On this date in 1929, the Ryder Cup Match was played in cold and snow as the Great Britain team beat the United States, 7-5, at Moortown Golf Club.
On this date in 1964, Marilynn Smith had a huge victory at the LPGA Titleholders Championship played at Augusta Country Club, adjacent to Augusta National, when she defended her title with a one-stroke victory over Mickey Wright, the all-time greatest women’s player.
One of the most diminutive major championship winners in history, Jerry Barber, was born on this date in 1916 in Woodson, Illinois, west of Springfield. Barber was 5-5, 137 pounds, and won the 1961 PGA Championship in a playoff over Don January.
Lee Westwood was born on this date in 1973 at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. Westwood has not won a major despite a few close calls, but his biggest international impact has been his fervent play in the Ryder Cup Match every two years.
On this date in 1937, Don Massengale was born in Jackson, Texas. He was a second-tier player on tour who came close to golf immortality by finishing as runner-up in the 1967 PGA Championship.
World Golf Hall of Fame member Deane Beman was born on this date in 1938 in Washington, D.C. Beman, who made his fame first as an amateur star then pro tour player, was PGA Tour Commissioner from 1974-1994.
On this date in 1991, Jack Nicklaus won the oldest senior major, the PGA Seniors' Championship, at PGA National by six shots over Australia’s Bruce Crampton.
An incredible talent who never got to show the record he could have accumulated, Young Tom Morris was born on this date in 1851. He won four Open Championships, including three in a row to retire the champion’s belt, and then died at just 24 in St. Andrews, Scotland.
On this date in 1922, amateur legend Billy Joe Patton was born in Morganton, North Carolina. He made a remarkable run at winning the Masters in 1954 that is still captivating to read about. Like his good friend Arnold Palmer, Patton attended Wake Forest College. Patton died in Morganton in 2011.
On this date in 1993, the PGA Seniors' Championship was won at PGA National by Tom Wargo, who parred the second hole of a playoff to beat Bruce Crampton.
On this date in 1994, the PGA Seniors' Championship ended at PGA National with Lee Trevino beating Jim Colbert by one stroke.
On this date in 1995, Raymond Floyd won the PGA Seniors' Championship at PGA National, by five shots over Larry Gilbert, Lee Trevino and John Paul Cain.
In what was a disappointment to traditionalists, the Masters, in its 43rd playing, had its first sudden-death playoff on this date in 1979. Fuzzy Zoeller won a two-hole playoff, making a birdie on the incredibly hard 11th hole, beating Ed Sneed and Tom Watson.
On this date in 1974, Gary Player won his second of three Masters titles, winning the 38th playing by two shots ahead of Dave Stockton and Tom Weiskopf.
Ben Hogan lost Masters playoffs to both Sam Snead and Byron Nelson. It was to Nelson on this date in 1942 as Nelson won the 9th Masters Tournament. As with Snead, Hogan lost an 18-hole playoff to Byron by one shot.
In back to back years, 1953 and 1954, the Masters Tournament finished on April 12. In 1953, Ben Hogan won the 17th tournament by five strokes over Ed Oliver. In 1954, Sam Snead beat Hogan by one shot in an 18-hole Monday playoff to win his third Masters.
On this date in two different years the winning score of 271 was shot, at the time a tournament record. In 1965 Jack Nicklaus won the 29th Masters, his second, beating Gary Player and Arnold Palmer by nine shots. In 1976, Raymond Floyd won his only Masters with 271, eight shots ahead of Ben Crenshaw. It was the 40th playing of the tournament.
On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer birdied the final two holes to win the 24th Masters Tournament at Augusta National, edging Ken Venturi by one shot and adding a second Masters to his 1958 title. Palmer said to Venturi, “I wanted to win more than anything, Ken, but I'm truly sorry it had to be this way."
On this date in 1972, Jack Nicklaus won the 36th Masters Tournament, leading from start to finish and finishing three shots ahead of Bruce Crampton, Tom Weiskopf and Bobby Mitchell. It was Jack’s fourth of sixth Masters wins.
On this date in 1935, Gene Sarazen beat Craig Wood in a 36-hole playoff, 144-149, to win the Masters one day after their great duel that featured Sarazen’s famous double eagle on the 15th hole. Also on this day in 1886, English golfer Jim Barnes was born. He won four majors, the 1916 and 1919 PGA, 1921 U.S. Open and 1925 Open Championship.