On this date in 1916, department store officer Rodman Wanamaker organized a lunch at the Taplow Club, Martinique Hotel, in New York to discuss forming a golf association for golf professionals that became the PGA of America.
On this date in 1979, golfer Jimmy Walker was born in Oklahoma City. He has won six times on the PGA Tour, most notably in the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol in a battle with Jason Day. He is also a talented photographer of celestial skies and rents space on a telescope to do so.
Some special things happened to Arnold Palmer on this date early in his career. In 1956, in a statement victory, he beat Sam Snead in a six-hole playoff to win the Panama Open after they had tied at 283. In another playoff victory, in 1961, he won the San Diego Open after shooting rounds of 69-68-69-65—271. He and Al Balding tied, and Arnie beat Balding in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff to win the $2,800 first-place money.
On this date in 1996, Liselotte Neumann won the Chrysler-Plymouth Tournament of Champions at Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, shooting 13 under to win $117,500.
On this date in 1978, Arnold Palmer shot a 68 in the second round of the Phoenix Open. He followed that with 71-67 in the next two rounds to finish fifth, a rare top-10 result for the legendary player who was five years past his last PGA Tour victory and was age 48.
On this date in 1969, Charlie Sifford won the Los Angeles Open to become the second African-American to win a PGA Tour event. He made a birdie on the first playoff hole versus Harold Henning.
On this date in 1970, Billy Casper won the Los Angeles Open at Rancho Park Golf Course (71, 6,800) in a playoff. He shot 276, becoming the second tour pro—behind Arnold Palmer—to earn $1 million in career money.
On this date in 1950, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead tied at the Los Angeles Open for first place in Hogan’s incredible return to golf after the infamous bus-car head-on collision in Texas. Snead would win the playoff, however, to ruin the storybook ending.
On this date in 1948, the U.S. Golf Association chose to begin a Junior golf championship for boys who had not yet turned 18.
On this date in 1962, Jack Nicklaus finished his first PGA Tour event at the Los Angeles Open, finishing 50th and winning $33.33.
On this date in 1963, Arnold Palmer shot a 66 and won the Los Angeles Open to earn $9,000. He shot rounds of 69-69-70-66—274.
The World Golf Hall of Fame member Cary Middlecoff was born on this date in 1921 in Halls, Tennessee. A Masters and U.S. Open champion, “Doc” was a notoriously slow player who tested everyone’s patience, but he was a bright man about the game and utilized his knowledge as a TV commentator and as a Golf Digest Instruction Panelist.
Ben Hogan’s score of 275 won the Los Angeles Open on this date in 1948. Lloyd Mangrum was four strokes behind at Riviera Country Club.
Marvin (Vinny) Giles was born on this date in 1943 in Lynchburg, Virginia, so he’s celebrating the big 8-0. He was a well-decorated career amateur, three-time All-American at Georgia, who won the U.S. Amateur and Amateur Championship (British) in the 1970s. He became a successful sports agent with his Pros Inc. agency.
On this date in 1993, Mark Brooks won the Pebble Beach Invitational by five shots. Three years later Brooks won the PGA Championship.
On this date in 1948, Ben Hogan shot a 68 to trail leader Jack Harden by one in the first round of the Los Angeles Open at Riviera Country Club. Hogan would go on to win the event for the second year in a row.
From CliffSchrock.com to its readers:
Happy New Year! May 2023 bring all things good in golf and life to you.
My apologies, but as a Packers fan, I pause from golf history to note that on today’s date in 1967, the famous Ice Bowl was played at Green Bay. The Packers defeated Dallas, 21-17, in temperature of 13 below zero in the NFL Championship game, which allowed Green Bay to play in Super Bowl II.
On this date in 1975, Tiger Woods was born in California. At 47, he is still trying to pass Sam Snead in career PGA Tour victories (tied at 82) and Jack Nicklaus in major championships (15 to 18), but severe injuries in recent years is making that problematic.
The great golf course architect Pete Dye, the creator of the bulkhead tandem of bunkers and greens, was born on this date in 1925. The World Golf Hall of Fame member died nearly three years ago, January 9, 2020.