On this date in 1865, the Open Championship was won by Andrew Strath of Scotland, who won over two-time champion Willie Park Sr. by two shots. And in 1868, Tom Morris Jr. is credited with the first recorded hole-in-one when he aced the eighth hole at Prestwick, Scotland.
A pair of Open Championships from the 1800s ended on this date. In 1866, at Prestwick, Willie Park Sr. won for the third time, beating brother Davie Park by two shots. In 1872, also at Prestwick, Tom Morris Jr. won for the fourth straight time, winning by three strokes over David Strath.
Angel Cabrera was born on this date in 1969. The winner of the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters, the Argentinian golfer has been off his game of late and has been playing a mix of senior and regular tour golf.
A pair of Open Championships from the 1800s ended on this date, playing the entire event in one day each time. In 1862, the third championship was won by Tom Morris Sr. in defense of his title, at Prestwick by 13 shots over Willie Park Sr. And in 1890, also at Prestwick, amateur John Ball won by three shots over Willie Fernie and Archie Simpson.
At least three famous people were born on this date. Arnold Palmer in 1929 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Larry Nelson in 1947 in Fort Payne, Alabama, and William Dale Hynd of Moline, Illinois. Golfers will know who the first two are, but Mr. Hynd? That would be my father-in-law, who was born on this day in 1933. Happy Birthday Rodeo Bill!
One year ago on this date, one of the greatest characters in golf history, Englishman Brian Barnes, died of cancer. Barnes won nine times on the European Tour, and never won a major, but his greatest claim to fame was beating Jack Nicklaus twice on the same day in singles at the 1975 Ryder Cup.
On this date in 1963, Jack Nicklaus shot a second-straight 70 to win the World Series of Golf, an unoffical 36-hole event involving the winners of the year’s major championships, held at Firestone Country Club, par-70, 7,165-yard South Course, Akron, Ohio. The final standings: September 7-8, 1963—Jack Nicklaus 70-70—140, $50,000; Julius Boros 72-69—141, $15,000; Arnold Palmer 71-72—143, $5,000; Bob Charles 70-77—147, $5,000.
Louise Suggs, an LPGA Tour cofounder and ultra-tough competitor, was born on this date in 1923 in Lithia Springs, Georgia. Winner of 11 majors, Suggs is in the World Golf Hall of Fame and won the 2007 Bob Jones Award, named in honor of a fellow Georgian.
On this date in 1929, Dow Finsterwald was born in Athens, Ohio. He won the 1958 PGA Championship, the first year it was held at stroke play after conducted at match play since 1916.
On this date in 1925, the great amateur Bobby Jones, President in Perpetuity of Augusta National Golf Club, won the 29th playing of the U.S. Amateur., beating Watts Gun, 8 and 7, at Oakmont for his second title.
Two American golf stars, both in the World Golf Hall of Fame, were born on this date. In 1942, Raymond Floyd, a four-time major winner, was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. And in 1949, eight-time major champion Tom Watson was born in Kansas City, Missouri.
On this date in 1973, Billy Casper finished a 20-under-par 264 week to win the Sammy Davis Jr. Greater Hartford Open in Wethersfield, Connecticut, winning the tournament for the fourth time and winning his 50th PGA Tour event. Casper’s final round was a 64. He made a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to pull ahead and hold off Bruce Devlin by one shot.
On this date in 1940, the PGA Championship finished at Hershey Country Club in Pennsylvania with Byron Nelson taking the Wanamaker Cup by edging Sam Snead, 1 up, in the 36-hole final.
The 33rd Open Championship ended on this date in 1893 with Willie Auchterlonie of Scotland beating amateur player Johnny Laidley at Prestwick Golf Club by two shots.
Three major championship winners share life events on this date. Pádraig Harrington was born in 1971 and the Irishman won the Open Ch. of 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Ch. of 2008. The 2011 Masters winner, Charl Schwartzel, was born in 1984 in South Africa. And the 1967 Masters champion, Gay Brewer, died on this date at age 75 in 2007.
Three U.S. Amateur champions were crowned on this date: in 1969 Steve Melnyk, 1987 Billy Mayfair, and 1992 Justin Leonard.
In 1908, the U.S. Open Championship ended on this day at the Myopia Hunt Golf club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts when Fred McLeod defeated fellow Scot Willie Smith by six strokes in an 18-hole playoff. It was McLeod’s only major victory. In his dotage, he became an honorary starter at the Masters with Jock Hutchison.
On this date in 1994, Tiger Woods won his first of three straight U.S. Amateur titles. He won the 94th playing by coming back against Trip Kuehne and winning 2 up at the TPC Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. In 1995 Woods defeated. George “Buddy” Marucci Jr., 2 up, at Newport (R.I.) Country Club, and in 1996 Woods defeated Steve Scott in 38 holes at Pumpkin Ridge G.C. (Witch Hollow Course), North Plains, Oregon. Woods was also the medalist that year.
Bernhard Langer, who won two Masters in his prime despite being plagued by the yips, was born on this date in 1957 in Anhausen, Germany. Langer had a second life with the long putter and has continued to win at age 63 on the senior tour.
On this date in 2012, when 15 year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand won the Canadian Open by three shots, she became the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history and was the first amateur winner since JoAnne Carner won the 1969 Burdine’s Invitational. Ko was the fifth amateur winner in tour history. She broke the age record of 16 set by Lexi Thompson at the Navistar Classic in September 2011.