Golf Legend Arnold Palmer Passes Away at Age 87

Monday, September 26, 2016

GoLocalPDX Sports Team & Graphiq

Arnold Palmer, 1953

Golf legend Arnold Palmer, also known as The King, passed away at the age of 87 on Sunday night. He had been in deteriorating health since late 2015. His last public golf shot coming at the 2015 British Open.

“He was one of my best friends, closest friends, and he was for a long, long time. I will miss him greatly,” said fellow golf legend Jack Nicklaus in a statement.

Tiger Woods added in a statement of his own, “It’s hard to believe that Arnold has passed, and I’m deeply saddened by his loss. He meant so much to the game and to me personally.”

Arnold Palmer

Since turning pro in 1954, Palmer won the Masters four times, the British Open twice and the U.S. Open once for a total of seven major championships.

In his career, he won a total 62 times on the PGA Tour.

Besides the regular tournament wins, Palmer played on six Ryder Cup teams and was the winning captain two times.

Palmer led the money list four times throughout his career, and was the first player to win over $100,000 in a season.

This all led to Palmer being one of the original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

“Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even a great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend. Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport,” added Nicklaus.

More Than a Golfer

Off the golf course, Palmer founded the Arnold Palmer Medical Center in 1989. The center is made up of the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Woman and Babies, which opened in 2006.

Palmer had a pilot’s license, which he gave up in 2011, and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2012. With that He became only the sixth athlete to receive the honor.

He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004.

GoLocal teams with Graphiq for more on Arnold Palmer.

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