In 1968, production of a one-piece, no-cut golf ball was announced, a major change in ball design. Also on this date, in 1947, retired PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem was born.
After finishes of 1st, 2nd, T-3, 2nd, T-34, T-4, T-36 and T-6 to start 1966, Arnold Palmer went into the Masters as a huge favorite. It was expected he’d continue his every-other-year victory streak. But he was off by one week and tied for fourth on April 11 at the Masters. Instead, on April 18, he won an 18-hole playoff with Gay Brewer, 69-73, to capture the Tournament of Champions.
Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open (also known as the Wyndham Ch.) eight times. No. 7 came on April 17, 1960, when Snead shot his fourth-straight round in the 60s and finished two strokes ahead of Dow Finsterwald at Starmount Forest Country Club.
Yesterday's winner of the RBC Heritage, Satoshi Kodaira, took home $1,206,000.00. Jimmy Demaret won $2,000 on this date in 1950 when he won the North Fulton Open at the North Fulton Park Course in Atlanta (held April 13-16, 1950). His scores were 71-69-64-66—270.
The greatest women's golfer of all-time, Mickey Wright, won her 82nd and final LPGA Tour event on this date in 1973, and it was a key one: The Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle, now known as the ANA Inspiration. At the time, the Dinah Shore wasn't considered a major; that status would come in 1983.
A sad day in golf history: In the 1968 Masters, Roberto De Vicenzo signed an incorrect scorecard with a higher score than he actually shot on the 17th hole in the final round and finished one behind Bob Goalby. Born on this date: 1964 PGA champion Bobby Nichols in 1936…and World Golf Hall of Famer, Mr. De Vicenzo himself, in 1923.
In the final Masters Tournament held before its World War II break, Byron Nelson defeated Ben Hogan, 68-70, in a playoff to win the 1942 Masters on this date for his second green jacket. Born on this date: Davis Love III in 1964 and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marilynn Smith in 1929.
In a battle of juggernauts, Sam Snead defeated Ben Hogan, 70-71, to win the 1954 Masters, his third. A decade later, the date April 12, 1964, would mark the day Arnold Palmer won his seventh and final professional major, by six shots, at the Masters.
With a 70, Jack Nicklaus won a three-way, 18-hole playoff on April 11, 1966, over Tommy Jacobs (72) and Gay Brewer (78) to become the first player to win the Masters in back-to-back years.
Arnold Palmer rued April 10, 1961, for the rest of his career. A lack of concentration caused him to make a double-bogey 6 on the 18th hole, losing by one shot to Gary Player, who became the first international Masters champion.
Two-time Masters champion Seve Ballesteros was born on April 9 in 1957. On the course, Jimmy Demaret became the first three-time winner in 1950, and Jack Nicklaus won in 1972 to join Arnold Palmer as a four-time winner, which Jack later extended to six victories in 1986.
This is the day Gene Sarazen made: On April 7, 1935, he made a double eagle on the 15th hole, tied Craig Wood for first, then won in a playoff the next day. On April 7, 1998, the Jack Nicklaus plaque was dedicated; it is attached to the drinking fountain between the 16th and 17th holes. Of birthdays: Daniel Berger was born on this date in 1993 in Plantation, Florida. He starts today tied for 35th in the Masters.
On April 8, 1962, Arnold Palmer made birdies on 16 and 17 to tie Gary Player and Dow Finsterwald at 280 at the end of regulation, then beat them the next day in a playoff with a 68 to Player's 71 and Finsterwald's 77.
Arnold Palmer shot a final-round 73 on April 6, 1958, but still won his first Masters by one stroke. On April 6, 1955, the Sarazen Bridge was dedicated; it’s the bridge that players cross up by the green on par-5 15th, the hole that Gene Sarazen famously double-eagled in his 1935 victory.
Amateur Ken Venturi led Round 1 of the Masters on April 5, 1956, with a 66, but by Sunday he had lost his form and shot 80 to lose to Jack Burke Jr. by one stroke. Also on this date, former Open Championship winner Henrik Stenson turns 42.
In Masters history, Byron Nelson went birdie-eagle on Nos. 12 and 13 on April 4, 1937, en route to a final-round 70 and two-shot victory over Ralph Guldahl. Lord Byron also won in 1942. Also at Augusta, on April 4, 1995, the Arnold Palmer Plaque behind the 16th tee was dedicated.
Craig Wood shot a 66 in the first round on April 3, 1941, to lead the Masters by five. He went on to lead wire to wire and win by three strokes over Byron Nelson.
After finishing as runner-up two years in a row, Ralph Guldahl won the sixth Masters by one shot over Sam Snead on April 2, 1939. Non-Masters notes: Born on this date were: Shane Lowry (1987), J.J. Henry (1975) and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ayako Okamoto (1951)
Johnny Farrell, the 1928 U.S. Open champion, was born on April 1, 1901, one year before Bobby Jones and Gene Sarazen. Farrell was a longtime head professional at Baltusrol Country Club in New Jersey, site of numerous majors, and won 22 PGA Tour events. He died in June 1988.
Of special birthday notes, World Golf Hall of Famer Tommy Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma, on this date in 1916, and Miller Barber was born in 1931 in Shreveport, Louisiana. On the golf course, Tony Jacklin won the 1968 Greater Jacksonville Open on March 31 to become the first Englishman to win a modern U.S. pro tour event and an important event of any kind since Ted Ray won the 1920 U.S. Open. And Calvin Peete won the 1985 Tournament Players Championship by three shots over D.A. Weibring on the TPC Stadium Course.