Slick Greens are Scarier Than Watching "Jaws"

Mac McLendon battles fast greens and his own nerves at the Southern Open in 1976

Nov 17, 2022

Tony Finau has become an absolute stud. He won his third title (three victories in his last seven starts) of 2022 at the Cadence Bank Houston Open. Congratulations, Tony. This week, the PGA TOUR is in Georgia at the Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course) in St. Simons Island for the RSM Classic. This tournament dates back to October of 2010 so we’re going back to a tournament that was played in Georgia in October of 1976 where a player from Alabama fought off nerves and scary-fast greens to win his first individual title on the PGA TOUR at the Southern Open. Scroll down to read.

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Mac McLendon Hits Shot of His Career To Land First Individual Tour Title

Mac McLendon

It is a sunny and mild afternoon on Friday, October 23, 1976, at the Southern Open on the 6,791-yard Green Island Country Club course in Columbus, GA. First round leader Jim Colbert is watching his playing partner Gibby Gilbert putt on the slick 17th hole. The treacherous green was giving the touring pros fits and Colbert watches as Gilbert takes five putts.

“Putting these greens is scarier than watching ‘Jaws,’”

Colbert could feel his pain—he stroked a putt from 25 feet on the 18th green in the first round that rolled past the hole and continued to roll for another 25 feet until it was off the green in the fringe. It took him two more putts to get down and it was the only bogey as he took the first-round lead, by one stroke over Mac McLendon, George Archer, and Hubert Green. The round was played in windy, 40-degree temperatures.

In much better weather conditions for the second-round, Colbert hit a shot out-of-bounds and took a double bogey and had to work hard for a one-over-par 71 that left him two strokes behind the leader, Hubert Green, the defending champion. In between them was Green’s good friend, Mac McLendon. McLendon’s only TOUR victory came in the 1974 Walt Disney World National Team Championship where he was paired with Green.

Jerry McGee was tied with Colbert and commented on the slick greens that contributed to only five players breaking par for the first 36 holes.

“Putting these greens is scarier than watching ‘Jaws,’” McGee said after his round.

The slick and barren greens, especially the 17th hole, produced several four-and-five-putts from the irate pros in Friday’s second round. All the greens were watered twice on Saturday, and while still fast, they were slower than they were on Friday.

“I guess all you can say is I choked.”

Mac McLendon played very steady golf on Saturday recording only one bogey, on the much-maligned 17th hole, to post a 69 and swept past Green into the lead. His 206 three-round total gave him a one-stroke lead over Jerry McGee and Ben Crenshaw. Crenshaw was attempting to run down the absent Jack Nicklaus to take over the top money leading position. He needed a first or second place finish in the Southern to move into the top spot. Green sat one stroke further back at 208.

Mac McLendon spoke about the challenges he faced trying to win his first individual title on the PGA TOUR.

“I’ve put myself in position to win two tournaments this year—Pleasant Valley and Kings Island—and both times I had a terrible last round,” McLendon admitted. “I guess all you can say is I choked.

“I guess I was just trying to win too hard. Then I’d do something wrong, knock myself out of it and, I hate to say it, I’d give up. You can’t do that. You can’t try so hard. You can’t press so hard.

“I hit the best nine iron of my life.”

He did not try too hard, or press too hard, on the front nine in the cool and cloudy weather in the final round. He made the turn with five-stroke lead but then faced several setbacks on the back nine. He bogeyed the 11th hole while Green gained a stroke with his par. He then lost two more shots to Green as he three-putted the 15th hole for a bogey while Green rammed in a 15-foot birdie putt. The lead shrunk another stroke as McLendon bogeyed the dreaded 17th hole.

Green was playing in the group in front of McLendon and McLendon knew he needed a par on the par five 18th hole to win. Fighting off his nerves he navigated his first two shots safely and faced a short iron approach shot as Green watched greenside. McLendon then hit what Green described as a “career shot” to four feet and then knocked in the birdie putt.

“Without a doubt,” McLendon said, “It was the most important shot of my career. And I hit the best nine iron of my life.”

He reflected on the relief on getting his first title when he said, “The players say things, and it gets back to you. You know, like ‘he’s got no guts,’ and ‘he can’t stand the pressure.’ Well now, maybe at last I’ve got my head screwed on straight.”

Hubert Green (left holding trophy) and Mac McLendon (right holding trophy) at the 1974 Walt Disney World National Team Championship

Mac McLendon had to turn down a scholarship from Bear Bryant of Alabama. Scroll down to read our Bonus Story.

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Bonus Story

Mac McLendon during his college days at LSU

Mac McLendon, who attended Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, AL, signed a letter of intent to accept a scholarship to LSU. He then received a phone call that he was sure was some sort of a joke when his mom told him that Bear Bryant, the football coach at Alabama was on the other end of the line.

“Mac,” Coach Bryant said, “I want you to come to the University of Alabama and play collegiate golf.”

McLendon was shocked and replied, “Coach, you don’t even have a golf team at Alabama.”

“I know that,” the legendary coach replied. “But we’re going to get a golf coach and begin a program. And you need to be a part of it. How about a scholarship to play golf at Alabama?”

McLendon had already declined a scholarship offer from Coach Dave Williams at the University of Houston because of the letter of intent he’d signed with LSU.

“Coach, I’ve already accepted a scholarship offer from LSU,” McLendon explained. “And I’ve signed a letter of intent from them.”

Bryant told McLendon that he really wanted him to come to Alabama.

“Coach Bryant, I am overwhelmed by your offer, but I will have to say, ‘no thank you’, I’ve given my word to LSU,” McLendon explained. “I feel my word is my bond, and I will have to honor the commitment I made to LSU and to Coach Harry Taylor at Baton Rouge.”

Bryant then replied, “Son, I won’t lie to you and tell you that I’m not disappointed, because I am. But you have my respect. Your parents raised you the right way. I wish you well at LSU.”

(h/t to Nikki Sepsas, author of Changing Courses and bMetro)