Unlikely contender Justin Lower has special connection to Arnold Palmer Invitational's namesake

Justin Lower won the 2010 Arnold Palmer Award as medalist at the NAIA Men’s Golf Championship, but his connection to the golf icon extends further back.

At age 13, the northeast Ohio native volunteered at the 2002 Senior PGA Championship at Firestone Country Club, where he watched Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Jim Colbert play together in a practice round. Palmer pulled his second shot left of the green at the par-4 eighth, and the ball hit a patron standing next to him.

“It hit me; it will grow back though,” the fan told Palmer, who chuckled before asking if anyone wanted to hit the shot. Lower stepped right up.

“I had my hand on his wedge, and this huge hand out of nowhere just comes back … and he’s like, ‘Don’t worry, son. I’ll take it from here,’” Lower laughed. “I was so excited, I was like, ‘This is going to be awesome, all these people to hit it.' In the end, I didn't get a chance to hit it, but, yeah, just a cool story, for sure.”

Lower, 34, might be one of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard's more unlikely participants, but he’s playing boldly so far at this Signature Event, as Palmer would. Lower made birdie on three of his last four holes to post the clubhouse lead with a 5-under 67, matched shortly thereafter by Hideki Matsuyama.

Lower, who played collegiately at Malone University, earned a spot in his second Arnold Palmer Invitational in unlikely fashion, via the Aon Swing 5 on the strength of a T3 at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. He’s maximizing his opportunity in Central Florida. Lower grew up in Canal Fulton, Ohio, less than three hours from Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, furthering the connection to the late 62-time TOUR winner whose legacy endures at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

It’s a meaningful week for Lower, a third-year TOUR member, and he intends to maximize the opportunity.

Lower wasn’t even sure of his spot in the Bay Hill field until three days ago. His third-place showing at Vidanta positioned him strongly to earn a spot in the Aon Swing 5 (comprised of the top five FedExCup points earners across the Mexico Open at Vidanta and Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, not otherwise exempt). But after missing the cut at the Cognizant, his status was in question until the event was completed in a Monday finish.

Lower hung around in South Florida before playing Monday’s Seminole Pro-Member, having previously decided not to compete at the Puerto Rico Open (this week’s Additional Event) regardless of whether he qualified for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. If he didn’t get into Bay Hill, he would head up to the Jacksonville, Florida, area for some early PLAYERS preparation.

As the numbers shook out, Lower’s 145 FedExCup points through the swing were enough to tie Stephan Jaeger for fourth place on the Aon Swing 5.

Now he’s the one hitting the shots at Palmer’s place.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Lower said. “Obviously, I didn’t think I could get in until after Mexico; it would have been a lot less stressful had I made that putt on the last hole in Mexico for solo three instead of T3 … But luckily I got in and I’m here, so really just trying to take advantage of the week, for sure.”

One day in, he certainly has.