Player Stymies Nicklaus
Gary Player keeps Nicklaus from his goal to become first to $1.5 million in career earnings.
Get onboard for our journey through the past as we go back to 1972 and the Greater New Orleans Open. Jack Nicklaus had one goal in mind that week and that was to win the $25,000 winner’s check which would put him over the $1.5 million mark in career earnings. Gary Player had other ideas.
Scottie Scheffler is like the Energizer Bunny as he dominated again in Hilton Head at the RBC Heritage. We are watching history AND it’s being matched on the LPGA Tour as Nelly Korda is dominating over there winning the Chevron Championship for her fifth win in a row and her second major. It’s amazing what these two are doing right now. We won’t see Scottie again until the PGA Championship in May, and Korda was a late withdrawal from the JM Eagle LA Championship this week with a scheduled return next month at the Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey. Scottie is home for some rest, if you call welcoming a new baby to the family rest. Scroll down for the Clips You Might Have Missed, a few thoughts on the week from me, a recap of the tournament and highlights.
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the next stop on tour, is a team event which should be fun. The stop in New Orleans has a lot of history dating back to 1938 when Harry Cooper won by four strokes over Jug McSpaden. We have more on the tour stop in New Orleans with our trip back to the 1966 Greater New Orleans Open won by Frank Beard over Jack Nicklaus and Tony Lema. We covered the team aspect of this week’s tournament by going back to the 1967 PGA National Team Championship.
We want to hear from you in the Tour Backspin Poll, and this week’s Music Clip features a classic that you can sing along to from 1972. We tap into to the Carl Welty library again for Swing Like a Pro and the swing of Gary Player. We’ve also added a little audio treat for you in the Swing Like a Pro feature, so be sure to check that out. You probably know this week’s WHAT HOLE IS IT? so put your answer in for your chance to win the prize pack. Of course, we’ve got some links for you in the Check it Out section and our Vintage Ad product could not be sold today because it would cause a fistfight. Scroll down to view.
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In last week’s Tour Backspin Poll we drafted off of Jon Martin’s opinion, expressed in his newsletter, Go Golf, that it was a mistake to lengthen the 13th hole at Augusta National because it eliminated the excitement of watching players go for the green on their second shot. There were 62% of respondents who agreed with Jon, and 38% who didn’t think the lengthening was a mistake as the equipment is sure to catch up.
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Do you know what happened today in golf history? Or which famous golfer has a birthday today? Me, neither. But I do know where to go to find out. Check out the Your Golfer’s Almanac podcast. Host Michael Duranko celebrates birthdays, milestones, and other accomplishments that occurred on this day in golf history. Listen HERE.
We’re playing Greater New Orleans Open Trivia in this week’s Tour Backspin Quiz. Scroll down to play.
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Larry Baush
Player Comes From Behind to Deny Nicklaus
It is Wednesday, March 22nd, 1972, and as players finished up their final practice at the Lakewood Country Club, a 7,080-yard, par 72, course, in New Orleans for the Greater New Orleans Open, the topic of conversation was centered around Jack Nicklaus. He had gotten off to a good start for the year capturing the titles in Monterey at the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, and at the Doral-Eastern Open in Miami, FL.
Nicklaus sat on top of the leading money winner list with $97,720 in earnings for the year, but it was his career money earnings that were the center of attention. His career total of $1,480,884 led Arnold Palmer’s lifetime total of $1,475,152. Palmer had won $15,139 so far in 1972.
“If there was only one tournament I could play, it would be New Orleans.”
Nicklaus could become the first player in PGA TOUR history to pass the $1.5 million mark—if he could bag the top prize of $25,000 in New Orleans.
Other top contenders for the title included Frank Beard, who despite not playing well coming into the week, had an impressive record in New Orleans. In addition to being introduced to his first wife, Pat, by Tony Lema and his wife Betty at the tournament, Beard had won the event twice, lost in a playoff, and had other finishes including a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth place.
“If there was only one tournament I could play, it would be New Orleans,” Beard said.
Billy Casper was coming off a four-week rest where he spent time fishing and not thinking about golf, at all. He was mired in a slump that dated back 18 months and he skipped the entire Florida swing to get his outlook on the game fixed.
“I just got away and forgot about it,” Casper revealed. “I think it’s the best thing I could possibly have done.”
Other favorites for the week included Gary Player, whose game was coming into form heading into the Masters which was two weeks away. Player’s only complaint was his homesickness, something that he experienced every year upon returning to the U.S. to compete from his home in South Africa.
Tony Jacklin, the winner of the Greater Jacksonville Open the week before, had to be considered a favorite as well. Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino were taking the week off.
In Thursday’s first round, played in warm and windless conditions, Nicklaus was paired with Billy Casper and both players recorded a 66. They were matched at that score by Bunky Henry, veteran Mason Rudolph, and Bob Payne. One stroke back of the leaders was a group of five players including Dave Eichelberger, Jim Colbert, and John Schroeder.
“You can’t complain about a 66, but I could have shot 60 today. I was putting pretty well, but I wasn’t getting the ball to the hole.”
Nicklaus hit every green and made only one putt longer than six feet while missing six times from inside 15 feet, one from 18 inches.
“You can’t complain about a 66,” he said after his round as related by Bob Green of the Associated Press. “But I could have shot 60 today. I was putting pretty well, but I wasn’t getting the ball to the hole.”
His round featured four straight birdies starting at the third hole. He disclosed to the press after his round that he had quit smoking.
“It’s part of my Masters preparation,” he explained. “I just quit yesterday. I decided it was the thing to do for the Masters. I find my nerves are better if I’m not smoking. I’m not as nervous and jumpy.”
Casper, who said he felt “mentally refreshed” after his layoff which helped him shoot his 66. He missed only one green in his round.
“I think this proves it,” he said. “I should have taken a rest earlier.”
Mason Rudolph only needed 28 putts in his round including four that he drained from the 20-foot range.
“The best putting round I’ve had as a pro,” the 14-year veteran declared after his round.
Defending champion Frank Beard could do no better than matching par with a 72 on a day where over half the field broke par. Player had to scramble to shoot a 73.
“I’m very pleased with the round, all things considered.”
The rejuvenated Casper pulled out to a two-stroke lead after Friday’s second round that was played under mild temperatures and sunny skies. Playing once again with Nicklaus and starting on the back nine, Casper quickly took control with birdies on the 11th and 12th holes. He only needed 28 putts and only had one bogey on his card.
“I didn’t play quite as well as I did yesterday, but I putted very, very well,” he said after his round. “I’m very pleased with the round, all things considered.”
Nicklaus had six birdies in his round—but also had four bogeys including a pair of sixes. He bogeyed the final hole missing a three-foot putt.
“I just played badly,” Nicklaus told reporters after his round. “I wasn’t happy with my swing. It should be better tomorrow.”
Jim Colbert, who Bob Green described as “chipper,” shot a 69 for a 136, two shots off Casper’s lead and tied with Nicklaus. Dave Eichelberger was another stroke back after a 70 and he was tied with Ralph Johnston who had rounds of 67 and 70. Bunky Henry added a 72 for a total of 138, tied with Labron Harris. Gary Player came back with a 69 but was still eight shots off the lead. It took a score of 144 to make the cut and Jacklin and Charles Coody were casualties who would not be around for the weekend.
Nicklaus had a wild Saturday during the third round. Playing for the third straight day with Casper, Nicklaus played from five bunkers, hit two trees, almost went out-of-bounds, topped a 3-wood, and hit one iron shot so fat that the divot he dug measured 12-inches.
“We both played like Joe Hacker.”
Still, he shot a 71 and was able to catch Casper to tie for the lead. He held the lead alone on three separate occasions but couldn’t hold it.
“It was just awful,” was all he could say after the round.
“We both played like Joe Hacker,” Casper added.
A double bogey at the par-4, 5th hole knocked Casper out of sole possession of the lead while Nicklaus birdied the hole for a three-shot swing. Casper pushed his drive into the trees, punched out finding a bunker on his second shot, barely got out and then chipped poorly and two-putted for his six.
Nicklaus added a birdie at the next hole but then disaster struck at the 7th hole where he hooked his drive hitting a tree. He then topped a 3-wood that only went 100 yards, wedged to the green and missed the seven-foot putt. He had to make a 25-foot putt at the 9th hole to salvage a bogey after driving into a bunker and then landed in another bunker after his second shot. He then caught too much ball on his explosion shot sending the ball over the green and into the gallery. He chipped on and made the 25-footer for his bogey.
Player moved into contention with a fine round of 68 and stood at 210, just three strokes off the lead. He was tied with Lister who shot a 68, and Colbert who could do no better than a 74. Eichelberger added a 72 and was two behind the leaders tied with Henry and Harris who both shot 71.
In Sunday’s final round, Nicklaus held a two-stroke lead at one point before the turning point of the round came at the 8th hole, a 165-yard par three. He was finally playing with someone other than Casper as he was paired with Eichelberger. Nicklaus hit a 7-iron that he described as “the first time I’d hit a ball solid all day,” that sailed over the green and into a bunker. He then hit the sand shot thin, just like the day before, and the ball flew over the green. He chipped to seven feet and then missed the putt scoring a double bogey knocking him out of the lead, and probably cost him the tournament.
Player got his round going with a birdie on the second hole draining a 15-foot putt. He then grabbed a share of the lead when he hit his 7-iron approach shot at the eighth hole to two feet and then took sole possession of the lead after sinking a six-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole after a sand wedge approach shot.
“I just played terribly,” Nicklaus said. “I hit the fairway on the third hole and didn’t see one again until the seventh.”
He was in the woods, had to salvage par from the water and was plugged in bunkers during his round. Then, he had a good lie turn into a bad lie with the passing by of a fan.
“A 280-pound guy comes tromping along,” Nicklaus explained. “My ball was sitting up real good, but he was shaking the ground and the ball rolled into a hole.”
“I was confident I was going to win, even after I was seven strokes back with that 73 in the first round.”
Nicklaus finished with a 73 for a total of 280 while Gary Player parred in after his birdie at the 11th for a 69 and a total of 279 to take the title. Eichelberger birdied the final hole to shoot a 71 and tie Nicklaus for second. Casper soared to 76 and finished well back at 283.
“I was confident I was going to win, even after I was seven strokes back with that 73 in the first round,” Player claimed after being awarded the $25,000 first-place check.
“I’ve just been playing well all year,” he went on. “I didn’t play that much better this week than I had before.”
Nicklaus won $11,575 and now had $109,651 in earnings for the year. Although he fell short of accumulating enough to reach the $1.5 million plateau, he did become the first player to top $100,000 in earnings before the Masters in tour history. He also ensured that his string of topping $100,000 in yearly earnings would reach ten consecutive years. Still, he wasn’t happy to finish second.
“I’ll be in Augusta Wednesday to try to find some semblance of a swing,” he assured reporters on Sunday. “In the last three rounds I had nine bogeys and a double bogey. Terrible.”
He must have found something because in two weeks he won his fourth green jacket. After failing to top an historic earnings milepost, he only had to wait for his next start to top $1.5 million in career earnings.
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BONUS STORY
On the final day of March, 1972, Rogelio Gonzales was ordered to report to the office of Joe Dey, commissioner of the PGA Tournament Players Division. Gonzales had been disqualified from the Greater New Orleans Open and his prize money was rescinded after a change to his scorecard was discovered. He was also prohibited from entering the Greater Greensboro Open, the stop on tour after New Orleans. Dey wanted an explanation.
“I want to find out firsthand just what the situation is.”
The Associated Press discovered that Gonzales, a 29-year-old from Medellin, Columbia, was disqualified after completing play in New Orleans where he finished tied for 70th with a score of 295 winning $192.30. The prize money was taken and redistributed in equal shares to all players who finished 51st or lower.
Gonzales signed for a 74 and 71 in the first two rounds, just good enough to make the cut.
“I want to find out firsthand just what the situation is,” Dey said from his New York office.”
Dey, and the Tournament Players Division, kept details secret leaving one to wonder how the change in the scorecard was discovered and what Dey learned, firsthand, in the meeting that he had with Gonzales.
Later that year the PGA lifted his playing privileges. He went on to mentor and teach in his native Columbia and counts the Villegas brothers (Camilo and Manuel) amongst his students.
The Tour Backspin Show with our guests Jim McLean and Craig Welty has been unlocked for all subscribers. Want to get podcasts two weeks early? Upgrade to a premium subscription today to listen early. We talk about Craig’s dad, Carl Welty, and about how he used video to study the golf swing. Listen HERE.
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WHAT HOLE IS IT?
Are you on the leader board?
Congratulations to James Deaton who correctly identified #17 at Harbour Town Golf Links, in Hilton Head, SC, in last week’s WHAT HOLE IS IT? contest. James beat out nine other correct answers in the random drawing and a prize pack is on its way to him. Submit your answer for this week and get yourself into the race for the Herbert C. Leeds Trophy, our new perpetual trophy for the annual winner.
Get Ready For Grill Season. Stock Up On Rub With Love.
PGA TOUR Wrap-Up | RBC Heritage
“Scottie Scheffler is a machine”
—Steve Sands, Golf Channel during the final holes of the RBC Heritage.
A deluge late on Sunday afternoon forced the leaders in the RBC Heritage to return on a chilly Monday morning to complete the fourth round. Scottie Scheffler didn’t care and went about his business in a way that is getting familiar to win his fourth event in five starts.
We shouldn’t let ourselves get too familiar with what we are seeing from Scheffler. This dominance of the tour is something we haven’t seen since the glory days of Tiger Woods and we should enjoy it while we can. One of the most amazing stats to come out of this streak is that he now has 40 consecutive rounds of par or better that dates back to the TOUR Championship in August. Incredible.
We won’t see Scheffler back on tour before the PGA Championship in the middle of May.
Read the tournament recap by Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press HERE.
Watch the top 10 highlights from the PGA TOUR HERE.
Clips You Might Have Missed
Max Homa eagle chip.
Justin Thomas and Dottie Pepper found something to criticize Scottie Scheffler about.
Did they work this out the night before?
You might have missed this clip because it happened Monday morning.
Good use of the new technology, CBS.
Tour Backspin Quiz | Greater New Orleans Open Trivia
Who ended Gary Player’s streak of consecutive tournament wins at three in New Orleans? What year did he do it?
Scroll down for answer
Swing Like a Pro
From the Carl Welty library, Gary Player’s swing. Everytime I worked with Carl, he would put a Gary Player video on for me to emulate.
Tip From Tony Lema*
Audio excerpts from the book Champagne Tony’s Golf Tips by Tony Lema with Bud Harvey.
*AI generated voice
Blind Shot
Click for something fun. 👀
James Colgan of Golf.com goes deep into the Masters TV ratings plunge.
This would be like stealing from the mob. Alex Myers of Golf Digest tells the story of a former Augusta National employee who stole millions in memorabilia and merchandise from the club.
Garry Smits of the Florida Times-Union writes in Golfweek about 15-year-old Miles Russell who finished in a tie for 20th place at the Korn Ferry Tour Lecom Suncoast Classic. He is the youngest player to post a top-20 finish in Korn Ferry Tour history.
Tour Backspin Music Clip
This was all over the radio airwaves back in 1972. Do you know all the words?
Uncorked, The Life and Times of Champagne Tony Lema tells the story of one of the tour’s biggest stars in the mid-1960s. A fascinating glimpse into the traveling caravan that was the PGA TOUR during an era where the fields were full of “Mad Men” era personalities. From a hardscrabble youth spent on the “wrong side of the tracks” in the Oakland suburb of San Leandro, to the temptations of Elko, Nevada, to the bright lights of the PGA TOUR, Uncorked tells a story of determination, redemption and, above all else, a love story that documents how Betty, Tony’s new wife, provided the direction and motivation for him to become a top star. Order on Amazon.
WHAT IS HIP?
These women were definitely hip in 1972. (Photos: Golf Digest / Image: Tour Backspin)
WE GOT MAIL
Hello, again, Larry;
Thank you for the prize shirt. It's nice.
Owen M.
Send us your thoughts.
Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
Lon Hinkle earned his first PGA TOUR victory at the 1978 New Orleans Open with a birdie at the final hole to beat Fuzzy Zoeller and Gibby Gilbert by one stroke and in the process he ended Gary Player’s consecutive win streak at three.
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Final Thoughts
Glad those putters come with a free grained vinyl head cover.
That 280-pound guy Nicklaus complained about in this week’s feature story is hilarious.