Achievements

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