On this date in 1962, Arnold Palmer shot a first-round 64 in the Phoenix Open, one of his lowest rounds ever on the PGA Tour, to be the leader.

This date is not one of glee but today’s date is a celebration of two hall of fame players. Betty Jameson, an LPGA founding member, died on this date in 2009 at age 89. In 2015, Billy Casper passed away from a heart attack at age 83. Casper won the 1959 and 1966 U.S. Open and the 1970 Masters.

Today’s “out of this world” moment was when golf went universal. Astronaut Alan Shepard hit a couple golf balls while on the moon on this date in 1971, using a makeshift 6-iron he had quietly brought on board the Apollo 14 flight. Because of his cumbersome spacesuit, he had to swing with his right arm only. Back on earth, Shepard said he “shanked the first one; it rolled into a crater about 40 yards away. The second one, I kept my head down. I hit it flush and it went at least 200 yards.”

World Golf Hall of Famer José María Olazábal, who won the 1994 and 1999 Masters, was born on this date in 1966 in Hondarribia, Spain

Today has a pair of Arnold Palmer moments to observe, both involving the Palm Springs area. In 1962, he won the Palm Springs Golf Classic, shooting 69-67-66-71-69—342 to take top prize of $5,300. And in 1968, he won the Bob Hope Desert Classic after a two-hole, sudden-death playoff with Deane Beman. Arnold had scores of 72-70-67-71-68—348, taking home $20,000.

Retief Goosen, inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019, was born on this date in 1969 in Pietersburg, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

One of golf’s great personal tragedies took place in 1949. Ben Hogan was nearly killed when he and wife, Valerie, were hit head on by a bus when they were traveling on a foggy Texas road, heading home from the West Coast. Hogan’s severe injuries were expected to end his golf career, but he was able to get back on the course by the following year.

On this date in 1959, the 20th Senior PGA Championship finished at PGA National Golf Club in Dunedin, Florida, with winner Willie Goggin using a borrowed set of woods to win by one shot over Denny Shute, Leland Gibson and Paul Runyan.

The suspended first round and then second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open will be played today on the PGA Tour with Wyndham Clark leading at 10 under par. On this date in 1957, Arnold Palmer played the first round of the Phoenix Open, shooting a 66. Arnie ended up at 277 in a tie for fifth.

Two World Golf Hall of Fame members were born on this date. In 1955 Curtis Strange was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and would win back-to-back U.S. Open titles. In 1957, three-time major winner Payne Stewart was born in Springfield, Missouri. He won two U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship.

This is a historical date in regards to oldest living major champion. Jack Burke Jr., a Masters and PGA champion, was born on this date in 1923. He is the oldest living major winner at age 97. Kel Nagle, an Open Championship winner, once was the oldest, at the time of his death on this date in 2015 at age 94.

Henry Cotton, a three-time winner of the Open Championship who had a variety of interests and was a regular author, was born on this date in 1907 at Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, England in 1907.

Two of the PGA Tour’s journeymen-type pros were born on this date. In 1939 Mike Hill, winner of three titles on the regular tour and 18 on the senior tour, was born in Jackson, Michigan. He is the younger brother of more accomplished Dave Hill. Also, in 1964, Woody Austin, four-time tour winner and runner-up at the 2007 PGA, was born in Tampa, Florida.

On this date in 2005, Arnold Palmer married at age 75 his longtime girlfriend Kathleen (Kit) Gawthrop in a private ceremony in Hawaii on the beach at Turtle Bay Resort.

With the PGA Tour on the West Coast, it’s appropriate to observe that on this day in 1959, Arnold Palmer won the Thunderbird Invitational after rounds of 67-70-67-62—266 at Thunderbird Country Club (71, 6,680) in Palm Springs, California. First place was worth just $1,500. It was Arnold’s 11th PGA Tour victory.

On this date in 1989, Canadian great George Knudson died of lung cancer at age 51. Knudson won eight times on the PGA Tour and was highly regarded for his swing technique with a compact swing and active lower body. The closest he came to a major victory was as runner-up in the 1969 Masters to George Archer.

LPGA golfer Yani Tseng was born on this date in 1989 in Taiwan. She won five majors in 2008 to 2011, and 27 tour titles by March 2012, but she hasn’t won since and continues to search for the magic that made her World No. 1 for more than 100 weeks.

The 45th Senior PGA Championship ended on this date in 1984 at PGA National G.C. The oldest senior major was played in January, not in December, to avoid a scheduling conflict. Arnold Palmer won a second Senior PGA, with one of the most unusual set of four rounds for a regular or senior event. His middle rounds had a 16-stroke variance: 63 to 79. The good news was, the 63 had helped him lead by eight (the largest 36-hole lead in 1984 on the senior tour) and the 79 was shot on a blustery day with temperatures in the 40s and the majority of the players scored high. The weather was gusty for the final round, too, but Palmer steadied himself to win by two over Don January. The 63 would be his career low round in his senior tour career.

Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer of all time, was born on this date in 1940 in Columbus, Ohio. At 80, the Golden Bear is still actively involved in many business interests and in his vast family activities.

The 1957 PGA Championship winner, Lionel Hebert, was born on this date in 1928 in Lafayette, Louisiana. His older brother, Jay, won the PGA in 1960.