Editing Arnold Palmer (section)

==Legacy==
{{quote box|align=right|width=25em|quote=As a measure of his popularity, Palmer, like [[Elvis Presley]] before him, was known simply as "The King." But in a life bursting from the seams with success, Palmer never lost his common touch. He was a man of the people, willing to sign every autograph, shake every hand, and tried to look every person in his gallery in the eye.|source=''Golf Week''<ref name=golfweek/>}}
According to Adam Schupak of ''Golf Week'', "No one did more to popularize the sport than Palmer". "His dashing presence singlehandedly took golf out of the country clubs and into the mainstream. Quite simply, he made golf cool."<ref name=golfweek/> [[Jack Nicklaus]] said: 
{{blockquote|Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend. Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport. He took the game from one level to a higher level, virtually by himself.<ref name=syracuse>{{cite web |url=https://www.syracuse.com/sports/2016/09/rip_arnold_palmer_obama_nicklaus_woods_and_others_pay_tribute_to_the_king.html |title=RIP, Arnold Palmer: Obama, Nicklaus, Woods and others pay tribute to 'The King' |agency=[[Associated Press]] |website=syracuse.com |date=September 26, 2016}}</ref>|author=|title=|source=}}

He is mentioned by James Bond's [[caddie]] in ''[[Goldfinger (film)|Goldfinger]]'': "If that's [Goldfinger's] original ball, I'm Arnold Palmer."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/golf/os-arnold-palmer-things-to-know-1002-20161029-story.html |title=Arnold Palmer:100 things to know about The King |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=October 29, 2016 |access-date=April 29, 2020 }}</ref>

In 2000, Palmer was ranked the sixth greatest player of all time in ''[[Golf Digest]]'' magazine's rankings, and by 2008 had earned an estimated $30&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_7_51/ai_63015233 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040916084849/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_7_51/ai_63015233 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-09-16 |title=50 Greatest Golfers of All Time: And What They Taught Us |access-date=December 5, 2007 |last=Yocom |first=Guy |date=July 2000 |magazine=[[Golf Digest]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2009-09/arnoldpalmer_callahan |title=Palmer in his Prime |access-date=July 4, 2010 |last=Callahan |first=Tom |date=September 2009 |magazine=[[Golf Digest]]}}</ref>

Palmer was inducted into [[Omicron Delta Kappa]] - The National Leadership Honor Society in 1964 at [[Wake Forest University]]. He was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in 2004 and the [[Congressional Gold Medal]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/09273/1001805-136.stm |title=Arnold Palmer joining exclusive gold club |first=Gerry |last=Dulac |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=September 30, 2009 |access-date=April 18, 2012 |archive-date=July 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713050207/http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/09273/1001805-136.stm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Arnold Palmer receives Congressional Gold Medal |url=http://www.pgatour.com/news/2012/09/12/palmer-congressional-medal.html |publisher=PGA Tour |date=September 12, 2012 |access-date=January 17, 2014}}</ref> He was the first golfer to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the second golfer, after [[Byron Nelson]], to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/golfer-arnold-palmer-honored-with-congressional-gold-medal/ |title=Golfer Arnold Palmer Honored With Congressional Gold Medal |work=ABC News |first=John |last=Parkinson |date=September 12, 2012 |access-date=21 October 2024 }}</ref>

In addition to Palmer's impressive list of awards, he was bestowed the honor of kicking off the [[Masters Tournament]] beginning in [[2007 Masters Tournament|2007]]. From 2007 to [[2009 Masters Tournament|2009]], Palmer was the sole honorary starter. In [[2010 Masters Tournament|2010]], longtime friend and competitor [[Jack Nicklaus]] was appointed by Augusta National to join Palmer.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/masters/2009-08-31-nicklaus-starter_N.htm |date=August 31, 2009 |title=Nicklaus to join Palmer as honorary starter at Masters |access-date=May 11, 2012 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In [[2012 Masters Tournament|2012]], golf's The Big Three reunited as South African golfer [[Gary Player]] joined for the ceremonial tee shots as honorary starters for the 76th playing of the Masters Tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.masters.com/en_US/news/articles/2011-07-05/201107051309873298589.html |title=Player to Join Palmer, Nicklaus as Honorary Starter at 2012 Masters |publisher=Masters.com |first=Thomas |last=Bonk |date=July 5, 2011 |access-date=May 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711044217/http://www.masters.com/en_US/news/articles/2011-07-05/201107051309873298589.html |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In describing the effect that Palmer had on the sport, biographer [[James Dodson (author)|James Dodson]] stated:
{{blockquote|We loved him with a mythic American joy{{nbsp}}... He represented everything that is great about golf. The friendship, the fellowship, the laughter, the impossibility of golf, the sudden rapture moment that brings you back, a moment that you never forget, that's Arnold Palmer in spades. He's the defining figure in golf.<ref name=golfweek/>|author=|title=|source=}}