. If I don't, it's also fine. I can miss a year and I will be fine with that. I'll go on holiday with the kids or something like when I was a kid. Obviously I want to play, but really, I couldn't be bothered. I want to try and win and I want to get back to where I feel I need to be, and that'll take care of Augusta."

6. Love that local flavor.

Dicky Pride, Bay Hill's own, put together back-to-backtop-10s at Mayakoba and at Honda for the first time in a career that dates back to 1992, a span that covered some 375 tournament starts. He was prepared to go to Panama for a Nationwide Tour event to start his March until his top-10 finish in Mexico earned him a spot at the Honda, and there he tied for seventh. Add those two performances to a tie for 20th in Puerto Rico, and Pride has earned $354,563 in three Tour starts this season, already assuring him his best financial campaign since 2007.

Few in the field know Bay Hill as well as Pride does. This will be his 15th start in the API, his best showing being a T-5 in 1999. Pride has played in enough club Shootouts that he's quick to note tournament host Arnold Palmer has taken some of his cash through the years. Yet Pride makes the point that "I'm up in advice and what I've learned from him. He's been very, very good to me."

7. Hey, K.J., you have good company.

Though the LPGA has featured many top South Korean players since the arrival of Orlandoan Se Ri Pak in the late 1990s,for years K.J. Choi was the lone male carrying his country's flag on the PGA TOUR.

Choi, who won The Players last spring and has seven other career victories on the PGA TOUR, leads Sang-Moon Bae and Seung-Yul Noh, two young, promising South Korean players, to Bay Hill.

Bae, 25, who entered the Transitions weekend in contention for his first PGATOUR title, earned his card in December shooting a final-round 6-under-par 66 to qualify for the 2012 campaign for the firsttime. He is 8-for-8 in making the cut on Tour this season.

Noh, 20, has a similar story, finishingT-3 at Q-School, garnering the right to playfull- time in 2012. He has only one missed cut in six career major appearances over the past three seasons.

How big is the growing golf influence from this tiny land? In Australia last November, PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem announced that South Korea would host the 2015 Presidents Cup.

8. A season filled with Sunday drama.

Adding some spice to a Tour campaign in which Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy have won and Tiger Woods has contended again is this: No advantage seems safe anymore. Four times players have rallied from six to eight shots back after 54 holes to win in 2012. Kyle Stanley (Farmers Insurance Open) and Spencer Levin (Waste Management Phoenix Open) led by seven on Sunday but didn't win–though Stanley remarkably rebounded with victory the next week at TPC Scottsdale.

The recent WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral served more volatility. Bubba Watson was three ahead starting Sunday and two behind after seven holes. Keegan Bradley led by two on the eighth green and lost by five.

"It certainly has been a crazy year from that perspective," Doral winner Justin Rose said. "The talent is so deep out here that the guys are good enough to get themselves into contention. But there's definitely something about learning how to win. Maybe there's a lot of players who are good enough to win but just have notquite learned it yet.

"That's what we're seeing. Obviously I think it's exciting times. It's exciting TV to see swings and changes like that on the leaderboard

9. Cowboys vs... Deacons?

Here's an interesting competition to watch if you're into this sort of thing. Webb Simpson and Bill Haas, the only twoactive PGA TOUR players from Wake Forest taking on Oklahoma State Cowboys Hunter Mahan, Charles Howell III and Bo Van Pelt in an unofficial money match for bragging rights here at Bay Hill.

Last year, the two Wake boys banked $10,435,000 for the season, before counting Haas' $10 million bonus for the FedExCup, while the three of the five active Cowboys' made $8,356,000, making the two schools the top two in earnings on TOUR for the season.

Why not a rematch for the week? Just for fun, of course.

10. A host like no other.

Hunting an off-beat story almost three decades ago, Cleveland Plain Dealer golf writer George Sweda asked Arnold Palmer if he would join him in the Sears men's department at Randall Park Mall to see if fans recognized him. In town for a senior tournament, Palmer obliged him for about an hour one afternoon.

During one of his next visits to Cleveland, Palmer asked his scribe pal what stun the had for him this time. Well, Sweda told him, "I'd like to take you to my high school reunion this weekend and see what kind of reaction we get." And so the two hopped into a courtesy car and went to the dance together for a few minutes.

"The deejay paused the music and said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, one of the stars of your class, with one of the legends in sports,' " recalled Sweda, now retired. "It was hilarious. Arnold couldn't have been nicer. But that's him. We always had fun."

Some 30 years later, Palmer smiles at such stories that underscore his uncommon connection with the public and press. At 82, his career has spanned the soaring stages of all mediums - newspaper, radio, television, Internet and social, though he stops short of tweeting and texting. Along the way, he became something of the sporting model for public relations, never forgetting childhood lessons of kindness, befriending the Fourth Estate, embracing the repartee, ushering in golf's TV age with charges and charisma and help from friends Bob Hope and Dwight Eisenhower.

"I was aware of the reaction the writers took to people who didn't give them the courtesy of answering their questions," Palmer said from his office at Bay Hill Club & Lodge when asked to explain his bonding with people.

"That was important. I spent a lot of time with (sportswriters),talking to them and horsing around with them. I enjoyed it. They'd tell me stories and get on my case. I didn't mind it. I loved it."

The mutual trust was forged in a different era, when news media were less intrusive and the reporting not as vast or instant or critical. Yet, while writers and players aren't as chummy now, the same human principles apply, to hear Palmer.

"Point is, you can be congenial and nice, and it'll work. That's all I've ever done. My father always said to me, ‘Don't be nasty. To anybody.' " Palmer pounded on his desk for effect, then added, "So I practiced that, treating other people like you'd want to be treated."

Palmer differed on that approach with his longtime agent, Mark McCormack, founder of IMG. McCormack thought his prized client overdid things and was too nice. But Palmer smiled onward.

A college student covering the Western Open in Chicago in the mid-1960s did a15-minute Palmer interview, only to discover he hadn't turned on his tape recorder. "Turn it on and we'll do it again," Palmer told him.

He took on the role of ambassador in part because he thought golf needed to attract more prize money. "Little did I think it would get to where it is now," he said. Long an avid newspaper reader, Palmer not only has mixed well with golf journalists over the years, he has hired them. Bob Drum of The Pittsburgh Press, whom Dan Jenkins labeled the "man who invented Arnold Palmer," wrote Palmer's first book.

Doc Giffin has been Palmer's personal assistant since being hired away from his PGA Tour press secretary job 45 years ago.

Bev Norwood has run the Bay Hill tournament media center since the 1970s.

"I've always thought people like him because they sense he likes them," said Giffin, who estimates Palmer has signed more than 1 million autographs, written meticulously so they are legible.

"Drum counseled him to be polite to writers. And it was his own natural instinct to be nice. Over 45 years, there have been people that I thought were insufferable and that Arnold shouldn't pay attention to them, but he was nice. I've never seen him run anybody off. He has a hard time saying no."

Drum was to Palmer what O.B. Keeler was to Bobby Jones, covering his favorite subject from junior golf to international glory. A larger-than-life character who amused Palmer, Drum was known to eat, drink and even travel with his famous Pennsylvania buddy. The dynamics of their relationship were never more significant than in 1960.

After 54 holes of the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills, Palmer was in 15th place, seven strokes behind leader Mike Souchak. In the locker room before the last round, Palmer asked Drum what a closing 65 for 280 would get him. "He said, ‘For you it'll do nothing,' "Palmer recalled. "He was very surly. As a friend, that was not nice. I knew why. Like me, Souchak was his buddy."

As it happened, Palmer birdied six of the first seven holes and then saw Drum walking down the fairway at the eighth.

"What are you doing out here?" Palmer asked."I heard you got something going," Drum said.

"Why don't you go follow your friend, "Palmer shot back, half-kidding. Moments later, Palmer bogeyed the eighth, missing a short putt. But he shot 65–280 and won his lone Open title.

A couple of weeks later, Palmer and Drum flew to Ireland together for the Canada (now World) Cup, then to the British Open.

On that trip, Palmer suggested the modern grand slam should consist of the Masters, U.S. and British Opens and PGA. His biographer beat the drum, and the rest is history.

"I said it will become quite the thing someday," recalled Palmer, winner of seven major championships. "He made it a big thing within a month."

Drum got British media on board with the idea. It helped that Palmer, who finished second at that '60 Open at St. Andrews, and the U.K. writers got along well. In fact, they persuaded Palmer to stay over for the they could get him into the fi eld, Giffin said.

Or so they thought. Palmer flew to Paris on a military plane, but the French didn't let him play because he hadn't entered the tournament himself. No hard feelings, though. Five years later, Palmer entertained the British press at his Latrobe, Pa., home when the PGA Championship was at Laurel Valley.

Palmer liked bantering with the game's storytellers. The needle came out often. Palmer saw legendary Pittsburgh journalist Myron Cope on the first tee of a celebrity event not long after Cope said on air that golfers weren't athletes. "Well now," Palmer jabbed, "let's see how a real athlete hits the ball."

While playing Isleworth in Windermere, Fla., in the late 1980s, a visiting golf writer drove his cart to Palmer's onsite residence, only to have him notice the writer was using MacGregor Muirfield Nicklaus irons.

"Where'd you get those?" Palmer asked. "Jack sent them to me," he said.

"Well, go in the garage and get what you want."

The writer suggested a set be sent instead. A few holes later, Palmer joined the group and said, "I'm your opponent. Let's see how good those Nicklaus clubs are."

Hall of Famer Lanny Wadkins, who attended Wake Forest on a Palmer scholarship, says he marveled as a young professional when observing Palmer's patience and grace with people.

"He's a special person, but part of it was the era, too," Wadkins said. "It was a lot easier to be honest and open then because it wasn't going to end up on someone's Twitter or on YouTube video taken on a cellphone. You have to think twice about things today as opposed to 40 years ago."

Today, Palmer owns two golf clubs and part of Pebble Beach Golf Links, hosts a PGA TOUR event, owns a car dealership, is building a Latrobe hotel, oversees a course design business and, even as an octogenarian, remains a major commercial player on Madison Avenue. He spends five days per week in his office and plays golf about once a week, with customers or friends.

"I played yesterday, and I hate myself," he said, smiling, in yet another interview, one in a series of thousands. "It's very humiliating not to be able to play golf the way I once did.

"But it's better than being on the other side."

-by Golfweek Magazine, reprinted with permission, Golfweek Custom Media

The 34th annual tournament at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge will also feature 34 of the top 50 players on the final 2011 PGA TOUR money list, including three of the top four - Webb Simpson, Nick Watney and K.J. Choi - and the 2011FedExCup champion, Bill Haas, who also won the Northern Trust Open earlier this year.

Ten former Bay Hill winners holding 16 titles are entered. In addition to Mickelson(1997 winner) are Robert Gamez (1990), Andrew Magee (1991), Ernie Els (1998,2010), Tim Herron (1999), Tiger Woods (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009), Chad Campbell (2004), Rod Pampling (2006), Vijay Singh (2007), and defending champion Martin Laird.

Thirteen of the top 25 players on the Official World Golf Ranking, and 24 of the top 50 are entered, led by three of the top10 - No. 7 Rose, No. 8 Simpson and No.10 Mahan. Other highly-ranked players are No. 13 Mickelson, No. 14 Haas, No. 16 Bubba Watson, No. 17 Graeme McDowell, No. 18 Woods, No. 19 Watney, No. 21 Snedeker, No. 22 Sergio Garcia, No. 23 Choi and No. 25 Wilson.

Fifteen players in the field have won major championships in their careers, for a total of 35 victories, led by Woods and his 14 major titles.

Having won seven major championships and competed in more than 150 in his illustrious career, Arnold Palmer certainly knows enough about what goes into making a golf tournament special.

"I like to think that at the end of the day there isn't something we've overlooked to make this tournament as good as it can be," Palmer, now 82, says of his event that is in its 34th year at Bay Hill. "What really sets a major apart from other tournaments is history and the prestige of the title, and we know the four events that mean the most in that regard.

"My goal for this tournament is to have a well-run, exciting and fun tournament that players hopefully want to come back to and keep playing. I want to see lots of fans, and good media support, and of course the participation of our sponsors is just tremendous, so you put it all together and it's great to see the game and our charities benefit.

"I think about this tournament all year, and it's something I get excited about every year, because every year is different and brings something new."

If there is one thing that Palmer does try to emulate it's striving to get the Championship Course at Bay Hill in major championship condition.

"That's the thing that we look at more than any other, is to have our golf course be a major championship quality in its condition and its challenge," Palmer says. "We don't really strive to make it particularly difficult, because the course itself, to a degree, is naturally that way by its design. We want it to be a good test, a fair test. We have a good golf course, and we want to make it playable but also ask the players to hit some good golf shots.

"Our greens tend to be on the faster side and very firm, which is something that we now have the opportunity to do since we upgraded our greens. But what we've found over the years is that these players can score when hitting the proper shots and that's all we're asking them to do."

Palmer admits that if there is one major championship that has most influenced him in his approach, it would have to be the Masters Tournament, which he won four times (1958-60-62-64).

"I think when you look at the Masters, what you think of is something that is of high quality and consistent," he says. "Year to year you can look at what goes on at Augusta National Golf Club and you know what you're going to get. That's what we've always tried to do, and we think we're in a better position to deliver on that since we changed the golf course and made some improvements on our greens."

In recognition of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Thomas Hauser’s book “Arnold Palmer: A Personal Journey” is being re-released.

Hauser was granted inside access to Palmer, his family, his friends and his business associates. The behind-the-scenes look also includes photographs from Palmer’s archive, allowing an intimate look into the life of a sporting icon.

Palmer, now 82, is arguably golf’s most popular figure and a champion on and off the course. His playing career included 92 world-wide victories, 62 PGA Tour wins and seven major championships. He captured four Masters titles, two British Opens and one U.S. Open.

He also captivated the public with his rugged, good looks; daring personality and charisma. Golf fans created “Arnie’s Army” and he was dubbed “The King.” Those same fans will be captivated by “Arnold Palmer: A Personal Journey” as it shows how the legendary man lived the American dream on and off the golf course.

" I have always thought that, of all the books I have done, 'A Personal Journey' was a particularly good one with its wonderful selection of pictures and the excellent text that accompanied the photos. I enjoyed working with Tom Hauser on the book and felt we created an interesting chronicle of my golfing career and my life." ~ Arnold Palmer

His philanthropic nature helped lead to the creation of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital, the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies and Golf Channel.

The eBook edition includes a foreword from Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner, an afterword from the author and an original essay by Palmer entitled, “Reflections on the Game.”

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The 34th edition of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard March 19-25 is shaping up to spotlight another strong field featuring international stars and top homegrown U.S. talent, including several players with special ties to the legendary host, Arnold Palmer.

"I love it. I love playing at Bay Hill, and I feel like it's a place I know just about as well as anywhere on the PGA TOUR," said Simpson, 26, who first debuted at Bay Hill in 2006 when he was invited as the winner of the Southern Amateur. "I would say that winning Arnold's tournament would be a really big thrill for me when I think about what he has meant to golf and to me personally."

Simpson, who like Palmer is a product of Wake Forest University, is coming off his best professional season in 2011, one that included two victories and $6.3 million in earnings, second on the PGA TOUR money list. Coincidentally, the leading money winner on the TOUR receives the Arnold Palmer Award, and that was presented to Luke Donald after a battle with Simpson that went down to the year's final tournament.

Simpson, who also had three runner-up finishes among his 12 top 10s, made the largest single-season earnings increase in TOUR history, having earned just $972,962 in 2010.

Now a resident of Charlotte, Simpson missed the cut in his Bay Hill debut but came back two years later to finish even par and tied for 31st place. In '09 he improved to joint 11th position, his best showing in his five appearances.

Simpson enjoys telling the story of his first meeting with Palmer prior to the '06 tournament and how special that was.

"My dad [Sam] knows Arnold's good friend Howdy [Giles]. So we had it arranged to go up to his office at Bay Hill," Simpson says. "I've always looked up to him. To meet him for the first time at his club was really a special time. My dad and I sat down with him and just chatted. He is really a great guy, you can tell that right away.

"It turns out my dad actually has played golf with him a few times. They played together at Isleworth the first time, and my dad was so nervous that day that on the first hole when he was trying to putt his hands were shaking so much that he kept touching the ball with the head of the putter. Arnold asked him, what did you have there, Sam, and my dad said, ‘I don't know, either a 5 or a 10, whatever you want to count.' "

Simpson is counting on having another enjoyable visit with Palmer, even if it's just for a few minutes. It's what makes Bay Hill one of the highlights of the season.

"Arnold is a lot of fun to be around. He might be 82, but he thinks young and you can just tell talking to him that he still loves golf and he still likes to be involved in the game and the tournament," Simpson said. "You know, when you play at Bay Hill, you can't help but feel that is an honor to be there."

For tickets to the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard or for more information, visit the tournament website, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com, or call the Bay Hill Club ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Proceeds from the tournament benefit Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

Eighteen players have been awarded sponsor invitations to the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard including 2006 champion Rod Pampling, three past major championship winners and the grandson of the tournament host.

The 34th annual PGA TOUR event at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge will be played March 19-25 in Orlando, Florida.

Pampling, Janzen and Weir were among the eight players selected in the category of PGA TOUR Regular or Past Champion members. Others chosen in that category were 2008 U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate, Scott McCarron, Chad Campbell, Brian Davis, and Orlando's Dicky Pride, who has had back-to-back top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR.

Leonard and Saunders were among the eight players selected in the category of Unrestricted Exemptions. Others chosen in that category were Ryo Ishikawa, the two-time Presidents Cup player who has had 11 victories in Japan, Skip Kendall, Boo Weekley, Robert Damron, Daniel Chopra and Erik Compton.

Jason Kokrak and Billy Hurley III were selected from the category of leading players from the 2011 Qualifying Tournament and the Nationwide Tour.

For tickets to the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard or for more information, visit the tournament website, www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com, or call the Bay Hill Club ticket office at 407-876-7774 or toll free at 1-866-764-4843. Proceeds from the tournament benefit Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.