The gods of golf didn't give "the King" everything.
Arnold Palmer played his 121st and final PGA Championship round on Friday and for the 37th time failed in an attempt to win the only major that escaped him in his amazing career.Only Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and Gary Player won all four majors.
Palmer finished second at the PGA Championship on three occasions. Once he was the 1970 runner-up to Dave Stockton in Tulsa.
Palmer had no chance this week on rugged Southern Hills Country Club and he knew it. It was a ceremonial goodbye after he shot a 9-over-par 79 on the first round. He knocked in a 20-foot par putt on the 18th green for a 4-over-par 74 and failed to make the cut for the 12th time at the PGA.
"The PGA was the one championship I wanted to win and I probably wanted to win it too much," Palmer said. "It was a very moving thing the way the crowd was behind me today. It was very important for me to make the last putt. It was the only putt I made all day. I'm glad it came when it did."
He was dressed like a golfing white knight. He had on a white shirt, white shoes, white sun visor and white gloves.
He huffed and puffed up the hills, hitching his pants and swinging the driver like he was trying to axe a tree.
His faithful loved it.
"Go Arnie!"
"Hang in there!"
The crowd encouraged him to the last. He responded with a doffed visor that revealed his thinning white hair. He waved and made strong eye contact.
"How wonderful they were," Palmer said. "It's nice to know people care that much about you."
It took fortitude to march with the general one final time. Hundreds braved the baking heat to trod after the sweat-soaked, 64-year-old Palmer.
It was not the old rowdy Arnie army. It was more reverent. It was more of a general's final review of the troops.
Palmer broke down in tears after his final round in the U.S. Open at Oakmont.
On Friday, it was more of a sentimental goodbye.
"I was very emotional but I held it inside this time," Palmer said. "I would like to play again but I don't want to because my game is not threatening. I have a lifetime exemption but I don't want to abuse that privilege."
As Palmer walked away from the 18th green, a fan shouted at him "Thank you, thank you very much."
Palmer, winner of three Masters, two British Opens and a U.S. Open, gave him a wink and a nod.
Palmer will still play every year at The Masters "until I can't walk" and is giving "strong consideration" to playing in one final British Open at St. Andrews next year.
"I started at St. Andrews and would like to finish there," he said. "But no more U.S. Opens or PGAs for me," Palmer said. "It's time to leave them to the young guys."