Arnold Daniel Palmer (born September 10, 1929 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania) is an American golfer who has won numerous events on both the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955. Palmer is not generally regarded as the greatest player in history (most would give that accolade to Jack Nicklaus, some to Bobby Jones, and Tiger Woods has challenged them in recent years), but he is arguably the most important in that he was the first golf star when television started to air golf tournaments in the 1950s. (wikipedia)

Palmer learned golf from his father, who was a golf professional at Latrobe Country Club near Pittsburgh. He attended Wake Forest University from 1947 until 1954, taking time out for service in the United States Coast Guard. He left college without a degree and briefly worked as a salesman but after winning the 1954 U.S. Amateur he turned professional and he won the Canadian Open the following year. Palmer's charisma was a major factor in establishing golf as a compelling television event in the 1950s and 1960s, setting the stage for the popularity it enjoys today. He is also credited by many for securing the status of The Open Championship (British Open) among US players. Before Palmer, relatively few American professionals attempted to play The Open due to its travel requirements, foreign environment, and the style of its courses (radically different from most American courses). Palmer's successive Open wins in the early 1960s convinced many American pros that a trip to Britain would be worth the effort.
(wikipedia)