Artwork by Thomas B. Allen

"With his golf credo -- 'Hit it hard' -- that horrifies traditionalists, his boyish enthusiasm, his athletic good looks and irrepressible will to win, he has dominated the game as no one has since the heyday of Ben Hogan nearly a decade ago. Thus he has ended his sport's long wait for a fresh, vibrant personality, bringing a new age to golf: The Palmer Era."

Text by Ray Cave
Issue Date: January 9, 1961

In 1960 at age 31, Arnold Palmer won eight golf tournaments, including the Masters and the US Open, and was named PGA Player of the Year. Palmer blew through the final round of the 1960 US Open, recording six birdies on the first seven holes en route to the strongest finish in the tournament's 60-year history. Arnie earned a record $80,738 and emerged as a spirited new presence in golf.

Arnold Palmer Sports Illustrated Covers Gallery