The PGA Tour annual visit to the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Bay Hill in March has become a pre-Masters staple for many of the golf world’s best.
Even without Tiger Woods, the field still boasts defending champion Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the Tour’s first official visit to Bay Hill. In 1965, Palmer won a charity exhibition tournament at Bay Hill and fell in love with the club and its surroundings. Meanwhile, that same year, Walt Disney announced the purchase of over 27,000 acres of land nearby for Walt Disney World.
In 1970, Palmer took out a five-year lease on the property with an option to buy. Palmer bought the facility in 1975 and brought the PGA Tour back to Orlando full-time starting in 1979.
Palmer on died Sept. 25, 2016, shortly before the 2016 Ryder Cup. He would be turning 90 this year.
With that in mind, here are 90 photos to honor his life and legacy.
Tiger Woods, left, jokes with Arnold Palmer after winning the API in 2013. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Palmer was the face of golf in 1962. (AP Photo)
Former President George H. W. Bush, left, and legendary golfer Arnold Palmer talk as they ride around the golf course at the Champions Tour golf in 2010. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
An undated advertisement for Original Penguin with Arnold Palmer. (File)
Arnold Palmer was a spokesman for Pennzoil for several decades. (File_
Golfers Arnold Palmer, right and Jack Nicklaus check over a card telling during a practice round for the 1974 PGA Championship. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer shows off in Paris in 1977. (Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer watches flight of his tee shot on first hole at The Country Club during the 1963 U.S. Open. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer puts on the Green Jacket with the help of Jack Nicklaus after winning the 1964 Masters. (Augusta National/Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer’s red cardigan rests at his desk in his home office. (Golfweek File)
Jason Day with his wife, Ellie, son, Dash and daughter, Lucy pose with Arnold Palmer after Day won the 2016 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge. (Golfweek/Tracy Wilcox)
=Arnold Palmer studies his shot while warming up for the final round of the 1974 PGA Championship. (AP Photo)
Some happy members of Arnie’s Army collect autographs from veteran golfer Arnold Palmer on Wednesday, June 18, 1981 during practice round for the U.S. Open in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/ Rusty Kennedy)
Honorary starters Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus hold a press conference after their ceremonial tee shots to begin the 2012 Masters. (Getty Images)
British Open champion Arnold Palmer poses with his trophy at Troon in 1962. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer’s success at the British Open in the early 1960s led to more Americans playing in the event. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer birdies 18 at Cherry Hills during the 1978 U.S. Open. (AP Photo)
Not every putt fell for Arnold Palmer. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer was ready to play in all sorts of weather – like here at Augusta in 1971. (AP Photo)
The King and his court at Augusta in 1975. (AP Photo)
Honorary starter Arnold Palmer walks through the crowd after teeing off to start the first round of the 2008 Masters. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer pose in 2000 after Woods won what would be the first of his 4 straight PGA Tour victories at Bay Hill. (Andy Lyons /Allsport)
Arnold Palmer shows off the trophy for the winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2007. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer walks across the Hogan Bridge at Augusta on the 12th fairway for the final time in Masters competition in 2004. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Arnold Palmer and grandson Sam Saunders line up their putt during the 2007 Del Webb Father/Son Challenge golf tournament in Orlando. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
The King met several presidents going back to Dwight Eisenhower. Here, he’s with former President George H.W. Bush. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer rips off his cap after clinching the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills. “I was seven strokes back and really pumped up, ready to go,” Palmer recalled. (AP Photo)
In 1965, it was Arnold Palmer’s turn to help Jack Nicklaus after Nicklaus won the Masters. (Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer in his workshop in Latrobe, Pa., on the eve of his 80th birthday. (Tracy Wilcox/GOLFWEEK)
Arnold Palmer was awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer was always in style. (AP Photo)
A skilled pilot with thousands of hours in the air, Palmer often flew himself to and from tournaments and various business events. (AP Photo)
Always the craftsman, Arnold Palmer refines his clubs at his Latrobe, Pa., workshop in 1962. (AP Photo)
Sam Snead lost to Arnold Palmer by 2 strokes in the 1961 Western Open. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer of Wake Forest tees off at the 1954 Southern Intercollegiate Golf Tournament at Athens, Ga. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer celebrated his 80th birthday with the Pittsburgh Pirates. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Golfing greats Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus shared a friendship and rivalry that lasted more than 50 years. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer displays his classic form in 1968. (AP Photo)
4-time Masters champ Arnold Palmer watches his chip shot at Augusta in 1967. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer had plenty of moves on the course, like this one in the 1971 PGA Championship. (AP Photo)
A tee box on the range is reserved containing a golf bag and umbrella for Arnold Palmer during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament in 2017. (Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)
The new Arnold Palmer statue sits by the first tee at Bay Hill in 2017. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer grins as he answered Jack Nicklaus complaint about the Merion Golf Club Course, site of the 1971 U.S. Open, and said he found pin placement great. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer ran a business empire from his offices in Pennsylvania and Florida. (Golfweek File Photo)
Arnold Palmer smiles with his trophy and medal after winning the British Open Golf Championship by a single stroke at Royal Birkdale 1961. (AP Photo)
Winner of The Open in 1961 and 1962, US golfer Arnold Palmer plays from the 1st tee during the Champion Golfers’ Challenge on The Old Course at St Andrews in 2015. (Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer in Latrobe, Pa., on the eve of his 80th birthday at Latrobe Country Club. (Photo by Tracy Wilcox/GOLFWEEK)
Both Arnold Palmer and his caddy throw themselves in to the act as Palmer’s Eagle putt rolls close to the 13th cup but misses by inches in the final round of the 1963 Masters Tournament. (AP Photo)
Some happy members of Arnie’s Army collect autographs from veteran golfer Arnold Palmer on Wednesday, June 18, 1981 during practice round for the U.S. Open in Philadelphia. Palmer and 155 other men will begin tournament play on Thursday. (AP Photo/ Rusty Kennedy)
Golfer Arnold Palmer poses with his golf clubs in this undated photo. (AP Photo)
Davis Love III and Arnold Palmer of the USA inspect his driver on the 15th tee during the third practice day for the Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club in 2004. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Sam Saunders greets his grandad, Arnold Palmer, in 2016 as he made the turn on Thursday during the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge. (Golfweek/Tracy Wilcox)
The gallery on the 18th hole looks pleased with a chip to the green, but Arnold Palmer, center, looks less than pleased with his shot during a practice round at Cherry Hills Country Club, June 12, 1978, Cherry Hills, Colo. Palmer, who won the 1960 US Open here, was among many golfers making practice rounds before Thursdays opening round of the 78th U.S. Open. (AP Photo)
A sweat soaked Arnold Palmer watches the flight of his ball as he drives from the third tee in the third round of the U.S. Open at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa on June 18, 1977. The temperature was in the upper 90s and golfers were complaining about the heat. Palmer started the third round with a 36-hole score of 142. (AP Photo)
Palmer works on his gear at Olympia Fields in 1961.
Arnold Palmer waved the ceremonial sword after Ernie Els won at Bay Hill. (Golfweek File Photo)
Golf legend Arnold Palmer (L) shakes hands with Phil Mickelson during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in 2012. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Tournament host Arnold Palmer speaks to the media during the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in 2015. (Getty Images)
This Leroy Neiman painting of Arnold Palmer was up for auction at Heritage Auctions in 2017.
Arnold Palmer left an unequaled mark on the game of golf. (File)
Abie Gordon (left) and Arnold Palmer.
Arnold Palmer, shown with grandson Sam Saunders
Arnold Palmer at his home in Pennsylvania.
Arnold Palmer arrives on the field at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park to throw out the first pitch before a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs on Sept. 8, 2009.
Arnold Palmer, left, as he was congratulated by Sam Snead after winning the Western Open, June 25, 1961.
Arnold Palmer practices his throwing skills outside his office for an upcoming baseball engagement as part of his 80th birthday celebrations.
Arnold Palmer with his grandson, Sam Saunders, at the 2008 Del Webb Father/Son Challenge. (File)
Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus walk together during the Par 3 contest before the 2009 Masters.
Arnold Palmer in his trophy room with his dog Mulligan.
Arnold Palmer in his office in Latrobe, Pa., on the eve of his 80th birthday.
Arnold Palmer celebrates 80th birthday. (2009)
Arnold Palmer jokes with Pittsburgh Pirates’ Lastings Milledge in the dugout before the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs game Sept. 8.
Arnold Palmer is surprised by the Pirate Parrot and a birthday cake in his seat behind home plate during the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs game in 2009.
Arnold Palmer, 24, after defeating Bob Sweeney to win the U.S. Amateur in Detroit, Mich., Aug. 28, 1954.
Arnold Palmer on May 23, 1962.
Arnold Palmer and his wife, Winnie, after he won the Masters in 1958. (AP Photo)
Former President George W. Bush presents Arnold Palmer, right, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civil award, during a ceremony at the White House in 2004. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer watches the ceremonial first tee shot to start the first round of the 2011 Masters Tournament. (File)
Jack Nicklaus, of the US, Gary Player of South Africa and Arnold Palmer of the US walk down the fairway during the par 3 contest prior to the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in 2011.
Arnold Palmer hits a shot during the first round of the Bay Hill Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla., in 2002.
Arnold Palmer (R) and his wife Kit Palmer drive near the 16th hole during the third round of the Bay Hill Invitational at Bay Hill Club on March 18, 2006.
Arnold Palmer of the U.S. welcomes a player to the tee at the 16th hole during the second round of the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at the Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge, on March 14, 2008. (File)
Jack Nicklaus (left) and Arnold Palmer share a laugh before teeing off on No. 1 during the first round of the Father/Son Challenge at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando in this undated image. (File)
Arnold Palmer was always quick with a smile. (File)
Arnold Palmer acknowledges the crowd after his birdie putt on the 18th at Kemper Lakes as he finished his final round at the PGA Championship in 1989. (Associated Press)
Arnold Palmer smiles with his trophy and medal after winning the British Open Golf Championship by a single stroke at Royal Birkdale in 1961. (Associated Press)
Arnold Palmer holds up two fingers as he comes in at the end of play in the 1978 British Open at St. Andrews, Scotland. Palmer was 6 under par at one time; he took seven strokes at the 17th hole, and birdied the 18th to stay in contention. (File)
Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer are pictured after Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2008. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Cobra and Rickie Fowler are paying tribute to Arnold Palmer in 2019 Bay Hill.
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player pose for photos at the 2015 Masters. (File)
