The principal speaker will be Senator Stuart Symington, Democrat of Missouri.

Arnold Palmer has been a blazing figure in golf over the past twelve months. He won the Masters, the United States Open and a record $80738 in prize money. He was heralded as ``Sportsman of the Year'' by Sports Illustrated, and last night was acclaimed in Rochester as the ``Professional Athlete of the Year,'' a distinction that earned for him the $10000 diamond -- studded Hickok Belt.

But he also achieved something that endeared him to every duffer who ever flubbed a shot. A couple of weeks ago, he scored a monstrous 12 on a par 5 hole. It made him human. And it also stayed the hands of thousands of brooding incompetents who were meditating the abandonment of a sport whose frustrations were driving them to despair. If such a paragon of perfection as Palmer could commit such a scoring sacrilege, there was hope left for all.

It was neither a spirit of self-sacrifice nor a yen to encourage the downtrodden that motivated Arnold. He merely became victimized by a form of athletics that respects no one and aggravates all. The world's best golfer, shooting below par, came to the last hole of the opening round of the Los Angeles open with every intention of delivering a final crusher. He boomed a 280 -- yard drive. Then the pixies and the zombies took over while the banshees wailed in the distance.

On the narrow fairway of a 508 -- yard hole, Arnold whipped into his second shot. The ball went off in a majestic arc, an out-of-bounds slice. He tried again and once more sliced out of bounds. He hooked the next two out of bounds on the opposite side.