July 29, 2007, Tom Watson made a double bogey on the final hole but still won the Senior Open for the third time in five years, by one shot over Stewart Ginn and Mark O’Meara at Muirfield.
The PGA Championship moved its date to May in 2019, but it has actually been all around the calendar for much of its history. On July 19, 1964, Bobby Nichols won the 46th playing at Columbus Country Club in Ohio. His nine-under 271 total beat a pair of heavyweights by three, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
July 18, 1959, Bill Wright, at age 23, became the first African-American golfer to win a national championship when he won the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. He defeated Frank Campbell, 3 and 2, in the 36-hole final in Denver.
July 16, 1938, one of the greatest and most mind-boggling results in major championship history happened when diminutive Paul Runyan defeated Sam Snead, 8 and 7, in the final of the PGA Championship at Shawnee Country Club. Runyan’s precise short game and fairway woods overcame Snead’s 30- to 40-yard driving advantage.
July 11, 1960, the playing of U.S. Amateur Public Links began on this date at Ala Wai Golf Course in Honolulu. Verne Callison of Sacramento, Calif., was the champion, handily defeating Tyler Caplin of East Lansing, Mich., 7 and 6.
July 8 , 1938, at Royal St. George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England, Reg Whitcombe survived in rough weather to win the Open Championship by two strokes over Jimmy Adams and three over defender Henry Cotton. The weather was even more diabolical than normal in 1938. The championship was supposed to be played in Deal at Royal Cinque Ports, but unusual high tides in February had damaged the course with flooding, forcing a switch to St. George's. The 36-hole final day was played in gale-force winds, which tore apart the exhibition tent. Whitcombe managed the mayhem the best, shooting 75-78.
July 1, 1967, Mickey Wright, the greatest women's golfer of all-time, won her third U.S. Women's Open. The San Diego native won at Baltusrol Golf Club by six shots over Betsy Rawls, shooting 72-80-69-72-293.
