While Arnold Palmer won his final major title in 1964, the King continued to register top five finishes in the four biggest events of the year for another decade.
Arnold Palmer is rightly considered one of the greatest golfers of all-time, while he remains one of the most influential figures in the game nearly a decade on from his passing.
Of course, his tally of seven major titles would have been even greater had he not been playing in the same era as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Palmer finished second to either Nicklaus or Player on four occasions in the majors.
The first time Nicklaus beat Palmer to a major title came at the 1962 US Open. A decade later, the pair were vying for the same crown coming down the stretch on Sunday.
The final head to head battle between Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer in a major
Nicklaus had been at least tied for the lead after each of the first three days at Pebble Beach. Meanwhile, Palmer responded to an opening round of 77 by posting a 68 on Friday. He was the only player in the top 10 at the end of the week to break 70 in any of his four rounds.
Palmer went into Sunday in a tie for fifth, two shots back of Nicklaus. But as the Golden Bear reached the 12th green, there was an opportunity for Palmer to move level with him.
Nicklaus managed to hole a bogey putt from eight feet just as Palmer missed a birdie chance from slightly further away two holes ahead.
Palmer apparently did not realise how close he was to the lead and became too aggressive. He ended up playing his final four holes in two over par to fall back into third place.
Nicklaus managed to make birdies on 15 and 17 to finish on two over par and seal the third of his four US Open crowns. He would win again in 1980 – 18 years after his duel with Palmer at Oakmont.
Arnold Palmer was far from done at the US Open after contending at Pebble Beach
Palmer’s very best days were behind him. However, his performance at Pebble Beach marked the start of a run of four successive top 10 finishes at the US Open.
He would continue to play regularly in the event until 1983 – and still managed to make the cut at the age of 53.
Palmer’s final appearance at the US Open came in 1994 when the event returned to Oakmont.
Nicklaus, meanwhile, bowed out of the event six years later at Pebble Beach – the picturesque site of his hard fought 1972 triumph.