Thursday 17 March 2016 20:41, UK
Arnold Palmer will not hit one of the ceremonial opening tee shots alongside fellow legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player at the Masters next month.
Palmer announced that he had contacted Augusta National chairman Billy Payne to inform him he would be unable to tee up on Thursday morning due to a long-standing shoulder problem.
The 86-year-old has hit one of the opening drives every year since 2007, including last April when he was not expected to hit having undergone shoulder surgery just a few weeks beforehand.
Palmer confirmed he would still attend this year's traditional champions dinner on the eve of the tournament, and he will appear on the first tee on Thursday morning to watch Nicklaus and Player "sweat it out".
The four-time Masters champion said: "I would love to go on doing it forever, but I don't have the physical capability to hit the shot the way I would want to hit it, so we'll have to be content to watch.
"I plan to go out to the first tee with the chairman on Thursday morning and watch Jack and Gary sweat it out and hit the shots. Am I disappointed by that? Well, sure, but time moves on," added Palmer, who hinted that last year's opening drive was the last shot of his distinguished Masters career.
"I stopped playing in the Masters in 2004, I stopped playing in the par-three competition last year, and now it's time to end this part of my Masters career," he said.
Palmer's grandson Sam Saunders revealed last week that the four-time Masters champion will undertake a reduced role when he hosts this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at his home club at Bay Hill in Orlando.
He did not give his annual press conference ahead of the tournament, which features Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Jason Day, but Palmer is expected to be on hand to present the trophy to the champion on Sunday.
Palmer was also unable to take part in the Champions Challenge on the eve of The Open last July, although he did walk the Old Course with his intended group at St Andrews.
