"The King" Arnold Palmer dies at 87
The influence and importance of Arnold Palmer in golf are undeniable and will forever live in the hearts of golfers and fans.
Arnold Palmer, one of the greatest golfers in the history of golf, passed away at the age of 87 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Sunday (25/9/16). He was one of the most important trailblazers of golf as he was the first golf superstar on TV since the 1950s.
With his unpretentiousness and popularity, Palmer has changed people's perspective towards golf from a kill-time of the elite to a democratic sport for all classes. Being a part of "The Big Three" in the 1960s with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, they helped popularize and commercialize golf to the world.
Palmer earned the title PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 and was one of the original 13 people being appointed in World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Seems like Palmer was born with the love for golf, he started practicing golf at 3 and was excellent at it by the age of 7. He also has a big love for airplanes. Whenever he could, he would run to the mini airport in Latrobe, imagine himself as a pilot and listen to the flight adventures of other pilots.
Palmer went to Wake Forest College but thereafter dropped out because he was distressed at his best friend Bud Worsham's death in the drive to a dance in Durham. After that, he spent 3 years working in the Coast Guard and honed his game during the time. He once also sold paint supplies in Cleveland.
Arnold Palmer turned pro since 1955 and quickly won in his first season. His career ends with 7 notable major titles, in which 6 were won in 5 consecutive years from 1960 to 1964. His name is associated with Augusta GC because he owns 4 The Masters champion cups.
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Highest achievements of Palmer in majors |
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| Masters Tournament | Won: 1958, 1960, 1962,1964 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 1960 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1961, 1962 |
| PGA Championship | 2nd place: 1964, 1968, 1970 |
In 2004, he became the first golfer to received medal by the president and 5 years after that, he was the 2nd person after Byron Nelson to be awarded golf medal from the Congress.
He was married with his first wife Winifred Walzer in 1995 but then she died due to cancer in 1999. In 2005, he was remarried with Kathleen Gawthrop and became the main sponsor in cancer research programs. In 1997, he underwent a successful prostate cancer surgery.
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