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57-453: Billy Casper won the first of his 51 PGA Tour wins at this event in 1956. This article on a golf tournament is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to sport in Canada is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Billy Casper William Earl Casper Jr. (June 24, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer . He

114-463: A Florida jury ruled in favor of Gotta Have It on its breach of contract and other related claims. The same jury rejected the counterclaims of Palmer and Woods, and awarded Gotta Have It $ 668,346 in damages. One of Palmer's most recent products (mass-produced starting in 2001) is a branded use of the beverage known as the Arnold Palmer , which combines sweetened iced tea with lemonade. As

171-583: A PGA Tour event every year from 1955 to 1971 inclusive, and in 1971 he enjoyed a revival, winning four events. For each of his wins at the Masters, Palmer's caddie was Nathaniel "Iron Man" Avery ; at the time, Augusta National required all golfers to use the club's own caddies. Palmer won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average four times: 1961, 1962, 1964, and 1967. He played on six Ryder Cup teams: 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1971, and 1973. He

228-419: A September 2018 interview with The Sporting News , Palmer's daughter, Peggy, characterized Palmer as a Goldwater Republican . She also said that her father was personal friends with president Dwight D. Eisenhower , who gave Palmer one of his paintings as a birthday present. Palmer also knew Donald Trump because Trump organized several golf tournaments. According to Peggy, Palmer appreciated Trump's support for

285-490: A beloved Par 3 in a residential neighborhood just north of Santa Barbara, CA. As of 2017. Chula Vista Golf Course, designed by Billy Casper, is a par 73 with three par 5's on the front nine and two on the back. Billy Casper Golf (BCG) is one of the largest privately owned golf course management companies in the United States, with roughly 150 owned or managed courses in their portfolio. Billy Casper Golf annually hosts

342-718: A college match. When he took up residence in Orlando, Palmer helped the city become a recreation destination, "turning the entire state of Florida into a golfing paradise.” That included building one of the premier events on the PGA Tour there, along with his contributions to new hospitals. On hearing about Palmer's death, Tiger Woods said, "My kids were born at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, and his philanthropic work will be remembered along with his accomplishments in golf." Arnold Palmer Boulevard

399-663: A flashy gallery favorite, Casper developed his self-contained style, relying on solid technique, determination, concentration, and perseverance. He converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1966. Casper was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978. Casper was born in San Diego, California . His father started him in golf at age five. Casper caddied during his youth at San Diego Country Club to earn money for golf, and spent one semester at

456-690: A heart attack at his home in Springville, Utah . He was survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Shirley Franklin Casper, 11 children, six of whom are adopted, 71 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. After his professional career, Casper was a designer for many golf courses, such as The Highlands, The Palm, and Eagle Crest in Sun City Summerlin, Nevada . He also designed the Hidden Oaks Golf Course, 9 holes of

513-420: A measure of his popularity, Palmer, like Elvis Presley before him, was known simply as "The King." But in a life bursting from the seams with success, Palmer never lost his common touch. He was a man of the people, willing to sign every autograph, shake every hand, and tried to look every person in his gallery in the eye. Golf Week According to Adam Schupak of Golf Week , "No one did more to popularize

570-643: A member of the Lincoln-Mercury Sports Panel, in the early 1970s Palmer was a brand ambassador for Lincoln-Mercury . In 1974, Palmer, along with partners Mark McCormack and Don Massey , purchased a Cadillac dealership in Charlotte, North Carolina . Over the years, Palmer would acquire several other dealerships in several states including a Buick -Cadillac store in his hometown of Latrobe. The Latrobe dealership, known as Arnold Palmer Motors, closed in 2017 after 36 years in business. As

627-529: A mythic American joy   ... He represented everything that is great about golf. The friendship, the fellowship, the laughter, the impossibility of golf, the sudden rapture moment that brings you back, a moment that you never forget, that's Arnold Palmer in spades. He's the defining figure in golf. Palmer was married to the former Winnie Walzer for 45 years; the couple had two daughters, Peggy and Amy. Winnie died at age 65 on November 20, 1999, of complications from ovarian cancer. Palmer's grandson Sam Saunders

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684-566: A negative effect on every organ in the body. As a testimonial for smoking cessation products, he was depicted in a 1989 photo by Robert Straus that was subject to copyright litigation as late as 20 years later. Palmer was a Republican and donated money to Pat Toomey , John McCain , Mitt Romney , Rick Santorum , and George W. Bush . He was approached on multiple occasions by the Republican Party encouraging him to run for political office, but he declined on each occasion. In

741-511: A plane for the last time on January 31, 2011, and flew from Palm Springs in California to Orlando in his Cessna Citation X . His pilot's medical certificate expired that day and he chose not to renew it. However, public FAA records show he was issued a new third-class medical in May 2011. Palmer died on September 25, 2016 (shortly after his 87th birthday), while awaiting heart surgery at

798-593: A professional career in golf, there's only one decision Arnold Palmer considers smarter. Learning how to fly an airplane. On Palmer's 70th birthday in 1999, Westmoreland County Airport in Latrobe was renamed Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in his honor. According to their website: "[The airport] started as the Longview Flying Field in 1924. It became J.D. Hill Airport in 1928, Latrobe Airport in 1935 and Westmoreland County Airport in 1978. Complementing

855-471: A rich history rooted in some of the earliest pioneers of aviation, the name was changed to Arnold Palmer Regional in 1999 to honor the Latrobe native golf legend who grew up less than a mile from the runway where he watched the world's first official airmail pickup in 1939 and later learned to fly himself." There is a statue of Palmer made by Zenos Frudakis , holding a golf club in front of the airport's entrance, unveiled in 2007. Palmer thought he would pilot

912-552: A string of exciting finishes in early televised tournaments; and his affability. Palmer is also credited by many for securing the status of The Open Championship (British Open) among U.S. players. Before Ben Hogan won that championship in 1953, few American professionals had traveled to play in The Open, due to its extensive travel requirements, its relatively small purse, and the style of its links courses (radically different from most American courses). Palmer wanted to emulate

969-403: A working-class steel mill town. He learned golf from his father, who had suffered from polio at a young age and was head professional and greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club , which allowed young Palmer to accompany his father as he maintained the course. Palmer attended Wake Forest College on a golf scholarship . He left upon the death of close friend Bud Worsham and enlisted in

1026-621: Is a professional golfer who grew up playing at Bay Hill, where he won the club championship at age 15. Saunders attended Clemson University in South Carolina on a golf scholarship and turned pro in 2008. He stated that Palmer's family nickname is "Dumpy.” Palmer married his second wife, Kathleen Gawthrop, in 2005 in Hawaii . During the spring and summer months, Palmer resided in Latrobe, and he spent winters in Orlando and La Quinta, California . He first visited Orlando in 1948 during

1083-707: Is fifth on the Tour's all-time victory list, trailing only Sam Snead , Tiger Woods , Nicklaus, and Ben Hogan . He won seven major titles in a six-plus-year domination from the 1958 Masters to the 1964 Masters . He also won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, and in 1974 was one of the 13 original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame . Arnold Daniel Palmer was born on September 10, 1929, to Doris (née Morrison) and Milfred Jerome "Deacon" Palmer in Latrobe, Pennsylvania ,

1140-525: Is mentioned by James Bond's caddie in Goldfinger : "If that's [Goldfinger's] original ball, I'm Arnold Palmer." In 2000, Palmer was ranked the sixth greatest player of all time in Golf Digest magazine's rankings, and by 2008 had earned an estimated $ 30 million. Palmer was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa - The National Leadership Honor Society in 1964 at Wake Forest University . He

1197-814: Is named in his honor. Palmer was a member of the Freemasons since 1958. Palmer created the Arnie's Army Charitable Foundation to help children and youth. The Foundation saw the creation of the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies Center , The Howard Philips Center for Children & Families, the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children , and the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve. He and O.J. Simpson were spokespersons for Hertz Rent-a-Car . Palmer served on

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1254-740: Is widely credited with popularizing and bringing enormous commercial success to the sport around the world; however, between 1964 and 1970, Casper won 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour, two more than Nicklaus and six more than Palmer and Player combined, during that period. He is considered by many to have been the best putter of his era. Casper's 20-year period of winning on the PGA Tour—between 1956 and 1975—was an era of extraordinary growth in tournament purses, television coverage, and depth of competition. Casper faced legends such as Palmer, Nicklaus, Sam Snead , Cary Middlecoff , Gary Player and Lee Trevino when they were all at or near their peaks. Casper

1311-660: The American Society of Golf Course Architects . In 1997, Palmer and fellow golfer Tiger Woods initiated a civil case in an effort to stop the unauthorized sale of their images and alleged signatures in the memorabilia market. The lawsuit was filed against Bruce Matthews, the owner of Gotta Have It Golf, Inc. and others. Matthews and associated parties counter-claimed that Palmer and associated businesses committed several acts, including breach of contract, breach of implied duty of good faith and violations of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. On March 12, 2014,

1368-472: The Canadian Open and earned $ 2,400 for his efforts. He raised his game status for the next several seasons. Palmer's charisma was a major factor in establishing golf as a compelling television event in the 1950s and 1960s, which set the stage for the popularity it enjoys today. His first major championship win at the 1958 Masters Tournament , where he earned $ 11,250, established his position as one of

1425-525: The Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of the year and Sports Illustrated magazine's " Sportsman of the Year " award. He built up a wide fan base, often referred to as "Arnie's Army", and in 1967 he became the first man to reach $ 1   million in career earnings on the PGA Tour. By the late 1960s Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player had both acquired clear ascendancy in their rivalry, but Palmer won

1482-667: The U.S. Coast Guard , where he served for three years, 1951–1954. At the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey , he built a nine-hole course and had some time to continue to hone his golf skills. After Palmer's enlistment term ended, he returned to college and competitive golf. Palmer won the 1954 U.S. Amateur in Detroit and made the decision to turn pro in November of that year. "That victory

1539-466: The University of Notre Dame on a golf scholarship, after graduating from high school. He returned to San Diego to marry his wife Shirley in 1952. Casper competed frequently as an amateur against fellow San Diegan Gene Littler . After graduating from Notre Dame, he turned professional in 1954. Casper had 51 PGA Tour wins in his career, with his first coming in 1956. This total places him seventh on

1596-559: The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Shadyside) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . He was admitted three days earlier to undergo testing on his heart. After his funeral, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered in his hometown at Latrobe Country Club . His estate was valued at $ 875 million and was divided between his two daughters, his second wife (who received $ 10 million), eight employees who received $ 25,000 each, and his charity, Arnie's Army, which received $ 10 million. From

1653-612: The all-time list . His victories helped him finish third in McCormack's World Golf Rankings in 1968, 1969, and 1970, the first three years they were published. He won three major championships : the 1959 and 1966 U.S. Opens , and the 1970 Masters Tournament . He was the PGA Tour Money Winner in 1966 and 1968. He was PGA Player of the Year in 1966 and 1970. Casper won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average five times: 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, and 1968. Casper

1710-587: The "World's Largest Golf Outing" – a national golf outing fundraiser benefiting military charities. Casper had a cameo appearance in the movie, Now You See Him, Now You Don't . Casper was active in charitable work for children and hosted fundraisers, including an annual tournament at San Diego Country Club for "Billy's Kids". PGA Tour playoff record (8–8) Source: Senior PGA Tour playoff record (2–3) Defeated Palmer in an 18-hole playoff: Casper 69 (−1), Palmer 73 (+3). Defeated Littler in an 18-hole playoff: Casper 69 (−3), Littler 74 (+2). CUT = missed

1767-475: The United States on a then-record eight Ryder Cup teams, and holds the U.S. record for career Ryder Cup points won. After reaching age 50, Casper regularly played the Senior PGA Tour and was a winner there until 1989. In his later years, Casper successfully developed businesses in golf course design and management of golf facilities. Casper served as Ryder Cup captain in 1979, was twice PGA Player of

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1824-548: The Waite Memorial tournament in Shawnee-on-Delaware, Pennsylvania . There, he met his future wife, Winifred Walzer, and they remained married for 45 years until her death in 1999. On November 17, 1954, Palmer announced his intentions to turn pro. "What other people find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive," Palmer said. Palmer's first tour win came during his 1955 rookie season, when he won

1881-453: The Year (1966 and 1970), was twice the leading money winner, and won five Vardon Trophy awards for the lowest seasonal scoring average on the Tour. Respected for his extraordinary putting and short-game skills, Casper was a superior strategist who overcame his distance disadvantages against longer-hitting competitors such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus with moxie, creative shot-making, and clever golf-course management abilities. Never

1938-457: The advisory board of U.S. English , a group that supports making English the official language of the United States. During his playing career, Palmer smoked cigarettes, which caused him to battle an addiction to nicotine. He noted that many of his colleagues smoked, and he even endorsed the product in television commercials. Later in life, Palmer made a complete about-face and urged the public to give up smoking. He said that cigarette smoking has

1995-693: The effort, and certainly secured Palmer's popularity among British and European fans, not just American ones. Palmer was greatly disappointed by his runner-up finish in the 1960 British Open. His appearance overseas drew American attention to the Open Championship, which had previously been ignored by the American golfers. Palmer went on to win the Open Championship in 1961 and 1962, and last played in it in 1995. Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A , called Palmer "a true gentleman, one of

2052-470: The feats of his predecessors Bobby Jones , Sam Snead and Hogan in his quest to become a leading American golfer. In particular, Palmer traveled to Scotland in 1960 to compete in the British Open for the first time. He had already won both the Masters and U.S. Open and was trying to emulate Hogan's 1953 feat of winning all three tournaments in a single year. Palmer played what he himself said were

2109-505: The first golf courses built in China since the founding of the People's Republic of China. In 1971, he purchased Latrobe Country Club (where his father used to be the club professional) and owned it until his death. The licensing, endorsements, spokesman associations and commercial partnerships built by Palmer and McCormack are managed by Arnold Palmer Enterprises. Palmer was also a member of

2166-404: The formation of Palmer Course Design in 1972, which was renamed Arnold Palmer Design Company when the company moved to Orlando, Florida, in 2006. Palmer's design partner was Ed Seay. Palmer designed more than 300 golf courses in 37 states, 25 countries, and five continents (all except Africa and Antarctica), including the golf course at Henry Fok 's Zhongshan Hot Springs Hotel, which was one of

2223-522: The four best rounds of his career, shooting 70-71-70-68. His scores had the English excitedly claiming that Palmer may well be the greatest golfer ever to play the game. British fans were excited about Palmer's playing in the Open. Although he failed to win, losing out to Kel Nagle by a single shot, his subsequent Open wins in the early 1960s convinced many American pros that a trip to Britain would be worth

2280-435: The game. However, around the time of Palmer's death, which was during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign , Palmer showed disgust towards Trump and made unflattering comments about him. Palmer's early "fear of flying" led him to pursue his pilot certificate . After almost 55 years, he logged nearly 20,000 hours of flight time in various aircraft. His personal website reads: Next to marrying his wife, Winnie, and deciding on

2337-496: The greatest ever to play the game and a truly iconic figure in sport". His participation in The Open Championship in the early 1960s "was the catalyst to truly internationalize golf," said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley. Palmer won seven major championships : Palmer's most prolific years were 1960–1963, when he won 29 PGA Tour events, including five major tournaments, in four seasons. In 1960, he won

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2394-400: The half-way cut WD = withdrew "T" = tied The 18-hole playoff finished in a tie, Casper (75) to Funseth (75), Casper won with a birdie on the first sudden-death hole. Professional Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer (September 10, 1929 – September 25, 2016) was an American professional golfer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most charismatic players in

2451-460: The leading stars in golf, and by 1960 he had signed up as pioneering sports agent Mark McCormack 's first client. In later interviews, McCormack listed five attributes that made Palmer especially marketable: his handsomeness; his relatively modest background (his father was a greenskeeper before rising to be club professional and Latrobe was a humble club); the way he played golf, taking risks and wearing his emotions on his sleeve; his involvement in

2508-536: The only two Masters champions to be regular members of Masters organizer Augusta National Golf Club (as opposed to the honorary membership the club grants to all Masters champions). From 2007 until his death, Palmer served as an honorary starter for the Masters. He retired from tournament golf on October 13, 2006, when he withdrew from the Champions Tours' Administaff Small Business Classic after four holes due to dissatisfaction with his own play. He played

2565-437: The perception of golf from an elite, upper-class pastime of private clubs to a more populist sport accessible to middle and working classes via public courses. Palmer, Jack Nicklaus , and Gary Player were "The Big Three" in golf during the 1960s; they are credited with popularizing and commercializing the sport around the world. In a career spanning more than six decades, Palmer won 62 PGA Tour titles from 1955 to 1973 . He

2622-617: The remaining holes but did not keep score. Palmer had a diverse golf-related business career, including owning the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida , which is the venue for the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational (renamed from the Bay Hill Invitational in 2007 ), helping to found The Golf Channel , and negotiating the deal to build the first golf course in the People's Republic of China. This led to

2679-490: The senior circuit, Casper earned nine Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour ) wins from 1982 to 1989, including two senior majors . Much has been written in the annals of golf that Casper was the most underrated star in golf history, and the best modern golfer who never received the accolades he deserved. He was not considered one of the "Big Three" — Jack Nicklaus , Arnold Palmer and Gary Player  — who

2736-427: The sport than Palmer". "His dashing presence singlehandedly took golf out of the country clubs and into the mainstream. Quite simply, he made golf cool." Jack Nicklaus said: Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend. Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport. He took the game from one level to a higher level, virtually by himself. He

2793-532: The sport's history. Since embarking on a professional career in 1955, he won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and the circuit now known as PGA Tour Champions . Nicknamed " The King ", Palmer was one of golf's most popular stars and seen as a trailblazer, the first superstar of the sport's television age , which began in the 1950s. Palmer's social impact on golf was unrivaled among fellow professionals; his modest origins and plain-spoken popularity helped change

2850-550: Was a member of the United States team in the Ryder Cup eight times: 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, and a non-playing captain in 1979. Casper has scored the most points in the Ryder Cup by an American player. Casper won at least one PGA Tour event for 16 straight seasons, from 1956 to 1971, the third-longest streak, trailing only Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus , who each won on Tour in 17 straight years. On

2907-789: Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009. He was the first golfer to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the second golfer, after Byron Nelson , to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. In addition to Palmer's impressive list of awards, he was bestowed the honor of kicking off the Masters Tournament beginning in 2007 . From 2007 to 2009 , Palmer

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2964-543: Was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978. In 2000, he was ranked as the 15th greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest magazine. Casper's grandson, Mason Casper, played for the Utah Valley University golf team. Mason qualified for NCAA post-season play in 2012. Casper was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , joining in early 1966 at age 34, at the height of his playing career. Casper died at age 83 in 2015 of

3021-474: Was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. In his youth, Casper started as a caddie and emerged from the junior golf hotbed of San Diego , where golf could be played year-round, to rank seventh all-time in career Tour wins with 51, across 20 years between 1956 and 1975. Fellow San Diegan great Gene Littler was a friend and rival from teenager to senior. Casper won three major championships , represented

3078-463: Was originally organized by McCormack to showcase his stable of players. Their partnership was one of the most significant in the history of sports marketing. Long after he ceased to win tournaments, Palmer remained one of the highest earners in golf due to his appeal to sponsors and the public. In 2004, he competed in the Masters Tournament for the last time, marking his 50th consecutive appearance in that event. At his death, he and Jack Nicklaus were

3135-527: Was the last playing captain in 1963, and captained the team again in 1975. Palmer was eligible for the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions ) from its first season in 1980, and he was one of the marquee names who helped it to become successful. He won ten events on the tour, including five senior majors . Palmer won the first World Match Play Championship that was held in England. The event

3192-555: Was the sole honorary starter. In 2010 , longtime friend and competitor Jack Nicklaus was appointed by Augusta National to join Palmer. In 2012 , golf's The Big Three reunited as South African golfer Gary Player joined for the ceremonial tee shots as honorary starters for the 76th playing of the Masters Tournament. In describing the effect that Palmer had on the sport, biographer James Dodson stated: We loved him with

3249-428: Was the turning point in my life," he said. "It gave me confidence I could compete at the highest level of the game." When reporters there asked Gene Littler who the young golfer was that was cracking balls on the practice tee, Littler said: "That's Arnold Palmer. He's going to be a great player some day. When he hits the ball, the earth shakes." After winning that match, Palmer quit his job selling paint and played in

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