What The Other Pros Are Saying

While Palmer was resting last week, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED asked some of his fellow professionals what changes they saw in his game and whether they thought he could come back strong. Here are their comments:

DOUG FORD: It is Palmer's putting that is off. He is used to putting so phenomenally that a little bad putting comes as a mental jar to him. It seems to have affected him psychologically. Then, too, the competition in the past two years is up 100%. There are more players able to stick with him. But he has too solid a game to be off as badly as people are thinking. It is just that he is in a mental slump and can't concentrate.

MIKE SOUCHAK: I'd have to believe that Arnie's whole game has suffered some. His putting is not as good as it used to be. Other things, too. But everybody who ever played has gone through what he's going through. He'll snap out of it. Will he beat Nicklaus? I couldn't say. I don't know when anybody will be able to beat Nicklaus.

TOMMY BOLT: I think he has lost a lot of his confidence.

BOB ROSBURG: His putting has been affected most. But he has lost some of his distance, too. He doesn't seem to be catching the ball solid any more. Will he win again? You bet he will.

BYRON NELSON: Nobody can stay hitched up and going all the time. The body and mind won't stand it. When you are playing tournament golf you can feel that tension point coming, but you can't help it. The golf bug has been on Palmer's back no matter where he goes. So the tension keeps building up, and the confidence drains away. The only answer is what Arnold is doing—complete rest.

TONY LEMA: I don't think he is in a slump. He played some wonderful golf at Las Vegas. When Palmer's timing is perfect there is no one who can hit the ball as well as he can, but that is something no golfer can hold more than a short time. A lot of people have said that he is tired, and I guess he has begun to believe it himself.

DOUG SANDERS: He doesn't seem to be able to concentrate as well as he did in the past. I think he is involved in so many outside interests that they are taking his mind away from the game. And everyone has to relax. Each year you are a year older, and you have to relax a bit more.

JACK NICKLAUS: We both have our outside interests, but neither of us really has to let them bother us. There is nothing wrong with Arnold's golf. Pretty soon he will be back and playing well. He may win a tournament right off. On the other hand, he may come close a lot and not win. That happens. He won seven tournaments all last year, didn't he? And he has won only three so far this year? Gee, that's a terrible slump, isn't it?