The Masters was home to Arnold Palmer in more ways than one

Editor’s note: From Ben Crenshaw naming his cat Bobby Jones to Arnold Palmer coining a street Masters Boulevard, there’s no shortage of people, pets and other items named in honor of Augusta National. The Augusta Chronicle features stories from six famous golfers or family members about names with ties to the Masters Tournament: Herman Keiser Georgia Hall, Sergio Garcia, Mark O Meara, Palmer and the Davis Love family.

Raising his right arm, Dow Finsterwald points toward a stretch of 24 condominiums.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Arnold named the street we lived on Masters Boulevard,” said Finsterwald, 89, who was born four days before Arnold Palmer. “The Masters meant a great deal to Arnold – probably more to him than any golfer ever.”

For more than three decades, Palmer and Finsterwald lived on Masters Boulevard in Orlando, Fla., with a view overlooking the Bay Hill marina. They resided one floor – and only a few doors – apart, while each stayed at Bay Hill from October to springtime. During the summer, Finsterwald would depart to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The King voyaged to Latrobe, Pa.

Palmer died Sept. 25, 2016, but Finsterwald still treks south each Fall to his condominium at Bay Hill.

“Arnold lived on the high rent level,” Finsterwald said of Palmer’s third-floor residence. “My place is on the second floor.”

Palmer and Finsterwald shared countless memories on Masters Boulevard, most notably when they’d work on clubs in the King’s garage. But the two also had memorable encounters at the Masters Tournament.

In 1962, Palmer outlasted Finsterwald and Gary Player in an 18-hole playoff. Two years earlier, Finsterwald finished 4-under at the 1960 Masters – two shots behind Palmer’s winning score of 282.

“Arnold never did give me a hard time about what happened in Augusta,” said Finsterwald, winner of the 1958 PGA Championship. “I finished two back (in 1960), but I also had a two-stroke penalty in the first round.”

Finsterwald carded 69 to open the 1960 Masters and was nearly midway through his second round when he dropped a ball on No. 8 green. After finishing the hole, Finsterwald prepared to hit a practice putt on the green when playing partner Billy Casper alerted him to not hit the ball.

“Billy told me that hitting a practice putt was against the rules at Augusta,” Finsterwald said. “But I had already done it (on No. 5) during my opening round.”

After his second round 70, Finsterwald would have been alone atop the leaderboard, but the rules committee retroactively changed his first-round score from 69 to 71. Instead of being 5-under, Finsterwald entered the weekend 3-under – one stroke behind Palmer.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Finsterwald said, looking back on the 1960 outcome. “To be honest, I was lucky to not be disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard after the first round.”