Living The American Dream
From his stellar career in golf to receiving the United States of America's highest civilian honor, Arnold Palmer's life is a testament to the American dream.
Wisdom
"Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you."
Awards & Achievements
Professional Golf Career Summary
1955 through 2011
U.S. Earnings: Regular PGA Tour: $2,130,239 / Senior PGA Tour: $2,277,972
Foreign/International/Non-Tour U.S. Earnings: $2,516,108
Total Competitive Earnings (Excludes pro-ams, skins games): $6,924,319
Victories: 92 (U.S. Tour - 62; Foreign/International - 18; Seniors - 12)
Individual Records
Best 18-Hole Round: 62, 1959 Thunderbird Invitational, fourth round; 1966 Los Angeles Open, third round
Best Opening Round: 64, 1955 Canadian Open; 1962 Phoenix Open; 1970 Citrus Open; 1970 Greensboro Open; 1971 Westchester Classic
Best Second Round: 63, 1961 Texas Open
Best Third Round: 62, 1966 Los Angeles Open
Best Fourth Round: 62, 1959 Thunderbird Classic
Lowest Score, First 36 Holes: 130, (67-63), 1961 Texas Open
Lowest Score, First 54 Holes: 195, (64-67-64), 1955 Canadian Open
Lowest 72-Hole Score: 265, (64-67-64-70), 1955 Canadian Open
Biggest Victory Margin: 12, 1962 Phoenix Open
Most Consecutive Birdies: 7, 1966 Los Angeles Open, third round
Holes-in-One: 20, three in PGA Tour events, four on Senior PGA Tour, one in Japan
All-Time Low 18-Hole Score: 60, Latrobe Country Club, September, 1969
Special Golf Achievements
PGA Player of Year - 1960 and 1962
PGA Tour Leading Money-Winner - 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963
Vardon Trophy - 1961, 1962, 1964, 1967
Ryder Cup Team - 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1971, 1973; Capt. - 1963, 1975
Chrysler Cup Team and Captain (Senior Golf) - 1986-90
Presidents Cup Captain - 1996
UBS Cup Team and Captain - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Golf Awards
Charter member, World Golf Hall of Fame, Pinehurst, NC, 1974
American Golf Hall of Fame, Foxburg, PA
PGA Hall of Fame, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 1980
All-American Collegiate Golf Hall of Fame, Man of Year, 1984
Ohio Golf Hall of Fame, 1992
Phoenix Open Hall of Fame
Bob Jones Award, U.S. Golf Association, 1971
Walter Hagen Award, International panel of selectors, 1981
William D. Richardson Award, Golf Writers Association of America, 1969
Charles Bartlett Award, Golf Writers Association of America, 1976
Herb Graffis Award, National Golf Foundation, 1978
Gold Tee Award, Metropolitan (NY) Golf Writers Association, 1965
Golf Digest “Man of Silver Era”, 1975
Old Tom Morris Award, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, 1983
Golfer of Century, New York Athletic Club, 1985
Commemorative Honoree, 1987 Golf Digest Commemorative Seniors Tournament
Golfer of Decade (1958-67), Centennial of Golf, Golf Magazine, 1989
American Senior Golf Assosciation National Award, 1989
Chicago District Golf Association Distingushed Service Award, 1989
Ambassador of Golf Award, World Series of Golf, 1991
Bing Crosby Award, Metropolitan (NY) Golf Writers Association, 1992
Memorial Honoree, Memorial Tournament, 1993
PGA of America Distinguished Service Award, 1994
Distinguished Service Award, Tri-State Section, PGA of America, 1996
Centennial Award, Golf Associations of Philadelphia, 1996
Francis Ouimet Award, Francis Ouimet Caddie Scholarship Fund, Boston, 1997
Lifetime Achievement Award, PGA Tour, 1998
Golfer of Century, Western Pennsylvania Golf Association, 1998
Donald Ross Award, American Society of Golf Course Architects, 1999
Golf Newsmaker of Century, Golf World, 1999
Ike Grainger Award, USGA, 2000
Golf Family of Year, National Golf Foundation, 2000
Payne Stewart Award, PGA Tour, 2000
Dave Marr Award, Novell Utah Showdown, 2000
National Golf Course Owners Association Award of Merit, 2001
Golden Anniversary Award, Metropolitan (NY) Golf Writers Association, 2001
Tri-State PGA Hall of Fame, 2002
50 th Anniversary ACC golf team, 2003
Dave Marr Shell Award, Houston, 2004
Will F. Nicholson Honor, Denver, 2007
Lifetime Achievement Award, Hall of Fame, Golf Coaches Association of America, 2008
Langley Award, Northern California Section, PGA of America, 2008
Spirit of Golf Award, Woodlands Foundation, Pittsburgh, 2008
Lifetime Achievement Award, Golf Business Forum, Newport,Wales, 2009
Byron Nelson Prize, Dallas, 2009
North Florida PGA Hall of Fame, 2010
Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame, 2013
Sports Awards
Associated Press Athlete of Decade – 1960-1969
Hickok Professional Athlete of Year – 1960
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of Year – 1960
Dapper Dan Award, Pittsburgh – 1960
Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County, Cambria County, North Carolina, Florida Sports Halls of Fame
Wake Forest Hall of Fame
Sports Appreciation Trophy, Atlanta AC CC, Atlanta, 1990
Athletes Who Changed Game, Sports Illustrated’s 20th Century Sports Awards, New York, 1999
Top 10 Male Athletes, 50th Anniversary, Atlantic Coast Conference, 2003
Roy Firestone Award, Los Angeles, 2004
Alfond Award of Excellence, Rollins College, Orlando, 2004
WPIAL Hall of Fame, Pittsburgh, 2007
Heritage Award, Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, 2012
General Awards
Gold Medalist, Pennsylvania Society, 1972
Arthur J. Rooney Award, Catholic Youth Association, Pittsburgh, 1977
Dapper Dan Man of Year, Pittsburgh, 1960
Lowman Humanitarian Award, Los Angeles
Distinguished Pennsylvanian, 1980
Partner in Science Award, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
Theodore Roosevelt Award, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Business Leaders Award, Northwood Institute
National High School Sports Hall of Fame
Ellis Island Medal of Honor, New York, 1986
Gold Medal, Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, 1988
Order of Eagle Exemplar, U.S. Sports Academy, 1989
Van Patrick Career Achievement Award, Dearborn, MI, 1990
Eagle on World Award, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York, 1990
Pathfinder Award, Youthlinks Indiana, 1992
Outstanding American Award, Los Angeles Philanthropic Foundation, 1992
National Sports Award, Washington, 1993
Sports Legends Award, Juvenile Diabetes Association, Pittsburgh, 1993
Humanitarian Award, Variety Club International, 1993
“Good Guy” Award, American Legion National Commanders, 1993
Man of Year, Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, 1994
Ford Achievement Award, Dearborn, MI, 1994
Golden Plate Award, American Academyh of Achievement, 1995
History Makers Award, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, 1995
Community Service Award, Latrobe Chamber of Commerce, 1995
Reagan Distinguished American Award, Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, 1996
Lifetime Achievement Award, March of Dimes Athletic Awards, 1998
Caritas Award, Richstone Family Center, Los Angeles, 1998
Spirit of Hope Award, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 1998
James Ewing Layman’s Award, Society of Surgical Oncology, Orlando, 1999
Harold A. Stewart Amicus Libri Award, Adams Memorial Library, Latrobe, 1999
Patriot Award, Congressional Medal of Honor Society, 2000
George Bush Three Amigos Inspiration Award, Houston, 2001
Great Ones Award, Jim Murray Memorial Foundation, Los Angeles, 2001
Paul Harris Rotary Club Award, Orlando, 2002
Great American Award, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Minneapolis, 2003
Presidential Medal of Freedom, White House, 2004
Portugal Order of Merit, Lisbon, 2005
Dapper Dan Lifetime Achievement Award, 2005
Spirit of Hope Award, Adelphoi USA, 2006
Mid-Florida Business Hall of Fame, Junior Achievement, 2006
Boy Scout Eagle Award, Central FL Council, 2008
Lone Sailor Award, Washington DC, 2008
Lifetime Legacy Award, Children’s Miracle Network, Orlando, 2009
Junior Achievement Golden Achievement Award, Laurel Valley, 2010
American Cancer Society Premiere Award, Latrobe CC, 2010
ASSR Supreme Council Gourgas Medal, 2010
Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, 2010
NBAA Meritorious Service Award, 2010
TJ Martell Foundation - Lifetime Philanthropic Award, 2011
Congressional Gold Medal, Washington DC, 2012
Greensburg Rotary Club - Paul Harris Fellow certificate, medallion and pin, 2012
Champions for Babies, March of Dimes, 2012
BrandLaureate Award, Asia Pacific Brands Foundation, 2013
Cessna Jet Pilots Association Hall of Honor, 2014
Orange County (FL) Citizen of Year, 2015
International DeMolay Legion of Honor, 2015
Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for Sportsmanship, St. Louis, 2015
Academic Honors
Honorary Doctor of Laws, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Honorary Doctor of Humanities, Thiel College, Greenville, PA
Honorary Doctor of Laws, National College of Education, Evanston, IL
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Florida Southern University, Lakeland, FL
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, St. Vincent College, Latrobe, PA
Honorary Doctor of Public Service, Washington & Jefferson College, Washington PA, 2009
Honorary Doctor of Law, University of St. Andrews, 2010
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Allegheny College, Meadville PA, 2012
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Seton Hill University, Greensburg PA, 2013