Thousands gather in Latrobe to say farewell to Arnold Palmer

LATROBE, Pa. — The biggest names from all corners of the golf world gathered Tuesday at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe to celebrate the life of Arnold Palmer.

Palmer died Sept. 25 at UPMC Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh of complications from heart problems. He was 87 years old.

His private funeral for family members was held on Thursday. Palmer's family wanted a public service to be held after the Ryder Cup, which the Americans won on Monday.

Phil Mickelson and most of the U.S. team attended Tuesday’s service in Latrobe, along with leaders from the PGA Tour and European Tour and other tours around the world.

Golfer Rickie Fowler tweeted a photo Tuesday morning of the Ryder Cup being flown to the memorial service.

Private planes descended on Arnold Palmer Regional Airport about an hour before the service.

Palmer's co-pilot, Pete Luster, flew Palmer's plane over Saint Vincent College for nearly an hour before the service. The crowd gathered outside the basilica when it was over to watch Luster fly overhead and tip the wing.

Among those who spoke were Palmer's grandson, Sam Saunders, who shared some of his most personal moments with his grandfather, saying he was the same man in person that people saw on TV.

“(Palmer said), ‘I'm in the Oval Office right now. I'm with the president.’ I said, ‘Why are you answering your phone?’ He said, ‘I wanted to talk to you,’ and that's what he did,” Saunders said. “He always wanted to be there for us, and he always, always was.”

Rivals and admirers in the game of golf who turned into friends and confidants over the years, such as Jack Nicklaus, spoke fondly of Palmer.

"You name it, we likely competed for it. I promise you. If I ever had a problem, I knew he had my back and he knew I had his,” Nicklaus said.

RAW: Jack Nicklaus speaks at memorial service for Arnold Palmer

RAW: Sam Saunders, grandson of Arnold Palmer, speaks at memorial service

Former Pennsylvania governor and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge said everybody has a picture of Palmer. For Ridge, it’s a photo from the day he volunteered to caddie for Palmer.

"He said, ‘You're not bad, but you don't read the greens very well. I'll take care of that,’ Ridge said. “It was one of the highlights of my life.”

Former U.S. Open champion Ernie Els remembered Palmer as a man who treated everyone in the same way.

"He would speak to a guy in his shop, or a guy working on his course, or mowing his greens or raking the bunkers the same way he would talk to a United States president or a king of some country,” Els said.

"He was one of a kind, captain of his sport, relevant to his very last breath. Never retired from the sport. Presence. He had a presence that will forever outlive him,” sportscaster Jim Nantz said.

RAW: Jim Nantz speaks at memorial service for Arnold Palmer

RAW: Annika Sorenstam, World Golf Hall-of-Famer, speaks at Palmer memorial

Although Palmer is best known for bringing golf to the masses, his contributions extended well beyond the course.

His many philanthropic endeavors included the Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation, serving as a chairman for the Latrobe Hospital Charitable Foundation, for which he helped raise millions of dollars for health care, and a $1 million donation to Latrobe High School, his alma mater, on his 85th birthday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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