The 1947 Ryder Cup Match ended on this date at Portland Golf Club, resuming the series that had been on hold for 10 years due to world conflict. The U.S. won the match, 11-1. Ben Hogan was the U.S. captain, going up against Henry Cotton, a three-time Open Championship winner.
On this date in 1935, nine-time major champion Gary Player was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. The fitness-minded third of the Big Three of him, Palmer and Nicklaus, Player turns 91 on this date. The South African undoubtedly set a record for most miles flown in a sports career. In recent years he has joined Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson in hitting the ceremonial first shot at the Masters prior to the first round.
On this date in 1968, Arnold Palmer shot a first-round 70 at the Australian PGA. On the next three days he added rounds of 77-75-71—293 to tie for sixth. And on this date in 1993 the U.S. LPGA delivered tricks when it defeated the Japan LPGA, 23-9, in the Nichirei International at Ami Golf Club in Ibaragi-ken, Japan.
In 1965, Clifford Ann Creed, nicknamed Tiger for her tenacity, won the LPGA Las Cruces Golf Open at Las Cruces Country Club in New Mexico on this date. She shot three under par and beat Donna Caponi by two shots. And in another finish on this date, in 1988, Beth Daniel won the Nichirei Ladies Cup U.S.-Japan Team Golf Championship.
It would be interesting to see how Scottish-born Jimmy Thomson would do in today’s big hitter’s era. Born on this date in 1908, Thomson was stocky in the mode of today’s Jon Rahm and was one of the long hitters on tour, just as Rahm is today. Thomson notably finished runner-up in both the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont and 1936 PGA at Pinehurst No. 2. And on this date in 1995, the LPGA Tour defeated the Japanese LPGA, 19-17, at the Nichirei International at Tsukuba Country Club in Ibarangi, Japan.
One of the most celebrated woman golfers in the game’s history was born on this date in 1921. Peggy Kirk was born in Findlay, Ohio. Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019 in the lifetime achievement category, Kirk experienced success as a player before becoming well known as a teacher, resort owner and golf ambassador. She married Warren Bell in 1953 and was known as Peggy Kirk Bell from then on. A charter member of the LPGA, Bell also received the prestigious Bob Jones Award in 1990 from the USGA. She passed away at age 95 on Nov. 23, 2016, just a few weeks after Arnold Palmer died.
One of the big LPGA stars of the 1980s and 1990s, Patty Sheehan, was born on this date in 1956 in Middlebury, Vermont. A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, two of Sheehan’s major victories were the 1992 and 1994 U.S. Women’s Open. And on this date in 1991, former NFL quarterback John Brodie won the Security Pacific Senior Golf Classic.
Mary Bea Porter won the 1975 LPGA Golf Inns of America tournament on this date, at Whispering Pines in Rancho Santa Fe, by three shots over Donna Caponi. Porter completed a wire-to-wire victory with a final-round, three-over-par 76 and a 72-hole total of 287. She finished five under par for four rounds. Porter's first-place money of $5,700 more than doubled the $4,935 she had won In 22 events in 1975 to that point.
One of the most shocking tragedies in golf history took place on this day in 1999 when three-time major champion Payne Stewart—who at just age 42 had more championships to be won—died in a private plane crash when the jet’s occupants were deprived of oxygen in a structural failure. And on this date in 1964, Ruth Jessen won the LPGA Phoenix Thunderbirds Ladies' Golf Open at Arizona Biltmore Country Club in Phoenix. She shot 289, three ahead of Mickey Wright.
The 1991 Open Champion and longtime CBS-TV golf analyst, Ian Baker-Finch, was born on this date in 1960 in Nambour, Queensland, Australia. And on this date in 1965, Marlene Hagge won the LPGA Phoenix Thunderbirds Golf Tournament at Biltmore Country Club in Phoenix with a four-under-par total, two ahead of Judy Torluemke (later Rankin).
The 1935 PGA Championship wrapped up on this date, with Johnny Revolta winning at Twin Hills Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Revolta defeated Tommy Armour, 5 & 4, in the match-play final. And one of the most pure, genuine and unique golf teachers in history was born on this date in 1904. Harvey Penick, who coached such stars as Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls and Kathy Whitworth, was born in Austin, Texas. His homespun philosophy was brought out late in his life in a series of books, beginning with The Little Red Book, one of the top selling golf books of all time. Penick died in 1995 and has a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
In the 1967 Ryder Cup, which ended on this date at Champions Golf Club in Houston, the United States enjoyed a record 15-point victory over Great Britain. Ben Hogan captained the U.S. squad to its final 23½-8½ margin.
In the final event of the LPGA Tour’s inaugural year, 1950, Patty Berg won the LPGA Hardscrabble Women's Golf Invitation at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in a 2-up victory over Betsy Rawls, then an amateur. And four players have won the U.S. Open four times: Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Willie Anderson, who was born on this date in 1879 in North Berwick, Scotland. Anderson won the American championship in 1901, and 1903 to 1905, making him the only golfer to win the National Open three years in a row.
The fifth PGA Professional Championship (not the major PGA Championship) was held October 19-22 in 1972. Don Massengale had a 66 on the 20th at Pinehurst Resort and went on to win by two strokes over Bob Bruno. Defending champion Sam Snead was third at 284. And on this date in 1996, Annika Sorenstam won the Women's World Championship at Seoul, South Korea, with scores of 66-69-69-70—274, one shot ahead of Helen Alfredsson, earning $125,000 first-place money.
One of golf’s obscure “one major winners” was born on this date in 1910. Vic Ghezzi, the PGA Championship winner in 1941 in a 38-hole battle with Byron Nelson, was born in Rumson, New Jersey, and won 11 PGA Tour events. And on this date in 1975, Shelley Hamlin won the LPGA of Japan Golf Classic in Tokyo by one stroke over Hollis Stacy. Hamlin had three LPGA Tour victories in all and passed away at age 69 in October 2018.
The improbable 2004 Open Championship winner Todd Hamilton was born on this date in 1965. My claim to fame with him is that I covered him in high school golf for the Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois, when Hamilton played for Biggsville Union High School. And before Bubba Watson came along, there were two notable Watsons on tour. Most well known was Tom, but known as “The Other Watson” was Denis Watson, a South African golfer who was born on this date in 1955 in Zimbabwe. Denis Watson won three times on the PGA Tour and otherwise was remembered for his runner-up finish in the 1985 U.S. Open.
The first Open Championship was played on this date in 1860 with eight players competing at Prestwick. Willie Park, Sr., was the winner by two shots over the iconic figure In second place, Tom Morris, Sr., who would become known as Old Tom in the history books. The match, which was three rounds of 12 holes, was played to simply determine who the best player in the land was, now that the recognized No. 1, Alan Robertson, had died the previous year.
The 1983 Ryder Cup, the 25th playing, ended on this date at PGA National with the U.S. winning, 14½-13½. Bernard Gallacher's missed short putt on 17 to lose to Tom Watson, 2 & 1, ended up being the U.S.’s winning point, but also key was Lanny Wadkins’ par-5 18th hole wedge shot that gave him a win on the hole and a halve of his match with Jose Maria Canizares. The close battle was a refreshing change to what had often been total U.S. dominance.
On this date in 1961, the LPGA Championship, at Stardust C.C., was won by the greatest female player in history, Mickey Wright, in dominant fashion, by nine strokes over Louise Suggs.
The 1881 Open Championship, the 21st, was won by Bob Ferguson on this date when he shot a 170 at Prestwick Golf Club. And the inaugural PGA Championship concluded on this date in 1916 with “Long” Jim Barnes defeating Jock Hutchison, 1 up, in a 36-hole final at Siwanoy C.C. in Bronxville, New York. 32 players were in the field, and Barnes won $500.