Playing with Palmer

Hayes shares what may be Arnie's final PGA Tour rounds

When Arnold Palmer played his own Bay Hill Invitational last week, presumably for the last time, J.P. Hayes was able to fulfill a lifelong dream and sit in on a small piece of history. Hayes, 38, a Wisconsin native who played college golf at Texas-El Paso and is a two-time PGA Tour winner, drew Palmer's farewell threesome. Remarkably, Hayes had never played a competitive round on tour with either Palmer or Jack Nicklaus until last week at Bay Hill.

MAILBAG For us golf newbies, can you explain what a "flyer lie" is? I know what it does to the ball, I just don't know what an actual flyer lie looks like or why it makes the ball carry farther. —Jeff, Austin, Texas Well, Tex, a flyer lie is when a ball is sitting up in a tuft of rough, perched off the ground on a piece of grass. It's the equivalent of being teed up. Also, saying you "caught a flyer" is a convenient way to cover up hitting a wrong club or a bad shot, because it sounds way, way cooler. Why do tour pros always tee up at the very front of the tee box, even on par-3s? It would seem to be an advantage at times to tee up farther back. —Alan Maderious, Boise, Idaho Actually, tour pros tee off from wherever the markers are placed on the tee box, which vary day to day. On par-3 holes, you'll see some players move a little behind the markers to get closer to a preferred yardage for a certain club. Why is Tim Finchem afraid of Augusta National? Because of some members are CEOs of companies that sponsor tour events? —Phil Benedict, New York It's more like Finchem is afraid to take a stand, any stand, that may alienate anyone, Eggs. But, coincidentally, there are, I believe, at least two Augusta members who are members of the PGA Tour's policy board. The tour needs the Masters more than the Masters needs the tour ... or anyone else. Is Jack back? For him to remain competitive, he will have to become a bionic man. When I was growing up, Jack Nicklaus was the best and I looked forward to each time he teed it up. Now I close my eyes when I see him swing because he is not half the golfer he used to be. Jack, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer should be the first group off at Augusta each year and we should remember the game as it was when clubheads were made of wood. It's time for Jack to sit down and enjoy his impact on the game and let the new guys follow in his footsteps. —Ned, Houston, Texas Jack lost some weight on a special new diet and his back is feeling so good that he's hoping to find his game in time to play this year's Masters. I think he'll show up and play. We'll see how he does. He'll have to really improve to shoot a respectable score there, like, say, 75. I don't think any of the Big Three will agree to be honorary starters at Augusta in the near future. Two of the three still think they can play well enough to maybe make the cut. I think the Masters ought to create a little more goodwill and select two fans to hit a ceremonial first tee shot each year. Either that or have a motocross race on the grounds. I'm sure you had nothing to do with it, but how is it that there's a poll on the best-looking girlfriend/wife of a PGA Tour player? I'm in shock and wonder what it's doing on the golf page. Would love your take. —Courtney Froemming, Washington, D.C. FYI, Courtney's love: Sorry I misplaced your e-mail when it was new. In Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus section, PGA Tour players recently were polled for their answers on a variety of questions. One regarded best-looking spouse types. The Web site poll was to see whether you online surfers agreed with the tour players' choices. Don't tell me you don't subscribe to SI -- that's why we're here in the first place. Get with the program and support our fighting writers.

"I'd always kind of regretted that and was disappointed that I could possibly go my whole career and not play with either of those guys," Hayes said. "It could be the last opportunity for me -- or any of us this week -- to be part of that."

Palmer shot 87-85 in his final rounds at Bay Hill. "I was a little nervous the first couple holes," Hayes admitted. "I was a little more anxious than normal, which was neat. It was neat that a guy like that would make you feel that way. It was history and it was fun. He's a super guy, very nice. I felt bad for the way he played. I know he's capable of playing better than that but he's a little sore with some shoulder problems. I felt bad that he didn't play as well as he wanted to. He hit a lot of good shots. In his last nine, I think he shot 2-over par."

On the 18th tee, Palmer took time to reflect. "It didn't occur to me that this was his last hole until he stepped back," Hayes said. "Maybe I was reading too much into it, but my caddie and I wondered if maybe he wasn't thinking, This may be my last hole on the PGA Tour. I don't know if he thinks that way but it was neat for us to think about that. It was emotional for me to think that this could be it."

Palmer received ovations at every green, Hayes said, some of them standing O's. On the last green, Hayes made sure he putted out so Palmer would have the last shot in the group. "Actually, I didn't think about that until after I hit my lag putt," Hayes said. "I had a 3-footer, he had a 15-footer. I didn't know if the cut was going to be 2- or 3-over par, and I wanted to make sure I got that putt in so I'd make the cut, but I wanted him to have that last shot, that last moment, if he wanted it. I'd like to say he made that 15-footer, but he didn't. We shook hands and I told him it was a great honor to play with him and thanks for hosting a great tournament. It was very special to me."

Hayes also held out his hat and asked Palmer to sign it. "I don't have many autographs, but this one means a lot," Hayes said. "Maybe I'll save it for my son." Hayes and his wife, Laura, have a boy, Hank, who'll be 2 in September.

As for getting a game with Nicklaus, Hayes plans to play this year's Memorial Tournament, which Nicklaus hosts. I told Hayes he should drop a few hints to Jack. "I have," he said. "Several."

More on the legendary duo

Nicklaus and Palmer received a lot of attention the first two rounds at Bay Hill, and rightfully so. A few more words about them:

Niclas Fasth: "I spoke to Mr. Palmer the other day. He said he was happy to have me here and I said I was certainly happy to come here and play. Jack and Arnold, those guys are big, big names in this sport. Whether they're playing or not, they'll never be gone."

Paul Goydos, 1996 Bay Hill champion: "Arnie, he's one of those people that when he looks at a crowd of 5,000 people, all 5,000 think he's looking at them. I don't know what that is -- inherited charisma -- but that's a tremendous ability to touch that many people. Arnold doesn't discern between tour players and 20-handicappers. To him, a golfer is a golfer. He shows up at most exclusive clubs and fits in, or he shows up at a muni course the next day and fits in. I come here out of respect for what he's done. The same with Jack at the Memorial Tournament. If you're lucky enough to be invited, you'd play out of respect, even if the golf course was full of sharks and alligators. Having these guys go out is not the happiest day of the year, but I didn't have a real sense of it this week. My game is so bad, it took 130 percent of my concentration to make the cut right on the number."

Mike Hulbert: "Don't put it past Jack and Arnold that this is their last one. We may have to remember this week, though we might not see them playing in a regular event. You saw all the people out here watching. Just walking through the bleachers yesterday, Arnold got a standing ovation. That only happens one other place, and that's at Augusta. So that was neat.The most amazing thing I've seen Arnie do is when I was paired with him at the PGA at Bellerive in '92 with Ernie Els. Arnold shot a big score the first day, then shot 40something on the first nine the second day. He looked me right in the eyes and said, 'I am not gonna shoot over par this nine.' He had those steely eyes. I think I just said, 'Yes, sir.' Darned if he didn't have a very good back nine. I mean, that's the kind of player he is. I'll never forget that as long as I live. Here's a guy who probably could've stopped after 18 holes, he's 20-over par and he's screaming at me, telling me he's not going to shoot over par on the next nine, determined. I remember he made a birdie early. He'd make a putt and glare at me, give me that little look. It actually helped me along and helped me make the cut. The first thing he said to me when we finished was, 'Is [your score] gonna make the cut?' I just did, on the nose. He's always going to be my hero.

"If Arnie can get from that grill room down to the range and hit a couple of balls, he's playing. There's never been an icon like Arnold. There's no way. You here certain guys shutting it down as they get older. He ain't shutting it down. You'd have to drag him off this compound before he'd shut it down."

Sports Illustrated senior writer Gary Van Sickle writes for the magazine's Golf Plus section and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Click here to send him a question or comment.

 

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