▁event ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁which ▁set ▁the ▁stage ▁for ▁the ▁popular ity ▁it ▁enjo ys ▁today . ▁His ▁first ▁major ▁championship ▁win ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁Masters ▁Tournament , ▁where ▁he ▁earned ▁$ 1 1 , 2 5 0 , ▁established ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁stars ▁in ▁golf , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁he ▁had ▁signed ▁up ▁as ▁pione ering ▁sports ▁agent ▁Mark ▁McC orm ack ' s ▁first ▁client . ▁ ▁In ▁later ▁inter views , ▁McC orm ack ▁listed ▁five ▁attributes ▁that ▁made ▁Pal mer ▁especially ▁market able : ▁his ▁good ▁looks ; ▁his ▁relatively ▁mod est ▁background ▁( his ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁gre ens keeper ▁before ▁rising ▁to ▁be ▁club ▁professional ▁and ▁Lat ro be ▁was ▁a ▁hum ble ▁club ); ▁the ▁way ▁he ▁played ▁golf , ▁taking ▁ris ks ▁and ▁we aring ▁his ▁emot ions ▁on ▁his ▁sle e ve ; ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁exc iting ▁finish es ▁in ▁early ▁tele vised ▁tournament s ; ▁and ▁his ▁aff ability . ▁ ▁Pal mer ▁is ▁also ▁cred ited ▁by ▁many ▁for ▁se cur ing ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁The ▁Open ▁Championship ▁( B rit ish ▁Open ) ▁among ▁U . S . ▁players . ▁Before ▁Ben ▁Hog an ▁won ▁that ▁championship ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁few ▁American ▁profession als ▁had ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁The ▁Open , ▁due ▁to ▁its