Arnold Palmer offers thoughts on Tiger Woods' struggles
When The King speaks, golf listens.
Arnold Palmer held court on Wednesday ahead of the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational, his annual PGA Tour stop at Bay Hill in Orlando. The 85-year-old was asked about -- and answered with candor -- a slew of topics, but the conversation naturally turned to Tiger Woods, who is missing Palmer's event for the second consecutive year despite having won it previously eight times.
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Woods announced the Friday before the tournament that he wasn't playing and had called Palmer to let him know. Somehow, that quick call turned into a rumor that it was an hour-long meeting of the minds. Palmer put that rumor to rest.
"Whoever told you it was an hour is full of s---," Palmer said, drawing laughter.
The conversation sounded like a rehashing of what Woods has shared publicly and his M.O. since announcing Feb. 11 that he won't play on the PGA Tour again until his game is "tournament ready."
"He just, first of all, he said, 'Arnold, you know, I can't think of anything that I'd rather do than be there to play,' and then he explained that he didn't feel like his game was ready," Palmer said, describing their conversation. "He really wanted to work on it and get it ready to play, and I don't blame him. I think if I were in his position I would probably have said somewhat similar things.
Palmer added, "I told him how much we would miss him and how sorry we were that he wasn't coming because his record at this golf course is the best record in golf on any single situation such as his."
Of course, Palmer was asked what advice he'd offer to the 14-time major winner. Similar to the more recent theories about Woods' woes, Palmer believes Woods' return to form is predicated on regaining a mental edge that some would argue has been gone for years.
"There's only one thing I can say, and that's practice. And confidence," Palmer said. "Regain the confidence he had when he was starting out, and that was what made him what he is and that's the way he'll get it back. Just regain the confidence and the ability to hit the golf ball."
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
