Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard, Wikipedia
The golf world lost one of its all-time brightest stars as legendary PGA Tour golfer Arnold Palmer passed away on Sunday. He was 87.
With a career spanning several decades, Palmer left a lasting impact that will be felt for years to come. Attesting to Palmer’s legendary status, several Ramapo students mourned his passing.
Junior Taylor Marcialis said that it was “really upsetting” and that she was “sad to see him go.”
A 62-time winner on the PGA Tour, with four triumphs in the Masters, two in the British Open, and a lone U.S. Open victory in 1960, Palmer set a golden example for other master golfers, including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy to follow.
Over the course of five decades, Palmer earned $7 million in winnings, the first golfer to reach the seven-figure mark.
Although it is well worth noting that Palmer was oftentimes victorious in his professional golf endeavors, his style of playing was renowned in and of itself. According to Sam Dresher, a junior at Ramapo College, Palmer “was good with the etiquette of golf” and left a lasting impact on the ethics associated with the game.
Freshman Kevin Wrobel shared his fellow students’ sentiments, saying that Palmer “was one of the best of all time” and that the PGA Tour icon “left a lasting legacy on the game.”
The gentlemanly Palmer will also be remembered for his charitable contributions away from the golf course, as he lent his name to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida.
However, Palmer is also known for being a pioneer in the field of sports marketing, as he pitched products as diverse as Cadillac automobiles and the services of United Airlines. In fact, even when he was in the twilight of his career in the 1980s, Palmer was a spokesman for Pennzoil motor oil, the Paine Webber brokerage firm and rental car agency Hertz, securing his place as a versatile brand ambassador.
Moreover, Palmer’s most lasting legacy may not be his golfing success or his ability to pitch countless products, but rather the refreshing beverage combining lemonade and iced tea that bears his name.
Palmer left a mark on the sport of golf in more ways than one.
jconciat@ramapo.edu
