Thursday 16 March 2017 19:51, UK
Everybody who met Arnold Palmer has their own special memories of one of the most iconic figures in sport, and the star names at Bay Hill this week have been sharing their thoughts on "The King".
A new statue of Palmer has been unveiled by the first tee ahead of the first Arnold Palmer Invitational since he passed away on the eve of last year's Ryder Cup, and their are various tributes to be seen all over the Orlando course, particularly his famous umbrella logo.
Here is a selection of the best comments from those in attendance this week ...
I think Arnold meant an awful lot to every one of us. Anyone that is involved with the game of golf in any capacity, especially the ones that get paid to play it or get paid to write about it or get paid to whatever, I mean, he was a massive part of that. And I think we all owe him a massive debt of gratitude for what he did for the game.
I've been lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with Arnold at this tournament over the past couple of years. I had a dinner with Arnold and after the first round in 2015, that I'll remember for the rest of my life. So I'll tell stories about that to my grandkids, hopefully, one day that he was a special man.
I get to have that memory of actually standing with him, talking to him, and being his champion. Those are memories that you don't forget. Mind you, having the celebratory drink with him I felt like I was drinking a whole bottle of Ketel One Vodka, that's obviously his favourite thing. And I was on the Golf Channel and I felt absolutely hammered!
I was sitting down and dehydrated, I had a drink with him, and I'm going up there and I don't know what I'm saying on the Golf Channel, but hopefully it turned out something decent. But it was a special moment at his place and just being here and winning this tournament, because it is such a big event for us.
It's a very different week with Arnold not being here with us. He's meant so much to the game of golf, of course, to this being his own tournament on his own golf course.
So he will be dearly missed and we will do our best to make it a very successful week without him and pay tribute to him to his career and everything that he's done for the game and for everyone involved.
It's been cool to be part of the host committee and be involved in the tournament and the build-up. I guess being a local boy here in Orlando these days, this is a tournament which has become very special to me.
Obviously we'll have a lot on our minds in regards to what Arnold's done for the game and what he's created here and I'm sure it will be well supported and it will be a fun week. I think that he would like us all to be celebrating rather than commiserating this week and I think it will be a celebration of hopefully some great golf played.
To be able to have the time that I did get with him, to play golf with him, and to have some of those one-on-one times, it's something I wish I definitely had more of.
It's different not having him here, but legends never die. He's always going to be here, this tournament's going to go on, he was a special man, and I'm happy I was able to call him a friend.
I think my grandfather's legacy speaks for itself. He made a mark on this game that will probably never be equalled. And we're all here in a way because of him and it's such a special week and the players are all here to pay tribute to that. I've been so personally touched by everyone that has come here.
It is a selfless thing to come and play in this event this week and guys are really making an effort to not make it about them, they're here from their heart. They're playing because they know that my grandfather was able to give them a career, give them an opportunity to play golf for a living.
It's so wonderful to see that this week is more of a celebration, to celebrate what Mr Palmer has done and I know you will walk down there to the first tee, you see the statue and of course a lot of memories come to our minds, maybe a few tears and hopefully a lot of laughter, because I know that that's what he was all about.
The first time I saw Mr Palmer was on TV growing up in Sweden. He was a legend over there, and I wanted to play golf. But it wasn't until I came to the US that I met him for the first time, and he made you feel special. He looked you in the eye and I think my heart fluttered a little bit extra.
