The Arnold Palmer Invitational ends today. In 1970 it was called the Florida Citrus Invitational, and on this date Arnold finished the tournament shooting 64-72-64-72—272 to tie for second with Bob Stanton, earning $13,875 each. Bob Lunn won at 17-under 271. However, in 1971, Palmer won the tournament and he got to the figure he needed in 1970, 18 under par, winning by one over Julius Boros.
On this date in 1963, Arnold Palmer shot a 69 in the first round of the Pensacola Open, a second-tier tour event he played several times as an example of how he supported lesser-known tournaments. He went on to win with four rounds in the 60s.
On this date in 1955, Arnold Palmer finished a PGA Tour event on a March 6 for the first time when he completed play in the Baton Rouge Open with scores 70-73-73-72—288. Bo Wininger, Billy Maxwell and Jimmy Clark went into a playoff the next day, won by Wininger. Arnold tied for 40th and finished out of the money. It was the era on tour when not everyone who made the cut went home with any money.
On this date in 1964, Arnold Palmer was playing well en route to winning his final major at the Masters. He shot a first-round 69 in the Pensacola Open and a few days later would lose a playoff and tie for second.
The affable and verbally verbose Peter Jacobsen was born on this date in 1954. The personable Oregonian won seven times on the PGA Tour and has been doing TV commentary for many years.
Today is the Centennial Celebration for three-time major championship winner Julius Boros, who was born on this date in 1920. Boros won the 1968 PGA, 1952 and 1963 U.S. Open and was born in Fairfield, Connecticut. Boros was known by many nicknames: Moose; Julie; Jay; Old Man River; The Bull; and Jackpot Julius.
On this date in 1932, Joe Kirkwood, a famed world golf traveler and trick-shot expert from Australia, is credited with shooting an 83 using only his putter at an 18-hole course in Bellair, Florida. The stunt was part of an exhibition with Babe Ruth and Kirkwood’s feat beat the 84 Ruth scored with a full set.
It is traditionally reported that on this date in 1938, the Federal Trade Commission prohibited the PGA of America and eight manufacturers from price fixing in the golf ball industry.
On this date in 1948, Lawson Little won the St. Petersburg Open over Bobby Locke, by three shots. He is believed to be the last player to win a tour event on a Leap Day.
With the Honda Classic being played this week at PGA National, on this date in 1971 Jack Nicklalus won the PGA Championship at PGA National, leading wire-to-wire to beat Billy Casper by two shots. With the victory, Nicklaus completed his second career grand slam.
The Squire, Gene Sarazen, was born on this date in 1902 in Harrison, New York. One of just five winners of all four majors in a career, Sarazen was born less than a month before Bobby Jones and lived to age 97.
The event wasn’t golf per se, but on this date in 1956, Margaret (Peggy) Palmer was born to mom and dad Palmer, Winnie and Arnold. They had two daughters, the second, named Amy, was born on August 8, 1958.
On this date in 1957, Arnold Palmer shot a final-round 69 at Memorial Park to win his fourth PGA Tour victory in the Houston Open. Football icon Bear Bryant was among those watching during the week as Palmer shot rounds of 67-72-71-69—279, earning the richest prize on the winter tour, $7,500. After getting his check, Arnie said, “As of today I have invested [the money] in a house.”
On this date in 1961, Arnold Palmer shot a first-round 65 to take control of the Baton Rouge Open, leading to a victory after scores 65-67-68-66—266, earning $2,800.
Steve Stricker was born on this date in 1967 in Edgerton, Wisconsin. The low-key Stricker won 12 times on the PGA Tour and is a five-time Champions Tour winner, including two majors in 2019, one of them the U.S. Senior Open.
Three major championship winners were born on this date. In 1937 Tommy Aaron (1973 Masters) was born in Gainesville, Georgia. Five-time major winner Amy Alcott was born in Kansas City in 1956, and in 1963, three-time major champ Vijay Singh was born in Fiji.
On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer’s breakout year as major star, he finished tied for fifth at the Tucson Open after shooting rounds of 65-74-69-68—276, good for $872.86.
On this date in 1955, Arnold Palmer, playing his inaugural season on the PGA Tour, finished playing in the Texas Open for the first time. He had scores of 69-70-64-67—270 to tie for sixth. However, because he was serving a six-month apprenticeship, he wasn’t allowed to collect approximately $460 in prize money.
On this date in 1967, Arnold Palmer won the Tucson Open, having shot rounds of 66-67-67-73—273, for the top prize of $12,000.
Golf star and current TV analyst Judy Rankin was born on this date in 1945 in St Louis, Missouri, making her, yes, three-quarters of a century old.