HOST, ARNOLD PALMER. THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL, ORLANDO’S SIGNATURE EVENT EACH YEAR, THE SPORT’S BIGGEST STARS RETURN TO ORLANDO TO PLAY THE TOURNAMENT, CREATED WITH A SPECIAL PURPOSE. MR. PALMER’S NAME CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS COMMUNITY. OKAY, THIS IS WHY I’M DOING WHAT I’M DOING. LIKE I MEANT TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE KIDS THAT WERE JUST LIKE ME, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THEY’RE GOING THROUGH. ROOTED IN TRADITION, THE TOURNAMENT ALSO GIVES LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES A BIG OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THEIR SKILLS FROM THE KITCHEN TO THE GOLF COURSE. I THINK SPORTS AND FOOD ALWAYS BRING FRIENDS, FAMILY TOGETHER, AND FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS, IT’S A TRADITION OF KINDNESS AND COMPASSION THAT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD, HE JUST WAS SUCH A OPEN, WELCOMING PERSON. HE WAS GOOD TO EVERYBODY. HE HE MEANT SO MUCH TO THE COMMUNITY. WESH TWO SPORTS PRESENTS THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL. WELCOME TO THE KING’S TOURNAMENTS. WE ARE LIVE FROM ARNOLD PALMER’S BAY HILL CLUB AND LODGE CHRISTIAN. THE FIRST ROUND IS IN THE BOOKS, BUT WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT, SO MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST THE GOLF WE SEE ON THE COURSE, I MEAN, OF COURSE IT IS THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL, BUT JUST LIKE THE KING, WE’RE GOING BEYOND THE GOLF COURSE. WE’RE GOING TO EXPLORE THE IMPACT THIS TOURNAMENT HAS ON CENTRAL FLORIDA AND BEYOND, AND HOW MR. PALMER IS STILL LEAVING A LEGACY, EVEN YEARS AFTER HIS PASSING. YEAH, TODAY, THE FIRST DAY OF THE TOURNAMENT AND THIS PLACE WAS ABSOLUTELY BUZZING AS YOU WOULD EXPECT ON A THURSDAY HERE AT BAY HILL, IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET BIGGER. NINE OF THE TOP TEN GOLFERS IN THE WORLD ARE HERE COMPETING FOR A RED CARDIGAN. WE HAVE A BUSY WEEKEND AHEAD. I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FIELD THERE. WE ARE EXPECTING AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE FEW DAYS OF GOLF. TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE NAMES OF THE GUYS GOLFING THIS WEEK. WE’VE GOT FORMER MAJOR CHAMPIONS, FORMER WINNERS HERE AT BAY HILL. SO MUCH TALENT TAKING TO THE KING’S COURSE. AMY DAREN. IT IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. AND SO IS THE PRIZE PURSE. $20 MILLION ON THE LINE AND THE WINNER GETS 4 MILLION OF THAT. THE BIGGEST EVER HERE. BUT THEY ARE PLAYING IN THE KING’S TOURNAMENT AND THAT IS WHAT CARRIES THE MOST WEIGHT. IT’S A BEAST OF A GOLF COURSE FOR ONE. AND YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS JOKE ABOUT HOW THE WEEK GETS HARDER AND HARDER AND, UH, WE ALWAYS KIND OF BY SUNDAY, EVERYONE’S ALWAYS KIND OF JOKING ABOUT HOW ARNIE SMILING FROM HEAVEN, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THE CARNAGE. SO, UM, BUT YEAH, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I NEVER GOT TO MEET HIM, THE GUYS MEANT A LOT TO MY, UH, TO ME PERSONALLY, SEEING ALL THE FANS, UH, SEEING THE ICONIC UMBRELLA, UM, PRETTY WILD TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HIS LAST WIN COMING IN, SOMEONE JUST TOLD ME, ACTUALLY, IN 73, I BELIEVE. AND 51 YEARS REMOVED FROM THAT. AND IT’S STILL FEELS LIKE HE’S SORT OF, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST HERE WITH US, BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SUPPORTS HIM AND TALKS ABOUT HIM AND HE’S DEFINITELY THE TALK OF THE TOWN. HE IS THE TALK OF THE TOWN. HE’S THE TALK OF EVERYWHERE. MR. PALMER’S LEGACY SO MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST GOLF, JUST THIS TOURNAMENT. JUST AN AWESOME TASTING DRINK. IT IS HARD TO OVERSTATE THE IMPACT OF THIS TOURNAMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE HE’S DONE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. I MEAN, YOU SAID IT FROM PHILANTHROPY TO PUBLICITY THIS WEEK AT BAY HILL. IT GOES WELL BEYOND THE GREAT GOLF ON THE COURSE. IT’S ABSOLUTELY HUGE FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE OUTSIDE OF THE FOUR MAJORS, THE PGA HAS DELEGATED EIGHT TOURNAMENTS AS SIGNATURE EVENTS. THAT INCLUDES THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL HERE AT BAY HILL, A SIGNATURE EVENT MEANS A HIGHER PURSE. THE TOP PRIZE WILL BE 20% OF THE PURSE, WHICH IS UP FROM 18% A YEAR AGO. THAT MEANS THE WINNER OF THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL WILL TAKE HOME A COOL $4 MILLION. THE SIGNATURE EVENT ALSO MEANS A SMALLER FIELD. ONLY 69 PLAYERS HERE AT BAY HILL. IT IS THE BEST OF THE BEST AND THE PLAYERS LIKE HOW COMPETITIVE THESE SIGNATURE EVENTS ARE. WE GET TO THURSDAY. IT’S JUST SO ULTRA COMPETITIVE AND I LOVE THAT FEELING OF IT. BUT UM, YEAH, HAVING 50 LESS GUYS, I MEAN, THERE’S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. THAT’S UH, THAT’S A DIFFERENT FEEL FOR SURE. UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN THESE EVENTS THAT I’VE PLAYED FOR THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS, YOU KNOW, YOU USED TO HAVING, UM, A PRETTY LARGE AMOUNT OF PLAYERS AND, YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S KIND OF FUN WHEN YOU WALK UP AND EVERYBODY YOU SEE IS PRETTY MUCH A TOP PLAYER. THERE ARE FOUR FORMER API WINNERS THAT ARE BACK IN THE FIELD THIS YEAR. LOOKING FOR ANOTHER RED CARDIGAN. THERE ARE ALSO AN IMPRESSIVE 15 FORMER MAJOR CHAMPIONS THAT WILL BE COMPETING HERE AT BAY HILL, INCLUDING FOUR MULTI MAJOR WINNERS. SO I THINK THINGS GOT WRITTEN AFTER I WAS ABLE TO DO THE THAT WAS ZACH MASKAVICH. MR. PALMER SAID. ON MANY OCCASIONS, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IN HIS LIFE WAS WHEN A PARENT OR CHILD WOULD COME UP TO HIM AND SAY THANK YOU FOR CARE THEY RECEIVED AT THE HOSPITAL THAT BEARS HIS NAME. FOR ONE FAMILY. THANK YOU. WASN’T ENOUGH. AND JUST LIKE THE KING’S LEGACY, THERE, ATTACHMENT TO THE ARNOLD PALMER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL WILL LIVE ON NOW AND CONTINUE FOR YEARS TO COME. FOR A MOM AND DAD, THE REASON FOR COMING TO THE ARNOLD PALMER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, IT CAN BE TERRIFYING. THERE’S A LOT OF JUST SHOCK. WE’RE YOUNG. WE HAVE THIS CHILD. SHE’S SICK. WE THINK THAT IT’S MAYBE JUST A VIRUS AND ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER JUST HAPPENED. SO QUICKLY, MOVED SO FAST. I ALWAYS LOVED IT HERE. I ACTUALLY ENJOYED COMING INTO THE HOSPITAL. I GOT TO SEE ALL MY NURSES AND MY DOCTORS. THEY REALLY BECAME LIKE A SECOND FAMILY FOR ME. WHITNEY GOLDSTEIN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A RARE FORM OF CANCER WHEN SHE WAS JUST EIGHT YEARS OLD. T-CELL LYMPHOMA FROM IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS. AFTER A LIVER TRANSPLANT SHE HAD AS A TODDLER COMING HERE SIMPLY BECAME PART OF HER LIFE. I ALWAYS ENJOYED IT AND REALLY BECAME INSPIRED BY THE CARE THAT I RECEIVED FROM MY DOCTORS AND NURSES, AND I HAD ALWAYS KNOWN THAT I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN HEALTH CARE. BUT I SOON CAME TO REALIZE THAT I NEEDED TO BE A NURSE. NEARLY 20 YEARS LATER, SHE IS IN THE SAME HOSPITAL WHERE SHE SPENT SO MANY HOURS AS A CHILD. IT’S USUALLY NOT SOMETHING I SHARE RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BUT IF I DO THINK THAT IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH THE CARE THAT THEY’RE GETTING, I WILL SHARE IT AND HAVE SOME SPECIAL MOMENTS WITH PATIENTS. A LITTLE BIT AGO, I HAD A LITTLE GIRL TELL ME THAT SHE LOVED HOW MY HAIR GREW BACK IN AND SHE HOPED THAT HERS GREW BACK IN JUST AS PRETTY AS MINE ONE DAY. AND SO EVEN JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE, IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WHITNEY KNOWS FROM EXPERIENCE. IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS ARE BIG THINGS FOR HER PATIENTS, WHETHER IT’S HOW A BANDAGE IS REMOVED OR SOMEHOW FINDING KETCHUP PACKETS AT 3 A.M. FOR A CHILD. FINALLY INTERESTED IN EATING SOMETHING AGAIN. JUST HOW MY NURSES TOOK CARE OF ME. AND I REMEMBER FOR JUST HOW MUCH I LOVED THEM AND HOW MUCH I LOOKED TO THEM THROUGHOUT TREATMENT. AND I WAS LIKE, I WANT TO BE THAT PERSON FOR SOMEBODY. I NEVER GET TIRED OF SEEING HER HERE, SEEING HER IN HER SCRUBS, HEARING THE STORIES THAT SHE SHARES WHEN SHE COMES HOME. UM, YOU JUST ARE SO PROUD OF ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE OVER. COME AND. AND SHE’S SO GOOD AT WHAT SHE DOES. SHE’S DEFINITELY IN THE RIGHT PLACE. WHITNEY IS THE ONLY FAMILY MEMBER ON THE PAYROLL, BUT MOM AND DAD VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, TOO. THEY SERVE IN FUNDRAISING ARMS, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER FAMILIES CAN GET THE SAME CARE THEY RECEIVED. FOR ME, IT’S HOPE. IT’S JUST HOPE AND FAITH FOR FOR BETTER OUTCOMES. WE CAN DO BETTER HERE. AND HE HE HE MADE THAT HAPPEN. HE DIDN’T JUST SAY IT. HE MADE IT HAPPEN. HE BEING THE HOSPITAL’S NAMESAKE, MR. PALMER, MR. PALMER’S NAME CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO CREATE MORE AWARENESS FOR WHAT IS NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THROUGH PHILANTHROPY. IT’S IMPORTANT HE HELPED CHANGE CENTRAL FLORIDA, BUT THE PEOPLE STILL WORKING INSIDE THE BUILDING BEARING HIS NAME, THEY’RE WHAT KEEP HIS LEGACY GOING HERE. THERE HAS TO BE AN AMOUNT OF PRIDE, BUT ALSO SO JUST WANTING ANYTHING THAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WALLS TO BE AT THE LEVEL THAT HE IS. TALKING WITH WHITNEY AND HER PARENTS, I GOT GOOSEBUMPS. THEIR STORY IS INCREDIBLE. THE LEVEL OF CARE AT BOTH HOSPITALS NAMED AFTER THE PALMER’S PRETTY OUTSTANDING TOO. I MEAN, THAT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL STORY, BY THE WAY, BUT JUST A BEAUTIFUL PART OF THEIR LEGACY AS WELL. AND DARREN, YOU SPENT SOME TIME THERE TOO, THANKFULLY, AT THE HOSPITAL ACROSS THE STREET, THE WINNING PALMER HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN AND BABIES, THREE TIMES NOW. ALL RIGHT. THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND THE HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND BABIES. JUST PART OF THE PALMER FAMILY LEGACY AND PART OF WHAT MAKES THAT SO REMARKABLE IS HOW HE WAS ABLE TO USE THE GAME HE LOVED SO MUCH TO SUPPORT CENTRAL FLORIDA’S CHILDREN. I CAUGHT UP WITH HIS DAUGHTER, AMY SAUNDERS, EARLIER THIS WEEK. THE PALMER FAMILY CERTAINLY COMMITTED TO KEEPING THAT LEGACY ALIVE AND FOR ME, IT WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT IS REALLY THAT’S THE LEGACY OF MY PARENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, MY FATHER’S ROLE IN IMPACT ON THE GAME OF GOLF AND AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE CHARITIES THAT THAT SUPPORTS WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO HIM THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. UM, AND MY MOTHER AS WELL. SO THAT’S THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT I HAVE MOVING FORWARD. AND IT’S WHAT I HOPE CONTINUES TO BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT DIFFERENTIATES GOLF, UM, IN HOW IT SUPPORTS THE, YOU KNOW, CHARITY AND AND THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THE EVENTS ARE HELD. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY STILL TO COME HERE AS WE DIVE INTO THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES AROUND, WE’RE TALKING THE FUN THAT’S OUT HERE AT BAY HILL. FUN. ANYTHING FUN IS FOOD. FOOD FOR ME. YEAH, FOODIES AND FAIRWAYS IS WHAT WE’RE TALKING. I HAD A LOT OF FUN ON THIS ONE. I GOT TO SAMPLE SOME OF THE FOOD THAT YOU’LL SEE THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL HIGHLIGHTING A COUPLE OF LOCAL BUSINESSES. WE’RE GOING TO CHECK IN WITH THEM AFTER THE BREAK AS WELL AS SOME CHANGES ON THIS TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE THIS YEAR. WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT THE 2024 VERSION OF THIS TOURNAMENT HERE AT BAY HILL? BUT AS WE HEAD TO BREAK, YOU’LL SEE THE KING’S SIGNATURE HERE. IT’S ICONIC NEARLY AS MUCH AS THE MULTICOLORED UMBRELLA THAT IS HIS LOGO. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT IF MR. PALMER WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING, HE WOULD DO IT RIGHT. THAT INCLUDED HIS LEGIBLE, NEAR PERFECT WAY OF SIGNING HIS NAME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. FOR PRETTY MUCH ANYONE WHO EVER ASKED FOR HIS AUTOGRAPH, WELL, I PUT SOMETHING ON A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SOMEBODY IS WISHFUL OF IF YOU CAN’T READ IT, YOU HAVE TO. YOU KNOW, I DON’T I DON’T KNOW WHY A GUY WOULD SIGN HIS AUTOGRAPH IF HE CAN’T. IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT, UH, TO ME, IS JUST A WASTE OFWELCOME BACK TO BAY HILL, CHRISTIAN. WE’VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON SOME OF THE MANY WAYS THIS TOURNAMENT TRANSCENDS GOLF, FROM COMMUNITY TO PHILANTHROPY TO SAY IT NOW. FOOD. YES. THERE WE GO. NOTHING BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER QUITE LIKE FOOD AND SPORTS, RIGHT? THERE’S SOMETHING SO UNIFYING ABOUT THE TWO. AND THIS YEAR, MASTERCARD PARTNERED WITH CAPITAL ONE BUSINESS TO GIVE TWO LOCAL BUSINESSES A PLACE RIGHT HERE ON THE COURSE. I GREW UP IN THE AREA SINCE I WAS 13 YEARS OLD, A MILE DOWN FROM BAY HILL. I USED TO RUN AROUND BAY HILL, YOU KNOW, SNEAKING THROUGH THE SAND DUNES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT’S A FULL CIRCLE TYPE OF MOMENT FOR ORLANDO BASED CHEF CHRIS HERNANDEZ, OR IN THIS CASE, PERHAPS A FULL SWING. PRETTY COOL THAT THE RESTAURANT WE CREATED IS GOING TO BE THERE. WHO KNOWS, YOU MIGHT SEE SOME WATERY EYES. HIS RESTAURANT, POPPY SMASHED BURGER, ONE OF TWO LOCAL BUSINESSES SELECTED TO SET UP SHOP RIGHT HERE ON THE 18TH HOLE AT THE ICONIC ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL. IT’S AWESOME. I MEAN, ARNOLD PALMER AS A PERSON IS JUST TREMENDOUS PERSON. JUST HAVE OUR NAME TIED WITH THAT EVENT AND TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUR PRODUCT IN FRONT OF THEM, WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR ALONGSIDE THEM? CHARLIE’S BAKERY AND CREAMERY TRICIA HAYES TOOK OVER BACK IN 2021, BUT AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL, THE ROOTS OF THIS PLACE GO BACK MUCH FURTHER. THE ORIGINAL OWNER WAS CHARLIE HAWKS AND HE RAN IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL HE PASSED AND HIS SON GARY TOOK IT OVER AND HE RAN IT FOR I THINK, THE NEXT 42 YEARS BEFORE HE DECIDED TO RETIRE. AND SHE MAY NOT BE AS SELF-DESCRIBED GOLF BUFF, BUT TO HER SPORTS, MUCH LIKE FOOD, ACCOMPLISHED THE SAME MISSION. THEY BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. I MEAN, IT’S COMFORTING. I MEAN, I THINK IN SPORTS YOU CHEER FOR YOUR OWN TEAM, BUT THERE’S THINGS THAT ARE NOSTALGIC. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK OF BASEBALL, YOU THINK OF HOT DOGS. EVERYTHING IS NOSTALGIC. SHE AND CHRIS ARE THE PERFECT EXAMPLES. A BAKERY AND A BURGER JOINT, TWO DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, SURE, BUT ESTABLISHED BECAUSE OF A COMMON DREAM. I GREW UP VERY POOR, UM, AND WE HAD LIKE FOUR CHANNELS. SO I WOULD WATCH EMERIL AND, UH, LIVE WITH MY PARENTS. AND I KIND OF, LIKE, FELL IN LOVE WITH COOKING THAT WAY. AND I STARTED THINKING, THAT REALLY STINKS. THAT LIKE, THE THINGS THAT SOME PEOPLE GET TO ENJOY, OTHERS GET DEPRIVED OF. YEAH. SO IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, I’M GOING TO START DOING CAKES AND MAYBE GIVING THEM TO PEOPLE THAT CAN’T AFFORD THEM. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT WAS ALWAYS MR. PALMER’S MISSION, RIGHT? BUILDING COMMUNITY, WORKING TOWARDS A GOAL. WHY NOT DO IT WITH SOME REALLY GREAT FOOD INVOLVED? AND YES, DON’T WORRY, I SAMPLED IT TOO FOR INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES. I’M GONNA GO. EAT. ONE. OH WELL. GO. POPPY SMASHED AND CHARLIE’S PROVING FOODIES AND FAIRWAYS JUST MIGHT BE THE PERFECT COMBINATION. YEAH. DAREN. IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHAT YOU PAID ME FOR THIS WEEK, THAT WAS IT. SAMPLING ALL THE GOOD FOOD. I MEAN, I DID GOOD WORK, RIGHT? WE’RE HERE. WE’RE RIGHT OFF THE 18TH FAIRWAY. WHERE IS THE FOOD? YOU KNOW, I SAVED IT ALL FOR MYSELF. I’M SORRY. I’M NOT. I’M NOT SORRY. BUT I WILL SAY THEY, UH, THE CREAMERY IS DOING A LITTLE SPECIAL. THEY HAVE AN ARNOLD PALMER SORBET. SO. FANTASTIC. SOUNDED LIKE YOU ENJOYED IT AS WELL. I DID ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. KRISTEN. AS FOR THE GOOD WORK THE GOLF COURSE IS DOING, IT IS NOT GOING UNRECOGNIZED. THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL HAS BEEN NAMED THE WINNER OF THE 2023 PGA TOUR CHARITY CHALLENGE. BECAUSE OF THAT, THE API’S BENEFICIARY GETS A GRAND PRIZE OF $100,000. THAT’S GOING TO SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, WHICH HELPS FEED THE HUNGRY RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. ALL RIGHT. THE SECOND WELL, NOT SECOND THING. WE’RE TALKING ORLANDO SIGNATURE EVENT TAKES THE WORK OF HUNDREDS TO PUT THIS ON EVERY YEAR IN THE SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. A BENEFICIARY OF THAT ZACH YOU FOUND OUT, THOUGH, HOW MANY PEOPLE IT ACTUALLY TAKES TO MAKE THIS RUN SO SMOOTHLY? YEAH, IT REALLY DOES. AND WITHOUT THE COUNTLESS VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE HERE AT THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL, THIS TOURNAMENT SIMPLY WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO RUN THE WAY THAT IT DOES. I GOT THE CHANCE TO MEET UP WITH A 21 YEAR VOLUNTEER VETERAN OF THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL TO SEE WHAT GOES INTO BEING A VOLUNTEER AT THE API. IT’S HONESTLY LIKE A BIG FAMILY COMING TOGETHER AFTER A YEAR. YOU DON’T SEE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE VERY OFTEN OTHER THAN AT THE TOURNAMENT, AND IT’S JUST SUCH AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE. IT’S THAT FAMILY OF HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKES THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL SPECIAL, AND IT KEEPS THE PLAYERS COMING BACK EACH AND EVERY YEAR. I MEAN, VOLUNTEERS, YOU KNOW, HELP RUN THIS EVENT REALLY WELL AND, UH, I THINK WHAT’S COOL ABOUT THIS, THIS WEEK IS THEY KIND OF REMEMBER YOU BECAUSE EVERY, EVERY WEEK I THINK MOST OF THE VOLUNTEERS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY’VE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. AND, UM, COMING BACK THIS WEEK, IT FEELS LIKE EVERYONE KNOWS YOU. SO IT’S REALLY COOL. NO SURPRISE THAT THE STANDARD OF HAVING A STRONG AND PASSIONATE VOLUNTEER BASE STARTED WITH MR. PALMER HIMSELF. HE JUST WAS SUCH A OPEN, WELCOMING PERSON. HE WAS GOOD TO EVERYBODY. HE HE HE MEANT SO MUCH TO THE COMMUNITY. HE WITH THE ARNOLD AND WINNIE PALMER FOUNDATION. JASON THAT MEANS A LOT TO THE VOLUNTEERS. THERE’S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THEY’RE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN A PRETTY POSITIVE, MAJOR WAY. CHRISTINE BISHOP HAS SEEN THIS TOURNAMENT GROW VASTLY OVER HER 21 YEARS AS A VOLUNTEER, AND IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BIGGER WITH NEW EVENTS FOR THE FANS TO EXPERIENCE EACH DAY HAS ITS OWN SPECIAL EVENT. THERE’S BIRDIES AND BARBECUE ON SATURDAY, THROWBACK THURSDAY ON THURSDAY, WINE AND DINE ON FRIDAY, WHICH IS FABULOUS. AND THEN THE PATRIOTS OUTPOST ON SUNDAY. SO EACH DAY JUST THERE’S SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO EXPERIENCE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE API NEXT YEAR, CHRISTINE SAYS THERE ARE POSITIONS FOR ALL INTEREST LEVELS. HONESTLY, THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY AND IT’S IT’S AMAZING TO ME WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE AND THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE WORKING IN THE PARKING LOT OR THEY LOVE BEING A MARSHAL. SO REALLY AND TRULY THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY. THE LEAST BIT WORRIED ABOUT YOU GUYS. I’M WORRIED ABOUT THIS GUY. YOU’RE GOING TO JUST TALK TO DAREN. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK. WE ARE JOINED NOW BY KEN BONAR, THE HEAD OF THE ARNIE AND WINNIE PALMER FOUNDATION. KEN, YOU’VE HAD A BUSY WEEK, BUT WE’RE STANDING IN FRONT OF SOMETHING THAT IS COMPLETELY NEW THIS YEAR. THE ARNIE’S ARMY AREA. I SEE THE REPLICA E-Z-GO CART MR. PALMER USED TO HAVE. I DON’T THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY HIS, BUT THIS ONE’S VERY CLOSE TO IT. WHAT WENT INTO PUTTING TOGETHER THIS ENTIRE PLAYGROUND THAT WE HAVE NEAR US? DAREN. IT’S GREAT TO GREAT TO BE HERE. SO FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS NOT A REPLICA. THIS IS AN ACTUAL E-Z-GO GOLF CART. 1957. UH, MR. PALMER HAD A VERY SIMILAR GOLF CART. UM, AND THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT THAT E-Z-GO LOANED US, UH, TO, TO CELEBRATE EVERYTHING THAT MR. PALMER AND MRS. PALMER MEANT TO THIS COMMUNITY. SO THIS GOLF CART WOULD HAVE BEEN ROLLING AROUND HERE, UH, IN THE EARLY 60S, WITH BOTH OF THEM OUT THERE PLAYING GOLF. UM, WHEN EVERYTHING AROUND THIS GOLF COURSE IN THIS COMMUNITY WAS ORANGE GROVES AND DOCTOR PHILLIPS. RIGHT. UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WAS THE BIGGEST ORANGE GROVE, TANGERINE GROVE IN THE COMMUNITY OR IN THE WORLD, ACTUALLY. AND THE GOLF COURSE WAS HERE. UM, AND SO THIS IS SORT OF PART OF CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR PHILLIPS, THE LOCAL, THE LOCAL ORLANDO COMMUNITY AND EVERYTHING THAT MR. AND MRS. PALMER DID TO GIVE BACK TO THAT COMMUNITY. VERY COOL. AND YOU CAN ALSO BUY TICKETS TO WIN A NEW E-Z-GO GOLF CART. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A WALK, A STROLL THROUGH THE ARNIE’S ARMY EXPERIENCE. NOW TELL ME ABOUT THIS OVER HERE. WE’VE GOT THE SNACKS, THE PICNIC TABLES. WHAT IS ALL THIS ABOUT HERE? YEAH. WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE IS CELEBRATING ALL OF THE PARTNERS THAT MR. MRS. PALMER CARED ABOUT THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. UM, THIS IS A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH 23 RESTAURANTS. THE ARNOLD, UH, ARNOLD PALMER CENTER CUP, WHICH WILL LAUNCH THIS YEAR. UM, AND IT’S IT’S JUST A CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS ARNOLD PALMER AND FANS. FOOD, SNACKS. IF FANS COME OUT AND THEY CAN, THEY CAN SAMPLE THINGS THAT MR. PALMER LOVED TO EAT WHEN HE WAS SITTING AROUND THE HOUSE WITH HIS FAMILY. THAT’S FANTASTIC. AND OVER HERE WE HAVE SOME OF THE GOLF CLUBS. I KNOW THE TROPHY IS INSIDE THE ARNIE’S ARMY MERCHANDISE. WE’VE GOT A MASTER’S TROPHY INSIDE THE ARNIE’S ARMY GEAR CENTER HERE. MERCHANDISE WISE TO CELEBRATE. UM, YOU KNOW, ARNIE’S ARMY PEOPLE WHO ALL LOVED MR. PALMER, HE GAVE BACK TO THE GAME. HE GAVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT CELEBRATING THAT. AND THE ARNOLD AND WINNIE PALMER FOUNDATION. AND FOR THE GOLFERS, THERE’S ALSO A WAY YOU CAN TAKE SOME OF MR. PALMER’S CLUBS AND TRY TO PUTT. SOME OF THEIR SOME REPLICATED HOLES A LOT GOOD GOING ON OVER HERE AT THE ARNIE’S ARMY EXPERIENCE. ALL RIGHT. WE’VE STILL GOT A LOT MORE TO GET TO HERE AT BAY HILL. WHEN WE COME BACK. WE’RE TALKING FIRST ROUND HIGHLIGHTS AND REACTION. THIS IS TALKING ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL. STAY WITH US. A YEAR AGO AT THE BATTLE FOR THE RED CARDIGAN CAME DOWN TO THE FINAL HOLE AS IT SEEMINGLY DOES EVERY YEAR. DRAMATIC RIGHT? KURT KITAYAMA TWO PUTTING FROM ABOUT 50FT OUT TO WIN HIS FIRST PGA TOUR EVENT. JUST ONE STROKE BETTER THAN HARRIS ENGLISH AND MAYBE YOU HEARD OF HIM. RORY MCILROY TALK ABOUT DRAMA AT THE END. DAREN IT WAS THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR THE TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN DECIDED BY ONE STROKE AND WOULDN’T YOU KNOW IT, KRISTEN, AFTER ONE DAY OF PLAY, THE LEADER IS AHEAD. TODAY BY ONE STROKE. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT GOLF IN STORE. YEAH, THEY LIKED THE SCOREABLE CONDITIONS TODAY, BUT NOBODY WENT SUPER LOW. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ACTION FROM EARLIER IN TODAY. AND I THINK THE THEME FROM THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL FIRST ROUND WAS GUYS THAT IN THE PAST MAYBE HAVE STRUGGLED HERE. DID NOT DO SO TODAY HIDEKI MATSUYAMA MISSED THE CUT LAST YEAR AT THIS EVENT AFTER 18 HOLES. HE IS SITTING AT FIVE UNDER PAR AND HE COULD HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD IF HE’D KNOCKED IN THAT PUTT ON 18. INSTEAD, HE IS ONE STROKE BACK OF THE LEADER. ANOTHER GUY WHO’S BEEN WORKING ON HIS GOLF GAME, JUSTIN THOMAS, SAID HE LIKES WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW. HE HAD TO MAKE HE MADE A LATE CHARGE. BUT ON 18 WASN’T ABLE TO KNOCK THAT ONE IN. GAVE A STROKE BACK ON 17. HE’S THREE UNDER BUT IN THE TOP TEN IN CONTENTION. BUT EVERYBODY’S CHASING THIS GUY SHANE LOWRY ONLY IN THE FIELD BECAUSE OF A SPONSOR’S EXEMPTION. HE’S A MASTER CARD AMBASSADOR WHO HAS BEEN I’M GOING TO PUT THIS DELICATELY HORRIBLE AT BAY HILL. BUT HE IS IN FRONT OF THE REST OF THE FIELD, SIX UNDER PAR. HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY AFTER TODAY’S PLAY. NO IDEA, NO IDEA. UM, IT’S, UH. YEAH, I’VE PLAYED HERE SIX TIMES AND MISSED THE CUT FIVE TIMES. AND LAST YEAR I MADE THE CUT AND SHOT 81 ON SATURDAY AND FINISHED TIED 67 OR SOMETHING AROUND THERE. AND, UH, I’VE GONE OUT THERE WITH, LIKE, VERY LOW EXPECTATIONS TODAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, I KNEW I WAS PLAYING WELL, UM, AND GOLF’S A FUNNY GAME. UM, AND YEAH, I JUST HAD IT UNDER CONTROL TODAY, AND THIS IS MY FOURTH TIME PLAYING HERE. I’VE NEVER SEEN IT. THIS CALM. UM, I KNOW WE GOT SOME WEATHER COMING IN ON SUNDAY, BUT WE’RE ALSO HAVING FOUR DIFFERENT WINDS ON TOP OF THAT. SO IT’S JUST, YOU KNOW, A DAY LIKE TODAY, ESPECIALLY GOING EARLY, YOU KNOW, TRY TO MAKE YOUR HAY AND THEN, UM, HOLD ON. HOLD ON IS RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, KRISTEN, THREE ROUNDS LEFT. WHO’S WINNING THIS THING? I LIKE WILL ZALATORIS. I LIKE THE WAKE FOREST TION. HE HAD BACK SURGERY LAST YEAR, SO IT’S HIS COMEBACK YEAR, RIGHT? I’M TELLING YOU, SHANE LOWRY WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE STORY. I’M GOING REALLY FAR OUT ON A LIMB. THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE GOLFER, SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER HE WON TWO YEARS AGO I LIKE WHERE HE IS. LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS SUNDAY THOUGH. SOMEBODY’S GOING TO WIN THAT RED CARD AGAIN. ALL RIGHT. FOR EVERYBODY BEHIND THE SCENES HERE AT BAY HILL.