One of the most celebrated woman golfers in the game’s history was born on this date in 1921. Peggy Kirk was born in Findlay, Ohio. Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019 in the lifetime achievement category, Kirk experienced success as a player before becoming well known as a teacher, resort owner and golf ambassador. She married Warren Bell in 1953 and was known as Peggy Kirk Bell from then on. A charter member of the LPGA, Bell also received the prestigious Bob Jones Award in 1990 from the USGA. She passed away at age 95 on Nov. 23, 2016, a short time after Arnold Palmer died.
On a day when NFL games will be running rampant into the evening, we look at this date in 1991 when former NFL quarterback John Brodie won the Security Pacific Senior Golf Classic. And one of the big LPGA stars of the 1980s and 1990s, Patty Sheehan, was born on this date in 1956 in Middlebury, Vermont. A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, two of Sheehan’s major victories were the 1992 and 1994 U.S. Women’s Open.
On this date in 1975, Mary Bea Porter completed a wire-to-wire victory with a final-round, three-over-par 76 and a 72-hole total of 287 in the LPGA Golf Inns of America tournament at the Whispering Palms course in Rancho Santa Fe. She finished five under par for four rounds and three strokes ahead of runner-up Donna Young. Porter's first-place money of $5,700 more than doubled the $4,935 she had won In 22 events in 1975 to that point.
On this date in 1964, Ruth Jessen won the LPGA Phoenix Thunderbirds Ladies' Golf Open at Arizona Biltmore Country Club in Phoenix. She shot 289, three ahead of Mickey Wright. And one of the most shocking tragedies in golf history took place on this day in 1999 when three-time major champion Payne Stewart—who had more championships to be won at just age 42—died in a private plane crash when the plane’s occupants were deprived of oxygen in a structural failure.
On this date in 1965, Marlene Hagge won the LPGA Phoenix Thunderbirds Golf Tournament at Biltmore Country Club in Phoenix with a four-under-par total, two ahead of Judy Torluemke (later Rankin). And the 1991 Open Champion and present TV golf analyst, Ian Baker-Finch, was born on this date in 1960 in Nambour, Queensland, Australia.
The 1935 PGA Championship was done on this date, with Johnny Revolta winning at Twin Hills Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Revolta defeated Tommy Armour, 5 & 4, in the match-play final. And one of the most pure, genuine and unique golf teachers in history was born on this date in 1904. Harvey Penick, who coached such stars as Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls and Kathy Whitworth, was born in Austin, Texas. His homespun philosophy was brought out late in his life in a series of books, beginning with The Little Red Book, one of the top selling golf books of all time. Penick died in 1995 and has a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
In the 1967 Ryder Cup, which ended on this date at Champions Golf Club in Houston, the United States enjoyed a record 15-point victory over Great Britain. Ben Hogan captained the U.S. squad to its final 23½-8½ margin.
Four players have won the U.S. Open four times: Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Willie Anderson, who was born on this date in 1879 in North Berwick, Scotland. Anderson won the American championship in 1901, and 1903 to 1905, making him the only golfer to win the National Open three years in a row. And in the final event of the LPGA Tour’s inaugural year, 1950, Patty Berg won the LPGA Hardscrabble Women's Golf Invitation at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in a 2-up victory over Betsy Rawls, then an amateur.
The fifth PGA Professional Championship was held October 19-22 in 1972. Don Massengale had a 66 on the 20th at Pinehurst Resort and went on to win by two strokes over Bob Bruno. Defending champion Sam Snead was third at 284. On this date in 1996, Annika Sorenstam won the Women's World Championship at Seoul, South Korea, with scores of 66-69-69-70—274, one shot ahead of Helen Alfredsson, earning $125,000 first-place money.
One of golf’s obscure “one major winners” was born on this date in 1910. Vic Ghezzi, the PGA Championship winner in 1941 in a 38-hole battle with Byron Nelson, was born in Rumson, New Jersey, and won 11 PGA Tour events. And on this date in 1975, Shelley Hamlin won the LPGA Japan Golf Classic in Tokyo by one stroke over Hollis Stacy. The anniversary of Hamlin’s passing was on October 15. She died in 2018 at age 69.
Before Bubba Watson came along, there were two notable Watsons on tour. Most well known was Tom, but known as “The Other Watson” was Denis Watson, a South African golfer who was born on this date in 1955 in Zimbabwe. Denis Watson won three times on the PGA Tour and otherwise was remembered for his runner-up finish in the 1985 U.S. Open. Also birthday related, the improbable 2004 Open Championship winner Todd Hamilton was born on this date in 1965. My claim to fame with him is that I covered him in high school golf for the Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois, when Hamilton played for Biggsville Union High School.
Willie Park, Sr., won the first Open Championship on this date in 1860. He had a score of 164 to win at Prestwick Club, Scotland. There were just eight players. In second by two strokes was Tom Morris, Sr., who would become known as Old Tom in the history books. The match, which was three rounds of 12 holes, was played to simply determine who the best player in the land was, now that the recognized No. 1, Alan Robertson, had died the previous year.
The 1983 Ryder Cup, the 25th playing, ended on this date at PGA National with the U.S. winning, 14½-13½. Bernard Gallacher's missed short putt on 17 to lose to Tom Watson 2 & 1 ended up being the U.S.’s winning point, but also key was Lanny Wadkins’ 18th-hole wedge shot that gave him a win on the hole and a halve of his match with Jose Maria Canizares. Even though the United States, this was one of the matches that began to turn the tide of American dominance in the series.
On this date in 1961, the late Mickey Wright, the greatest female player of all-time, won the LPGA Championship by nine shots over Louise Suggs at Stardust Country Club.
The inaugural PGA Championship concluded on this date in 1916 with “Long” Jim Barnes defeating Jock Hutchison, 1 up, in a 36-hole final at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York. 32 players were in the field, and Barnes won $500. And the 1881 Open Championship, the 21st, was won by Bob Ferguson on this date when he shot a 170 at Prestwick Golf Club.
The 1963 Ryder Cup Match ended on this date at East Lake Golf Club with the U.S. beating Great Britain, 23-9, behind player-captain Arnold Palmer. There was a format change with the addition of 4-ball (better ball) matches on a third day of action.
LPGA great Amy Alcott won the 1980 Inamori Golf Classic on this date at Almaden Country Club in San Jose, California. She shot 12 under par and won by four over Patty Hayes and Beth Daniel. Also on this date in 2008, D.A. Weibring won the Senior Players Championship by one shot over Fred Funk at the Baltimore Country Club for his only major victory on either the regular or senior tour.
On this date in 1902, the 8th U.S. Open concluded at Garden City Golf Club on Long Island, New York, with winner Laurie Auchterlonie winning with a scoring record of 307 that was six strokes ahead of Stewart Gardner and standout amateur Walter Travis.
Mark O’Meara won the Senior Players Championship on this date in 2010 at the TPC Potomac, winning a playoff with Michael Allen on the first hole. And Australian golfer Bruce Devlin was born on this date in 1937. He won eight times on the PGA Tour and was famous for making a double eagle on the eighth hole at the 1967 Masters.
The 1965 Ryder Cup ended on this date at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. The U.S. team, captained by Byron Nelson, beat Great Britain, 19½-12½; GB was captained by Harry Weetman. On the final day of singles, Arnold Palmer, Tony Lema, Julius Boros and Dave Marr each won two matches for the U.S. and Peter Alliss won two for GB.