Palmer Charges For Houston Win
The King wins the Houston International Champions event at new course founded by Demaret and Burke
Arnold Palmer charges to victory in this week’s Tour Backspin journey through the past. It was 1966 and the new Champions Golf Course, founded by major winners Jack Burke, Jr. and Jimmy Demaret, plays host to a PGA TOUR event for the first time. And, the top spot on the 1966 money winning list was on the line. Scroll down to see how this event, postponed from May and rescheduled for late November played out.
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Enjoy the golf this week from Houston, TX. The Texas Children’s Open is played on a municipal golf course, Memorial Park, that gets 60,000 rounds of golf per year. The course underwent significant renovation in 2019 under the direction of Tom Doak with consultation from Brooks Koepka.
The last stop on the Florida Swing, the Valspar Championship, provided a lot of drama as the leaders played the “Snake Pit” on Sunday. It featured a comeback story, an almost comeback story, and lots of anger. 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.
What did you spend your weekend watching? March Madness or the Valspar Championship? Let us know in this week’s The Tour Backspin Poll. We’ve got Johnny Rivers doing “Secret Agent Man” live in this week’s Music Clip from 1966. Watch the theatrical trailer for the 1966 film, “Endless Summer” a Bruce Brown documentary about the search for the perfect wave in the Tour Backspin Goes To The Movies.
Marvel at the big pivot and powerful swing of Arnold Palmer in this week’s Play Like a Pro. Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf is highlighted in the Vintage Ad from 1966. Scroll down to view.
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
In last week’s Tour Backspin Poll we asked you if you watched the Creator Classic on the Wednesday before the start of The Players. This was a competition bringing together golf social media influencers. There were 58% of respondents who didn’t watch because they didn’t care about it, 33% who did watch it and found it very entertaining, and 8% who watched it but felt it wasn’t really for them.
This week we want to know what you watched this last weekend. Did March Madness take up all your time, or did you fit some golf in as well? Let us know what you think in this week’s Tour Backspin Poll.
We’re playing 1966 PGA TOUR trivia in this week’s Tour Backspin Quiz. Scroll down to take the challenge.
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Larry Baush
Palmer Birdies Final Hole to Win
The year 1966 was an especially eventful year for the PGA Tour and it began with Arnold Palmer winning the opening event in Los Angeles followed by Billy Casper winning in San Diego the next week. Ken Venturi won what would be his last title on tour, in his hometown, winning the Lucky International Invitational in San Francisco.
Doug Sanders had racked up three victories by the time the Masters rolled around, and Jack Nicklaus announced his arrival for the year by winning the green jacket at Augusta. Palmer won his second event, the Tournament of Champions, in April.
But the tour ran into bumpy ground when they next set up shop in Texas. Rain harassed the Dallas Open forcing a Tuesday finish. Heavy rains, that caused flooding along the Trinity River, were blamed for the deaths of 19 and caused several delays in the Texas Open the next week.
“It is the first time in modern golf, at least.”
The rain continued to wreak havoc the next week in Houston when the Houston Champions International had to wait until Saturday to play the first round before the entire event was cancelled and moved to November on the schedule.
The cancellation cost the Houston Golf Association, the organizers of the event $25,000, and the players moved on down the road to New Orleans for the next event with nothing to show for their efforts in Houston. All the stars at the event assured the Houston Golf Association that they would return in November for the rescheduled event.
Cancelling an entire tournament was unheard of in this era. “It is the first time in modern golf, at least,” Doc Giffin, the field press secretary for the PGA Tour, said.
The stars made good on their word to return when they showed up at Champions Golf Club for the re-start of the Houston Champions Invitational in November. The course was established by the two biggest names in golf around Houston, Jimmy Demaret and Jack Burke, Jr. The two major champions joined forces to make Champions Golf Club the epitome of club golf and the Cypress Creek Course, designed by Ralph Plummer, provided a stern test for the touring pros. Cypress Creek measured 7,118-yards and played to a par of 71. This would be the first year the course would be used for the event.
“The leading money-winner commands the most respect in golf."
As events played out since the rain-out of the original date of the Houston Champions, the November date would provide many story lines including who would be the leading money winner for the year. Casper had won the U.S. Open, in a playoff with Palmer, at the Olympic Club in San Francisco in a fantastic comeback that took advantage of a Palmer collapse. He added the 500 Festival Open in July.
Jack Nicklaus won the Open Championship, his second win of the year, both majors. He added the Sahara Invitational in October setting up a battle for the top of the money list with Casper. Casper held a $10,526 lead over Nicklaus, and $21,000 lead over Palmer on the money list. The best that Palmer could do would be to finish second on the list and he would have to win the $21,000 first-place winner’s check, increased from the $20,000 prize for the event in May, in Houston and Casper would have to finish out of the money for that to happen. If Casper could capture the title in Houston, he would set a new all-time money winning record moving past the mark set by Nicklaus in 1965 at $140,752.
“The leading money-winner commands the most respect in golf," Jack Nicklaus stated to Alfred Wright in the November 28, 1966, issue of Sports Illustrated. "It may not be right—making the leading money-winner the year's foremost golfer—but it's the way we evaluate ourselves. It is what the public is looking at, and it is the only yardstick we have that is printed in the newspapers every week. So it must be what the public is interested in."
Nicklaus, Palmer, and Canadian George Knudson arrived in Houston fresh off the Canada Cup event played at the Yomiuri Country Club on the outskirts of Tokyo, Japan. Nicklaus and Palmer captured the cup in the team competition while Knudson brought home the International Trophy for winning individual honors, a wire-to-wire win that required a playoff against Hideyo Sugimoto.
Johnny Pott and Al Geiberger took the low pro honors in Wednesday’s pro-am, both shooting four-under 67. Casper scored 70, Nicklaus a 71, and Palmer, playing with singer Robert Goulet, had 74.
It was the veteran Julius Boros, who captured the first-round lead with a sparkling 66. He enjoyed a one-shot lead over Dick Crawford, a former standout at the University of Houston, and a two-shot lead over a group of five players including George Knudson and George Archer. Nicklaus was at 69, tied with Casper and the veteran Gardner Dickinson. Palmer, playing with Casper, was another stroke back at 70.
Two players with a combined weight of 275 pounds were tied at the top after the second round. Gardner Dickinson, 130-pounds, fired a 67 for a two-round total of 136 and George Knudson, 145-pounds, posted his second straight 68 to tie for the lead.
Gene Littler, with a second-round 66, and Doug Sanders, with a 67, were tied at 137. The first-round leader, Boros, came in with 72 and was another stroke back at 138. There were eight players tied at 138 including Palmer (68), Geiberger (68), Charles Sifford (67), Crawford (71) and Champions Golf Club co-founder, Jack Burke, Jr. Archer was another stroke back after a 71 and he was tied with Casper at 139. Nicklaus was at 140 after a 71.
“Putted like Mrs. Matildy.”
Dickinson birdied his last two holes in the third round to post a two-under 69 and earned him a one-shot lead over a hard-charging Palmer who recorded his second straight 68.
Palmer complained of poor putting in the third round saying he “putted like Mrs. Matildy.” He three-putted the 13th hole and then missed makable birdie putts, all under 20-feet with the shortest at just five feet, on the last four holes.
“My putting has truly disturbed me all week,” he told reporters after his round.
Geiberger and Bob Goalby were tied at 207, two shots off Dickinson’s lead. Tommy Bolt shot up the leaderboard with a 66 and was tied with Crawford at 208. Archer, Boros, Knudson, and Sanders were at 209. Casper stumbled to 73 and was well down the leaderboard at 212.
“It was the best putting round I’ve had in a good while.”
Palmer’s putting touch returned in the final round as he birdied two holes on the front nine, one from eight feet, the other a 20-footer. His round was an exhibition in scrambling, especially on the back nine. He escaped from a deep ravine to save par at the 13th, and saved par from a bunker on the 14th. A momentary relapse with the putter at the 415-yard, par 4, 15th hole, where he missed a three-foot putt for par, cost him a stroke. But he got that stroke back at the final hole where he ran in a 12-foot putt for birdie to post a 69.
Palmer only needed 28 putts in his round, including eight one-putt greens and was quite pleased with his putting.
“It was the best putting round I’ve had in a good while,” he said to reporters.
All he could do now was to retire to the pressroom to watch the remaining action unfold on television.
Dickinson arrived at the final hole needing a par on the 428-yard, par 4, to force a playoff with Palmer, a birdie, to win the title. He proceeded to make a mess of the hole, sending his approach shot to the right of the green and then chipping poorly unable to find the green. When he missed his next chip, Palmer had secured his third official title on the tour for the year.
Archer finished with a 68 for a total of 277, good for third place. Boros was tied with Lionel Hebert, who had the round of the day with a 66, at 278 and Sanders who was another stroke back after a final round of 70.
The $21,000 first-place check moved Palmer to $110,467 in earnings for the year. Casper and Nicklaus were tied at 284 resulting in Casper winning the money title with $121,944 in earnings while Nicklaus pocketed $111,498 in earnings.
Although it took six months, the Houston Champions International provided a great deal of excitement including a patented Palmer charge, on a golf course that had proven, in its first year, a perfect venue to watch the best golfers in the world compete, and a down-to-the-wire finish in the money title race.
Coming Next Week: Good friends Bill Rogers and Ben Crenshaw need a playoff to decide the 1981 Texas Open
BONUS STORY
When Jack Burke, Jr. and Jimmy Demaret established the Champions International Golf Club in 1957, and opened it for play in 1959, they wanted to establish a premier golf club. The late 1950s, and early 1960s saw the emergence and growth of club life as a wave of recently upwardly mobile families joined clubs to fill newly acquired expanded leisure time.
These new club members often faced a choice: did they prefer a golf club or a country club? Was the golf course and golf competition the major factor at their club, or did members prefer that golf was just another amenity offered alongside tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a vibrant social scene? Burke and Demaret set out to establish a premier golf club.
Alfred Wright summed up the club in the November 28, 1966 issue of Sports Illustrated.
Burke and Demaret have created a course among the oaks and pines of southeastern Texas that easily ranks as the outstanding achievement in golfing architecture since World War II. It is a tight-driving course with enormous, softly undulating greens that can be nerve-racking to read. Its flexibility is such that it can be stretched from 6,231 to 7,118 yards. That it yielded as many sub-par rounds as it did last week was due in part to its flawless condition, and in part to the leniency of PGA officials in the placement of the tees and pins.
Both Demaret and Burke were insistent on their new club being a golf club, not a country club. In his book, It’s Only a Game, Burke explains the difference.
I have nothing against tennis, but I’d rather be shot in the leg than see tennis courts built at Champions. The reason I’m against tennis courts, swimming pools, lawn bowling, and the like is that they siphon attention away from golf. I want the club to have some semblance of balance, but in my world that means 90-10 in favor of golf.
Burke also explained in his book how they chose members.
It costs $25,000 to join Champions Golf Club. There are people who can afford a lot more than that, but that doesn’t mean we can afford them. I’m talking about rich guys with high handicaps who primarily want to bring out guests, throw dinner parties, and show people how important they are. I prefer someone who can afford to get in, but who also has thousands of hours invested in the game [ . . . ]
We get that guy and all he brings—his devotion, his adherence to the rules, his appreciation of tradition and competition—for that initiation fee. This is not the guy who cares more about a big dance floor than getting his clubs regripped. We get real golfers here, people who add to the fabric of this club. We go after the competitors.
You gotta loved how Burke spoke his mind.
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WHAT HOLE IS IT?
Congratulations to Mike Kemppainen, winner of the WHAT HOLE IS IT? contest. He correctly identified #3 at Innisbrook Golf Resort, Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, FL. Mike beat out four 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.
The Herbert C. Leeds Trophy has been sent to the 2024 winner, Doug Posten, and we expect a picture of his victory pose soon.
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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 a clip from the Howard Cosell Champagne on the Green interview with Tony. (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
There was some serious anger on display last week at the Valspar Championship.
Kizzire issued an apology for the punted putter.
Adam Hadwin’s wife trolls tiger.
Billy Horschel went from this on Saturday . . .
To this on Sunday . . .
A little advice from the champ.
PGA TOUR Wrap-Up | Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas was on fire in Sunday’s final round of the Valspar Championship—until he wasn’t. He rode a red-hot putter to score three birdies on the front nine and then was the first player to get to double-digits-under par when he birdied the 12th hole. He made two more birdies, at the 14th and 15th holes and held a three-stroke lead as he entered the Snake Pit. That’s when his driver let him down. He missed the 16th and 18th fairways, both to the left, and bogeyed each.
Viktor Hovland kept plugging away and he birdied both the 16th and 17th holes after hitting great approach shots at both. He took a two-shot lead into the final hole where he hit a wild drive that resulted in a bogey, and a one-shot victory. The win was quite the relief for Hovland who has been struggling with a 15-month slump. After the round, he sounded like he wasn’t quite sure he had made it over the hump.
"I hit a lot of disgusting shots but they just happened to go where I was looking," he said. "I can still hit good shots but there are also some bad shots in there. It’s still the same tendencies."
Thomas, whose game has been coming around, tried to put a good spin on his result after the round.
"It sucks not winning when you're that close and have a great chance, but I just hopefully put myself in the same position in [three] weeks at Augusta and finish it off better," Thomas said looking forward to the Masters.
Hovland moved from #19 on the Official World Golf Rankings to #8 and it was his seventh win on the PGA TOUR
Read more from Adam Schupak at Golfweek HERE.
Here are the highlights of the final round:
Tour Backspin Quiz | 1966 PGA TOUR Trivia
Who won their last PGA TOUR title on May 29, 1966?
Scroll down for answer
Play Like a Pro
Look at that pivot. The powerful swing of Arnold Palmer.
Blind Shot
Click for something fun. 👀
Johnny Wunder of golf.com takes you inside the new Titleist Performance Institute (TPI).
How Good Good Golf raised $45 million. James Colgan of golf.com has the inside story.
Tour Backspin Music Clip
Johnny Rivers performs “Secret Agent Man” in 1966.
Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
Tony Lema won his last PGA TOUR event on May 29th, 1966 at the Oklahoma City Open Invitational. He died in a plane crash, with his wife, seven weeks later in a small plane crash.
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Vintage Ad
Final Thoughts
I MUST get myself to the Titleist Performance Institute.
Lots of player anger last week at the Valspar.
I would like being a member of club that runs under Jack Burke rules.
If you haven’t done it yet, scroll back up to the link for the online petition to get Tony Lema inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He’s deserving of the honor.