Palmer Has Day Right Out of the Old Years : Bob Hope golf: He shoots a 66, making bogey on only the last hole, and trails by two shots after the first round.

It was just like old times for Arnold Palmer Wednesday in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

There was his army cheering him on at Indian Wells, one of the four courses used in the tournament.

They had reason to cheer because Palmer shot a six-under-par 66, even with a bogey on his last hole when he three-putted.

So “the King,” as he is known, is back, if just for a day. Palmer isn’t the leader of the tournament, but who cares? He’s in contention, and that’s excitement enough.

The co-leaders are Rick Fehr and Davis Peoples, who shot 64s at La Quinta and Indian Wells, respectively.

Fehr wasn’t even born when Palmer won this event in 1960, the first desert tournament, when it was known as the Palm Springs Golf Classic. Peoples was born in January of that year.

When informed that Palmer shot a 66, Peoples said: “That’s great. I’d like to see him win the tournament. I was only a rookie when he made a real strong run at Rancho (in the 1983 L.A. Open) one year. I’ll never forget it. It looked like a stampede with people running through the trees.

“It’s great for the game. I’d like to see him shoot 66 every day.”

Palmer, 62, who seldom plays on the PGA Tour, was apprehensive before Wednesday’s first round.

“I played three practice rounds and that’s unusual for me,” Palmer said. “(Tuesday), I played with Leonard Thompson and Kenny Perry.

“And I was kind of demoralized because they were both hitting the ball so far and I was short of them, and I thought I was hitting it solid.

“Then I got to thinking about it last night and I thought, ‘Why should that bother me?’ I’ve played with guys all my life who’ve hit further than I did.”

Palmer paused and added, “I can’t remember who they were,” eliciting laughter from the media audience.

Asked the last time he had such a low score on the regular tour, Palmer said it was a 68 in the PGA Championship “a couple of years ago (in 1989).”

Starting on the 10th hole at Indian Wells, Palmer had three birdies for his first nine holes, making the turn in 33. He added birdies on the second and fifth holes and was five under par when he approached the par-five, 515-yard eighth hole.

Palmer said he hit a good drive but was disappointed when he discovered it was still 245 yards to the front of the green.

“So I said to (caddie) Royce (Nielsen), ‘What do you think? I probably should go with my driver.’ Royce said: ‘No. We should lay up and then pitch it up with a sand wedge.’

“I made some wise remark to him and then hit my driver to the middle of the green and holed about a 35-footer for a three (an eagle).”

That’s vintage Palmer.

Asked what his caddie said when he made his eagle putt, Palmer smiled and said: “Nothing. But he had somewhat of a grin on his face.”

At that juncture, an airplane flew over the press tent, and Palmer said over the roar of the engines: “That must be Nicklaus.”

Palmer’s last victory on the regular tour came in 1973 at the Hope tournament, when he was paired with Jack Nicklaus in the last round.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Palmer said. “We played at Bermuda Dunes in the rain and I was paired with Jack and John Schlee. Jack had me by a shot starting the round.

“He bogeyed the first hole and I birdied it, and then he never caught me.”

That was Palmer’s fifth victory in the desert tournament, and now, perhaps, he will have a chance to win another.

Palmer was satisfied with his round in which he hit 17 greens, but wouldn’t make any predictions.

“I’ve been around too long to get excited about one round,” Palmer said.

Asked if he suffers from aches and pains at his age, Palmer said: “If I told you I didn’t, I’d be lying. But I feel good. I had a stress test over the holidays, and they found a little gray area in my cardiogram and told me I had to have an angiogram.”

The test relieved any anxiety Palmer might have had.

“They told me that I had the heart of a 30-year-old. Of course, I’m lying. But it was clean, which was what they were looking for.”

Golf Notes

Tom Kite and John Cook were tied for second place after their 65s at Indian Wells and La Quinta, respectively. . . . Steve Elkington, who won the opening tour event, the Tournament of Champions last Sunday, shot a 67 at Bermuda Dunes. Elkington said he had difficulty concentrating on the first nine holes because he was still excited about his victory at La Costa.