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Richard Petty discusses his golf game, racing's return this week to North Wilkesboro Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series season and how he enjoys going to the race track.
GREENSBORO — Golf has its King, the late Arnold Palmer. And North Carolina and NASCAR has its King, Level Cross resident Richard Petty, who visited the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship on Saturday.
Petty, 85, toured Sedgefield Country Club, where Palmer played in all 13 of his Greater Greensboro Opens, as a brand ambassador for Wyndham Worldwide.
But instead of driving the golf cart, Petty rode shotgun. And let’s just the cart’s horsepower fell just a bit short of the power of the famous 43.
Despite his interest in the tournament, make no mistake: Petty is no golfer.
“I don’t,” he said. “I left all of the golfing up to my dad (Lee). I like to watch it. I played two s: My first and my last. That was it.”
Richard Petty visits with spectators at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the Wyndham Championship.
Our King looked good and sounded strong as he mingled with spectators and even walked in his jeans and boots onto the Club Wyndham Beach at the 15th hole. Petty, challenged by the heat and humidity like all spectators, often took sips from a bottle of water in the middle of an 89-degree afternoon and even removed his trademark black cowboy hat to wipe his brow.
Palmer, who died in at age 87 in 2016, began playing in GGOs in 1955, and he played in his last at Sedgefield in 1975.
Petty, who celebrated his latest birthday on July 2, won 200 stock-car races and seven NASCAR championships.
Greensboro News & Record Golf legend Arnold Palmer and stock car legend Richard Petty at the Wyndham Championship in 2008.
Despite playing in such different sports, they shared a friendship. A Kingship, if you will.
“Arnold came along about the same time as I did,” said Petty, whose first NASCAR win came in 1960 in Charlotte. “He was very successful in his business; I was halfway successful in mine. So it made us kind of a twin deal, just in a different business.”
The two appeared together at the 2008 Wyndham, marking the tournament’s return to Sedgefield after having been at Forest Oaks Country Club since 1977.
“I gave him a cowboy hat, and he gave me a golf club, “ Petty said. “I think he wore the hat; I never used the club.”
Scott Stallings blast out of a green side bunker of the 15th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Caddie Josh Gregory watches Will Zalatoris putt on the 15th hole during the third round. Gregory also coaches Zalatoris' short game, putting and performance
Will Zalatoris' caddie, Josh Gregory, on the 15th green during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Brian Harman chip onto the on 15th green during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty poses for a photo with Annie Roberts at Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty visits with spectators at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the Wyndham Championship.
Richard Petty visits Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Will Zalatoris' caddie, Josh Gregory, on the 15th green during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Volunteer Gary Brant dons a poncho as rain begins to fall during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022. Lightning in the area stopped play for the second time
Richard Petty poses for a photo with models at Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Josh Gregory, Will Zalatoris' caddie, on the 15th green during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Josh Gregory and Will Zalatoris on the 15th green during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty arrives at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty waves to spectators as he arrives at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty speaks with media at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Joseph Bramlett waves to the gallery after picking up his hole-in-one on the 16th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty speaks with media at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty speaks with media at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty visits Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Shane Lowry lines up his putt on the 16th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty visits Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty speaks with media at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
A model stands on the beach at Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty speaks with media at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Richard Petty speaks with media at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Aaron Rai watches his tee shot on the par 3 16th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Chris Stroud watches his tee shot on the par 3 16th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Spectators watch golfers putt on the 9th green during the third round the2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Spectators applaud golfers on the 18th green during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Shane Lowry looks over his putt on the 15th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Golfers putt on the 15th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Chris Stroud looks over his putt on the 15th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Spectators watch golfers putt on the 18th green during the third round the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Shane Lowry watches his tee shot on the par 3 16th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Shane Lowry on the 15th hole during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Spectators walk across a bridge on the 10th fairway during the third round of the 2022 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Eddie Wooten is sports editor of the Winston-Salem Journal and the News & Record in Greensboro.
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Richard Petty discusses his golf game, racing's return this week to North Wilkesboro Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series season and how he enjoys …
An update on the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship.
Richard Petty visits with spectators at the Club Wyndham Beach during the third round of the Wyndham Championship.
Greensboro News & Record Golf legend Arnold Palmer and stock car legend Richard Petty at the Wyndham Championship in 2008.
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