Arnold Palmer

Class of: 1985

Sport: Golf

School: Wake Forest

Arnold Daniel Palmer attended Wake Forest University on a gold scholarship, but left to join the Coast Guard after the death of a close friend. After three years in the Coast Guard, Palmer returned to competitive golf, winning the U.S. Amateur in 1954. This significant win led to his decision to join the professional tour in 1955. In his rookie season, Palmer won the Canadian Open. With his likable personality, his fan base grew quickly. His first major championship win came at the 1958 Masters. Palmer won seven major championships: four Masters (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964); one U.S. Open (1960); and two Open Championships (1961, 1962). In addition to these wins, Palmer also won the first World Match Championship in England. In 2004, Arnold decided to compete in the Masters for the last time. This tournament marked his 50th consecutive appearance in the event. He retired from tournament golf on October 13, 2006. Since that time, Palmer has developed a successful business career linked with golf. He has owned the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, helped to found The Golf Channel, and negotiated the deal to build the first gold course in the People’s Republic of China. He currently resides in Orlando, FL. The honors he received during his career are numerous and include: Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (1960); PGA Player of the Year (1960, 1962); Vardon Trophy (1961, 1962, 1964, 1967); Bob Jones Award (1971); World Golf Hall of Fame inductee (1974); Old Tom Morris Award (1983); PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award (1998); Payne Stewart Award (2000).