On this date in 1994, Greg Norman, Fred Couples and Paul Azinger from the PGA Tour won the Wendy's 3-Tour Golf Challenge at the Jack Nicklaus Resort Course at PGA West in La Quinta, California. They had a final total of 10 under par.
This time of year is known as the Silly Season because of the unusual formats you’d see in pro events. On this date in 1989, it was a mixed team event. Mike Hill and Patti Rizzo shot 25 under par and won the Mazda Champions event at the Hyatt Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico. A typical Silly Season event is being held this weekend with the PNC Championship with generational teams competing.
On this date in 1979, Trevor Immelman was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He has two PGA Tour victories, including the 2008 Masters.
On this date in 1996, the Diner’s Club Matches concluded, with Dottie Pepper & Juli Inkster winning the LPGA portion, Jim Colbert & Bob Murphy taking the Champions Tour, and Tom Lehman & Duffy Waldorf winning the regular PGA Tour portion.
On this date in 1980, Nancy Lopez and Curtis Strange won the JCPenney Golf Classic by two shots at Bardmoor Country Club in Largo, Florida. They split a $72,000 first prize.
Happy 34th: On this date in 1988, Rickie Fowler was born in Murrieta, California. The five-time PGA Tour winner has been on the brink of major stardom but hasn’t broken through yet; he has finished second four times in major championships. His last victory was nearly four years ago.
The great Charles Boswell, a 13-time winner of the U.S. Blind Golfers’ Association, was born on this date in 1916. Boswell won numerous awards, but Pat Browne later passed his USBGA total.
The first PGA National Four-Ball Championship ended on this date at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, with Gay Brewer and Butch Baird winning by three with a 259 total. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, who would come to dominate this event, tied for seventh, seven strokes back.
On this date in 1954, Arnold Palmer’s debut on the PGA Tour ended with a missed cut. Palmer had turned pro in November 1954, and the Miami Open in Miami Springs was his tour debut, but he missed the cut with rounds of 78-74—152, played on December 9 and 10.
On this date in 1926 is usually recognized as the date the U.S. Golf Association legalized the use of steel in golf club shafts. Hickory was the primary shaft material for many years leading up to the use of steel. Once steel became the common shaft, aluminum, graphite and other hi-tech materials expanded the shaft market.
The QBE Shootout this weekend will combine male and female players together. On this date in 1985, siblings Laurie Rinker and Larry Rinker won the mixed team JCPenney Golf Classic at Bardmoor Country Club in Largo, Florida, at 21 under par.
Luke Donald and Billy Horschel share a birthday on this date. Donald was born in 1977 in England; he attended Northwestern in Illinois. He was No. 1 in the World at one point but has not been among the best lately. Horschel was born in 1986 and has seven PGA Tour wins, the latest the 2022 Memorial Tournament overseen by Jack Nicklaus.
On this date in 1987, Jane Crafter and Steve Jones won the JCPenney Golf Classic at Bardmoor Country Club in Largo, Florida, with a score of 20 under par, two ahead of Debbie Massey and Mark McCumber.
World Golf Hall of Famer Lanny Wadkins was born on this date in 1949. Wadkins, who won the 1977 PGA, retired from competition to do analyst commentary for Golf Channel.
On this date in 1988, Amy Benz and John Huston won the JCPenney Golf Classic at Bardmoor Golf Club in Largo, Florida. They shot 21 under par to beat Martha Nause and Larry Mize by two shots.
On this date in 1972, Jack Nicklaus won the Walt Disney World Open at Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the final tour event of the season. The $30,000 first-place money made him the first PGA Tour player to earn $300,000 for a season. Nicklaus, 32, was in his 11th year. He shot 68-68-67-6—267 and finished the year with $320,542.26.
On this date in 1937, Jock Hutchison won the inaugural Senior PGA Championship held at the nearly new Augusta National Golf Club. Hutchison won by eight shots over George Gordon.
On this date in 1973, Jack Nicklaus finished at 13-under-par 275 to win by one stroke over Mason Rudolph at the Walt Disney World Open. The $30,000 first-place money made him the first tour player to earn more than $2 million in PGA Tour career earnings. Arnold Palmer had been the first to win $1 million career money.
On this date in 1969, Arnold Palmer won the first Heritage Golf Classic, with four rounds of 68-71-70-74—283, and a first-place prize of $20,000. He won by three shots. The Heritage has long since been played in the spring, but it first was held in the fall.
Payne Stewart won the 1992 Skins Game on this date with $220,000. He beat Greg Norman, Fred Couples and Tom Kite at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, California.