It has been a little more than five years since Arnold Palmer died, at the age of 87, and some three decades since his last professional victory (in the 1988 Crestar Classic on the PGA Tour Champions). But his legacy endures.
This week’s staging of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at his Bay Hill resort in Orlando, Florida, is an example of that, especially considering the quality of competitors in this reduced-field event, which was first played in 1979. In addition to being an important stop on the PGA Tour’s Florida swing, and a key tune-up for both the Players Championship and the Masters, it celebrates one of the greatest and most beloved golfers of all time.
The tournament is also a good occasion to reflect on the lasting strength of the Palmer brand, and Arnold Palmer Enterprises.
Rolex continues to feature Palmer in its advertising, and his association with the luxury watchmaker goes back to 1967. For the past 20 years, his image as well as his signature has also graced the cans of the wildly popular Half & Half...