Californian Pro Comes From Six Strokes Back To Win Second Title in Two Weeks
After four years of playing on tour without a victory, Don Whitt records second win in as many weeks.
The PGA TOUR is in the state of Kentucky at the Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicolasville, south of Lexington. This tournament was first played in 2015 as an alternative event to The Open Championship. The first three years the tournament was played in the state of Alabama before it moved to Kentucky in 2018 when it became the first tournament played in the state since the 1959 Kentucky Derby Open. We’re backspinning to that tournament this year, a rare story from outside our usual time frame of the 1960s and 1970s.
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We’re going back to 1960, a time when advancements in equipment threatened the length of courses at the time. Scroll down to see.
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Chip-In Birdie Propels Whitt To Second Win In As Many Weeks
Don Whitt (photo: Getty Images)
Bob Goalby approached his drive on the par-5 18th hole at Seneca Golf Club in Louisville, KY, in the third round of the Kentucky Derby Open late in the afternoon on May 30, 1059. Goalby selected a brassie (2-wood) and hit a wonderful shot that landed on the green just 15 feet from the hole.
Goalby was at even par for the day, 12-under for the tournament. As he lined up his eagle putt, raindrops began to fall. He stroked his putt and watched it fell into the hole. His 2-under par round gave him a five-stroke lead, over his roommate, Doug Ford, going into Sunday’s final round. A group of three players, Don Whitt, Jim Ferree, and J.C. Goosie were another stroke back at 207.
Goalby was looking to win his second tournament on the PGA TOUR with his previous victory coming in the 1958 Greater Greensboro Open. How would Goalby hold up in Sunday’s final round? Let’s backspin to find out.
Bright sunny weather greeted the players as they teed off in the first round of the Kentucky Derby Open. The players took advantage of the playing conditions and went low. Late in the afternoon, Bob Goalby set a new course record shooting a 64. His round featured eight birdies and only one bogey as he broke the course record, a 65 that was shot by Julius Boros the previous year.
Ernie Vossler was one-stroke back shooting a 66 earlier in the day. Seven players were tied at 69. Another group of nine players were at 70, including Don Whitt, who won his first PGA TOUR title the previous week in Memphis. Defending champion Gary Player shot a 71.
Goalby’s putter cooled off a bit in the second round, but he was able to shoot a 68 that gave him a two-stroke lead over Don Whitt who matched Goalby’s first round course record 64. Goalby had 33 putts for the round, nine more than he had in the first round.
As depicted in the opening, Goalby eagled the 18th hole in his third round giving him three rounds under par. He enjoyed a five-stroke lead over his friend Doug Ford. Another stroke back were the hungry young players, J.C. Goosie, Don Whitt, along with veteran Jim Ferree.
Temperatures were in the high 80s for Sunday’s final round. Don Whitt was riding a wave of confidence after winning his first PGA TOUR title in a sudden-death playoff against Gary Player and Al Balding the previous week in the Memphis Open. He came out in the final round blazing and began to make up ground on Goalby.
Jim Ferree also caught a hot streak in the final round. He birdied the 10th hole after making the turn in 34. Whitt, playing in the group just in front of Ferree made the turn with a two-under 34. By this point, Bob Goalby was shooting himself out of contention. He would eventually finish with a 77.
Whitt and Ferree battled coming in on the back nine, but it was a chip-in birdie on the 11th hole that proved to be the turning point for Whitt. He finished his round with a three-under-par 33 on the back nine and then watched Ferree as he played the final hole. A birdie by Ferree would tie Whitt and a playoff would be needed to determine the winner.
Ferree played the 18th well resulting in a five-foot putt for the birdie he needed to tie Whitt. Ferree stroked his putt and watched with disappointment as the putt missed on the high side.
After four years of toil on the PGA TOUR without a title, Don Whitt won his second tournament in two weeks. He won $2,800 at the Kentucky Derby Open taking his two-week winnings up to $6,300. Ferree won $1,900. The missed birdie putt on the 18th might have cost him $900.
For Bob Goalby, it was disappointment of not being able to finish off what started out as a fantastic week. His final round blowup denied him his second PGA TOUR title. He finished in a tie for seventh shooting a final round 77 for a 278 total, four-strokes behind Whitt. He cashed a check for $730.
Don Whitt (photo: Getty Images)
How in the world did a pro shoot a 119? Read our Bonus Story for more.
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Tour Backspin Quiz | Who Won More Titles In 1959
Rank the players with the most PGA TOUR titles in 1959
Arnold Palmer
Art Wall, Jr.
Gene Littler
Billy Casper
Answer below
Bonus Story
Bob Brubaker, from Fort Wayne, IN, finished the first round of the 1959 Kentucky Derby Open with a disastrous 83. But it got worse. Before signing his card for the round, he went through his bag. He then discovered that he had 15 clubs, one more than the legal limit.
The penalty for this rules infraction was two-strokes for each hole that he had the 15 clubs. Once his penalties were added to his score, he signed his card for a 119.
Blind Shot
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Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
The Masters $25,000
Sahara Invitational $27,000
American Golf Classic $30,000
Danny Thomas Memphis Classic $35,000
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