It's official: The King to kick off 71st Masters

What many had hoped since he said last month that he was considering the honor, Arnold Palmer will strike the first shot of the 2007 Masters on Thursday morning, assuming the role of honorary starter.

By T.J. Auclair, PGATOUR.com Interactive Producer

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The King is back in the building -- or in this instance, the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Club.

After an amazing string of playing in 50 consecutive Masters, Arnold Palmer played his last competitive round at Augusta in 2004. It was an emotional farewell for the man who played a monumental role in making the year's first major what it is today.

But with new Augusta National chairman Billy Payne by his side on Tuesday, the 77-year-old Palmer announced what many had hoped -- he will be a part of the 2007 Masters as an honorary starter and will hit the tournament's opening shot.

"I'm happy to be here ... I just wish it were in a different role," said the ever-competitive Palmer. "Not that I mind what I'm doing, because I wouldn't do it if I didn't like thoughts of it. But I'd much rather be playing and doing that.

"It's a pleasure for me to be here. I'm flattered that the Masters, Augusta, Billy [Payne], the entire Membership want me to do that and I look forward to doing it Thursday morning."

There was a light-hearted exchange when Palmer was asked if his role as honorary starter would be recurring, or a one-time thing.

"I don't know," he said, turning his attention to Payne. "I'll refer that to the Chairman."

Without missing a beat and almost before Palmer could finish his sentence, Payne laughed and offered a resounding, "Yes," it could be a recurring theme if Palmer wished.

Palmer, who is also an Augusta National member, revealed that he was thinking about being an honorary starter in March at his Arnold Invitational presented by MasterCard, but was undecided.

What finally made him decide to do it?

"I think the time has come," he said. "My competitive golf is done. I have no intentions of playing competitively, let's say, on the TOUR. Maybe I might play some friendly competitions, but as far as competition like the Masters or playing the TOUR in any way, shape or form, is not a reality anymore. I will appear from time to time in events that are unrelated to the championship form that I once played."

When Palmer strikes the first drive from the first tee, just beside the beautiful, white, southern-style Augusta National clubhouse on Thursday morning, he will become just the seventh honorary starter in the tournament's rich history -- but the most accomplished amongst his predecessors with four green jackets to his credit.

Jock Hutchison (1963-73), Fred McLeod (1963-76), Byron Nelson (1981-2001, non consecutive), Gene Sarazen (1981-1999), Ken Venturi (1983) and Sam Snead (1984-2002) all came before Palmer.

Of that distinguished group Nelson (1937, '42), Sarazen (1935) and Snead (1949, '52 and '54) are the only others to have won at Augusta.

The Masters has not had an honorary starter since Snead fulfilled the duty in 2002. Prior to that, Snead, Nelson and Sarazen shared the honors as recently as 1999.

Interestingly, when Palmer played his first competitive round at the Masters way back in 1955, he was paired with Sarazen.

"I was fresh out of the amateur ranks," Palmer recalled. "That was before the Masters revoked the amateur status for the winning of the Amateur. If you win the Amateur now and turn pro, you lose your exemption to the Masters. But in those days, that had not happened. So I turned pro and still got my invitation to the Masters. That was one of the great thrills of my life to play with Gene Sarazen the first day, and those of you that had never seen him play, he was a very quick player. Well, that just pleased the hell out of me. I like to go fast.

"Gene, he was putting; when I would hit a putt, if it didn't go in the hole, he just waited until I got my ball out of the way so he could putt. And if mine went in, he was putting while mine was still in the hole. And he was a gentleman to play with. I thought, 'Boy, you know, if this is the way it is, it's great.'"

So will Palmer one day try to coax Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player into joining him on the first tee to kick-off the Masters?

"Hey, they don't call me when they want to do something. I'm not going to call them," Palmer joked. "They are my friends, and I'll leave it right there."