This Day in Golf History: May 8

One of the author’s golf heroes is the man who shook the golf world: Francis Ouimet, born on this day in 1893 in Brookline, Mass. He won the U.S. Open in his hometown in 1913 at The Country Club, beating British stars Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff to elevate American golfers on a global scale. He was also a U.S. Amateur champion and as the "father of amateur golf," he is credited with influencing golf participation in the United States. When the U.S. Open was played in Brookline again in 1963, Ouimet was honored on the 50th anniversary.