Palmer considers becoming honorary starter at Masters

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Four-times Masters champion Arnold Palmer says he is giving serious consideration to becoming an honorary starter at the opening major of the season.

"I'm thinking about it," 77-year-old Palmer told reporters on Wednesday on the eve of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which he hosts at his Bay Hill Club.

"I'm giving it some very careful consideration now that I have stopped playing competitively."

The Masters has not had an honorary starter since 2002, when Sam Snead struck the ceremonial first drive of the tournament at Augusta National.

Three-times winner Snead, honorary starter since 1984, died at the age of 89 the following month.

Palmer, a seven-times major winner who made his final competitive appearance at the Masters in 2004, said Augusta was one of his "very favorite places".

"It isn't that I have anything against doing it. I just want it to be the right time when I decide to do it, that's all."

The first honorary starters at Augusta were Jock Hutchinson and Fred McLeod in 1963, and they continued in the role until 1973 and 1976 respectively.

There was then a four-year break without a starter until Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson took over the role in 1981. Snead, who won the Masters in 1949, 1952 and 1954, joined the duo in 1984.

Sarazen served as an honorary starter until 1999 and Nelson until 2001.