Some people are just synonymous with their sports and when it comes to golf, few would argue that Arnold Palmer is one of the biggest names we’ve ever seen.
Palmer is a legend of the sport and having won seven majors and 62 PGA Tour titles, he’s very much carved his name into the history of the game.
Sadly, Palmer is no longer with us but we are lucky to still have the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player around to share fond memories of battling it out with Palmer down the years.
Indeed, Palmer was very much one of the golfers to shake things up when he first made his name and after announcing his arrival in 1955 with a win at the Canadian Open, we needed to wait only three years before he landed his first major.
And in typical Arnie fashion, that win would arrive on the grandest of all stages.
How Arnold Palmer won his first major championship at The Masters
For most golfers, winning The Masters is the holy grail. The green jacket, the lifetime return invite to the event and all the glitz and glamour of the champions dinner make winning at Augusta National a top prize in golf.
For Palmer, then, to win your first major championship at Augusta must have been a special feeling.
Going into the 1958 Masters, golf very much knew who Arnold Palmer was. He’d already won eight times as a pro and simply needed to convert at one of the big ones to fully announce himself.
At Augusta in 1958, he did just that.
Palmer was in contention but not at the top over the opening two rounds but he did find himself out in front after round three, tied with the great Sam Snead on five under par.
However, in round four, Snead faltered and dropped back into the field before finishing outside the top ten in a strange turn of events.
Palmer, though, held his nerve and showed the mental toughness that he’d become known for throughout his career.
It wasn’t vintage and a final round 73 left the door ajar for both Doug Ford and Fred Hawkins to close within a single shot.
But Palmer held on, finishing at four under par to win his first of what would become seven major titles and four green jackets.
With only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus having more at Augusta more times than Palmer, it’s safe to say that Palmer’s legacy at the famous venue is secured forever.