Lew Worsham, the winning benefactor of the 1947 U.S. Open when Sam Snead missed a short putt on the final hole in a disputed “out of turn” moment, died on this date in 1990 at age 73.
The “other Watson” outside major champions Tom and Bubba is Denis, who was born on this date in 1955 in Harare, Zimbabwe. He was the notable 1985 U.S. Open runner-up.
The inaugural Open Championship was played on this date in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club with Willie Park Sr. winning by two shots over Old Tom Morris.
In 1983, the European team was on the cusp of starting to assert itself in the Ryder Cup, but on this date that year, the U.S. squeaked out a 14½-13½ victory at PGA National. When Bernard Gallacher fell to Tom Watson, 2 and 1, it clinched the American victory.
Horton Smith, the winner of the first and third Masters Tournament in 1934 and 1936, died on this date in 1963 at age 55 from Hodgkin’s disease.
The inaugural PGA Championship ended on this date in 1916 at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, with England’s Jim Barnes winning an epic 1-up victory in 36 holes over Jock Hutchison; Barnes made a four-foot putt on the final hole to clinch the title.
The 1963 LPGA Championship ended on this date at Stardust Country Club with Mickey Wright winning for the fourth time, this time by two strokes over three players, including main rival Louise Suggs.
On this date in 2008, the Senior Players Championship ended at Baltimore Country Club with D. A. Weibring winning by a shot over Fred Funk.
In the year of Bobby Jones’ birthday, 1902, the U.S. Open, at Garden City Golf Club, ended on this date with Scot Laurie Auchterlonie winning by six strokes over Stewart Gardner and amateur Walter Travis.
The Senior Players Championship ended in 2010 on this date with Mark O’Meara winning in a one=hole playoff with Michael Allen at TPC Potomac.
On this date in 1965, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England, the Ryder Cup ended with the U.S. defeating Great Britain, 19½-12½, giving Byron Nelson a captain victory.
On this date in 1888, the Open Championship wrapped up at the Old Course in St. Andrews with Jack Burns of Scotland winning by a single shot in his only Open victory.
On this date in 1891, the Open Championship was won by Hugh Kirkaldy by two shots at the Old Course in St. Andrews. One of the runners-up was his brother, Andrew.
The great bon vivant of golf, Walter Hagen, died on this date in 1969 at the age of 76. He won 11 majors but was equally known for his showmanship and man-about-town personality. One of his major admirers and friends, Arnold Palmer, was a pall bearer at his funeral.
The Ryder Cup ended on this date in 1957 at Lindrick Golf Club with Great Britain-Ireland coming out ahead, 7½-4½, making a winner out of captain Dai Rees.
The inaugural U.S. Open was held on this date in 1895 at Newport Country Club. Englishman Horace Rawlins won by two shots over Scotland’s Willie Dunn.
On this date in 1953, the Ryder Cup ended at Wentworth with the United States beating Great Britain, 6½-5½, for a sixth straight RC victory.
On this date in 1876, the Open Championship concluded at St. Andrews’ Old Course with Bob Martin winning when David Strath, a fellow Scotsman, refused to participate in a playoff after the two had tied at the end of regulation.
On this date in 1921, the PGA Championship ended at Inwood Country Club with Walter Hagen defeating two-time champion Jim Barnes, 3 & 2.
A trio of Ryder Cups ended on this date. In 1937 at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club, the U.S. won 8-4; in 2012 at Medinah Country Club, Europe blitzed the singles matches to retain the Cup 14½-13½, and in 2018 at Le Golf National, Europe stomped on the Americans, 17½–10½.