In 1967, Day 1 of the Ryder Cup was held at Champions Golf Club in Houston. After morning and afternoon foursomes, the U.S. led 5.5 to 2.5. Arnold Palmer was among the big winners. He and Gardner Dickinson defeated Peter Alliss-Christy O’Connor Sr., 2 and 1, in the a.m. and downed Malcolm Gregson-Hugh Boyle, 5 and 4, in the afternoon.. Also, American golf star Danielle Kang was born on this date in 1992 in San Francisco. She attended Pepperdine, won the 2010 and 2011 U.S. Amateur and as a pro won the Women’s PGA in 2017.
On this date in 1972, Arnold Palmer shot a 66 in the first round of the Kaiser International. He would shoot 67 in Round 2, but finish 75-74 to tie for 11th. Also, Lew Worsham, the winning benefactor of the 1947 U.S. Open when Sam Snead missed a short putt on the final hole in a disputed “out of turn” moment, died on this date in 1990 at age 73.
On this date in 1980, Arnold Palmer played one of his late-career PGA Tour events. He was paired with Larry Nelson in the Disney World National Team Championship. After rounds of 68-67 the twosome blitzed in with a 65 in Round 3 for a 200 total. But that was not good enough for the duo to make the cut for the final round. And the “other Watson” outside major champions Tom and Bubba is Denis Watson, who was born on this date in 1955 in Harare, Zimbabwe. He was the notable 1985 U.S. Open runner-up.
On this date in 1860, the first Open Championship was held at Prestwick Golf Club, with Willie Park Sr. winning the inaugural playing by a couple shots over Old Tom Morris.
In 1983, the European team was on the cusp of starting to assert itself in the Ryder Cup, but on this date in 1983, the 25th Ryder Cup ended in spectacular style with the U.S. edging Europe, 14½-13½, at PGA National in Florida. Both Seve Ballesteros and Lanny Wadkins hit spectacular shots on 18 in their separate matches to get a half point. Bernard Gallacher missed a short putt on 17 to ensure Tom Watson a 2 & 1 victory and the deciding U.S. point. On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer finished third in the 54-hole West Virginia Open, and in 1971 on “The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show” episode, “Arnold Palmrock” was in the town of Bedrock and met Fred Flintstone.
On this date in 1961, the LPGA Championship was won for the third time by Mickey Wright, at Stardust C.C., by nine shots over Louise Suggs. Also, Horton Smith, the winner of the first and third Masters Tournament in 1934 and 1936, died on this date in 1963 at age 55 from Hodgkin’s disease.
The inaugural PGA Championship ended on this date in 1916 at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, with England’s Jim Barnes winning an epic 1-up victory in 36 holes over Jock Hutchison; Barnes made a four-foot putt on the final hole to clinch the title. And on this date In 1881, The Open Championship was completed at Prestwick Golf Club, won by Bob Ferguson with a three-stroke victory over Jamie Anderson in poor weather conditions.
On this date in 1966, Arnold Palmer shot an 80 in the second round of the Sahara Invitational in Las Vegas. That followed an opening 71. But it was a rough weather day and he still made the cut. Palmer recovered in the final two rounds with a pair of 67s and tied for second, earning $9,750. And the 1963 LPGA Championship ended on this date at Stardust Country Club with Mickey Wright winning for the fourth time, this time by two strokes over three players, including main rival Louise Suggs.
On this date in 1967, Arnold Palmer defeated George Knudson in the quarterfinal round of the Piccadilly World Match Play, at Wentworth West. That put Arnie in the semifinals against Billy Casper, who he beat 3 and 2. Also, on this date in 2008, the Senior Players Championship ended at Baltimore Country Club with D. A. Weibring winning by a shot over Fred Funk.
On this date in 1964, Arnold Palmer completed ultimate victory in the Piccadilly World Match Play at Wentworth West. In a 36-hole match, he defeated Neil Coles, 2 and 1, in the final. In the quarterfinals he defeated Peter Butler, 1 up, and he won in the semifinal, 8 and 6, against Gary Player. And in the year of Bobby Jones’ birthday, 1902, the U.S. Open, at Garden City Golf Club, ended on this date with Scot Laurie Auchterlonie winning by six strokes over Stewart Gardner and amateur Walter Travis.
On this date in 1968, Arnold Palmer played his first match of the Piccadilly World Match Play, at Wentworth West in England. It was a quarterfinal battle with Brian Huggett, and Arnie came out on top, 2 up. He lost the next match against Bob Charles, 7 and 6. The matches were 36 holes. And the Senior Players Championship ended in 2010 on this date with Mark O’Meara winning in a one-hole playoff with Michael Allen at TPC Potomac.
On this date in 1965, the 16th Ryder Cup ended at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England with the U.S. defeating Great Britain 19½-12½. Byron Nelson was the non-playing American captain and Harry Weetman was his G.B. counterpart. Arnold Palmer, Dave Marr, Julius Boros, Tony Lema and Peter Alliss (G.B.) each won two singles matches on the final day. Also, in 1987, on this date Arnold Palmer shot a first-round 66 at the Pepsi Senior Challenge and eventually finished tied for 5th.
On this date in 1888, the Open Championship wrapped up at the Old Course in St. Andrews with Jack Burns of Scotland winning by a single shot over Ben Sayers and David Anderson Jr. in Burns’ only Open victory. On this date in 1960 Arnold Palmer was named Professional Golfer of the Year, and in 1965, Palmer and Dave Marr went 1-1 at the Ryder Cup in two Four-Ball matches.
On this date in 1891, The Open Championship ended at St. Andrews’ Old Course with Hugh Kirkaldy winning by two strokes over his brother Andrew Kirkaldy and Willie Fernie. This was the last time the Open was played as 36 holes over one day. On this date in 1965, Arnold Palmer and Dave Marr went 1-1 in the 16th Ryder Cup, held at Royal Birkdale, on Day 1 of the competition. Eight foursomes matches were held, four in the a.m. and four in the afternoon. Arnie and Dave traded 6-and-5 matches with Dave Thomas and George Will, the Yanks losing in the a.m. but winning in the second session.
On this date in 1928, the PGA Championship concluded at the East Course at Five Farms Country Club in Lutherville, Maryland, with Leo Diegel dominating Al Espinosa, 6 and 5, in the final. Diegel also won in 1929. Also, the great bon vivant of golf, Walter Hagen, died on this date in 1969 at the age of 76. He won 11 majors but was equally known for his showmanship and man-about-town personality. One of his major admirers and friends, Arnold Palmer, was a pall bearer at his funeral.
On this date in 1957, the 12th Ryder Cup ended at Lindrick Golf Club in Yorkshire, England, with Great Britain defeating the U.S., 7½-4½. The U.S. led 3-1 after the Day 1 Foursomes but it got trounced in singles on Day 2, 6½-1½, to lose for captain Jack Burke, Jr. Dai Rees captained the winning squad, which came out on top for the first time since 1933. On this date in 1963, Arnold Palmer shot a 66 in Round 3 of the Whitemarsh Open.
On this date in 2016, a public memorial service was held at St. Vincent College basilica for Arnold Palmer, televised on Golf Channel. Also, the 2010 Ryder Cup, at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales, ended in a 14.5 to 13.5 victory for Europe. the inaugural U.S. Open was held on this date in 1895 at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. Englishman Horace Rawlins won by two shots over Scotland’s Willie Dunn. Rawlins had a 36-hole score of 173 for first, two ahead of Dunn.
On this date in 1953, the 10th Ryder Cup ended at Wentworth in England, with the Americans coming out ahead 6½-5½ points. Both Jack Burke Jr. and Sam Snead won two matches each to help lead the U.S. to a sixth straight victory over Great Britain. On this date in 1974, Arnold Palmer shot a first-round 73 in the Lancome Trophy, and would finish 4th three days later.
On this date in 1953, the United States took a 3-1 lead over Great Britain after Day 1 of the Ryder Cup. Also, in 1876, the Open Championship concluded at St. Andrews’ Old Course with Bob Martin winning when David Strath, a fellow Scotsman, refused to participate in a playoff after the two had tied at the end of regulation at 176. There were 34 players in the field.
On this date in 2010, at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales, the Ryder Cup was played with just one session due to rain. Only the Four-Ball session was played, with the U.S. leading 2.5 to 1.5 after play concluded. Also on this date, in 1921, the 4th PGA Championship was completed at Inwood CC with Walter Hagen defeating two-time champion Jim Barnes, 3 & 2, in the final. It was the first of Hagen’s legendary five PGA titles.