This Day in Golf History: June 21

On this date in 1954, Arnold Palmer finished as low amateur in the Penn Open. In U.S. Open dates, on this date in 1971, Lee Trevino took down Jack Nicklaus in a playoff at Merion Golf Club, 68-71, to win his second U.S. Open. Trevino memorably goofed around with Jack using a rubber snake he had in his golf bag on the first tee and many thought it was a way to psyche out Jack before the playoff began. Lee always maintained it was an innocent goof and it was his great play that carried him through. On this date in 1965, Gary Player of South Africa defeated Australia’s Kel Nagle in an 18-hole playoff at Bellerive to win an 18-hole U.S. Open playoff and at age 29 complete the career Grand Slam.