01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, April 10, 2004

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- He covered 50 years in a stroll of 465 yards.

"I thought about how many times I've walked up that 18th fairway," Arnold Palmer said after taking that walk for final time in the Masters late yesterday afternoon.

"I thought of the four times I won the Masters, and a couple times I didn't win that I felt I should have. I thought of the fans who have supported me. I thought of all the things from the beginning -- 1955, '56, and '57, before I won the Masters.

"I could go on and on, and tell you things that are of no interest to you, other than the fact it had something to do with my life, and my playing golf here."

There was nothing Arnold had to say yesterday, nothing he did, nothing he thought, no emotion he felt, nothing about his life, or his golf game, that was not of interest.

Because this was Palmer's final round in the Masters.

He had walked up the hill at 18 for the first time on a Thursday in April of 1955. Yesterday, in his 50th Masters, at the age of 74, he walked for the final time between the towering pines on each side of the tee, along the sun-drenched fairway lined with clapping, cheering fans, toward the green that had been the scene of some of his greatest triumphs, and a few of his most disappointing defeats.

"That's what I thought about," said Palmer. "Whether it was making a 6 at the last hole to lose the Masters, or whether it was hitting a 7-iron to about 4 feet to win the Masters -- all of those things went through my mind.

"Emotion? A lot. Sometimes, I just get tired, and the emotion runs away with me. I'm not upset about that. It's part of me."

It was an emotional day for anyone who loves golf.

With the possible exception of the late Bobby Jones, who founded Augusta National, there never has been a more beloved golfer than the charismatic Palmer.

As demonstrative and outgoing as he is handsome, Palmer never played with a poker face. Yet he was very much a gambler, playing with an attacking, go-for-broke -- and the pin -- style that fans found tremendously exciting. Especially because he was able to pull off spectacular shots more often than not.

It was ironic that he missed a 4-foot putt for par on 18 yesterday, finishing with his second straight 84 and missing the cut for the 21st year in a row, because, in his prime, he was a superlative putter.

Long off the tee in his younger days, Palmer also sank his share of lengthy putts because he had confidence he could make the comebacker if he missed.

Unlike Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, who are intense on the course, Palmer's approach always has been more casual. He frequently would walk over to talk to someone in the gallery -- as he did yesterday while waiting to hit his second shot at 18, saying something that brought a chuckle from the people nearby -- or even, when he still was smoking, to bum a cigarette.

That endeared him to fans, who mobilized into the adoring entourage that came to be known as "Arnie's Army."

Palmer thought about that, too, yesterday, because it was at Augusta National, in 1958, that his "Army" had its first recruits.

"The first time I really took notice of it," Palmer said, "was when the guys on the scoreboard here were holding up 'Arnie's Army' signs. They were the guys from (nearby) Fort Gordon.

"When I saw that, I found it interesting because I didn't know who those guys were. So I went and found out. In the process, I found they were guys who had actually taken leave for the week to work the scoreboards.

"When I talked to them, they said: 'Yeah, we're all in the Army. We're on the scoreboard, and we thought it was pretty good. We're rooting for you.'

"And, of course, their enthusiasm was fantastic, and it expanded from there."

Enthusiasm for the game expanded exponentially in Palmer's prime.

He won his first Masters in 1958, then repeated as champion in 1960, '62, and '64. Between 1960 and '64, Palmer won 31 tournaments, including three Masters, two British Opens ('61 and '62), and one U.S. Open, in 1960.

Although his last victory on the PGA Tour came in 1973, Palmer has remained a fan favorite, attracting adoring crowds whenever and wherever he played.

"He is so charismatic," said Larry Smith, who wasn't merely a witness to history yesterday, but was part of it.

"I had the opportunity to keep Arnold Palmer's score card for the final two rounds he played at the Masters," Smith said proudly.

On a day when everyone at the Masters wanted to see Arnold, to get at least a glimpse of The King as he toured Augusta National for the last time, Smith was on the course with Palmer for five hours.

He caddied for his son, Nathan, who was paired with Palmer for the first two rounds after earning an invitation to The Masters as the winner of the U.S. Mid-Amateur

"You can see how people really care about him," Larry Smith said. "They love him. Their outpouring of emotion on every hole was tremendous."

While Palmer's walk up the 18th fairway was the King's crowning glory, it wasn't Smith's favorite scene on a day filled with unforgettable memories.

"The best moment of the day," Smith said, "was at the sixth hole. Just before we teed off, there was a roar on 16. I'm not going to tell you who hit the shot that brought the roar.

"But when Arnold stepped up to his tee ball, you could see he was determined to hit a good shot. He hit it close to the pin and, as we were walking down the hill, Arnold waved to Jack Nicklaus, who was standing on the 16th green. And there was Nicklaus, waving back. It was great."

Goodbye, Arnold. It's been great.