PALMER

He was 87. He was admitted to UPMC Hospital in Pittsburgh on Thursday for some cardiovascular work, then weakened.

His death brings back waves of memories of his finest performances, none more so that the comeback at Cherry Hills that came during an era when the final 36 holes were played on Saturday and the break between the third and fourth rounds was long enough to grab lunch.

Palmer asked sports writers Bob Drum and Dan Jenkins how far they thought a 65 might go in the final round. It would leave him at 280.

“Doesn’t 280 always win the Open?” Palmer asked.

“Yeah, when Hogan shoots it,” Jenkins replied.

Drum’s response: “Won’t do you a damn bit of good.”

Palmer was so mad, he said, he couldn’t finish his hamburger.

The exchange with Drum “set the fire off inside, not that it wasn’t there,” Palmer said. “All I know is, I was pretty” upset.

He hit a few practice shots, went to the first tee, and a few hours later, he had his third major championship and first at the U.S. Open. Other major victories: ■ 1958 Masters — Palmer arrived at the Masters with eight titles but very little professional major championship experience. He had yet to play in a British Open or PGA Championship, and had finished tied for seventh a year earlier at the Masters. A third-round 68 vaulted him into a tie for the lead with Sam Snead.

Palmer and Ken Venturi, who was three strokes back, were paired for the final round, and Venturi trailed by just one stroke by the 12th hole. Then Palmer’s tee shot to the par-3 hole landed behind the green and plugged. Palmer believed he was entitled to relief because the ball was em- bedded, and Venturi agreed.

But the rules official on the scene did not. He ruled Palmer had to play without relief. There was an argument, Palmer eventually played the ball and gouged it out of the turf, hitting a poor chip past the hole, then two-putting for a double-bogey 5.

Venturi had made par and assumed the lead. But Palmer announced he was playing a second ball and made par.

■ 1960 Masters — Palmer birdied the final two holes to win by one stroke over runner-up Ken Venturi. It was the second of Palmer’s four Masters victories and the second of his seven major titles.

Palmer, age 30 at the time, also won the U.S. Open in 1960 and was the runner-up at the British Open.

Palmer was the sole leader after all four rounds and was the second wire-to-wire winner at the Masters, following Craig Wood in 1941. Subsequent wire-to-wire winners were Nicklaus in 1972, Raymond Floyd in 1976, and Jordan Spieth in 2015.

■ 1962 Masters — Palmer won the first three-way Masters playoff — beating defending champion Gary Player and Dow Finsterwald — for the third of his four titles at Augusta National. Palmer shot a 31 on the back nine to finish at 68 on Monday, three strokes ahead of runner-up Player. It was Nicklaus’ first appearance at the Masters as a professional.

■ 1962 British Open — Palmer’s second major championship of the year — and No. 6 of his career — was a runaway at the British Open at Troon Golf Club in Scotland. He finished at 12 under par, six shots ahead of runner-up Kel Nagle — and at least 13 strokes better than anyone else in the field.

■ 1964 Masters — Terrific from start to finish, Palmer easily wrapped up his fourth Masters title for his seventh — and final — major championship. No one had won four times at Augusta National until Palmer reached that number.