The King's State Of The Game: Do Not Credit Me For "Salvaging" The Open Championship, It Was Frank Stranahan

Arnold Palmer makes his once-a-year GolfChannel.com appearance to expand on the "State of the Game," and because so many he knew passed away in 2013, The King remembers friends, rivals and even those he had less than perfect relationships with.

While the disharmony with Ken Venturi was well known and Palmer's take here fascinating, I was even more interested in his views about the late Frank Stranahan and The Open Championship.

One last note about Frank. I am often given credit for “salvaging” the British Open in the early 1960s. We can argue whether the game’s most historic championship really was in danger of sinking, but it is safe to say that after World War II, many American competitors simply found it easy and more profitable to compete here in the United States. Frank never quit on the Open. He continued to compete there on a regular basis, and finished second in 1947 and 1953. His devotion to the Open Championship is what inspired me to go over in 1960. I won the following year, and I’ve been credited ever since with “saving” the Open, but it was Frank who paved the way.