By Denise I Smithson
Arnold Daniel Palmer was born on September 10, 1929 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, or as the residents there call it "Laaatrobe," with an emphasis on the "A." Considered to be one of the greatest golf players in history he has won a number of events including the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour dating back to 1955. Given the nickname, "The King," he is popular among both fans and golf pros around the world. Part of golf's Big Three that included Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, with the emergence of televised sports in the 1950's, Palmer and his Big Three buddies made golf interesting, and watchable.
Arnold began early, having learned his love for the game from his father, Deacon; a greens keeper at the Latrobe Country Club. At the tender age of seven, Palmer scored a 70 at the nearby Bent Creek Country Club, an impressive achievement, especially considering his age. Palmer cut his teeth in the game on the then only nine hole Latrobe Country Club course, on which he was allowed to play early in the morning and late in the afternoon when members did not have tee times scheduled.
Palmer attended Wake Forest University on a golf scholarship and later served three years in the Coast Guard, during which he married Winifred Walker (whom he met while playing in a Pennsylvania tournament). In his first season as a professional player, Palmer won the Canadian Open, which helped spark interest in the career of this rising young star.
He won his first major championship at the 1958 Masters and by 1960, he claimed his title as one of golf's leading stars. Signing with sports agent Mark McCormack, in 1960, McCormack was asked in later years what made Arnold so special. He replied, "his good looks, his modest background, the way he played golf, his risk taking and wearing his heart on his sleeve, and his involvement in so many exciting early televised finishes." Palmer was one the first US player to win The Open Championship in England-Ben Hogan won it in 1953; making Arnold an international star in the eyes of golf fans everywhere. Arnold won seven major championships including The Masters in 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964; the US Open in 1960; and, The Open Championship in 1961 and 1962. His best years were perhaps 1960-1963 where he championed 29 PGA Tour events in just four seasons.
In 1960, Arnold was named Sports Illustrated top pro athlete of the year and he won the Sportsman of the Year award. His fans, known as "Arnie's Army," cheered when their Arnie became the first man to reach one million dollars in career earnings in 1967. Even with pros like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player playing alongside him, Arnold managed to win a PGA Tour every year all the way up to 1970 and in 1971 he enjoyed a rejuvenation of his career winning four events.
Arnold won the Vardon Trophy for low score average four different times and played on six Ryder Cup teams. By 1980, the acclaimed golfer was eligible for the Senior PGA Tour and with his name alone, helped make the tour successful. The tourney would eventually be renamed as the Champions Tour. On the Senior Tour he won ten events on the tour and with the help of his agent McCormack, Palmer became tops in pay for endorsements, sponsorships, and charity events. He has also won the revered Presidential Medal of Freedom Award presented to him by George W. Bush.
Palmer made his 50th and last appearance in the Masters in 2004. After failing to make the cut for the 2005 Senior Open, Palmer announced that he would no longer compete in the Senior Majors. However, in 2004 he made one of his greatest shots, getting onto the 18th green in his second shot from more than 200 yards. Even Palmer himself was impressed.
Beyond golf, Arnold is involved in many businesses including the Bay Hill Club and Lodge (the home of the Arnold Palmer Invitational), helped organize and create The Golf Channel, and helped to build the first golf course in the People's Republic of China. He started The Arnold Palmer Design Company and moved to Orlando, Florida in 2006. He has owned the Latrobe Country Club since 1971-something Laaaytrobians won't let anyone forget. In 2000, he was ranked a deserved sixth greatest player of all time in Golf Digest and was awarded the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award (1998) and made it into the World Golf Hall of Fame (1974). Perhaps Palmer's most popular characteristic is indeed his character-a warm, full of laughter, genuine man who simply loved to play golf.