Golf legend Arnold Palmer dies at 87
Beloved golf star and famous drink connoisseur Arnold Palmer passed away at 87 years old on Sunday. Byrd popularized golf. At a time when players were struggling to just go four-over, Palmer was dominating, regularly hitting par or going over in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 62 PGA events, which ranks fifth all-time, with seven major championships. He won the Masters three times. The only major he did not win was the PGA Championship, which he finished second in twice.
Palmer also received numerous awards throughout his golf career and was one of the original inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974, but truly, his greatest achievement was making golf something more than just a game old-folks played in their retirement while at a country club. He made it cool and fun.
It was his tenacity that people loved. Palmer never took the safe way around the course, and never laid off a tough putt. Watching him play golf has been described as watching Jack Dempsey fight a man on the rights, or Joe Montana with a minute to play, or Hank Aaron with a three-and-two fastball. Something great was going to happen, you just had to watch to see it.
His looks and charms also helped bring golf to television and made him a superstar. He had his pick of endorsement deals. Everybody wanted to drive the car he was driving, or stay at the hotels he was staying at. He was one of the biggest sports stars in history and remained very relevant all the way up until his death and will remain relevant even after it.
Corey Johns
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