Ten fun facts about Arnold Palmer
Fact 1
Nicknamed "The King," he is one of golf's most popular stars.
Fact 2
He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955.
Fact 3
He was considered golf’s most important trailblazer, because he was the first superstar of the sport's television age, which began in the 1950s.
Fact 4
Palmer is part of "The Big Three" in golf, along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who are widely credited with popularizing and commercializing the sport around the world.
Fact 5
Palmer's social impact on behalf of golf was perhaps unrivaled among fellow professionals; Palmer's humble background and plain-spoken popularity helped change the perception of golf as an elite, upper-class pastime to a more democratic sport accessible to middle and working classes.
Fact 6
Palmer won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, and in 1974 was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Fact 7
Palmer won the 1955 Canadian Open in his rookie season, and raised his game status for the next several seasons.
Fact 8
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.
Fact 9
His first major championship win at the 1958 Masters Tournament cemented his position as one of the leading stars in golf.
Fact 10
He built up a wide fan base, often referred to as “Arnie's Army”, and in 1967 he became the first man to reach one million dollars in career earnings on the PGA Tour.
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