The $12,000 Swing Tip ⛳
Thursday, May 27, 2021 Sign Up
This week's tour stop is the Charles Schwab Challenge, or as we like to call it here at Tour Backspin, the Colonial National Invitational. This is the 75th anniversary of the event that is one of just five tournaments designated by the PGA Tour as invitationals (Genesis Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage and the Memorial Tournament are the other four). With a rich history to draw from we focus our lens on the 1970 tournament featuring Lee Trevino, Gene Littler and Homero Blancas
Congratulations to Andy Slane of the Golf Nutters Facebook Group for winning the WHAT HOLE IS IT? contest from last week. Andy correctly identified #10 at Carnoustie (a "Guest Post from newsletter subscriber Bruce Kendrex) and then beat out five other correct answers in the random drawing.
We've had some movement on our current leader board so be sure to check that out below (better keep Rob Noble in your sight). Scroll down to test your golf course knowledge with this week's hole. You could win a signed copy of Uncorked, The Life and Times of Champagne Tony Lema. Want your picture featured in a "Guest Post" (every third Thursday of the month)? Send us your pic to larry@9acespublishing.com and if we use your pic, you'll win a prize.
Voters in the Love It or Hate It poll did not think that using rangefinders in the PGA Championship was any big deal. I think it was proven that the rangefinders didn't impact pace of play one way or the other and I would guess we will see rangefinders at all the tour stops before too long.
This week's vintage ad brings one word to mind -- blisters.
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Okay, we're on the tee, let's get going.
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
On Friday morning, Lee Trevino walked past his friend, and fellow Mexican, Homero Blancas on the range at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. They were both warming up for the first round of the Colonial National Invitational. Trevino stopped and watched Blancas. Something didn't look right.
He watched and then as he recalled for the press, "I told him he should move through the ball faster from the waist down."
Trevino had opened the tournament with a 66 and was tied with Gary Player for the first round lead. Blancas sat two-strokes back after he opened with a 68. A stroke further back was Ben Hogan who always made the Colonial one of his infrequent tour appearances.
In an era before swing coaches who could be accessed through the internet, or travel with a pro, it was not uncommon to see players trying to help each other with swing tips. Trevino liked Blancas and felt like they were brothers because they were countrymen.
Blancas worked on the tip while on the range before he went to the course. He then shot a 68 that left him one-stroke behind the leaders, Trevino, Roberto DeVicenzo (who shot a 66) and Bob Smith.
In the third round, Trevino took sole possession of the lead shooting a 69. Dale Douglass scorched Colonial with seven birdies to shoot a 63, a new course record. Blancas fired a 69 and remained one-stroke back of Trevino. Gene Littler shot a 66 and sat in third place another stroke back. Ben Hogan fell off the pace by shooting a 73, a full 14 strokes behind the leaders.
The tip that Blancas received from Trevino continued to be key for him in the final round. He shot a blazing three-under-par 67. However, he bogied the final hole leaving the door open for Trevino and Littler who needed to birdie the final hole to force a playoff.
First, Trevino missed his 20-foot birdie putt and as it slid past the hole he crouched and tossed his putter in the air. Littler was next and his 12-foot putt also slid past the hole giving Blancas the title. Trevino shot a final round 69 while Littler finished with a 67.
Blancas won a check for $25,000 while Trevino and Littler won $11,575 each.
"The lesson I gave Homero only cost me $12,000," Trevino told reporters. "I won't charge him though, he's one of the brothers."
Lee Trevino (l) and Homero Blancas (r) the "brothers"
Check out the bonus story on the Colonial below.
We're going to boogie through 1970 on this week's playlist. Listen on Spotify.
Want your golf hole pic featured on WHAT HOLE IS IT? as a "Guest Post"? Send your pictures to larry@9acespublishing.com. If we use your pic for the WHAT HOLE IS IT? contest, you'll win a prize. Every third Thursday of the month is "Guest Post" day.
Enjoy!
Larry Baush
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WHAT HOLE IS IT?
This week is the "Guest Post" week! Want your picture to be featured in WHAT HOLE IS IT? as a "Guest Post"? Send us your picture of your favorite hole and if we feature it, you win a prize.
Email to larry@9acespublishing.com.
We'll post guest submissions on the third Thursday of the month.
Are you on the leader board?
Do you recognize this clubhouse? Find the answer below.
Eagle | Birdie | Par
We give you some recommendations to check out around the web.
Eagle: What a great PGA Championship last week. It is such a thrill to watch history happening. But that scene on the 18th hole was wild. Read about it HERE.
Birdie: It is amazing that it took this long to break Julius Boros record as the oldest major champion. Read about his historic win at the 1968 PGA Championship at Pecan Valley in San Antonio HERE.
Par: Nobody knows you better than family, amirite? Here's what the Mickelson family were talking about as Phil came down the final 9 holes.
Bonus Fact
Because the Colonial is an invitational, it has some leeway when it comes to offering those invitations. Known as the Champion's Choice, these invitations are voted on by all past Colonial champions. The goal is to choose two young, deserving pros, who would otherwise not receive an invitation, to compete in the tournament.
Players receiving a Champion's Choice invitation have included Al Geiberger, Tom Weiskopf, Curtis Strange, Craig Stadler, Mark O'Mera, Curtis Strange, Paul Azinger, Davis Love III, and Jordan Speith. Annika Sorenstam played on a sponsor's invite in 2003.
Five Champion's Choice invitees went on to win the tournament but Dave Stockton is the only one who won the tournament the same year he received his special invitation. The year was 1967.
Dave Stockton tosses his wedge after an unsatisfactory chip shot on the tenth hole during the second round of the 1967 Colonial National Invitational (photo courtesy of UPI)