There have been six eight-hole, sudden-death playoffs in PGA Tour history, the most number of holes played to produce a winner. (Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum played 11 in the 1949 Motor City Open but they were declared co-winners due to darkness.) On this date in 1965, the first eight-hole playoff was held when Dick Hart defeated Phil Rodgers at the Azalea Open at Cape Fear Country Club in Wilmington, North Carolina.
On this day in 1968, the PGA announced that the United States team to compete in the World Cup would be made up of the champions at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, if American, of course.
On this date in 1951, the one-year-old LPGA Tour saw Patty Berg win the Sandhills Women’s Open at Southern Pines Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Berg shot 221 to win by 10 shots over Babe Zaharias and take home the $750 first prize out of a total prize pot of $3,000.
The first Masters, full name Augusta National Invitation Tournament, concluded on this date in 1934 with Horton Smith shooting an even-par 72 and winning by a shot from Craig Wood.
On this date in 1951 , the World Golf Hall of Fame member Pat Bradley was born in Westford, Massachusetts. The affable Bradley was also a tenacious competitor. Her nephew is Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner. Among her six majors won was the 1981 U.S. Women’s Open.
On this date in 1958, Arnold Palmer won the St. Petersburg Open, March 20-23, with scores and first-place money of 70-69-72-65—276, 1st, $2,000.
On this date in 1934, the golf world changed substantially. Bobby Jones’ golf tournament, to be known as the Masters, played its first round in its inaugural playing and it was led by Jimmy Hines and Horton Smith with 70s. Smith would go on to win by one shot over Craig Wood.
On this date in 1993, Ben Crenshaw beat the darkness to win the Nestle Invitational at Bay Hill. Crenshaw hadn’t played at Bay Hill since 1988 but had personally been invited to play by Arnold Palmer during the 1992 Masters. The victory was worth $180,000 and upped Crenshaw’s career earnings to $5,354,526.
A golfer’s passing is not normal trivia fodder, but when it’s Harry Vardon, it’s worth observing. The only six-time Open champion and the only notable figure who has his name attached to a way of holding the grip, Vardon died on this date in 1937 a couple months shy of age 67.
A pair of major championship winners were born on this date. Five-time champion of The Open, J.H. Taylor, was born in 1871; he died in 1963. And more recently, Masters champion of 1967 Gay Brewer was born in 1932. Nicknamed “Hound Dog” for his appearance and upturned nose, Brewer passed away in 2007.
On this date in 1973, Sandra Haynie shot 216 to win the Orange Blossom Classic on Seminole Lakes Country Club in St. Petersburg, Florida, by one over Marlene Hagge.
On this date in 1902, the great Bobby Jones was born in Atlanta. He was a golf prodigy who became one of the greatest sports figures of all-time and whose lasting legacy is the Masters Tournament. He died on December 18, 1971.
On this date in 1958, the underappreciated Beverly Hanson won the prestigious Titleholders Championship at Augusta Country Club, shooting four under par to beat Betty Dodd by five.
Three Americans have been named Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland: Joseph Dey, Bill Campbell, and on this date in 1951, Francis Ouimet, most well known for winning the 1913 U.S. Open.
On this date in 1929, Bob Goalby was born in Belleville, Illinois, east of St. Louis in southern Illinois. The uncle of Jay Haas, Goalby won 12 times on tour, most notably the 1968 Masters in the infamous disqualification of Roberto De Vicenzo. Goalby died in 2022 just a couple months shy of 93, was not the oldest former winner of a major at the time. That title belonged to — and still does — to Jack Burke, Jr., who is now 100.
On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer won the Pensacola Open for his third straight victory and fourth of the year in his first 10 events of 1960. He won the Palm Springs Desert Classic then won the Texas Open on February 28, Baton Rouge Open on March 6 and Pensacola on the 13th.
On this date in 1961, the greatest woman player, Mickey Wright, won the Miami Open by six shots at Miami Springs Country Club with a winning total of three under par.
On this date in 1971, Arnold Palmer started his march to the only time he won the Orlando PGA Tour stop now named after him. He shot a 66 in the first round of the Florida Citrus Invitational at Rio Pinar Country Club and then shot three straight 68s to win.
As we continue to honor Arnold Palmer this week, on this date in 1963 he shot a 67 in the Pensacola Open to take first place. It was part of a great start to the season for him. He won three of the first seven events he played: the Los Angeles Open, Phoenix Open in which Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus finished second and third, and Pensacola.
On this date in 1989, Arnold Palmer, playing the first round of the Nestle Invitational, shot an 83 en route to missing the cut. The Nestle is now the Arnold Palmer Invitational, having just been played this past weekend at Bay Hill in Florida. The round in the 80s occurred as Arnie’s time playing the regular PGA Tour was winding down.