Tributes poured in from around the word following the passing of Arnold Palmer, with the game’s governing bodies among those to pay their respects.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of The European Tour,said: “It is with great sadness that The European Tour and Ryder Cup Europe learned of the passing of Arnold Palmer.
“Without question Arnold’s participation in The Open Championship in the early 1960s was the catalyst to truly internationalise golf and the fact he was loved and recognised by everyone across the globe, whether they be fans of golf or not, is testament to his charismatic legacy that will live on.
“It was a proud day for everyone at The European Tour when we made Arnold an Honorary Member in 1995 and in this week of the playing of the 41st Ryder Cup in particular, we remember fondly his time as a six time Ryder Cup player and two time captain. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time.”
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: "It is with great sadness that we have awoken to hear the news of Arnold Palmer's passing. He was a true gentleman, one of the greatest ever to play the game and a truly iconic figure in sport.
"His contribution to The Open Championship was, and remains, immeasurable. He will be missed and forever remembered by all at The R&A and throughout the world of golf as a charismatic and global champion of our game."
Derek Sprague, President, PGA of America,commented: “We were blessed that Arnold Palmer chose golf as a profession. Born the son of a PGA Professional, Arnold inherited his father’s boundless passion for growing the game and reaching out to others. The countless lives that he touched, both within our industry and outside the gallery ropes, elevated golf to unprecedented heights. Our game and our country lost a legend today, but Arnold Palmer will forever be in our hearts.”
Augusta National chairman Billy Paynesaid on Sunday: "His presence at Augusta National will be sorely missed, but his impact on the Masters remains immeasurable - and it will never wane.
"Our thoughts are with Arnold's beloved wife Kit and his entire family. We look forward to the 2017 Masters Tournament, when we will do our very best to appropriately pay our respects to Arnold Palmer - a Masters legend, our game's finest ambassador, and a hero to generations of people throughout the world."
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said: “We have lost a great friend and giant in our sport tonight with the passing of Arnold Palmer. There is no way to adequately express the immense sense of loss that we all feel with this news.
"He obviously meant so much not only to the PGA TOUR, but to the entirety of golf by lifting it to newfound visibility and popularity. It is not an exaggeration to say there would be no modern day PGA TOUR without Arnold Palmer. There would be no PGA TOUR Champions without Arnold Palmer. There would be no Golf Channel without Arnold Palmer. No one has had a greater impact on those who play our great sport or who are touched by it. It has been said many times over in so many ways, but beyond his immense talent, Arnold transcended our sport with an extraordinarily appealing personality and genuineness that connected with millions, truly making him a champion of the people. The fact that his popularity never waned more than a quarter century after his last competitive victory speaks volumes to the man, the icon and the legendary figure he was.
"More than his words, Arnold’s actions spoke to his unequivocal love of golf and belief that no individual can be or should be bigger than the game. Arnold totally gave of himself to support golf and its growth. He has served as a role model for generations of PGA TOUR members in ways large and small. The game, and all of us involved with it, are so much richer for having had the fortune to have Arnold willingly serve as its global champion and ambassador.
"Beyond being an invaluable friend of the TOUR who generously gave of his time, opinion and support, Arnold was a wonderful personal friend and was someone who was always there for me with advice, support and guidance. We will all miss him so.”
USGA President Diana Murphy: "With heavy hearts, we mourn the loss of Arnold and recognize his life and legacy, remembering his great championship moments and his incredible humility. We are grateful for his contributions to the USGA as a champion for the game, our member program and our museum, which is named after him. He always had a twinkle in his eye, and a smile of encouragement for all of us. His history is our history, and his impact on the game transcends generations.”
USGA Executive Director/CEO Mike Davis: “Arnold never wavered in his love for the game, from his time as an amateur until my last visit with him a few weeks ago. His legacy reaches far beyond his playing career, as a lifelong ambassador for our sport. It is hard to think of anyone who had done more for golf. The game is better because of him, and in many ways will never be the same.”
