The International and American teams split the final-day Singles session, 6-6, on this date in 1998 but that didn’t stop the Internationals from winning the Presidents Cup, 20½–11½, at Royal Melbourne GC, which is the International team’s only victory in 13 playings.
The first golf “tees” were no tees at all. Players would take a small amount of sand and build a little tower or pyramid to elevate the ball. But on this date in 1899, George F. Bryant of Boston is credited with getting a patent for a wooden golf tee.
On this date in 2009, Tiger Woods announced that the extramarital affairs he’d had that had caused a Thanksgiving-time fallout with his wife Elin was forcing him to take an indefinite leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage. Saying he was trying to save his marriage, Woods said, "I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person." Woods and his wife had been married five years and at the time had a 2-year-old daughter and a 10-month-old son.
One of the obscure runner-ups to Jack Nicklaus in a major was born on this date in 1950. A couple of the memorable images from Nicklaus’ 1978 Open Championship victory was the site, St. Andrews; Nicklaus’ argyle sweaters, and New Zealander Simon Owen, who turns 70 years old today. His second place at the Old Course in 1978 was his best finish in a major.
On this date in 1984, Australian great Peter Thomson won the PGA Seniors' Championship at PGA National Golf Club’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He won by three strokes over Don January. The defending champion Arnold Palmer tied for 11th.
On this date in 1985, siblings Laurie Rinker and Larry Rinker won the JCPenney Golf Classic at Bardmoor Country Club in Largo, Florida, at 21 under par.
The 12th PGA Championship ended on this date at Hillcrest Country Club in 1929 with defending champion Leo Diegel defeating Johnny Farrell, 6 & 4, in the final.
On this date in 1981, the 43rd Senior PGA Championship ended at Turnberry Isle Country Club’s South Course, with defending champion Arnold Palmer finishing second to Miller Barber by two strokes. Arnie was always in Barber’s rear-view mirror in this oldest of the senior majors. Palmer trailed by five with a round to go and got within two at the end when his 70 bettered Barber’s 73, but he still finished solo runner-up. Barber was using famed caddie Angelo Argea for the week after he had split with Jack Nicklaus.
One-time major champion Lanny Wadkins was born on this date in 1949 in Richmond, Virginia. Wadkins won the 1977 PGA in the first sudden-death playoff in championship history, beating Gene Littler at Pebble Beach.
One of those golfers who nearly did something memorable was born on this date in 1956 in Bergamo, Italy. Costantino Rocca, who was the runner-up in the 1995 Open Championship, losing in a playoff to John Daly, was born on this date.
On this date in 1972, Jack Nicklaus won the Walt Disney World Open at Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the final tour event of the season. The $30,000 first-place money made him the first PGA Tour player to earn $300,000 for a season. Nicklaus, 32, was in his 11th year. He shot 68-68-67-6—267 and finished the year with $320,542.26.
A member of one of pro golf’s notable families was born on this date in 1953 when Jay Haas was born in St. Louis. The winner of two senior tour majors, Haas is the nephew to 1968 Masters winner Bob Goalby, brother to Wake Forest coach and former tour player Jerry Haas, and father to tour player Bill Haas.
One of the most talented shotmakers in golf history, Lee Trevino, was born on this date in 1939 in Dallas, Texas. Trevino won a pair of three majors each: U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA and won 29 PGA Tour events in all.
On this date in 1969, Arnold Palmer won the first Heritage Golf Classic, with four rounds of 68-71-70-74—283, and a first-place prize of $20,000. He won by three shots. The Heritage has long since been played in the spring, but it first was held in the fall.
On this day in 1971, the first pro golf event at Walt Disney World resort in Florida began. It was Monday of the first tournament week. The Orlando Sentinel ran a story with the headline “Snead In Disney Field; Qualifying Today;” the story read: Slamming Sammy Snead today joined the field of golfing greats scheduled to participate in the Walt Disney World Open Thursday through Sunday. Snead joins a 150-player field which includes Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Charles Coody. Snead's career spans 30 years and 131 victories, 84 of which are PGA events. Tournament preliminaries begin today with qualifying rounds for non-exempt players and practice for the exempt. About 25 spots will be available in the qualifier. The schedule calls for a pro-am Wednesday.
One of the gentlemen golfers of yesteryear, Henry Picard, was born on this date in 1906 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Picard, who was not as accomplished as the most distinguished of players, “Lord” Byron Nelson, was good enough to be elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame and won two majors, the 1938 Masters and 1939 PGA.
Five-time Open Championship winner James Braid, part of the Great Triumvirate with Harry Vardon and J.H. Taylor, died on this date in 1950 at age 80 in London. The Scot won the Open in 1901, 1905-06, 1908 and 1910.
One of the grand Scottish golfers of days gone by was born on this date in 1873. And Fred Herd was born in the most special place of all for a golfer, St. Andrews. His claim to fame was winning the U.S. Open in 1898.
One of the game’s most unassuming major champions was born on this date in 1923. Art Wall Jr. was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Six years older than Arnold Palmer, Wall battled his fellow Pennsylvanian in amateur and college golf and carried on their tussles on the pro tour. It was Wall who took advantage of Palmer’s final-round blowup in the 1959 Masters with a 74 by shooting 66 and winning by a shot over Cary Middlecoff and two over Palmer. But Palmer would get his revenge the following year by winning at Augusta and having Wall put the green jacket on him. Wall was also notable for having said he’d had 40 holes-in-one in his career.
An American golfer who was on the cusp of doing marvelous things in golf was born on this date in 1955. Scott Hoch turns 65 today, born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has 11 PGA Tour victories but was about to win the 1989 Masters and really raise his level but he missed a short but tough putt on the 10th hole in a playoff with Nick Faldo. The Englishman then made birdie on the next hole to win and Hoch never had as good a chance as he did that year to win a major. He did play on the 1997 and 2002 Ryder Cup teams for the U.S.