The stamp honoring iconic golfer Arnold Palmer, who rose from humble beginnings to help transform an elite pastime into a sport for the masses, will be released today.
A native of Latrobe, PA, a working-class steel mill town, the driven and charismatic Palmer (1929-2016) captured his first major title in 1958, notching his first of four Masters Tournament wins.
In 1960, he won his first and only U.S. Open championship, displaying fearless late-tournament play that became his trademark, known as the Palmer Charge.
That same year, his second-place finish at the British Open contributed to a boost in popularity of that tournament among American golfers, and also was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year.
During a nearly decade-long stretch beginning in 1958, Palmer led the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour in yearly money winnings four times; won the Vardon Trophy, awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average, four times; and twice earned PGA Player of the Year honors.
His accomplishments also included captaining U.S. Ryder Cup teams in 1963 and 1975, and the six teams of which he was a member won the biennial international completion.
Overall, Palmer won 62 PGA Tour events, the fifth-most of all time, and 92 tournaments worldwide.
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