August 28, 1954: Palmer's big step

GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. - It was, as one sports writer put it, a dream matchup. On one side was Bob Sweeny, a 43-year-old British millionaire famous around the world for his high living lifestyle. On the other was Arnold Palmer, a 24-year-old paint salesman who grew up the son of a golf pro in suburban Pittsburgh. The two would be battling for the U.S. Amateur championship at the Country Club of Detroit.

Along with the disparate backgrounds, the two were contrasts in their playing style, as well. Sweeny was known as one of the best putters in the world, mastering the finesse part of golf, while Palmer was a grip-it-and-rip-it type of player, hitting towering drives on every hole.

As they teed off for the championship match on August 28, 1954, they were in different stages in their golf career. Sweeny had won the British Amateur championship in 1937 and was already a well-accomplished amateur player. A win in this year's tournament would simply be icing on the cake. Palmer, living in Cleveland after finishing his stint in the Coast Guard, was at a career crossroads. He had just won his first important tournament, and a win in the U.S. Amateur would help build his confidence in a future career in professional golf.

Sweeny played like the player with nothing to lose, jumping out to a quick 3-hole lead after 4 holes. Included in his run was a 40-foot birdie putt that seemed to deflate Palmer. After the 4th hole, though, Sweeny said to Palmer, "Look on the bright side. You know there's no way I can keep this up."

Sweeny proved prophetic, as Palmer won the 8th, 9th, and 10th holes to tie the match. From then, it was a back-and-forth battle, with Palmer's booming drives, often 40 yards farther than Sweeny's, going against the Englishman's pinpoint accuracy.

By the time the two teed off on the 36th and final hole of the day, Palmer was one hole ahead. He hit his final drive right down the middle, while Sweeny pulled his behind two trees. As they walked up the fairway, Sweeny said "Congratulations, you've won," conceding the match. The match official who was with them told the players to finish the hole anyway, saying it would be called a 1-up victory for Palmer. Because of this, nobody knew that Sweeny had actually conceded until 50 years later, when Palmer told the story.

Palmer's win elevated him to among golf's most popular players. Here was a guy from a decidedly middle-class background who had a chance to dominate the game. The fans took to his background, personality, and style of play instantly, and he remains as popular today as he was after his U.S. Amateur win in 1954.

April 6, 1958: Ascension of the King

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Long before Tiger Woods was knocking down racial barriers on the golf course, Arnold Palmer was knocking down class-based stereotypes. For decades, golf was an activity for the upper class, and both the players and fans were cut from largely the same cloth.

That started to change when Palmer started to rise to prominence. Palmer came from a much more humble background, the son of a greenskeeper at a municipal course in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. While not certainly not poor, his middle-class upbringing was much different than most of the other professional golfers of his time, and it helped make hime one of the most popular golfers of his time.

Other things that helped Palmer's popularity were his good looks, outgoing personality, and his fear-nothing attitude on the golf course. A true risk-reward player, he thrilled audiences with his aggressive play, leading to many tense, come-from-behind victories.

Palmer's win at the 1958 Masters was not of the come-from-behind variety, but that doesn't mean it was without drama. On the par-3 12th, he was only one shot up on Ken Venturi when Palmer's tee shot ended up embedded deeply in mud. An argument with a rules official followed, after wich Palmer first played his original ball, struggling home for a 5, and then a provisional ball, which he chipped close for a 3. Palmer's point had been that the muddy conditions should have allowed him to lift the ball and place it in a clean patch without penalty. As the rules official was uncertain, Palmer played shots covering both scenarios, just in case.

As Palmer and Venturi teed off on the par-5 13th, neither player knew whether Palmer would get credit for a 3 or a 5 on the previous hole. Undaunted, Palmer drilled his second shot within 18 feet, making the putt for an eagle. Then the players learned that Palmer would, correctly, get credit for a 3 on the 12th, and that he now had a three-shot lead with five holes to play. He struggled a bit on the final five holes, but held on for a one-shot victory.

Though this victory was Palmer's first of seven in major championships, it's remembered for more than just that. It's the tournament where the famous term "Amen Corner" was used for the first time to describe holes 11, 12, and 13 at Augusta National; the term was coined by Sports Illustrated writer Herbert Warren Wind. Inspired by the drama of the 12th and 13th, and remembering numerous past tournaments that turned on those three holes, Wind came up with the term that's still used today.

For Palmer, the win was proof that he was a force to be reckoned with. His popularity continued to grow from there, spreading to both sides of the Atlantic. He got the nickname "The King," and the large crowds that followed him at tournaments became known as Arnie's Army. This all probably would have happened without his win in 1958, but every great career needs a starting point.

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HONORABLE MENTION:
April 6, 1896: ATHENS - American James Connolly wins the triple jump competition at the first modern Olympic games, becoming the first Olympic medalist in more than 1,500 years.