“Holy Mackerel!"
Andy North turns a cakewalk into a nail biter at the 1978 U.S. Open
It’s U.S. Open week and we’ve got a packed Special Edition of the Tour Backspin journey through the past for you. We’ll transport you back to 1978 where Andy North seemed to have put away the U.S. Open title early in the final round only to face a tough four foot putt at the final hole that would decide the champion. Scroll down to see how that week played out inside the ropes at Cherry Hills Country Club outside of Denver, CO. Because of the altitude the course that measured over 7,000 yards played much shorter and long, thick grass helped defend par. Something we might see again this week at Oakmont.
Sam Burns finished early on Sunday with a 62 at the RBC Canadian Open, and then watched as one challenger after another fell by the wayside. That is, until Ryan Fox a wedge to 17 feet at the final hole and then trickled in the birdie putt to force sudden death. Scroll down for my take on the week in the PGA TOUR Wrap-Up. We found some of the best posts on social media and you can check them out in the Clips I Loved.
PAST TOUR BACKSPIN ARTICLES ON THE U.S. OPEN
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The U.S.G.A. changes the U.S. Open from a three-day to a four-day event.
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I love these reports. Thanks for sending them, Larry!
—Carl M.
Funny bit for this week’s Signature event at Philadelphia Cricket Club (Tour Backspin May 8th, 2025). In 1975 I played there in Monday qualifying for the Philadelphia Open at Whitemarsh CC.
Fun Memory.
—John A.
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So, what do you think the final score at Oakmont in this week’s U.S. Open will be? Over, or under? The prediction from Sports Illustrated is 276, four-under-par. Let us know in this week’s The Tour Backspin Poll if you’re going with the over of 276, or the under. This week’s Vintage Ad from 1978 (below the paywall) features Dave Stockton and Al Geiberger giving tips to amateurs for using a Top-Flight ball (Topflight used the dash in 1978). Scroll down to view.
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The Tour Backspin Poll
We asked “Who ya Got?” in the U.S. Open in last week’s Tour Backspin Poll. The favorite from respondents were Scottie Scheffler (+$320) and Byrson DeChambeau ($+900), who both garnered 22% of respondents. Rory McIlroy (+$550) got 11% of the vote, and 43% of respondents went the smart route thinking that the field was the best bet.
We’ll stay with the U.S. Open predictions in this week’s Tour Backspin Poll. Will the final score be over, or under, 276 which is four-under-par? Vote and let us know.
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Larry Baush
North Turns a Cakewalk into a Nail Biter
In the run up to the 1978 U.S. Open, Andy North had been playing some good golf. A tie for second, behind his college roommate, and teammate at the University of Florida, Andy Bean, in the Kemper Open, moved him into the top ten on the official money winning list with $92,981.
A week later, back in his hometown of Madison, WI, where he was spending the week before the U.S. Open to tune up, he sat down with Rob Zaleski of the UPI, for an interview.
“I’ve reached a confidence level I’ve never had before,” he said. “If I can keep driving the ball well and sink some putts, I honestly think I’ve got a chance in the Open. Cherry Hills is like most Open courses. You’ve got to keep the ball in play if you want to score. If I can stay out of the rough, I’ve got a chance.”
North arrived early to Cherry Hills Country Club, about 10 miles outside of Denver, the host of the U.S. Open, to acclimate himself with the high altitude. Cherry Hills was hosting the U.S. Open for the first time since the epic 1960 tournament that saw Arnold Palmer make a final round charge, including driving the 1st green, to win over Ben Hogan and an amateur Jack Nicklaus.
“But I’m a traditionalist. I would have liked to have played that hole and had the same chance Arnold had that day.”
There had been some modifications done to Cherry Hills since Palmer blazed to victory in 1960, and Palmer was responsible for those changes. He, along with his golf course design partner, Ed Seay, made modifications to some of the holes at the request of the club and the U.S.G.A. who wanted to “toughen it up” and one of those modifications came at the 1st hole.
When Palmer drove the green in the final round in 1960, the hole played as a straightaway 370-yard, par 4. The redesign of the 1st hole done by Palmer and Seay resulted in a slight dogleg left and played to 402-yards.
Tom Weiskopf, for one, was not a fan of the change.
“I’m not trying to be controversial,” Weiskopf said to Jack Magruder of the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. “But I’m a traditionalist. I would have liked to have played that hole and had the same chance Arnold had that day.”
When Palmer heard about Weiskopf’s remarks on Monday, he had little sympathy.
“He can still go for it, he has to hit it a little harder,” Palmer told Magruder with a twinkle in his eye.
The U.S.G.A. was on Palmer’s side of the argument when it came to the 1st hole.
“It doesn’t bother me that Arnold Palmer will be the only man who ever drove the 1st green at Cherry Hills,” Frank D. (Sandy) Tatum, Jr., president of the U.S.G.A. said to reporters.
The modifications made by Seay and Palmer, included moving back tee boxes resulting in a course that played to 7,185-yards and a par of 71. They also added 12 new bunkers. Even though it measured more than 7,000-yards, it played short because of the altitude. The narrow fairways and deep rough, especially around the greens, were the most lethal defense against par. That and the greens were fast.
Players could get off to a fast start over the first seven holes that included three short par 4s that were relatively easy. But starting at the 8th hole, things got tougher.
“From the 8th to the 18th, you’ve got 11 of the toughest holes you’ll ever want to see,” Lee Trevino told John Mossman of the Associated Press.
“I’d make a six.”
The 18th hole was one of the toughest on the course playing to 480-yards uphill with water on the left, deep thick, rough on the right, and a fairway that sloped left-to-right feeding balls into the water. In addition to the rough on the right, there was also out of bounds that came into play. The U.S.G.A. decided that the lake on the left would play as a yellow hazard, as opposed to a red hazard that would provide a point-of-entry drop. The yellow hazard played essentially like an out of bounds since the player would have to keep the point of entry between his drop and the hole.
When Weiskopf was asked how he would play the 18th hole if he needed a life-or-death par four, he said, “I’d make a six.”
The “Big Three” of Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player were favorites coming into the week, as was Lee Trevino and Tom Watson, who had already won three times, most recently at the Byron Nelson Golf Classic in early May. Andy Bean couldn’t be ruled out as a favorite as he was coming into the Open having won the two previous weeks.
Round One
Hale Irwin, who played college football at the University of Colorado, had many local fans in his corner and in the first round he rewarded them with a round of 69 that gave him a one-shot lead over J.C. Snead, Andy North, and amateur Bobby Clampett. Seven players came in with a score of 71 including Dave Stockton, Gary Player, Al Geiberger, and Billy Casper. Lee Trevino and Andy Bean highlighted a large group of players at 72 while Nicklaus came in with a 73 tied with six other players including Gene Littler and Tim Kite. Palmer came in with a disappointing 76.
Irwin started his round with a bogey but then followed up with birdies at the 3rd, 6th, and 7th holes before parring the final 11 holes.
“My lone bogey was at the opening hole, and I can attribute that to a little nervousness,” Irwin told reporters including Dewayne Hartnett of the Fort Collins Coloradoan. As to turning his round around he said, “I was trying to make birdies, but I was trying from the safe side of the hole.”
When the name Clampett went up on the leaderboard in the press room on Thursday, some reporters thought it was a joke.
“That must be Jed Clampett,” a veteran reporter joked. But when Clampett showed up in the press room about 30 minutes before Irwin finished, he was the official leader of the Open. Reporters were then shocked to see an 18-year-old freshman from BYU sit down in the interview chair. He looked more like a caddie than a player.
“I’m just happy and grateful,” was about all that Clampett could say of his opening round 70. “I’ve just never played at this high level before. I’ve got a lot of maturing to do—physically and mentally. I’m not as strong as all these guys. I felt like a duck treading on water on the first tee, I was so nervous.”
Round Two
When the dust settled after Friday’s second round, there were no less than 13 players within four shots of the new leader, Andy North. North quietly forged into the lead with a second straight 70 and the challengers nipping at his heels were a formidable group that included Jack Nicklaus who had a second round 69 and was at 142, as was Gary Player after a second round 71, and J.C. Snead who had a 72. Snead led for most of the day before he faltered coming in at the end of his round.
First round leader and local hero, Hale Irwin, failed to make a single birdie and fell back with a 74. He lost his lead with a bogey at the 8th hole and later double bogeyed the 17th hole after finding the water. He was at 143 tied with Lee Trevino (72-71), Mark Hayes (73-70), and Clampett (70-73).
“There were no highlights,” Irwin lamented after his round. “I can only give you the downlights. But I’m only three back. I don’t think I’m in a position to take unnecessary gambles.”
The large group at 144 included Seve Ballesteros, who had a second round 69 and was playing in his first U.S. Open, Andy Bean, and Peter Oosterhuis. The group at 145 included Al Geiberger, Jerry Pate, Bruce Lietzke, and Jerry Pate.
North birdied the difficult 18th hole, a hole that was “driving most pros to drink” according to Magruder of the Gazette-Telegraph. North’s birdie was one of only five during the tournament’s first two rounds.
“It’s a very difficult hole,” North said about the 18th. “You’d be in a great position if somebody had to tie you with a par on 18 if you were already in. The scores can range from three to seven.”
Tom Kite knew all about the difficulties of the 18th hole. He had back-to-back scores of 73 but he triple bogeyed the 18th in Thursday’s opening round and double bogeyed it in the second round. If he could have played the final hole in even par, he would have been one shot off North’s lead.
“This is going to come down to the last hole.”
While he was happy to be leading, North knew he still had a challenge in front of him.
“It’s nice to lead, but we’ve got a lot of holes left,” he said after his round. “Anything can happen. It would be fun to lead after three rounds, and a lot of fun after four. But on this course, you have to go out and play hard and be happy with what you get. I just hope I can play as well as I have the first two rounds.”
Gary Player felt good about the position he was in, just two strokes off North’s lead, but said after his round, “But so are a lot of other fellows. This is going to come down to the last hole. If anyone comes to the last hole with a chance to win, he’s going to have his tonsils talking a little bit.”
John Fought, a new pro on the tour, disqualified himself after realizing he had signed an incorrect scorecard. Fought made a bogey five on the 14th hole but Steve Melnyk, who was keeping his card, marked down a par four. Fought checked the card, then signed it and turned it in. He later realized his mistake and contacted U.S.G.A. officials to inform them and disqualify himself. He would have made the cut that came at 150.
Arnold Palmer missed the cut by one stroke. Attendance on Friday was 23,067. The forecast for Saturday’s third round called for late afternoon showers after early day sunshine turning to clouds.
Round Three
A crowd of more than 25,000 swarmed the course for Saturday’s third round and what they witnessed was a distillation at the top of the leaderboard. Andy North maintained his grip on the lead with a third round 71 but it wasn’t easy as Gary Player applied pressure, especially early in the round.
Player started with a birdie at the 1st hole but handed that stroke right back with a bogey on the 2nd hole. He then went on a charge that at one point had given him the lead at three-under. North, meanwhile, struggled for most of his round as he missed six greens that resulted in four bogeys. He was able to follow up each of those bogeys with a birdie on the next hole to stay at, or near, the lead.
“Those were the only three bad shots I hit all day, and each time I was penalized.”
Player suddenly bogeyed the 14th, 15th, and 16th holes after hitting a bad shot at each hole that he could not recover from.
“You know, usually you can get by with one or two bad shots,” Player observed to reporters after his round, including Ralph Routon of the Gazette-Telegraph. “Those were the only three bad shots I hit all day, and each time I was penalized.”
Player finally broke the string of bogeys with a par at the 17th hole and when North also parred the 17th, North took a one-shot lead into the difficult 18th hole. His 1-iron approach shot was nearly perfect ending up within seven feet of the hole. As North, back in the fairway, watched, Player ran the seven-footer into the cup for a birdie and a tie for the lead.
“But really, I was just interested in getting my four and going home.”
North, from 235-yards out, hit a 2-iron that hit on the front part of the green and stopped about 50 feet short of the hole. North took very little time lining up the putt before stroking the long-range putt in for his second straight finishing birdie at the final hole and retained his lead atop the leaderboard, one shot in front of Player. North finished with a score of 71 for a total of 211 while Player finished with a 70 and a total of 212.
“I knew it was a good putt when I hit it,” North said after his round. “But really, I was just interested in getting my four and going home. It’s nicer to be at least one stroke ahead.”
“I hit a perfect tee shot, but then I had to go to the john.”
While the press played up the mano a mano battle on Sunday between North and Player, there were still some players within striking distance of the leaders. J.C. Snead fired a third round 72 and was at 214, tied with Dave Stockton who came in with a 70. Seve Ballesteros, with a 71, Andy Bean, also with a 71, and Johnny Miller who added a third round 68 to a second round 69 and was the hottest golfer on the property, were all at 215. Jack Nicklaus was another shot back tied with Tom Kite and Bill Kratzert.
Nicklaus admittedly lost his concentration a couple of times during his round, a very un-Nicklaus occurrence. He was cruising along and arrived at the 13th hole just two shots back of the lead. After he hit his drive, nature called.
“I hit a perfect tee shot, but then I had to go to the john,” Nicklaus disclosed after his round. “I never got my mind back on my game after that.”
After his trip to the port-a-potty, Nicklaus addressed his 103-yard second shot and laid the turf over it, hit it fat, and the shot failed to carry Little Dry Creek that protected the front of the green. He took his penalty drop and then hit his next shot into a buried lie in a bunker, blasted out, and two-putted for a triple bogey.
“I’m not that excited about being three over and five behind, but this is the U.S. Open, and a lot of things can happen tomorrow.”
He also had mental lapses at the 5th and 6th holes that cost him bogeys, but the mental lapse at the 13th that resulted in the triple bogey was particularly defeating as he had mounted a charge with an eagle at the 11th and an easy birdie at the 12th.
“It seems as thought I lost my concentration a couple of times today,” Nicklaus admitted. “I’m not that excited about being three over and five behind, but this is the U.S. Open, and a lot of things can happen tomorrow.”
Final Round
Halfway through the final round an announcement was made in the press tent.
“There is a bus leaving for the Regency in five minutes . . .”
The assembled press met the announcement with silence before breaking out in laughter. Many felt that the way the tournament was playing out in the final round they could watch the finish back in their hotel rooms on television. Andy North was running away from the field who were having difficulty in the breezy conditions.
“When I made that put at the 13th, I thought I had won the tournament.”
North birdied the 11th hole and then faced a five-footer for birdie at the 13th hole. Up ahead at the 14th hole, Stockton made a bogey to put him in a tie with Snead at two-over, five shots behind North. North made the birdie putt and had a good feeling about the tournament.
“When I made that put at the 13th, I thought I had won the tournament,” North explained to reporters. Years later, on the Fore The Good Of The Game podcast hosted by Mike Gonzalez and Bruce Devlin, North admitted that his mind went to a different place after making that birdie.
What had been a sleeper of a U.S. Open final round now turned into something quite different as North started to feel the pressure and his game started to fall apart. He made a bogey at the 14th hole while Stockton was birdieing the 15th hole cutting the lead from five to three.
“I honestly thought I had that putt.”
At the par 3, 15th hole, North hit his tee shot in the bunker and it took him two shots to escape before he two-putted for a double bogey. That put him at even par and Stockton was within just one stroke of his lead. He then found another bunker at the 16th hole and those reporters who thought about taking that bus back to the Regency now contemplated the possibility of a playoff. But North made a good sand shot and saved his par while Stockton missed a birdie putt at the 17th hole and North maintained his one-shot lead.
“I honestly thought I had that putt,” Stockton later said, and you can see the disappointment on his face on the ABC broadcast. “We knew all along what North was doing. We could see he was slowly, but surely, coming back to us.”
As North was two-putting for his par at the 17th hole, J.C. Snead, who was still in the hunt needing a birdie at the final hole for a potential tie, was teeing off. He pulled his drive and then was on the receiving end of one of the best breaks in a major tournament as his ball hit the surface of the water on the left of the hole and skipped out onto dry land. Stockton erred in the opposite direction hitting his drive into the knarly rough on the right side of the hole.
Stockton could do no more than hack his ball out of the rough, leaving him a short approach shot to the green. Snead hit a pretty 235-yard 5-iron to within 20-feet of the birdie he thought was needed to tie North. Stockton hit his approach to 12 feet for the par he felt he needed to tie both Snead (if he made his birdie) or North. Before they attempted their putts, North drove off the 18th tee and sent his ball into the right rough. They both realized that anything could happen now and that their putts for what they thought would be for a tie could turn into a winning putt very easily.
Stockton stepped into his putt and hit a good putt but played a little too much break and the putt slid past the hole. He tapped in for his bogey. A gust of wind hit Snead as he was in the middle of his stroke and his birdie putt came up two feet short. He tapped in for a par, with a score of 72 and a four-round total of 286, tied with Stockton who also had 72. They signed their cards then watched from the back of the green to watch as North played the 18th.
North hit his layup shot from the right rough too hard and his ball flew through the fairway into the rough short of the green. He faced a delicate pitch shot over a bunker that protected the green with a pin that was tucked up close to the bunker. When he hit his pitch shot, he thought it was perfect, but he watched in horror as it came up short and landed in the bunker. It looked as if he was choking the U.S. Open away.
He climbed into the bunker and summoned up all his courage and hit a great shot to four feet, below the hole. He lined up his putt, stepped into his stance before backing off as the wind was blowing and his ball was oscillating. He stepped back into his stance only to back off again. It now looked like he had no chance to make this putt to win the U.S. Open.
You could hear the wind whipping past the television microphones as North again took his stance.
“Holy Mackerel! He’s not going to be able to make this.”
North finally pulled his putter back and then rammed the winning putt into the hole. Sandy Tatum, of the U.S.G.A., rushed onto the green, pipe in mouth, to congratulate the new U.S. Open champion and he is soon joined by both Stockton and Snead who came onto the green to offer their congratulations.
On the ABC broadcast, Dave Marr talked about North backing off the putt two times. The second time he backed off, the network’s microphones picked up North asking his caddie, “are you sure?” Marr spoke about North being unsure. After the putt went in, Marr returned to the conversation between North and his caddie and how he thought it would be impossible to make the putt.
“Holy Mackerel! He’s not going to be able to make this,” Marr admitted thinking before North made the putt.
North later spoke about his finish saying, “People can call it what they want. What is choking? You’re out there playing your heart out. All you can do is your best. We all make bad swings sometimes, but I don’t think we choke. You don’t win the U.S. Open, you survive it. I was lucky to make 5 at the 18th and survive it.”
While the week played out as a survivor contest for the players, it was Andy North fighting off his nerves coming down the stretch that made the difference. He made a gutty bogey five at the final hole, a hole that had been viciously difficult for the players all week. Though he almost gave the title away, he stepped up at the precise moment he had to and carved his name into the list of U.S. Open champions.
Coming Next Week: Peter Jacobsen captures the 1984 Sammy Davis, Jr-Greater Hartford Open
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WHAT HOLE IS IT?
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Tour Backspin Quiz | U.S. Open Trivia
When did the U.S.G.A. end the 18 hole playoff in the case of a tie in the U.S. Open? What format do they use now?
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Clips I Loved
Walk with the winner.
Never seen this done before.
Looks like good prep for Oakmont.
No Laying Up tour of Oakmont.
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Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
The U.S.G.A. stopped using the 18 hole playoff for a tie in the U.S. Open when it instituted the 2-hole aggregate playoff in 2018. If players are still tied after the 2-hole playoff, they continue with sudden death until a winner is determined.
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PGA TOUR Wrap-Up
Bonus Story on the ABC broadcast of the 1978 U.S. Open including the full broadcast. (Upgrade HERE.)
More Clips I Loved
Blind Shot
My Open Tabs
Vintage Ad
Final Thoughts
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