Community All-In On Alternate Event
The hospitable fans in Hattiesburg, MS are rewarded with an exciting finish to the Magnolia Classic
The Tour Backspin journey through the past goes deep into the Magnolia Classic in 1971. The Magnolia Classic was an alternate event, sometimes called a second tour event, that was played opposite the Masters. Although all eyes were on the tournament in Augusta, the players and fans in Hattiesburg, MS, were all-in on their community event. Scroll down to experience what is was like on the grounds at the Magnolia Classic in 1971.
Well, that Ryder Cup was something else, wasn’t it? We’ve got a few takes on the matches, the course setup, and fan behavior. Scroll down and join the conversation. (behind the paywall)
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The Tour Backspin Poll
In last week’s poll we asked “Who ya Got?” in the Ryder Cup. There were 62% of respondents who thought that Team U.S.A. would win while 38% thought that the European team would prevail.
The fan behavior at the Ryder Cup has been a big topic of conversation. What did you think about it? Let us know in this week’s Tour Backspin Poll.
Okay, we’re on the tee. Let’s get going.
While All Eyes Are On The Masters, Roy Pace Wins in Hattiesburg
It is the second week of April 1971, a week that golf fans had circled on their calendars. It was Masters week, and the golf world was focused on the 35th playing of the first major of the year in Augusta, GA.
But for the players who had not earned an invitation to the Masters, and to the citizens of Hattiesburg, MS, the goings on in Augusta played second fiddle to the Magnolia Classic being played at the Hattiesburg Country Club. The Magnolia Classic, a “second tour” event played opposite the Masters, was the biggest sporting event on the local calendar as well as one of the most important social events in the community.
The Hattiesburg American ran a special insert in the April 6th edition that filled 22 pages with tournament facts, PGA Tour statistics, advertising, a page listing the names and firms who were the $250 and $100 sponsors that made the tournament possible with their support.
The players who did not earn Masters invitations had the week in Hattiesburg to look forward to. They loved the southern hospitality that they experienced including a crawfish feed with live music, and enthusiastic crowds.
Two-time Magnolia Classic winner, Dewight Nevile, talked with Tour Backspin about playing in Hattiesburg.
“I played there several years, and the hospitality extended to us by the membership of the Hattiesburg Country Club was never topped by any other on tour,” Nevile told us. “We, the tour players, were truly made to feel welcome. Almost all of the players not playing in the Masters played in Hattiesburg. It was great to have a place to play.”
The residents of Hattiesburg enjoyed not only some good golf with a smattering of recognizable names, but they thronged to the Wednesday pro-am that featured some well-known celebrities including Phil Harris, Bobby Goldsboro, Glen Campbell, and Robert Stack. Dean Martin was scheduled to play but had to pull out at the last minute due to business demands.
The field contained a few of the name players, those that failed to qualify for the Masters. The field featured players such as Mississippi favorite son, Johnny Pott, defending champion, Chris Blocker, the brother of Dan Blocker of the television show Bonanza fame, and 23 other players who finished in the top 25 of the 1970 Magnolia Classic.
Pete Brown, a native of Jackson, MS, finished in fourth place at the Greater Greensboro Open played the week before the Magnolia. He was in the field and a crowd favorite. Buddy Allin, the winner in Greensboro was also in the event.
The Sunday before the start of the tournament was a big news day as PGA tournament director, Jack Tuthill, a former FBI agent, gave his permission to tournament officials that they could dispense with the qualifying round scheduled for Monday. This meant all of the 95 players who were scheduled to try to play their way into the event were now part of the field which now numbered 158 players. These players would vie for the $7,000 first-place check from a $35,000 purse. There was a $125,000 purse up for grabs in Augusta where the winner would take home $25,000.
The other big news that came in on Sunday was that Bobby Nichols, the 1964 PGA Champion and the winner of the Dow Jones Open in 1970, would also be in the field.
He was barely edged out of a Masters invitation as winners on the tour from the previous year did not automatically receive an invitation in 1971. He was edged out by Tom Shaw for an invitation in the “leading eight players, not already qualified, from a points list based on finishes in PGA Tour events since the previous Masters” category and his five year exemption for being a PGA Championship winner in 1964 had expired. So, he was available to play in Hattiesburg and jumped at the chance.
The Hattiesburg Country Club played to 6,730 yards, lengthened from the 6,181 yards that members played. The par was also reduced from the par-71 that members played down to a par-70 for the tournament.
The festivities on Tuesday included a long-drive contest. The location of the contest had players hitting drives uphill and into a stiff cold breeze. Johnny Allan of San Jose, CA, who joined the tour in October but had yet to win a paycheck, won the $100 first-place check with his drive of 266 yards.
“I’m amazed at the enthusiasm of the people around here.”
The players who arrived early on Wednesday for the pro-am were greeted with frosty temperatures, but that did not dissuade the local golf fans from swarming the course to watch the action. There were a reported 18,000 spectators for the pro-am which was won by Gordon Jones who recorded a 67 and won $250.
The weather was beautiful on Thursday for the first round and players took advantage of the benign conditions. There were 44 players who bettered par in the first round as Bob Clark and Steve Reid sat atop the leaderboard after shooting 66. Bobby Nichols was tied with a slew of players at 68 while an unknown player, Roy Pace, a 29-year-old who had been playing on the tour, off and on, since 1966, was just one stroke from lead after a round of 67. Pace finished tied for second in the Magnolia Classic in 1970.
Bobby Nichols, playing with Pete Brown, attracted the largest crowds on Thursday and he was blown away by the excitement of the local golf fans.
“I’m amazed at the enthusiasm of the people around here,” Nichols said to Mickey Edwards, the sports editor at the Hattiesburg American. “I often wonder if there is not too much emphasis on the big purses, when more should be put on going where people appreciate the play. I hope this tournament keeps growing—it should!”
Pete Fleming, at 54-years-old, and 23-year-old Jack Lewis, Jr., were at 134, and tied atop the leaderboard after the second round. Fleming shot a second straight 67 as did Lewis. Dick Rhyan shot a 67 for a two-round total of 136.
“I really played better than the score indicates.”
Both Bob Clark and Steve Reid came in with a 71 and sat at 137 and they were tied at the figure with Roy Pace who recorded a 70. Nichols finished with a 72 and was at 140. Johnny Pott was another shot back at 141 after rounds of 71 and 70.
“The ball was bouncing good for me, and I think I can go two more rounds,” Fleming said to reporters after his round.
The younger players asserted themselves in Saturday’s third round. Jack Lewis, Jr. took a three-stroke lead after an up-and-down day. His card included four birdies, an eagle, two bogeys, and a double bogey.
“I really played better than the score indicates,” he told reporters after his round.
His eagle came on the 3rd hole while his double bogey came on the 18th hole.
“I didn’t realize I was that close to winning until those birdies started to fall on the back nine.”
Steve Reid and Roy Pace both had rounds of 68 and were tied for second with a three-day total of 205. Reid had four birdies and two bogeys while Pace had three birdies and one bogey.
Roy Pace began the final round with an even-par 35 on the front nine and failed to make up much ground on the leader, Jack Lewis, Jr. Then, without even noticing it, he caught fire on the back nine. He parred the 10th hole and then reeled off five straight birdies and found himself in the thick of the battle for the title. In fact, he gained the lead after the fifth birdie as Lewis could do no better than even par golf.
“I didn’t realize I was that close to winning until those birdies started to fall on the back nine.” Pace admitted to reporters after his round. “All of a sudden I felt confident that I was going to win.”
“I did the best I could, but Roy played some tremendous golf on the back nine.”
He came to the 18th hole holding a three-stroke lead but hit a poor second shot and had to take a drop from a cart path. He was able to chip up onto the green and two putted for bogey and a round of 65.
Lewis, finishing behind Pace, managed a birdie at the final hole, but it was too little, too late. He finished with a 69 and a total of 271, one back of Pace.
“I did the best I could, but Roy played some tremendous golf on the back nine,” Lewis told reporters including Ken Ernst, sportswriter for the Daily Herald out of Biloxi, MS. “I wish I could have done as well.”
Pace won the $7,000 first-place check. Lewis won $4,200 for his second-place finish. Because it was an alternate event, Pace was not credited with an official PGA TOUR win.
Charles Coody won the Masters that Sunday taking home $25,000 and a green jacket.
Even though it was a “second tour” event in Hattiesburg, MS, opposite the Masters, the Magnolia Classic provided great golf and an exciting final round finish. And the devoted local golf fans loved it. It also gave players who did not qualify for the Masters a chance at glory and Roy Pace seized that opportunity and won. For a player who had played sporadically from 1966 through 1977 without winning an official tour event, the win that week in Hattiesburg was a career highlight. Doing it in front of an appreciative crowd made it even that much sweeter.
Previous Tour Backspin Articles on the Magnolia Classic
Southern hospitality on display as Dewitt Weaver wins the 1973 Magnolia Classic.
Rain fails to dampen the excitement at the 1969 Magnolia Classic as Larry Mowry wins.
WHAT HOLE IS IT?
Congratulations to Ryan Ross, for winning the WHAT HOLE IS IT? contest last week. Ryan beat out six other correct answers of #14 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, NY, in the random drawing. Ryan will receive a $10 discount code in the Tour Backspin Golf Shop. Check out The Tour Backspin Golf Shop HERE.
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Bonus Story
Smokie Joe is a Good Boy
Three months before the first shot was struck at the 1971 Magnolia Classic in Hattiesburg, MS, a stranger lurked around the lake that separated the 17th tee and the 18th green. Members of the host club, Hattiesburg Country Club, noticed the stranger, who turned out to be quite friendly and loved to show off by jumping into the lake.
“Everyone at the club has contributed to his cause and we got his tags and shots so he’s legal.”
The stranger, which members later adopted and named Smokie Joe, was a mixed breed, mostly German Shepard, dog that had been abandoned at the golf course. It didn’t take long to learn about Smokie Joe’s love of the water. All they had to do was throw a golf ball, or a rock, or just pantomime throwing something, into the lake and off he went to splash around and show off in the water.
“We started a fund here to keep Smokie,” Gary Norval, the assistant pro at the club, told Bruce Garrison of the Hattiesburg American. “Everyone at the club has contributed to his cause and we got his tags and shots so he’s legal.”
With the playing of the Magnolia Classic, Smokie Joe had plenty of fans amongst the spectators who couldn’t get their fill of petting and playing with him. He had a good time playing his favorite game where someone would throw an old ball into the lake. Off Smokie Joe would go after it. Trouble was the ball would sink and Smokie Joe could never retrieve it, although that didn’t seem to matter to the dog.
“He just likes to swim,” Norval explained. “He went in after a ball just after we found him and he all of a sudden found out he could swim and has been at it ever since.”
Tour Backspin Quiz | Ryder Cup Trivia
What has been the accumulative score in the foursome format in the Ryder Cup since 2014? How many years in that time did the home team win the foursome format?
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The cumulative score in foursomes since 2014 in the Ryder Cup is Europe 30, United States 18. The home team has won the foursome matches every year except in 2025.
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