Boros Sneaks Into The Winner's Circle
Patented Palmer charge falls short
Explore the Florida swing in 1967 on this week’s Tour Backspin journey through the past. We document how Julius Boros quietly crept up the leader board and then held off charges by Arnold Palmer and George Knudson to win the Florida Citrus Open. Be sure to scroll down for a very funny Bonus Story from Kermit Zarley.
PAST TOUR BACKSPIN ARTICLES ON THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL
Tiger Woods was not the first player to discover the power of wearing red and black on Sunday.
Ken Still cried as he came down the final fairway when he won the Florida Citrus Open in 1969.
Hale Irwin defeats Kermit Zarley in playoff in 1976 (SEE THIS WEEK’S BONUS STORY).
Local resident wins the 1971 Florida Citrus Open. The tournament is renamed in his honor in 2007.
Enjoy the golf this week, maybe with a large Arnold Palmer drink, from Orlando.
What an entertaining week from Palm Beach Gardens for the Cognizant Classic. We had our 15th sub-60 round in tour history and Joe Highsmith, a player from the PNW, won his first PGA TOUR event. We’ve got some of the action in the Clips I Loved, and I also give my take on the tournament in the PGA TOUR Wrap-Up.
Did you watch the Cognizent Classic? What did you think of the new setup with the Ryegrass overseeding? Let us know in this week’s The Tour Backspin Poll. It’s hard to pick a song from1967 because there were so many good ones, but we landed on “Live For Today” performed live by The Grass Roots in this week’s Music Clip. The theatrical trailer for the 1967 film, “Divorce American Style” starring Dick Van Dyke and Debbie Reynolds is featured in the Tour Backspin Goes To The Movies.
We have slow motion action from Julius Boros and Arnold Palmer in this week’s Swing Like a Pro. The Vintage Ad has an ad from 1967, a golden era for copywriting in print ads. This First Flight ad has the best copy with a story involving Frank Sinatra and Bo Wininger. Be sure to scroll down so you don’t miss it.
The latest episode of The Tour Backspin Show has dropped. Host Larry Baush (me!) talks with Bruce Devlin and Mike Gonzalez about their podcast Fore The Good Of The Game. It’s a video podcast and is available on Substack and YouTube. Please subscribe to The Tour Backspin Show on YouTube and help us reach the threshold of subscribers needed to qualify for revenue.
The Tour Backspin Poll
We are on a roll with unanimous responses to our poll questions this year! There were 100% of respondents who said that they hate Aimpoint. They hate waiting on players doing it, and how it hurts pace of play.
Let’s see if we can break this unanimous streak. Did you like the setup at the Cognizant Classic this year? The difference was that the course was overseeded with Ryegrass which resulted in slower, and greener, conditions than the dormant Bermuda grass in years past. Do you like a Bear Trap that has been defanged and declawed? Let us know in this week’s Tour Backspin Poll.
We’re playing Arnold Palmer Invitational trivia in this week’s Tour Backspin Quiz. Scroll down to take the challenge.
Did you miss a previous newsletter? You can view it HERE. Help us grow Tour Backspin! Please forward this email to a friend. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? You can sign up HERE.
Okay, we're on the tee, let's get going.
Enjoy!
Larry Baush
Julius Boros Quietly Captures Florida Citrus Open
The traveling circus that was the PGA TOUR in the mid-1960s rolled into Orlando for the Florida Citrus Open the second week of March in 1967. This was the eighth stop on the schedule and a familiar name was atop the money winning list. Arnold Palmer led the list with $34,086 in earnings having won twice already at the L.A. Open and the Tucson Open. Doug Sanders, winner of the Doral Open in Miami, the week prior to the Citrus, was second with $24,544. Down the list, in the fourth spot, sat Julius Boros, winner of the Phoenix Open with $20,288.
Allen Henning, brother of Harold Henning who also played the tour, and Glenn Stuart led the qualifiers on Monday, each shooting a 66 at Rio Pinar Country Club, the same course that would be used for the tournament. Rio Pinar measured 6,873 yards and played to a par of 71.
There were 23 pros who qualified with scores of 71 or better while another 24 players returned on Tuesday at 8:30 am for a sudden-death playoff for eight remaining spots. John Cook, Skip Alexander, Frank Cardi, Joe Carr, and Monte Kaser birdied the long par 5 1st hole before rain forced a stoppage in play a few holes later. At noon, play resumed and Dave Marad and John Molenda birdied the 4th hole, while Bob Walsh secured his spot, the final spot in the field, with a par on the 5th hole.
The field was now set and next up was the Wednesday pro-am which featured a field that included Joe Nameth, quarterback of the New York Jets, Steve Spurrier, the Heisman Trophy winner, Bill Mathis, fullback for the NY Jets, and Paul (Bear) Bryant, the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Wednesday’s pro-am round was plagued by the same rain that fell on Tuesday, but it didn’t keep Arnold Palmer from setting the pace with a 66 while the teams headed by George Bayer and Jay Hebert tied for first place with scores of 56.
Henry Landress, the golf writer for The Orlando Sentinel, proved he had the chops for playing golf as well as writing about it. He shot a 74 on his own ball and beat his pro, Homero Blancas by a stroke.
“Five under par sure won’t take it this year. I may be wrong, but I think you are going to find much lower this year.”
The heavy rains Tuesday and Wednesday made Rio Pinar play longer than it did the year prior, the inaugural edition of the Florida Citrus Open. Still, players and tournament experts felt scores would be lower than the five-under score that won the tournament for Lionel Hebert in 1966.
“Five under par sure won’t take it this year,” said Chris Blocker, a PGA touring pro and the brother of Dan Blocker of television’s Bonanza. “I may be wrong, but I think you are going to find much lower this year. The course is in great shape and the greens are the best we’ve played on yet. They putt true and somebody is going to really get it going.”
Record crowds were expected with one marshal saying, “We are running way ahead of last year. If the people keep coming like they have, we may have problems over the weekend. If people control themselves like they did last year, though, we will be okay.”
Gallery ropes from tee to green were installed, something that was not a given during this era on the tour. In fact, the week prior, at Doral, there were no gallery ropes.
Two Florida golfers, Doug Sanders and Dean Refram, opened with first-round 66s to tie for the lead. Tight on their heels, at 69, were Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jay Hebert, and Don January. A total of 54 players shot par or better in front of crowds that were estimated to be 6,870.
Refram, starting on the 10th hole, used a croquet-style putting stroke and needed only 10 putts on his way to a 30 on the front nine. His only bogey of the round came on the 1st hole, his 10th hole of the day. Sanders also putted well needing only 25 putts in his round of 66.
Palmer showed up with a bandage on his right thumb but said that it did not affect his grip or swing.
“About a week and a half ago, I was swimming in the ocean,” Palmer explained to reporters after his round. “I ran into a sea urchin, or something like that—a thing with black needles which grows on coral. I ran some of those needles into my thumb. I thought I got it all out, but the thumb got a little irritated. I went to a doctor here last night. He opened it up. But it really doesn’t bother my grip because it’s on the left side of the thumb. It isn’t sore.”
Julius Boros did not attract any attention after he opened the tournament with a 70.
“I’m hitting the ball so much better than I’m scoring. When you are playing over here, the U.S. with the aces, you have to make the little ones.”
Low scores continued to be the order of the day in Friday’s second round as many players said they were playing “the best golf of their life” including Gary Player who came in with a second-round 69 and a two-day total of 136. But he was four shots off the leader, Sanders, who blistered the course for a second straight 66. Refram toured Rio Pinar in 68 strokes and was two shots behind Sanders at 134.
“I’m hitting the ball so much better than I’m scoring,” Player lamented to reporters after his round that included missed putts from very close range. “When you are playing over here, the U.S. with the aces, you have to make the little ones.”
Tom Weiskopf lit up the course with a 65, the low round of the tournament so far, and was at 137. Palmer, complaining about his putting, came in with a 69 for a total of 136. Palmer came into his last two holes at four under for the day, but then three-putted both.
“I pulled both putts to the left,” he told reporters including Henry Landress, staff writer for the Orlando Evening Star. “What hurts is both of the putts were inside of two feet. I didn’t putt well today.”
Despite a second-round 67, and a total of 137, Boros continued to be under the radar. There was no mention of him, other than in the scoreboard section, in the papers.
The leader board got very crowded after Saturday’s third round. Refram was tied with the hard-charging Julius Boros and Kermit Zarley at 204. Boros added a second straight 67 while Zarley shot the round of the day, a 66. The trio at the top enjoyed a one-shot lead over Player who came in with a 69. Palmer, with a 71, was tied at 207 with Bert Yancy while Johnny Pott and Jack Rule were at 208.
“I was putting my best,” Zarley, from Seattle, WA said after his round.
Sanders came in with a disappointing 73 for a three-round total of 205. He was unhappy with his putting.
“I couldn’t get any putts to fall,” he said after his round. “The result was a 73 and it could have easily been a 68 or 69. I had only one three-putt green, but I couldn’t get anything else to drop.”
Player turned the corner with his putting in the third round. “I was very satisfied with my putting today,” he said after his round. “Except for 17, where I three-putted.”
The deadlock at the top of the leader board marked the first time in a year that there was a three-way tie for the lead after the third round on the PGA TOUR. The table was set for an exciting final round on Sunday.
Julius Boros, who turned 47-years-old less than two weeks before the Florida Citrus Open, was enjoying his best start on the PGA TOUR. The father of seven kept his good year going shooting a final round 70 for a total of 274 to win his second tournament of the season.
Boros was perfectly positioned to take the title after Refram could do no better than a 72 and Zarley fell off the pace with a 73. However, a charge from Arnold Palmer, who carded a 68, and George Knudson, who finished with a stellar five-under 66 kept the result in doubt. Both charges fell one shot shy of the winning score of 274 posted by Boros.
“I’ve never won a tournament before May until this year except in 1964 when I won the Greensboro Open,”
Boros’s round got a kick-start after he hit his tee shot at the 6th hole into the rough. From there, he knocked his next shot into the hole for an eagle two. He widened his lead at the 7th by rolling in a 25-foot putt for birdie. Boros soared to the lead after his front nine 34. He cautiously played the back nine with his only bogey coming at the final hole when the outcome was no longer in doubt.
“I’ve never won a tournament before May until this year except in 1964 when I won the Greensboro Open,” Boros said after his round.
The win earned him $23,000 while Palmer and Knudson earned $11,212 for their T-2 finish. Refram won $5,757 while Zarley won $4,657. Gary Player finished down the leader board with a final round of 75 and won $1,840 while Sanders finished with a 74 and won $2,472.
With his second win on the tour before May, Boros was already guaranteed a successful year and he added a third title at the Buick Open in June. He eventually ended the year with $126,786, behind the leading money winner, Jack Nicklaus ($188,988), Palmer ($184,065), and Billy Casper ($129,143)
Coming Next Week: Lee Trevino holds on to win the 1980 Tournament Players Championship in 1980
BONUS STORY
As this week’s featured story reports, Kermit Zarley finished in 4th place at the 1967 Florida Citrus Open. Tour Backspin reached out to Kermit to see if he recalled anything from that week. He didn’t, but he did pass on a great story concerning the 1976 Florida Citrus Open.
Hi Larry,
A 4th place finish that far back is not likely something I would remember, which I don't. And I don't recall anything about that tournament. My most memorable Florida Citrus Open was in 1976, especially since I had had serious neck surgery months prior. Hale Irwin and I tied for 1st place and had a six-hole, sudden-death playoff. Darkness forced us to stop play after two holes, and we finished the four holes the next morning. I three-putted the par three 16th hole to lose.
Before we began that playoff, Gary Player, whom I had played with that 4th round, said to me—humorously though he was serious—"Kermit, just remember that Jesus did everything slowly." Gary and I were Christian friends who attended the Tour Bible Study in those days, which I co-founded. I laughed, and I think I then said, "Gary, where is that in the Bible"? Gary said that to me because, despite being a great player, he had a rather dismal playoff record that he blamed on the TV networks trying to speed up playoffs. Also, Lee Trevino, who beat Hale Irwin the year before in that tournament, sent me a telegram moments before the playoff, telling me to beat Hale. Two funny moments amidst the heat of pro golf battle.
Actually, it was three. The next morning, when I set my cup of orange juice down beside the 17th green, Hale indicated he didn't like it. So, he went over and took a big swing at it with his putter, smashing the cup and making orange juice fly all about. Hale had a reputation for being quite the competitor. The television cameras didn't catch that drama.
Kermit
Thank you, Kermit, for the great story!
Great show! Thanks for all your efforts - keep up the good work Larry!
Doug P.
Hi Larry,
Really enjoyed the podcast with you and Mike. Thank you so much for having us as your guests.
All the best.
Bruce.
Good Morning Larry:
Just listened to your interview with Bruce Devlin and Mike Gonzalez. Two incredible gentlemen what a great interview.
Looking forward to the Tony Lema Movie this year. I know it will be great.
I hope all is well with you.
Gary
Tour Backspin is a reader-supported publication. To receive premium content including early release of The Tour Backspin Show, please consider upgrading to a premium subscription for just $36 per year.
WHAT HOLE IS IT?
Congratulations to Mike Arter, a first-time winner of the WHAT HOLE IS IT? contest. He correctly identifed #18 at PGA National Resort and Spa, Champion Course, in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Mike beat out three other correct answers in the drawing and we’ve got a gift discount code to The Tour Backspin Golf Shop coming his way. We are sending discount codes to the winners of WHAT HOLE IS IT? in 2025 so that they can choose their prize from the offerings in The Tour Backspin Golf Shop, including the Tour Backspin 19th Hole Hot Sauce. Multiple winners can combine their discount codes to use on a single order, and the codes never expire. When the code is redeemed, the prize will be sent with free shipping, so getting your prize will not cost you anything. Check out The Tour Backspin Golf Shop HERE.
We understand if a premium subscription isn’t in the budget, and we’re happy to have you here however you’ve arrived. You can sign up for a free subscription so you’ll never miss the newsletter. It will arrive in your inbox every Thursday. Paid subscribers help fund the work we do here at Tour Backspin.
We told you about getting our hands on a treasure trove of film that we are cleaning up and digitizing for the Tony Lema documentary. Some great footage of Tony in action and even home movies. Below is home movie footage of Tony’s wedding to the former Betty Cline. Helping them into the car is Tony’s sponsor, Jim Malarky. This is one of the few images of Malarky I’ve ever found. (clicking on link will open this post on the web, scroll down to video player).
Click on image to view on the web.
You can now support the induction of Tony Lema into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Sign the online petition HERE.
Clips I Loved
Here’s to mom! I stood with Joe Highsmith’s mom right after he qualified for the U.S. Open in 2021 and it is so nice to see them enjoy this life-changing event in their lives.
Chip off the old block.
From this . . . .
To this . . . .
Nice putt.
This was super fun and it is cool he is staying in college to try to win a national title.
Nope, nada, no way.
Calc just wants to get his drink on, man.
Ace(s) alert!
Incredible story.
PGA TOUR Wrap-Up | Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches
Another life-changing result from a non-signature event on the PGA TOUR with Joe Highsmith winning the Cognizant Classic at PGA National Resort (Champions Course) in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Joe is a PNW product having grown up at Tacoma Golf and Country Club, one of the finer clubs in the Puget Sound region.
I got a special kick out of Joe winning as I’ve written about watching him qualify for the 2021 U.S. Open at Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland, WA. I followed Joe for his second round of the day and was super impressed with not only his golf game, but also his demeanor as he handled the pressure coming down the stretch to capture the medalist honors.
Joe exhibited the same demeanor as he negotiated the “Bear Trap” at PGA National, a stretch of finishing holes that caused carnage during the weekend to capture his first PGA TOUR title. The win gets him into Signature Events, including this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Masters, PGA Championship, The Players, and a two-year exemption.
Joe needed to make a four foot, seven inch putt on his final hole on Friday to make the cut. He became the first player to make the cut on the number and then go on to win the event in nine years since Brant Snedeker did it at the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open.
Read more from Josh Schrock of golf.com HERE.
Here are the highlights of the final round:
Tour Backspin Quiz | Arnold Palmer Invitational Trivia
Tiger Woods has won the Arnold Palmer Invitational eight times. How many times did the next players on the multiple win list at the API win?
Scroll down for answer
Swing Like a Pro
The swings of Julius Boros and Arnold Palmer in slow motion. From a 1968 Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf.
Blind Shot
Click for something fun. 👀
Tour Backspin Music Clip
The Grass Roots do “Let’s Live For Today” live and lipsynced.
Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
Twice. Jerry Heard (1972, 1974), Gary Koch (1977, 1984), Tom Kite (1982, 1989), Loren Roberts (1994, 1995), Ernie Els (1998, 2010), Matt Every (2014, 2015), Scottie Scheffler (2022, 2024).
Thank you for reading this far, I know your time is valuable and choosing to spend some of it on what I’ve created is gratifying. If you want to help support the work we’re doing, please consider upgrading. It’s just $36 a year and you’ll be helping to tell the stories from one of golf’s golden ages.
Vintage Ad
Final Thoughts
Al Geiberger’s 59 at the 1977 Memphis Classic is still the best sub-60 round shot, in my opinion, on the PGA TOUR. That course was difficult and every former player who played in that era expresses their disbelief of how a 59 could have been shot that day.
That Vintage Age is so funny. You can’t do better than Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bo Wininger.
So much fun watching Joe Highsmith win at the Cognizant and Joel Dahman also played well. The bucket hat boys from the PNW are on a mission!
Some special content coming in April! I got to experience a fraction of the excitement of seeing an envelope with an Augusta National return address as players do.
