This Day in Golf History: July 17

On this date in 1983, Tom Watson repeated as Open Championship winner, winning by a shot at Royal Birkdale over Hale Irwin and Andy Bean. It was Watson’s fifth Open but his last, and eighth, major victory at the age of 33; he fell flat at the end the following year at St. Andrew but was edged out by Seve Ballesteros. And Watson couldn’t close the deal in several close finishes in majors afterward. On this date in 1954, Arnold Palmer won the Ohio Amateur, and in 1970, Arnie hosted “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” with guests Spiro Agnew and Rod Laver.