One of golf’s most colorful figures, the quick tempered Tommy (Thunder) Bolt, died at age 92 on this date in 2008 after a Hall of Fame career that included victory in the 1958 U.S. Open.
On this date in 1908, Scotsman Fred McLeod won the 14th U.S. Open at Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts in an 18-hole playoff over Willie Smith.
Lee Janzen, one of the most surprising of multiple major winners in golf history, was born on this date in 1964 in Austin, Minnesota. He won the 1993 and 1998 U.S. Open.
Two-time Masters champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Bernhard Langer was born on this date in 1957 in Anhausen, Germany.
British golfer Edward (Ted) Ray, who was a notch below the Great Triumvirate of Vardon, Taylor, and Braid, died on this date at age 66 in 1943. He won two majors, the 1912 Open and 1920 U.S. Open.
Ben Hogan broke through as a major champion on this date in 1946 by winning the PGA Championship at Portland Golf Club by defeating Ed (Porky) Oliver, 6 & 4, in the final.
On this date in 1975, Al Geiberger won the second Players Championship (then called the Tournament Players Championship) at Colonial Country Club, by three shots over Dave Stockton.
One of the “most underrated great players” was born on this date in 1929. Peter Thomson, a five-time Open champion, was born in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia. Born just a few weeks before Arnold Palmer, Thomson, a cerebral, tactical player, never got his full acclaim because he did not play in America very much and did not build up a great U.S. regular tour record.
One of the major champions of yesteryear, James Foulis, was born on this date in 1871 in St. Andrews, Scotland. He won the 1896 U.S. Open.
On this date in 1914, Walter Hagen, just 21, won the U.S. Open at Midlothian Country Club near Chicago by just one stroke over amateur star Chick Evans. The victory was Hagen’s of his 2 Open titles.
One of the more obscure major championship winners, Bob Hamilton, won his major on this date in the 1944 PGA Championship at Manito Country Club in a 1-up decision over the overwhelming favorite Byron Nelson.
Lee Trevino capped off his major championship titles on this date in 1984 by winning the PGA Championship at Shoal Creek by four strokes over Gary Player and Lanny Wadkins.
Two times Tiger Woods finished second to a journeyman type player in the PGA Championship at Hazeltine Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, and the first time was on this date in 2002 by one shot to Rich Beem. The second occasion was in 2009 on August 16 to Y.E. Yang by three shots.
On this date in 1969, Raymond Floyd won the PGA Championship at NCR Country Club in Dayton, Ohio, edging Gary Player by one shot; the South African was plagued by apartheid protesters during the championship.
On this date in 1970, Arnold Palmer had another frustrating close call in the PGA Championship, tying for second two strokes behind winner Dave Stockton at Southern Hills Country Club.
Dave Marr won the 1965 PGA Championship on this date at Laurel Valley., two shots ahead of Jack Nicklaus and Billy Casper. This PGA was intended to give Arnold Palmer a good chance for victory in the elusive major since LV was in his backyard to his hometown Latrobe, Pennsylvania, but he was so busy as unofficial host that he was 14 behind Marr and tied for 33rd.
In the wake of Xander Schauffele’s Tokyo Olympics gold medal performance, we note that on this date in 2016 Justin Rose of Great Britain was the gold medal winner at 16 under par in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, which marked the return of golf to the Olympics.
Nine-time major champion and stoic icon Ben Hogan was born on this date in 1912 in Stephenville, Texas, destined to be a member of the second great trio of golfers in history with Sam Snead and Byron Nelson.
On this date in 1973, at Canterbury Golf Club outside Cleveland, Jack Nicklaus won his third of five PGA championships and in the process passed Bobby Jones for the most majors won.
On this date, the golf gods gave and took away from Lee Trevino in the PGA Championship. In 1974 he won by a shot over Jack Nicklaus at Tanglewood Park, but in 1985 at Cherry Hills, Trevino finished two shots in back of Hubert Green.