Sam Saunders, a 22-year-old playing in his fourth PGA Tour event, called his grandfather Friday night after making the cut at the Honda Classic.
Saunders wasn’t expecting to hear “nice round,” and he was right.
Saunders’ grandfather is legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, and Palmer asked him about the shot he hit into the bunker on No. 18.
“That’s the way he is and I like it,” Saunders said after shooting his third straight 69 Saturday on the Champion course at PGA National to move into a tie for 10th.
Palmer, 80, is his grandson’s coach, and has been watching Saunders on television from his home in Orlando and likes what he has seen.
“I’m very pleased and proud of what he has done this week,” said Palmer, who won 62 PGA Tour events and seven majors during his long career.
“We’ve been working together really hard for the last few months and that’s been going really well,” Saunders said.
Saunders, who played at Clemson for three years before turning pro, played with Rocco Mediate on Saturday. Mediate, a longtime friend of the Palmer family, was also impressed.
“If he is the future of our tour, we are in good shape. First of all he is a sweetheart, but man, can he play. Wow,” Mediate said. “He has a huge future.”
Saunders, who got into the Honda Classic via a sponsor’s exemption, is second this week in driving, averaging 287.3 yards off the tee, and tied for 20th in putting average at 1.735 per hole.
“He kicked the crap out of me. But I got him by 25 years,” said Mediate, 47.
Palmer said he is not going to come down for Sunday’s final round.
“I don’t want to cause a distraction,” said Palmer. “If he has a good day, that will please me very much. If he stays within himself, I think we will do well.”
“I’m trying to get myself in position where I can win and I think, if the course plays tough, you never know,” said Saunders, who is at 3-under, eight shots off the lead.
