Wednesday 5 October 2016 16:14, UK
Revered as one of the greatest golfers of all time, Arnold Palmer became TV's first sports superstar. Sky Sports pays tribute to the charismatic seven-time major champion, who has died aged 87.
Affectionately known as The King, Palmer was an undoubted trailblazer of the game, becoming the first player to win $1m in PGA Tour earnings while his glittering career was defined by 'firsts'.
He was the first sports star to be signed by pioneering agent Mark McCormack, the founder of the International Management Group. Palmer was the first sportsman to own his own jet, which he often piloted himself, and he was the first winner of the World Match Play tournament as well as the first golfer to be awarded the Presidential medal of freedom.
The world of golf would look very different if not for the man from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, who is widely credited as being responsible for securing the status of the Open Championship. When he first played in 1960, he arrived as the holder of the Masters and US Open titles, but the tournament had fallen out of favour with many other American players.
Palmer was trying to emulate the feat of winning three major wins in the same year - which had been achieved by Ben Hogan in 1953. He lost by one shot to Kel Nagle, but came back in 1961 to win his first Open title. The fan favourite won it again the next year, establishing it as an event that Americans both wanted to watch and play.
But if there is one tournament that is synonymous with Arnold Palmer's name, it is the Masters. Palmer became the youngest Augusta champion when he lifted the trophy in 1958, and left the tournament with both a permanent spotlight on his career and a dedicated fan following - Arnie's Army.
It was his legendary fights over this course as part of 'The Big Three' with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player which further raised the profile of the sport, and it was clear the charismatic Palmer was a favourite among the patrons. Of his seven major victories, four of Palmer's wins came at Augusta, in 1958, '60, '62 and '64.
With so much history, it seemed fitting that he would end his major career on his 50th consecutive Masters appearance in 2004, but he still relished in appearing as an honorary starter alongside his formal rivals between 2007 and 2015, as did his loyal army.
"Arnold is the reason golf enjoys the popularity it does today", Nicklaus once said of his former rival. "He made golf attractive to the television-viewing public. There never has been anyone like him before in the game of golf, and there probably won't be another like him again".
The rise of a superstar
Born in Pennsylvania, Palmer was the son of a country club golf professional. His father introduced him to the game of golf, shortening regulation clubs for his toddler son to learn to play, and by aged 11 the youngster was caddying at Latrobe Country Club.
Success came early for Palmer, winning his first of five West Pennsylvania Amateur Championships at the age of 17. He enrolled at Wake Forrest College on a golf scholarship and won three Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, but then tragedy hit. Following the death of a close friend and team-mate, Palmer dropped out of college and became part of the US Coast Guard for three years.
Returning to golf in 1954, he resumed form quickly and after winning the US Amateur in 1954, he turned professional that same year - as well as marrying first wife Winnie Walzer.
During his rookie year on the PGA Tour he won his first tournament at the Canadian Open, but it was his maiden major victory at the Masters in 1958 that saw the birth of a true superstar.
The 1960s were his most prolific years, and between 1960 and 63 he won a remarkable 29 tournaments, including seven majors. In total, Palmer won 95 titles, including the 1980s PGA Seniors Championships and the 1981 Senior Open. He also played in seven Ryder Cups, and captained the team twice, once as the last playing captain in 1963, then as captain 12 years later in 1975.
His full retirement came in 2006, but it was not how he would have preferred to end his career. He officially retired on the fourth hole of the Adminstaff Small Business Classic after becoming dissatisfied with his performance.
"I've been doing this for a long time and, first of all, to stand out there and not be able to make something happen is very traumatic in my mind," Palmer said. "The people, they all want to see a good shot and you know it and you can't give them that good shot. That's when it's time."
The first sporting superstar
The Hall of Famer had many victories, but one of his biggest achievements was almost single-handedly establishing the commercial success of the game. Signing to college friend Mark McCormack's company in 1960 (now IMG) together they launched the idea of a sports person as a global brand.
Winning majors, playing golf with presidents and featuring in adverts, Palmer's endorsement earnings with IMG grew from $6,000 to $500,000 in the first two years.
Palmer had a head for marketing, and made as big an impact on the business world as he did in the world of golf. He designed over 300 golf courses, was co-founder of the Golf Channel and had various business ventures that ranged from automobiles to his love of aviation.
A global success, Palmer has made more money off the golf course than he ever did playing, ensuring his mark on the world will last for many more generations to come.
Golf may have lost one of its most beloved characters but what is in no doubt is that the first sporting superstar's name will live on through memories, history books, and forever as the combination of iced tea and lemonade.
