oken ▁popular ity ▁helped ▁change ▁the ▁per ception ▁of ▁golf ▁from ▁an ▁el ite , ▁upper - class ▁past ime ▁( private ▁clubs ) ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁popul ist ▁sport ▁accessible ▁to ▁middle ▁and ▁working ▁classes ▁( public ▁courses ). ▁Pal mer , ▁Jack ▁Nick laus , ▁and ▁Gary ▁Player ▁were ▁" The ▁Big ▁Three " ▁in ▁golf ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ; ▁they ▁are ▁widely ▁cred ited ▁with ▁popular izing ▁and ▁commercial izing ▁the ▁sport ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁career ▁sp anning ▁more ▁than ▁six ▁dec ades , ▁he ▁won ▁ 6 2 ▁P GA ▁Tour ▁titles ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁He ▁is ▁fifth ▁on ▁the ▁Tour ' s ▁all - time ▁victory ▁list , ▁trailing ▁only ▁T iger ▁Wood s , ▁Sam ▁S ne ad , ▁Jack ▁Nick laus , ▁and ▁Ben ▁Hog an . ▁He ▁won ▁seven ▁major ▁titles ▁in ▁a ▁six - plus - year ▁dom ination ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁Masters ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁Masters . ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁P GA ▁Tour ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement ▁Award ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 ▁original ▁induct ees ▁into ▁the ▁World ▁G olf ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Pal mer ▁was ▁born ▁to ▁Dor is ▁( M orr ison ) ▁and ▁Mil fred ▁Jer ome ▁"