GOLF WRITER // GENERAL EDITORIAL SPECIALIST
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This Day in Golf History

A page that will list golf history, and the people and events that comprise it in the form of This Day in Golf or This Week in Golf.

This Day in Golf History: December 9

On this date in 1984, Australian great Peter Thomson won the 46th Senior PGA Championship at PGA National with a score of two-under 286, three shots ahead of Don January. It was one of nine titles Thomson won on the senior tour that year alone.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: December 7

On this date in 1969, Arnold Palmer won the Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic with a final-round 65 and four-round aggregate of 270. He won $25,000. The previous week he had won the inaugural Heritage Golf Classic, giving him back-to-back victories.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: December 6

On this day in 2003, Arnold Palmer played for the first time in the then titled Office Depot Father-Son Challenge, with grandson Sam Saunders. The two shot 65-67—132, to place 12th.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: December 4

Arnold and Sandra Palmer weren’t related, but they had fun with the idea and played as partners in the Pepsi-Cola Mixed Team Championship. On this date in 1977, they finished four rounds with 69-69-70-67—275 and tied for third, five behind the winners Hollis Stacy and Jerry Pate.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: December 3

On this date in 1961, Arnold Palmer shot a final-round 68 for a four-round total of 278 at West Palm Beach Country Club to finish second by four shots to Gay Brewer in the West Palm Beach Open and earn $1,900.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: December 1

On this date in 1973, Jack Nicklaus won the Walt Disney World Open at 13-under-par 275, one stroke ahead of Mason Rudolph. The victory made Nicklaus the first player to reach $2 million in career earnings on the  PGA Tour.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: November 29

On this day in 1959, Arnold Palmer won the West Palm Beach Open, with rounds of 72-67-66-76—281, for $2,000. He defeated Gay Brewer and Pete Cooper in a four-hole, sudden-death playoff.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: November 28

On this date in 1987, the first day of the Skins Game was held at TPC at PGA West in LaQuinta, California. By the second day, Lee Trevino had won the most money with $310,000, with Jack Nicklaus and Fuzzy Zoeller next with $70,000 each. Arnold Palmer was shut out with no skins and no cash.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: November 27

On this date in 1966, Kathy Whitworth won the LPGA Titleholders Championship at Augusta Country Club with a 291 total, two better than Judy Kimball and Mary Mills, giving Whitworth back-to-back titles in the event.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: November 25

On this date in 1984, the second Skins Game ended with Jack Nicklaus winning with 9 skins and $240,000. Arnold Palmer had 0 skins. Others: Tom Watson 9 skins, $120,000; Gary Player 0 skins, $0. It was held at Desert Highlands in Scottsdale, Arizona, where the first Skins Game had been held the previous year.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: November 23

It was on this date five years ago that Phil Mickelson won the $9 million winner-take-all match with Tiger Woods in Las Vegas on the 22nd hole by making a four-foot putt to win the playoff.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: November 22

On this date in 1936, the 19th PGA Championship concluded at Pinehurst Country Club with Denny Shute winning his first of two straight PGAs. He defeated Jimmy Thomson in the final, 3 and 2. Also, on this 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s death, this archivist is reminded that Arnold Palmer was supposed to have played golf earlier in the year in 1963 with JFK but the president’s bad back postponed the game to a later time, never to be played out.

Cliff Schrock
This Day in Golf History: November 21

On this date in 2003, Day 1 of UBS Cup III was held on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club in Georgia. Arnold Palmer was U.S. captain against The Rest of the World team and in one of six Foursome matches,  Nick Faldo-Tony Jacklin (ROW captain) defeated Palmer-Rocco Mediate, 1 up.

Cliff Schrock