7 Time Major Champion and World Golf Hall of Famer Arnold Palmer Passes at Age 87 by Jake Martino
A tragic day for the sports world begins early with the death of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez and ends the night with the tragic passing of golf ikon, Arnold Palmer.
Arnold Palmer enjoyed decent success during his early years on the tour. He captured the 1955 Canadian Open for his first pro victory, and picked up a scattering of other wins over the next two years. But it was the 1958 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, that launched the young golfer to fame. Palmer took home the title—making him the tournament's youngest champion at the time—and ended up finishing the year No. 1 on the money list, with $40,000.
By the early 1960s, Palmer was the world's best and most successful golfer. Between 1960 and 1963, he won an astounding 29 titles and took home more than $400,000 in prize money. He also served as captain of the winning U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1963, and captained the team again 1975. In all, Palmer won 93 titles. He won seven major championships, including four Masters and two British Opens. Palmer’s last major win came at the 1964 Masters. The victory made Palmer the first golfer to win the Masters Tournament four times (1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964). Yet, even as his dominance on the tour began to fade, Palmer still remained golf's biggest money winner for several years. In 1968, he became the first golfer to eclipse $1 million in total purse winnings. In later years, Palmer enjoyed several big victories on the Senior Tour, including the 1980 PGA Seniors Championship and the 1981 U.S. Senior Open. After Palmer’s golf life he spent most of his time giving back to the world donating to many charitable organizations and creating many children’s hospitals all around the US. The world will never forget the way this man played golf. But shouldn’t we all want to live like Arnie? And if we did, wouldn’t the world be a better place?
By Jake Martino
