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7 days until golf: Arnold Palmer's legacy goes beyond major titles

Augusta National / Masters Historic Imagery / Getty

The PGA Tour plans to restart its season June 11 after halting due to the coronavirus pandemic. Each day until then, we'll highlight key moments, people, or facts relating to where we are in the countdown.

Long live "The King."

Arnold Palmer is one of golf's greats, and he became a legend on and off the course, amassing 65 PGA Tour wins for the fifth-most all time, and seven major championship triumphs during his historic career.

Palmer's first major title came at the 1958 Masters, which was his first of four green jackets. He added a U.S. Open victory in 1960 and back-to-back Open Championship wins in 1961 and 1962 before Jack Nicklaus awarded him his final green jacket in 1964.

But Palmer was more than a golfer. He was an American icon who popularized the sport more than anyone before him. He became a trailblazer in sports marketing through his charisma and charm, paving the way for future generations to earn millions through endorsements.

"Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend," Nicklaus said after Palmer's death in 2016.

"Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport. He took the game from one level to a higher level, virtually by himself. Along the way, he had millions of adoring fans. ... He was the king of our sport and always will be."

Palmer died at the age of 87, but his legacy in golf will live on forever.

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