by Anonymouse

Created on: March 22, 2010   Last Updated: April 02, 2010

In their heyday, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer were the leaders of professional golf; the guys to beat. Both wanted nothing more than to dominate the game. However, only one of them could truly live that dream. Nicklaus and Palmer were two fierce opponents who made sports history and developed an interesting friendship along the way. Their epic rivalry began nearly fifty years ago.

Arnold Daniel Palmer

Arnold Palmer was born on September 10th, 1929. He learned the game from his father, green keeper turned golf club professional Deacon Palmer. Arnold continued to improve his game well into adulthood, and though he'd won amateur competitions in the past, his first major victory didn't come until the 1958 Masters. Arnold Palmer was a force to be reckoned with. His game skills, good looks, conservative background, and friendly demeanor made him ideal for golf television in the fifties. The first sports TV superstar, Palmer was quickly nicknamed "The King". During four consecutive seasons, (1960-1963) he placed first in 29 PGA Tour events. He was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 1960. To top off his list of accomplishments, Arnold Palmer was the first man to earn $1,000,000 through his golfing career. The many fans who adored him were called "Arnie's Army".

Jack William Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus was a natural. He was 10 years old the first time he ever played, shooting a 51 at the Scioto Country Club's 9-hole course - not bad for a first-timer his age. He went pro during the latter half of 1961, at just 21 years old, when Arnold Palmer was at the peak of his career. It was Nicklaus' winning the 1962 U.S. Open triggered the rivalry between him and Palmer, who placed second - in his own hometown of Oakmont. Nicklaus was also named Rookie of the Year in 1962. Just two years later, he surpassed Palmer on the PGA Tour Money List by just $81.13, gaining the number one spot. In both 1965 and 1966, Jack "The Golden Bear" Nicklaus triumphed in the Masters. He played better than Arnold Palmer, but most fans still admired and supported Palmer over him. Nonetheless, with a whopping 18 major championships victories, he's widely regarded as the best professional golfer of all time.

Two Golf Prodigies

Nicklaus and Palmer will always be two of the most storied golfers of all time. Along with Gary Player, they became professional golf's famed "big three" - the legends who popularized golf around the world. Both won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award (Arnold in 1998; Nicklaus in 2008), and decades before that, were inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. They even collaborated and won the World Cup of Golf (1967), representing the United States in France. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer haven't won any major championships recently, but when all is said and done, they still remain two of the biggest names in golf.

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