By Mark Lamport-Stokes
LOS ANGELES, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Some of the game's younger
players need to do more to try to emulate Phil Mickelson when
it comes to engaging with the fans, says golfing great Arnold
Palmer.
World number two Mickelson, a winner of four major
championships, is renowned for the amount of time he spends
signing autographs and interacting with the galleries.
In the eyes of many, the left-hander has become the
modern-day equivalent of fellow American Palmer, arguably the
most charismatic player ever.
"Phil Mickelson has done a great job with the fans and
that's good for the game," Palmer, 80, told Reuters in a
telephone interview on Wednesday. "The fact that he relates to
them so well is just fantastic.
"We just need to get more young players who can relate. I
think they are starting to get the message but we could improve
upon that and they could improve upon that with their relations
with the galleries."
Palmer, a seven-times major champion, had no peers as a fan
favourite and always went to great lengths to ensure every
person waiting in line ended up with a cherished autograph.
With his swashbuckling style, prodigious length off the
tee, bold putting and affection for the galleries, he did more
than any other player to popularise the game with the advent of
television.
"It's very important to relate to the fans because that
will bring people to talk about it and that's what we always
need in the game of golf," Palmer said.
While Palmer felt on-course public relations could be
improved in the modern game, he was energised by the number of
young guns who had burst on to the world stage in recent
months.
"All these young players who are coming along, such as Matt
Kuchar, Ryo Ishikawa and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who
is so good at 21 years old," he said.
MCILROY POTENTIAL
"It excites me to see the potential that he (McIlroy) has
and what could happen. I am watching a lot of these young
players. It's fun and it's something that can create great
relationships between our nations on the international scene."
McIlroy won his first PGA Tour title at the Quail Hollow
Championship in May after closing with a course record
10-under-par 62 and has been widely tipped by his peers as a
future world number one. He is currently ranked seventh.
Palmer, who was a member of the so-called Big Three with
fellow golfing greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, had no
doubt about the one thing he would like to change most in the
modern game.
"Because of technology, the players of today hit it too
far," Palmer said. "That should be one of the major things on
our agenda, to slow the golf ball down so that we don't tilt
the scale.
"We have so many great golf courses but, as the players
start hitting it so far, they are outdating our golf courses.
We need to see if we can't just keep it in the range that we
have known it for so many years."
Palmer also spoke to Reuters about his latest role with
Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. and the non-profit organisation Us
TOO International to help raise awareness of advanced prostate
cancer.
"People should be aware of what the potential is for
prostate cancer and what the potential is for a cure and to
live a happy life," said Palmer, who was diagnosed with
prostate cancer in 1997.
"When it was discovered that I had it, I was able to get
treated with very good results. Without having done that, it
might have gotten away."
Every year, approximately 8,000 cases of prostate cancer
are diagnosed at an advanced stage and Palmer does not
under-estimate the value of his work with the My Prostate
Cancer Roadmap programme
(http://www.myprostatecancerroadmap.com/).
"A lot of people shy away from even talking about cancer
and more particularly prostate cancer," he said. "We want
people to pay attention, get their checkups, see their doctors
and have the necessary tests that will tell them that they are
either free or that they need to continue and do more.
"If I could have every man do that, it would be something
that I would feel is a major accomplishment."
(Editing by Steve Ginsburg; To query or comment on this
story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)