Graeme McDowell still seeks his first victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, though he does have a pair of runner-up finishes, including last year. But he already received a trophy of sorts from the tournament host that is going to find a place of honor in his home here at Lake Nona.
On Wednesday afternoon, Palmer was visiting with players on the practice range and invited McDowell to try out one of his 1-irons. After taking a few swipes, the Ulsterman motioned to hand it back, only to be stunned by Palmer's generosity. "No you keep it," Palmer said. "It's yours now."
McDowell, who opened with an even-par 72 Thursday, said he was going to find a special place for the club, which has Palmer's signature engraved on the sole. "It's interesting. I'm going to certainly keep that in my archives," McDowell said. "You know, Arnold is such a fun guy to hang out with. He's such a cool character."