Texas Children's Houston Open

Memorial Park Golf Course



The Loop

Arnold, Seve, Mulligan and Phil

July 14, 2010

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- After bad weather Wednesday forced the cancellation of the four-hole exhibition of Open champions, Arnold Palmer was asked if he has corresponded with Seve Ballesteros, who earlier had been forced to pull out of the event as he continues to battle the ravages of brain cancer. Yes, Arnold said, he'd made contact and invited Seve to play golf whenever his health allows. Golf Digest's Jaime Diaz provides some more behind-the-scenes details in "Seve's Story" in the July issue:

[Ballesteros] mentions the champions and greats who have called him. "Palmer, Nicklaus, Gary Player -- I don't want to count, because I will forget many. Whenever someone calls, it helps. Arnold Palmer sent me a dog," he says, almost chuckling. "In a picture. His dog, called Mulligan. Because the doctors saved my life, they say now I use my mulligan. So Palmer's picture says, 'Here's a Mulligan for you.' "

*And to ease his loneliness a bit, Ballesteros recently acquired a Labrador puppy. After watching Phil Mickelson's victory at Augusta in April, Seve named the newcomer Phil.

-- Mike O'Malley