This Day in Golf History: December 24

On this date in 1861, John Ball, Jr., was born in Hoylake of the UK. Ball was one of the most prolific amateur champions ever, winning the Amateur Championship eight times and the Open Championship once. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977. And one of the least likely major champions in golf died on this date in 2003 at age 89. Herman Keiser won the 1946 Masters by one shot over Ben Hogan. Keiser won five times on tour, but was not seen as capable of winning a major, but he held off the immortal Hogan in one of golf’s major upsets of all-time.