Three Americans have been named Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland: Joseph Dey, Bill Campbell, and on this date in 1951, Francis Ouimet, most well known for winning the 1913 U.S. Open.
On this date in 1929, Bob Goalby was born in Belleville, Illinois, east of St. Louis in southern Illinois. The uncle of Jay Haas, Goalby won 12 times on tour, most notably the 1968 Masters in the infamous disqualification of Roberto De Vicenzo. Goalby died in 2022 just a couple months shy of 93, was not the oldest former winner of a major at the time. That title belonged to — and still does — to Jack Burke, Jr., who is now 100.
On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer won the Pensacola Open for his third straight victory and fourth of the year in his first 10 events of 1960. He won the Palm Springs Desert Classic then won the Texas Open on February 28, Baton Rouge Open on March 6 and Pensacola on the 13th.
On this date in 1961, the greatest woman player, Mickey Wright, won the Miami Open by six shots at Miami Springs Country Club with a winning total of three under par.
On this date in 1971, Arnold Palmer started his march to the only time he won the Orlando PGA Tour stop now named after him. He shot a 66 in the first round of the Florida Citrus Invitational at Rio Pinar Country Club and then shot three straight 68s to win.
As we continue to honor Arnold Palmer this week, on this date in 1963 he shot a 67 in the Pensacola Open to take first place. It was part of a great start to the season for him. He won three of the first seven events he played: the Los Angeles Open, Phoenix Open in which Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus finished second and third, and Pensacola.
On this date in 1989, Arnold Palmer, playing the first round of the Nestle Invitational, shot an 83 en route to missing the cut. The Nestle is now the Arnold Palmer Invitational, having just been played this past weekend at Bay Hill in Florida. The round in the 80s occurred as Arnie’s time playing the regular PGA Tour was winding down.
On this date in 1956, it was one of Arnold Palmer’s least memorable days in golf when he shot a 78 in the first round of the Pensacola Open. Outside of the 79 he was to shoot a few weeks later in the final round of the Masters, it was his worst round of the year. After shooting 66 and 73 in the next two rounds for a 217 score, he withdrew.
As we continue to celebrate Arnold Palmer after the AP Invitational presented by MasterCard, on this date in 1963, Arnie shot a first-round 69 at the Pensacola Open en route to winning a few days later.
On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer shot a 68 to finish off a victory in the Baton Rouge Open. He had shot 279 and won the $2,000 first prize. It was his second of three straight victories in the year in which he won both the Masters and U.S. Open.
On this date in 1964, Arnold Palmer shot a 69 in the first round of the Pensacola Open; he would later add: 68-68-69 for 274 to tie Gary Player and Miller Barber for first. In a playoff, Player would shoot 71 to win while Palmer had 72 and Barber 74.
Historical notes can’t always be happy ones. On this date in 1979, Arnold Palmer shot an 80 in the final round of the Bay Hill Citrus Classic, to complete a 70-74-70-80—294, 59th, $555, week. It was the first year the Orlando tour stop was played at A.P.’s Bay Hill course; Bob Byman was the winner.
On this date in Arnold Palmer’s special year of 1960, he shot a 71 in the first round of the Baton Rouge Open. He would go on to win it as the second of three straight victories and third of the year.
Ian Woosnam was born on this date in 1958. He grew to just 5-4, known as Woosie or the Wee Welshman, and won the 1991 Masters as well as was a part of the European resurgence in the Ryder Cup that involved Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle and Bernhard Langer.
Forty years ago on this date in 1979, the first round of the Bay Hill Citrus Classic was held. For 13 years, the Orlando tour stop had been held at Rio Pinar Country Club. But Arnold Palmer owned Bay Hill and was able to get the tour stop moved to the course. He shot 70 in the first round and finished 59th with a 294 total. Bob Byman would win with 278. The 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational, at Bay Hill, will be this week, March 2-5.
On this date in 1971, the greatest player of all time, Jack Nicklaus, won the 53rd PGA Championship—at PGA National, where the Honda Classic finished this past weekend—and it made him the first golfer to win the career Grand Slam twice of the Masters, U.S. Open, Open Ch., and PGA.
On this date in 1902, Gene Sarazen was born in Harrison, New York. One of the career Grand Slam achievers, Sarazen famously made a double eagle in the 1935 Masters on No. 15 in the final round and won a playoff with Craig Wood to complete the Slam.
On this date in 1957, Augusta National Golf Club announced it would institute a 36-hole cut for the low 40 and ties. This date is also the birthday of Arnold and Winnie Palmer’s first daughter, Peg, in 1956.
On this day in 1957, Arnold Palmer shot a 69 at Memorial Park Municipal Golf Course to finish off a first-place performance at the Houston Open. He had a 279 score to win by one over Doug Ford and take home $7,500.
On this day in 1976, Zach Johnson was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Drake graduate won the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open Championship, and has been close to a third major several times, including a T-3 at the 2010 PGA. He will be the captain for the U.S. in this year’s Ryder Cup in Italy.