Arnold Daniel Palmer (b. September 10, 1929), born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, is a golfer who has won numerous events on both the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955. Arnold Palmer is a graduate of Wake Forest University. Although Arnold Palmer is not generally regarded as the greatest player in history, he is arguably the most important. Arnold Palmer's charisma was a major factor in establishing golf as a compelling television event in the 1950s and 1960s, setting the stage for the popularity it enjoys today. Arnold Palmer is also credited by many for securing the status of The Open Championship (British Open) among US players. Before Arnold Palmer, relatively few American professionals attempted to play The Open due to its travel requirements, foreign environment, and the style of its courses (radically different from most American courses). Arnold Palmer's successive Open wins in the early 1960s convinced many American pros that a trip to Britain would be worth the effort.
Arnold Palmer has won seven major championships:
The Masters: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
US Open: 1960
The Open Championship: 1961, 1962
In 1954, he won the US Amateur.
In 1960, Arnold Palmer won the Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of the year and Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award.
In 2004, he competed in The Masters for the last time, marking his 50th consecutive appearance in that event.
One of Arnold Palmer's favorite drinks alledgedly is a combination of half iced tea and half lemonade, a drink which is often referred to as an "Arnold Palmer" in his honor.
