On this date in 1992, the LPGA Championship concluded at Bethesda Country Club, won by Betsy King for her fifth major in a runaway by 11 strokes over three runners-up.
On this date in 1982, Kathy Whitworth won the Atlanta LPGA event for her 83rd LPGA victory to take the all-time lead over Mickey Wright. On the same day in Atlanta, Joan Joyce had 17 putts in her round to break the record of 19 held by Beverley Klass. Also on this same day, Jack Nicklaus won the Colonial National Invitational for his first victory in nearly 2 years. He shot a 67 to win by three over Andy North.
Ken Venturi was born on this date in 1931 in San Francisco. The World Golf Hall of Fame member won an inspirational U.S. Open in 1964, and is also well remembered for his TV analyst work on CBS. His career was at one time expected to be as dominant as Arnold Palmer’s but he had hand issues that curtailed his career. He died two days after his 82nd birthday in 2013.
On this date in 1995, Kelly Robbins won the only major of her career at DuPont Country Club in the LPGA Championship. She held on by one shot over Laura Davies.
On this date in 1962, Mickey Wright won the LPGA Western Open on Montgomery Country Club after a four-hole playoff with Mary Lena Faulk.
On this date in 2013, Tiger Woods won his second Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass by two shots over three players.
On this date in 1928, Walter Hagen won his third Open Championship, by two strokes over Gene Sarazen at Royal St. George's Golf Club.
On this date in 1929, The Open Championship was won by Walter Hagen at Muirfield, six strokes ahead of fellow American Johnny Farrell.
On this date in 1870, Harry Vardon, the only six-time Open Championship winner, was born in Jersey, UK. In a wonderful coincidence, he was born on a May day one day after Francis Ouimet was born in 1893, the golfer he would be connected with in the historic 1913 U.S. Open playoff at The Country Club. Vardon won the 1900 U.S. Open during a tour of America.
One of the game’s most historical figures was born on this date in 1893. Francis Ouimet, an American amateur, was born in Brookline, Massachusetts and won the U.S. Amateur twice but his most notable achievement was winning the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline in a playoff with British stars Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. When the championship was played there again in 1963, Ouimet was honored on the 50th anniversary.
Two World Golf Hall of Fame members died on this date, well before their time. Craig Wood succumbed to a heart ailment at age 66 in 1968, and in 2011, Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros died after fighting brain cancer.
On this date in 1962, the year he won two majors, Arnold Palmer won the Tournament of Champions. He had scores of 69-70-69-68 for 276 and first prize of $11,000.
One of the most unique—and successful—putters in history, Leo Diegel, died on this date in 1951 at age 52 from cancer. Diegel, a two-time PGA champion, pointed his elbows straight outward and swung them like a pendulum. His style was called Diegeling.
A pair of major figures in golf history were born on this date. World Golf Hall of Famer Betsy Rawls was born in 1928 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Future hall of famer Rory McIlroy was born in 1989 in Holywood, Northern Ireland. At just 31, McIlroy is still building up his resume and needs just a Masters victory to complete a career Grand Slam.
On this date in 1990, Brooks Koepka, three-time major championship winner, was born in West Palm Beach, Florida.
On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer lost a playoff to Bill Collins at the Houston Classic, 69 to 71, to take second place after the two had tied at 280.
Pete Brown, a pioneering African-American golfer who won the Waco Open in 1964 on the PGA Tour, died on this date in 2015 at age 80.
On this date in 1961 and 1962, the great Mickey Wright won the LPGA Titleholders Championship at Augusta Country Club. In 1961 it was by one shot over Patty Berg and Louise Suggs, and in 1962 it was in a playoff with Ruth Jessen.
On this date in 1947, Johnny Miller was born in San Francisco and assembled a Hall of Fame career, highlighted by winning the 1973 U.S. Open and 1976 Open Championship. In retirement he was a golf analyst for NBC Sports.
John Daly was born on this date in 1966 and became an unlikely golf champion, winning two majors, the 1991 PGA and 1995 Open Championship.