Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer was an American professional golfer born September 10, 1929, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. His father, Deacon Palmer, was the head professional and greenkeeper at Latrobe Country Club, and Arnold grew up on the course, swinging cut-down clubs almost as soon as he could walk. He won the West Penn Junior at fourteen and went on to play college golf at Wake Forest before serving three years in the United States Coast Guard.

Palmer won the 1954 U.S. Amateur and turned professional that November. Between 1958 and 1964 he won four Masters titles, the 1960 U.S. Open, and back-to-back Open Championships at Royal Birkdale and Royal Troon in 1961 and 1962. His decision to play the British Open in 1960 helped restore American interest in the tournament. He finished his career with 62 PGA Tour victories, the fifth-highest total in tour history.

His galleries became known as Arnie's Army, a crowd that followed his charging style and visible emotion. He helped make professional golf a television-friendly sport in the 1960s alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, the trio promoted as the Big Three by his manager Mark McCormack of IMG.

Palmer designed more than 300 golf courses, owned the Bay Hill Club in Orlando, and gave his name to the half-iced-tea, half-lemonade drink he often ordered. He died on September 25, 2016, at age 87.

The name Arnold comes from the Old German Arnwald, combining arn ("eagle") and wald ("power" or "ruler"), giving a meaning often rendered as "eagle ruler." Normans brought the name to England after 1066.