Arnold Palmer, nicknamed “The King” was an American professional golfer who is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. Any golfer would have heard of his name.
The Beginning of Arnold Palmer
Born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1929, young Arnold Palmer was born to Doris and Milfred Jerome “Deacon” Palmer. His father was head professional and greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club. Palmer learned golf from his father when he was young he accompanied his father as he maintained the golf course.
Palmer enlisted and served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1951-to 1954. During his time there, he built a 9 hole course and continued to develop and hone his golf skills. After his enlistment ended, he returned to Wake Forest College and continued his golf scholarship.
In 1954, Palmer won the U.S. Amateur and he announced his intentions to turn pro in November.
Professional Career
Early Career
As Palmer turned pro, it did not take long for him to bag his first win on tour. It came in 1955 at the Canada Open during his rookie season where he took home $2,400. 3 years after in 1958, Palmer then went on to win his first major championship at the Master's Tournament where he earned $11,250. He then established himself as one of the leading golfers in the game.
Golf back then was not a widely viewed sport on television however, Palmer is often credited as the major factor in contributing to the establishment of golf as a popular television event in the 1950s and 1960s. This is due to his charisma. Palmer’s agent claims that he had attributes that made him marketable. This includes his good looks, relatively modest background, willingness to take risks, his golf game, his emotions, and affability.
The Open Championship
Furthermore, He was also known for securing the status of The Open Championship (British Open) among U.S. Players. Before Ben Hogan won the British Open in 1953, not many Americans had participated in it. This is because of the extensive travel requirements, expenses, and the style of its links courses. He traveled to Scotland in 1960 to compete at the British Open for the first time. Palmer had the intention of emulating Hogan’s 1953 feat of winning the Masters, U.S. Open, and the British Open in a single year. Having won the Masters and U.S. Open prior, Palmer went on to play the four best rounds of his career shooting 71-69-67-69. However, he was not successful in claiming the British Open as he lost out by 1 point to Kel Nagle from Australia.
This, however, convinced future American pros that traveling to Britain would be worth the effort. Palmer was also regarded by the English as the greatest golfer to ever play the game. Here he managed to gain British and European fans. He went on to win the Open Championship in 1961 and 1962 consecutively and the last time he played it was in 1995.
Championships
Arnold Palmer had a full career. In total, he managed to win seven major championships throughout his career:
- Masters Tournament: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
- U.S. Open: 1960
- The Open Championship: 1961, 1962
Palmer’s most prolific years were from 1960 to 1963 when he won 29 PGA Tour events. He became the first man on the PGA Tour to win $1 million in career earnings in 1967. Moreover, from 1955 to 1971, he won a PGA Tour event every year. He officially retired from tournament golf on October 13, 2006.
He had won the PGA Tour 62 times and the Championship Tour 10 times. Palmer was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Arnold Palmer was globally recognized for popularizing and commercializing the sport along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. They were “The Big Three” in golf.
Arnold Palmer’s Net Worth
Arnold Palmer had a net worth of $700 million. More impressively, during his career, Arnold had earned more than $1.3 billion from endorsements and his entrepreneurial ventures. His company Arnold Palmer Enterprises managed all of his endorsements, licensing, spokesman deals, and commercial partnerships.
As an owner of multiple businesses. Palmer owned the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida which serves as the venue for originally the Bay Hill invitational but was renamed to Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2007 on the PGA Tour. He also owned his hometown golf course, the Latrobe Country Club, since 1971.
He formed the company Palmer Course Design in 1972 with his design partner Ed Seay. In 2006 it was renamed to the Arnold Palmer Design Company. Palmer worked on more than 300 golf courses over five continents excluding Africa and Antartica. He built the first modern golf course in China in 1988.
Arnold Palmer Drink
One of his most well known products is the drink known as The Arnold Palmer. It is a non-alcoholic beverage that combines iced tea and lemonade. He was known to often order this drink in this particular combination. He preferred three parts unsweetened tea, to one part lemonade. However, when mixed with equal parts tea and lemonade, the drink is sometimes called a Half & Half.
The drink has been sold under the Arnold Palmer trademark by Arizona Beverage Company since 2002, featuring a picture of Palmer and his signature on the bottle. Other brands like Nestea and Lipton Brisk also sell this drink, but without the Arnold Palmer trademark.
Death
On September 25, 2016, while waiting to receive heart surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania, Arnold Palmer passed away. After his funeral, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered in his hometown at the Latrobe Country Club.
Arnold Palmer's Daughters: Amy & Peggy
Source: Newsweek
Arnold Palmer leaves behind two daughters, Peggy Palmer Wears and Amy Palmer Saunders. They are his children with his first wife, Winnie, who died in 1999 after a battle with ovarian cancer. Palmer remarried to his second wife, Kathleen, six years after Winnie’s passing. According to Arnold Palmer’s official website, the family oversees operations at the Bay Hill Club and Latrobe Country Club.
Following her father’s death, Amy released a heartfelt statement: “My family and I are deeply moved by the outpouring of support and love from countless friends and admirers of my father. These first hours have been challenging, but we find comfort in knowing he was loved so deeply by so many. Words cannot express our gratitude for those who have offered help during this time of sadness. My father would be pleased to know he is being remembered in this way. On behalf of my family, thank you for your thoughts and prayers.”
Peggy Palmer is back in the news following comments made by former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally on October 24, where he referenced her father, Arnold Palmer. This has sparked renewed attention to Peggy’s remarks in a 2020 interview with The New York Times, in which she conveyed her father’s disapproval of Trump’s lack of civility.
In response to Trump’s recent comments, Peggy described them as "disrespectful" and "inappropriate."
Trump campaigned in Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, holding a rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. During his speech, Trump claimed to have competed against Palmer on the golf course, despite the fact that the seven-time major champion was well past his prime. After reminiscing about their time together on the course, Trump made comments about Palmer’s manhood and how other players reacted to him in the showers, which drew widespread criticism.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arnold Palmer
1. What did Arnold Palmer die from?
Unfortunately, Arnold Palmer died from complications of heart problems at the age of 87.
2. Where is the Arnold Palmer Invitational being played?
Today, the Arnold Palmer Invitational is played at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida. The said professional golf tournament is held each March at the venue which was owned by Arnold Palmer himself since 1974.
3. When did Arnold Palmer start playing golf?
He started off playing with his father who was head professional and greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club. He was just 4 years when he swung his first club with his father.
4. Was Arnold Palmer a good golfer?
Not only was he good, but Arnold Palmer was also one of the best to ever walk the golf course. He has achieved outstanding success and wins throughout his career, some of which many pro golfers may never achieve. Not only that, him being one of the most successful and liked stars is a testament to not only how amazing of a golfer he was, but how amazing he was as an individual.
5. Is Arnold Palmer still alive and how old is Arnold Palmer?
Arnold Palmer passed away on the 25th of September 2016 when he was 87 years old due to complications of heart problems.
Summary
Arnold Palmer will be one of the names that will be around for a very long time as a professional who revolutionized the game of golf.
Moreover, here is the list of the top 10 richest golfers in the world. This list includes Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and many more iconic players. They have achieved so much in this sport. True legends of the game.
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