The WM Phoenix Open is being played this weekend. On this date in 1962, Arnold Palmer shot a first-round 64 in the Phoenix Open, one of his lowest rounds ever on the PGA Tour, to be the leader. Also on this date, on the LPGA Tour, Australian star Jan Stephenson won her first of 16 times on tour in 1976. She finished at two-over-par 218 in the Sarah Coventry Naples Classic on Lely Country Club to edge Judy Meister and Sandra Haynie by one shot.
On this date in 1960, Arnold Palmer won the Palm Springs Desert Classic, his fifth event of 1960, with a final-round 65; by 1965 the event was renamed the Bob Hope Desert Classic. The 1960 Classic was the tournament debut, which Arnie would win five times, the final time in 1973. This date also carries some sadness for two hall-of-fame players. Betty Jameson, an LPGA founding member, died on this date in 2009 at age 89. In 2015, Billy Casper passed away from a heart attack at age 83. Casper won the 1959 and 1966 U.S. Open and the 1970 Masters.
Can this date in golf lore be anything other than the only golf shot hit away from earth? Today’s “out of this world” moment was when golf went universal. Alan Shepard hit a couple of golf balls with a makeshift 6-iron on the moon on this date in 1971 as part of the Apollo 14 space mission. Shepard quietly snuck the club onboard the flight. Because of his cumbersome spacesuit, he had to swing with his right arm only. Back on earth, Shepard said he “shanked the first one; it rolled into a crater about 40 yards away. The second one, I kept my head down. I hit it flush and it went at least 200 yards.”
By this date in 1966, Arnold Palmer had already been in 18 playoffs on the PGA Tour. On this date, Palmer shot his best score of the Bob Hope Desert Classic that year, a 67, in the fourth round, then lost a playoff the next day when he and Doug Sanders tied at 349. Sanders won on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff, dropping Arnie to an 11-8 won-loss record. Also on this date, World Golf Hall of Famer José María Olazábal, who won the 1994 and 1999 Masters, was born in 1966 in Hondarribia, Spain.
The great Byron Nelson was born on this date in 1912, the same year Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were born. Nelson died on September 26, 2006. To read more about the man they called Lord Byron for his outstanding demeanor and character, go to worldgolfhalloffame.org/byron-nelson/. Today also has a pair of Arnold Palmer moments to observe, both involving the Palm Springs area. In 1962, he won the Palm Springs Golf Classic, shooting 69-67-66-71-69—342 to take top prize of $5,300. And in 1968, he won the Bob Hope Desert Classic after a two-hole, sudden-death playoff with Deane Beman. Arnold had scores of 72-70-67-71-68—348, taking home $20,000.
On the birthday parade today is Retief Goosen, inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019 and who was born on this date in 1969 in Pietersburg, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The 55-year-old is a two-time U.S. Open winner. Fellow World Golf Hall of Famer Carol Mann was also born on this date, in 1941. She was the Tom Weiskopf of the LPGA, standing at 6-foot-3. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1961 and won two major championships and 38 LPGA Tour events in all. She died on May 20, 2018, at age 77.
One of the more horrific days in golf history took place on this date in 1949 when Ben Hogan was nearly killed in a car-bus crash in morning fog on a highway near Van Horn in west Texas. Hogan and wife Valerie's car was struck by an oncoming bus that was trying to pass another vehicle. Hogan's heroic move to throw himself in front of his wife saved his life as the impact forced the car's steering column to run through the driver's seat. Incredibly, a year later, Hogan returned to golf and nearly won the Los Angeles Open in his first tournament back.
This is the date that's noted in 1922 that the USGA established the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. The first event was held in July 1922 at Ottawa Park Golf Course in Toledo, Ohio, won by Edmund R. Held. The event was discontinued after the 2014 playing. Also on this date in 1959, the 20th Senior PGA Championship finished at PGA National Golf Club in Dunedin, Florida, with winner Willie Goggin, using a borrowed set of woods, to win by one shot over Denny Shute, Leland Gibson and Paul Runyan. Both Shute and Runyan were two-time winners of the regular PGA Championship.
The WM [Waste Management] Phoenix Open is on the PGA Tour schedule next week. On this date in 1957, the first round of the Phoenix Open at Arizona Country Club was held, with Arnold Palmer shooting a four-under-par 66 to share the lead with Billy Maxwell. The tournament was eventually won by Billy Casper at 271; Arnie tied for fifth with scores of 66-70-70-71—277 and earned $787.50.
Today marks what would have been Payne Stewart's 67th birthday. The three-time major champion, whose life was cut short when his private jet malfunctioned in flight and crashed on October 25, 1999, is a member of the World Golf, Missouri Sports, and PGA of America halls of fame. Another World Golf Hall of Fame member born on this date was Curtis Strange in 1955 in Norfolk, Virginia. He won back-to-back U.S. Open titles.
This is a historical date in regards to oldest living major champion. Jack Burke, Jr., a Masters and PGA champion, was born on this date in 1923. He just died on January 19 at 100, and at the time of death was the oldest living major winner. Gary Player now is in that role at age 88.
One of the most incredible performances that is also one of the least well-known ended on this date in 1973. Sam Snead finished a 20-under-par 268 total on the East Course at PGA National to win the Senior PGA Championship by an astounding 15 shots over Julius Boros. It was also the last of Sam's record six Senior PGAs and it still stands as the record winning margin. Also, Henry Cotton, a three-time winner of the Open Championship who had a variety of interests and was a regular author, was born on this date in 1907 at Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, England.
In examples of how a legend and lesser knowns can be successful, on this date in 1967, Arnold Palmer shot a 64 at Rancho Municipal, one of his best scores ever, in the second round of the Los Angles Open. He shot 67 and 68 the next two rounds to win and collect the $20,000 first-place prize money. Also, two of the PGA Tour’s journeymen-type pros were born on this date. In 1939 Mike Hill, winner of three titles on the regular tour and 18 on the senior tour, was born in Jackson, Michigan. He is the younger brother of more accomplished Dave Hill. Also, in 1964, Woody Austin, four-time tour winner and runner-up at the 2007 PGA, was born in Tampa, Florida.
Three-time Open Championship winner Sir Henry Cotton was born on this date in 1907. The English great was a jack of all trades; he was an author, commentator, course designer and teacher. And on this date in 2005, Arnold Palmer married at age 75 his longtime girlfriend Kathleen (Kit) Gawthrop in a private ceremony in Hawaii on the beach at Turtle Bay Resort.
With the PGA Tour on the West Coast, it’s appropriate to observe that on this day in 1959, Arnold Palmer won the Thunderbird Invitational after rounds of 67-70-67-62—266 at Thunderbird Country Club (71, 6,680) in Palm Springs, California. First place was worth just $1,500. It was Arnold’s 11th PGA Tour victory.
Tom Watson called Masashi (Jumbo) Ozaki the Arnold Palmer of Japan for his bold play similar to Arnie's. Ozaki is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and won 115 tournaments worldwide, although never in the U.S. and never a major. He was born on this date in 1947. A Canadian great was George Knudson, who won eight times on the PGA Tour and nearly won the 1969 Masters, finishing second to George Archer. Knudson died on this date in 1989 at age 51 from lung cancer.
Today is regarded as the date in 1954 that the U.S. Golf Association established the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor it bestows. It is given to the person the USGA deems to demonstrate the spirit, personal character and respect for the game that Jones exhibited, according to the USGA media guide. The first recipient in 1955 was Francis Ouimet; the 2023 award went to two-time major champion Johnny Miller.
The 45th Senior PGA Championship ended on this date in 1984 at PGA National G.C. Arnold Palmer won a second Senior PGA, with one of the most unusual set of four rounds for a regular or senior event. His middle rounds had a 16-stroke variance: 63 to 79. The good news was, the 63 had helped him lead by eight (the largest 36-hole lead in 1984 on the senior tour) and the 79 was shot on a blustery day with temperatures in the 40s and the majority of the players scored high. The weather was gusty for the final round, too, but Palmer steadied himself to win by two over Don January. The 63 would be Arnie’s career low round in his senior tour career.
The golfer regarded as the GOAT celebrates a birthday today. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Jack Nicklaus is 84 and still very much active in various businesses, design work and the occasional minor competition.
One of the members of a unique brother duo that pulled off a rare feat was born on this date in 1928. Lionel Hebert was a native of Lafayette, La., and the winner of the 1957 PGA Championship. His older brother, Jay, won the 1960 PGA. Jay won seven tour events and Lionel five.