, ▁" No ▁one ▁did ▁more ▁to ▁popular ize ▁the ▁sport ▁than ▁Pal mer ". ▁" H is ▁dash ing ▁presence ▁single hand edly ▁took ▁golf ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁clubs ▁and ▁into ▁the ▁main stream . ▁Qu ite ▁simply , ▁he ▁made ▁golf ▁cool ." ▁Jack ▁Nick laus ▁said : ▁▁ ▁He ▁is ▁mentioned ▁by ▁James ▁Bond ' s ▁c add ie ▁in ▁Gold f inger : ▁" If ▁that ' s ▁[ G old f inger ' s ] ▁original ▁ball , ▁I ' m ▁Arnold ▁Pal mer ." ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Pal mer ▁was ▁ranked ▁the ▁sixth ▁greatest ▁player ▁of ▁all ▁time ▁in ▁G olf ▁Dig est ▁magazine ' s ▁rank ings , ▁and ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁had ▁earned ▁an ▁estimated ▁$ 3 0   mill ion . ▁ ▁Pal mer ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁President ial ▁Medal ▁of ▁Fre edom ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁the ▁Cong r essional ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁gol fer ▁to ▁be ▁awarded ▁the ▁President ial ▁Medal ▁of ▁Fre edom ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁gol fer , ▁after ▁By ron ▁Nelson , ▁to ▁be ▁awarded ▁the ▁Cong r essional ▁Gold ▁Medal . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁Pal mer ' s ▁impress ive ▁list ▁of ▁awards , ▁he ▁was ▁best owed ▁the ▁honor ▁of ▁kick ing ▁off ▁the ▁Masters ▁Tournament ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0