Arnold Palmer’s Best Sports Illustrated Covers

The King appeared on a dozen covers over more than a half-century and here's a few of our favorites as SI Golf continues to celebrate Sports Illustrated’s 70th anniversary.

This year Sports Illustrated celebrates its 70th anniversary, and golf has been a big part of the magazine since its beginning. As part of our celebration the SI Golf staff looked back at the magazine’s rich collection of golf covers—there were more than 150 to peruse—and selected some of the best featuring Arnold Palmer. (Previously, we selected our all-time favorites and favorite Jack Nicklaus covers. We also took a deep dive into a popular Tiger Woods cover and a Judy Rankin cover.)

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More 70th anniversary covers: SI Golf staff picks the best | Five with Jack Nicklaus

A Young Lion: June 13, 1960

Richard Meek/Sports Illustrated

Arnie’s first cover was in June 1960, a preview of the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills alongside Dow Finsterwald and Ken Venturi. “Golf’s Young Lions” were 29 (Venturi) and 30 (Palmer and Finsterwald), with three majors between them at that point and six more to come. Palmer had won the Masters earlier that year by a shot over Venturi, and this cover proved prescient in how Palmer would grab arguably his most iconic win at this U.S. Open, storming from seven shots back in the final round. Finsterwald tied for third.

Sportsman of the Year: January 9, 1961

Tom Allen/Sports Illustrated

In 1960, Palmer won eight times on the PGA Tour including the aforementioned two majors and became the first golfer to win SI Sportsman of the Year.

A Tip from the Sand: July 24, 1965

Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated

In the earlier days of Sports Illustrated, you might read about a golf tournament or get tips for your own game—so how about a bunker lesson from the King? In this July 1965 cover shot, Palmer is in full blast with sand flying everywhere but taking the ball with it. His expression, as always over a shot, is one of nothing but full effort. 

Arnie and Winnie: March 6, 1967

James Drake/Sports Illustrated

Palmer got the SI profile treatment in March 1967 and a cover shot with he and wife Winnie at their home in Latrobe, Pa. They were married for 45 years, until Winnie’s death in 1999. 

King of Kings: October 2, 2016

Jerry Cooke/Sports Illustrated

Palmer’s death in 2016 at age 87 was worthy of a cover, and this 1960 image from St. Andrews has Palmer in his classic Cardigan sweater appearing as the giant in the game that he was.