Jack Nicklaus pays teary tribute to friend Arnold Palmer

Jack Nicklaus fought back the tears in an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and great rival at the memorial service for Arnold Palmer in Latrobe, Pennsylvania on Tuesday

Former USâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088golfer Jack Nicklaus during Arnold Palmer's memorial service on Tuesday. Pic/AFP

Pennsylvania: Jack Nicklaus fought back the tears in an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and great rival at the memorial service for Arnold Palmer in Latrobe, Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

Palmer, a seven-time major winner, died aged 87 in Pittsburgh on September 25 due to complications of heart problems. Nicklaus said: "Arnold came when golf needed him most. When TV first embraced golf, it had a swashbuckling hero in Arnold as the game's face. He was the everyday man's hero.

Arnold Palmer

"I knew Arnold had my back and I had his... I may have had to battle 'Arnold's Army' early on, but I never had to battle Arnold Palmer... He was 'The King' of our sport, and he always will be."

Fighting back tears, Nicklaus said: "Today I hurt just like you hurt. You don't lose a friend of almost 60 years and not feel an enormous loss, but my wife often says 'memories are the cushions of life'."

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