SUMMARY:At age 43, Tiger Woods is now a Masters winner for the fifth time. On Sunday, the legendary golfer secured his 15th major tournament title, and his first since 2008. Nick Schifrin talks to Armen Keteyian co-author of a book on Woods; for the story of the golf superstar’s early rise, catastrophic fall, and triumphant return to the highest levels of his sport.
SUMMARY: It was a golf career that consisted of 67 victories, seven of which were major championships. From his ferocious swing to his magnetic personality, Arnold Palmer helped turn golf into a major television sport -- and even had a drink named for him. William Brangham remembers the sports legend, who passed away Sunday night at 87, with Golf Channel's George Savaricas.
GWEN IFILL (NewsHour): The tributes have poured in all day for golfing legend Arnold Palmer, from his friend and rival Jack Nicklaus, to recent champions like Tiger Woods, to dignitaries like President Obama.
A handful of other champions won more tournaments and titles, but Palmer set a standard for attracting public attention to the sport.
William Brangham has a look back at the king.
ANNOUNCER: The U.S. Open, played in the shadow of the Rockies, saw Arnold Palmer sink an incredible putt.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM (NewsHour): June 1960, Denver, Colorado, an improbable win in the U.S. Open became the stuff of golfing legend.
ANNOUNCER: Coming from seven strokes behind, Palmer showed nerves of steel and a will of granite, as he battled to win the U.S. Open.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And it defined the style of Arnold Palmer.
ANNOUNCER: Golfing's man of the year.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: It was, perhaps, Palmer's greatest year. He had won the Masters just two months earlier, and, all told, won eight times that season. He followed up with victories at the next two British Opens, and two more Masters in 1962 and '64.
He reflected on his success in a 2011 interview with Charlie Rose.
ARNOLD PALMER, Former Professional Golfer: Any time I got close, it was just I felt I had to win. I had to. I couldn't lose. I couldn't let that happen to me. And it worked.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Arnold Daniel Palmer was born on September 10, 1929, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, outside Pittsburgh.
He began swinging a club at age 4 and practically lived at the area country club, where his dad was first the greenskeeper, and later, the club pro. Palmer won the U.S. Amateur in 1954, turned pro the next year and quickly began piling up victories, 62 over his career, including seven major championships.
He had a ferocious, muscular swing that made him one of golf's greatest drivers. And his magnetic, down-to-earth personality drew an energetic fan base, dubbed Arnie's Army. He helped turn golf into a major television sport.
ARNOLD PALMER: The game is so fantastic. If I had a little bit to do with some of the enjoyment that I see today, I'm pleased with that.
SUMMARY: Twenty-one-year-old Jordan Spieth made golf history this weekend as the second-youngest golfer to win the Masters Tournament -- just a few months older than Tiger Woods was when he won his first green jacket. He also set several records, including one for making the most birdies at a Masters. Jeffrey Brown looks at Spieth’s career and accomplishment with John Feinstein of The Washington Post.
JEFFREY BROWN (NewsHour):Jordan Spieth led the tournament from start to finish, the first time that’s happened in 39 years, as he beat back challenges from some of the game’s biggest names.
Along the way, he set several records, for lowest score after 36 holes and after 54 holes and for making the most birdies at one Masters. After four days, he got to don the traditional green jacket of the Masters winner, having tied the 72-hole record of Tiger Woods.
Spieth spoke about that moment immediately afterwards.
JORDAN SPIETH, 2015 Masters Tournament Champion: To put on this jacket is incredible. This feels great. I plan on not taking it off for quite a while.
(LAUGHTER)
JORDAN SPIETH: Probably sleep in it for the next few nights. But this is — it was a test. There is a reason I have a hairline like this right now. And that’s because it’s stressful, what we do, on a daily basis.
And to be able to come to the world’s greatest and to come out on top, it puts a lot of confidence in me.
JEFFREY BROWN: Some perspective now from John Feinstein, a columnist for The Washington Post and the author of several books about golf, including “A Good Walk Spoiled.” He was in Augusta this weekend.
John, what was the most interesting aspect to this? Is it his age or the manner of his victory? What was it?
JOHN FEINSTEIN, Washington Post: I think it was the manner of his victory.
To sleep on the lead, as they say in golf, for three straight nights…
I am Retired U.S. Navy (22yrs) and a Vietnam Veteran. After my Navy retirement I was in the computer related industry, now retired. In 2000 I was a registered Republican and voted for George W. Bush. Six months of having Bush in the Whitehouse forced me to re-evaluate my political stance. I had always thought of myself as a Moderate Republican, but was a Republican by "default" NOT because of close examination of the GOP. Due to what has happened in America since 2000, I now consider myself a progressive, and registered as a Non-Affiliated voter.
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