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Arnold Palmer Statement On Bob Hope "It was sad to get the news of Bob Hope's passing, but I think that, if he were here, he would want us to laugh and enjoy what he has given the world over the years. He was a man who spent his life trying to make people happy. Bob never stopped entertaining. In fact, I think Bob lived so long because he was a happy man and enjoyed making other people happy. "Bob brought golf to the public's attention. You rarely saw him on the screen or in person without a golf club in his hands. People understood how much he loved the game. "The PGA Tour, the world of tournament golf and the game itself owe a good bit of their success and growth to Bob Hope, his great public image and his relationship with the rest of the entertainment world. "Bob was a pretty good golfer. He had what I would call a casual swing and it worked very well for him. He probably could have shot in the high 70s in the early days if his short game had been a little better. I remember one year at the Phoenix Open, I was playing with Bob in the pro-am. It wasn't a very nice day. In fact, it was even spitting a little snow. I thought Bob might want to pack it in, but he insisted on continuing. He shot 35 on the back nine - the best I ever saw him shoot - and we won the pro-am. I played off and one with him for more than 40 years. "He was a very giving man. He did so much for so many people. Who will ever forget his many Christmas trips to entertain our armed forces overseas. "I last saw him about a year and half ago. Had dinner with him and Dolores. She is one of the great people of the world. Bob was very fortunate to have had a wonderful lady like her around him. She spent her life helping him with everything he did." |