Arnold Palmer has been hailed as the most influential sportsman ever – by the man who wound him up by regularly out-driving him.

Legendary Sussex golfer Brian Barnes has added his own tribute to those which poured in following the death of seven-time major winner Palmer at the age of 87 on Sunday. Barnes, from Small Dole, recalls being paired with the man nicknamed ‘The King’ in the first two rounds of his debut tournament on the PGA Tour in America in 1970.

The reception he received as he walked from the practice ground to the first tee at the Citrus Open in Orlando underlined Barnes’ belief that without Palmer golf would not be the multi-million pound industry it is today.

Barnes said: “Arnie was a larger than life character. He was like the Pied Piper of golf as wherever he went the fans followed. I was feeling a bit nervous waiting to tee off at the Citrus Open and then all of a sudden a ripple started as Arnold left the practice ground. The noise grew and grew until it was deafening by the time he got to the tee.

“That was the type of guy he was. Everybody loved him and without Arnold golf would not be the same as it is today.

“There was no money in the game in those days but he changed all that because sponsors wanted to be associated with him. Although I would rate Jack Nicklaus as the greatest golfer who has ever lived there is no doubt Arnold was the most charismatic person in sporting history.

“Before Arnie came along golf was a game for the rich but he changed all that and made it a game for blue collar people too as everybody loved him. He also made the Open Championship what it is today. The Americans largely ignored it before Arnie started coming across to play and that helped turned it into the major tournament it is now.

“He did more for golf than any other sportsman has done for their sport and every single professional in the world should thank him for what he did.”

Barnes won nine times on the European Tour during his colourful career and played in six Ryder Cups but owes his main claim to fame in part to Palmer.

Barnes famously beat Nicklaus twice in the same day at the 1975 Ryder Cup when Palmer was American captain and arranged for the two to go head to head again in the afternoon to give Nicklaus the chance for revenge.

But what about that anecdote about out-driving Palmer? Again it was at the Citrus Open in 1970 when Palmer was four shots better off than Barnes after 36 holes – an opening 64 followed by a 72 to Barnes’ 72, 68 – but was still fuming over the British player’s extra length off the tee.

Barnes added: “Arnold absolutely hated being out-driven but I was driving the ball exceptionally well in the opening two rounds. We got to the 18th tee of the second round and he hadn’t got it past me once so you could see he was going to put everything into his drive.

“He ended up topping it 200 yards but as we set off down the fairway a voice from the crowd said ‘whatever you do it’s alright with us’ and that was typical of the way people felt towards Arnold.”