"Somebody Blundered"
Hale Irwin rips the PGA TOUR and NBC after darkness halts a sudden death playoff
It was fun to watch the Honda Classic play out even though it was not a designated event, meaning that it didn’t feature the game’s biggest names (it did not feature a player in the top 15). But this was more about the compelling finish and the inspirational stories that unfolded, than it was about those players not in the field. I can understand if sponsors are not excited about these events, but as a golf fan, I enjoyed the heck out of the final round.
The inspirational stories included Chris Kirk winning after his career was put on hold in 2019 when he went public with his battles against alcoholism and depression. It was his first win in more than seven years. Eric Cole, son of Bobby Cole and Laura Baugh, was trying to win in just his 15th start after graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour last fall. And Monday qualifier Ryan Gerard, a Korn Ferry rookie, finished in fourth place to earn an exemption into this week’s Puerto Rico Open and won $411,600.
Those are some pretty compelling story lines right there. It might take more of the same to attract sponsors and casual fans, though. Be sure to scroll down to the Check It Out section for more on the designated events. You can also see what the PGA TOUR is going to be doing with its “Designated Event Model” that will feature a limited field and no cut HERE. Let us know your thoughts about the Designated Event Model in the comments.
Clip You Might Have Missed
Brutal.
This week the big names are back for the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Invitational presented by Mastercard. This tournament’s DNA dates back to 1966 when it was known as the Florida Citrus Open. In 1979 it became the Bay Hill Citrus Classic when it moved to Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Hertz added its name in 1985 becoming the Hertz Bay Hill Classic. Then, in 1989, it became the Nestle Invitational before becoming the Bay Hill Invitational in 1996 and the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2007. Mastercard added their name in 2012.
We’re going back to 1976 when television was paying more for broadcast rights, and in turn, had demands they made to air the broadcast in the most advantageous time window. That didn’t work out so well at this tournament. Scroll down to learn more.
Rock out to the hits of the bicentennial in this week’s playlist. Listen HERE.
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Congratulations to Dean DiBerardino for going back-to-back, winning two weeks in a row, and correctly answering last week’s WHAT HOLE IS IT? The featured hole was #10 at Friar’s Head in Baiting Hollow, NY. Dean beat out two other players who came up with the correct answer. Check out the new 2023 leader board and scroll down for your chance to win in this week’s WHAT HOLE IS IT?
We’re playing 1976 PGA TOUR Trivia this week in the Tour Backspin Quiz. Scroll down to play.
Hale Irwin is sporting the latest fashions from Jantzen in this week’s vintage ad. Scroll down to view.
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Larry Baush
A Contingent of Pacific Northwest Players Comes Up Short Against a Former Colorado Football Player
It is Thursday, March 4th, 1976, and an Associated Press article that ran in papers that day declared that Gary Player had just about adjusted to playing on the PGA TOUR. Player played in only about a third of the tournaments on the tour schedule due to his commitment to play in tournaments all over the world. All that travel required some time to adjust to conditions in the U.S. and the AP story declared that Player was ready to contend. He would try to prove this at the Florida Citrus Open that began on that same Thursday at the Rio Pinor Country Club in Orlando, FL.
“I think that it’s been tougher for me to play this tour than any man,” Player declared in the AP article that pointed out he had been back on tour for two weeks. “Just about the time I get into a good groove, it’s time to leave again.”
Player may have been ready, but he would have to contend with three players from the Pacific Northwest and a former University of Colorado football player if he was going to prevail in the Citrus.
In the first round, Player did not live up to the expectations set in the AP story. He shot a 75 as did defending champion Lee Trevino.
“I asked my wife to take a look and she agreed.”
Mike Hill, used a putting tip from his non-golfing wife, Sandra, to shoot a 65 in the Monday qualifier, and then matched that score in the first round. His 65 was matched by Mark Hayes, a 27-year-old in his third full year on the tour and both players were tied for the lead.
“I hadn’t been putting very well of late,” Hill explained after his round. “I felt my left hand breaking. I asked my wife to take a look and she agreed. My wife isn’t what you’d call a golfer, but she can tell what I’m doing if I tell her what to look for, so I firmed up my left hand.”
Hill putted well using the tip, but it was actually Hayes who was red-hot on the greens. Hayes had eight birdies and one bogey and he made five long birdie putts—two over thirty feet.
Right behind Hill and Hayes was Gay Brewer, who would be turning 45-years-old in a couple of weeks, shot a 66. Kermit Zarley, George Burns, Pat Fitzsimons, and John Schroeder were all bunched at 67.
Zarley was from Seattle, WA, while Fitzsimmons was from Portland, OR. Rick Acton of Kirkland, WA, a professional baseball player who pitched for the University of Washington Huskies and signed a contract with the Texas Rangers before blowing out his arm, shot a first round 68 and sat three strokes off the lead. These were the players from the Pacific Northwest. The former University of Colorado football player was Hale Irwin who shot a first round 74, tied with Arnold Palmer.
“I’ve played poorly for about two years now and, after my operation last October, I didn’t know if I’d ever play golf again.”
Zarley had a neck operation in October of 1975 and was swinging pain-free for the first time in years.
“I was just glad to shoot in the 60s,” Zarley said to reporters after his round. “I’ve been in a slump for a long time. I’ve played poorly for about two years now and, after my operation last October, I didn’t know if I’d ever play golf again.”
Zarley added a second round 66 on Friday and sat at 133 enjoying a one-shot lead over Brewer and Hayes. Fitzsimons added a second round 70 to sit at 137, four strokes off the lead and tied with Acton who shot a second round 69. Irwin climbed the leader board with his second round 66 for a total of 140, seven strokes behind the leader.
“I’ve broken 60, shot 59, in Brazil in 1974. But I’ve never broken 60 in America.”
Gary Player was able to slip in just under the cut line with a second-round score of 69 for a two-round total of 144. But he was about to put everyone on a 59 watch. In the third round, he blistered the course for a 10-under 62 and leapt up into the top 10. It was the best score of his 20-year PGA TOUR career. He was 8-under-par after 11 holes and, along with everyone else, he began to think about breaking 60, a feat that had never been accomplished on the PGA TOUR.
“It’s one of my ambitions,” Player told reporters. “I’ve broken 60, shot 59, in Brazil in 1974. But I’ve never broken 60 in America. I’d like to do that. I had a chance through 11 holes.”
Hale Irwin continued his good play shooting a 64 for a three-round total of 204. Kermit Zarley teed off after Player completed his round and Irwin was well into his round. He shook off the challenges presented by Player and Irwin shooting a 68 for a total of 201 and held a three-shot lead.
Fitzsimons shot a 71 and fell down the leader board to 208, tied with Acton who also shot a 71. Mike Hill came roaring back from a mediocre second-round with a third-round 67 and a total of 205. It was setting up for an exciting Sunday finish and NBC was scheduled to broadcast the action from 4-6 pm EST.
Irwin applied pressure to Zarley early and often, twice taking the lead. But Zarley answered back dropping an 18-foot birdie on the 71st hole to tie for the lead. He then made a heroic par at the final hole after blasting out of a buried lie in the bunker. The two men were tied and were headed for a playoff.
Despite going past its allotted time, NBC stayed with the action, but the early winter twilight was approaching and the window for finishing the playoff was shrinking. The two players made their way to the 15th hole to begin the playoff. Both made par at the 15th hole and both parred the 16th hole after Zarley made a tricky four-foot putt. And then it was too late, too dark, to finish. Irwin was not happy.
“I don’t care if it fits the TV schedule or not.”
“I wish we could have finished,” Irwin said. “We should have. There’s no reason we couldn’t have finished.”
He was upset at the late starting time to accommodate the NBC broadcast.
“Somebody blundered,” he declared. “At this time of year, we just don’t have that much daylight. We should have started earlier, used two tees if we had to. I don’t care if it fits the TV schedule or not. We can only accommodate them so much.”
The two players would have to spend an uneasy night and return to the course to complete their playoff the next morning.
Fitzsimons and Acton finished with 71s for a total of 279 and won $3,100 each while Player finished at 280 with a final round of 74 and won $2,012.
“Like Hale said, I got into the playoff with my putter and then lost with it.”
On Monday, Irwin and Zarley resumed their playoff. Zarley had a chance to win on the fifth extra hole but missed a three-foot putt. On the sixth playoff hole, Zarley again missed a three-footer, this time for par. Irwin captured the title, and the first-place check of $40,000, with a routine par. Zarley took home $22,800 for his second-place finish, but he was bitterly disappointed.
“I had Hale in a box, and I should have won the tournament then,” he said. “Like Hale said, I got into the playoff with my putter and then lost with it.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the finish, the former University of Colorado football player held off the Pacific Northwest contingent to win the Florida Citrus Open.
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Bonus Story
As a young teenager, I caddied for Carl Welty in the Lilac City Open in Spokane, WA,. We stayed at the Holiday Inn on the South Hill not far from Downriver Golf Course where the tournament was held. Kids under a certain age stayed free, and Carl had me slouch down in the seat while we checked-in to get the free rate. The motel also featured a chipping green on the inside courtyard. I got to mess around on that and play practice rounds with Carl and several other pros from the region. I just loved the event and I got to meet some of the finest pros in the Pacific Northwest PGA section.
One of those pros was Rick Acton. We went out to dinner with Rick to the Longhorn Steak House by the airport. Over the course of dinner I listened raptly to first the discussions about golf, and then Rick regaled us with stories from his baseball days. It was a very special night.
I also ran into Rick when he was the head pro at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, WA, after a bad auto accident knocked him off the tour. He won numerous sectional awards for his work at Sahalee. He was the consummate gentleman. He also made an impact on the Champions Tour.
Rick died much too soon, a day after his 54th birthday on January 6th, 2000 of liver cancer.
WHAT HOLE IS IT?
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Tour Backspin Quiz |1976 PGA TOUR Trivia
Who won the 1976 Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average at 47-years-old?
Answer below
Check it Out
The Fried Egg has an interesting take on how to keep standings for designated events on the PGA TOUR. Give a listen HERE.
Swing Like a Pro
Tony Lema with a wedge.
Blind Shot
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Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
Don January won the 1976 Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average. He turned 42-years-old on November, 20th.
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Final Thoughts
Hitting out of the water does not look like it is worth the effort to roll up your pants.
How old do you think Eric Cole was before he could beat his mother on the golf course? How about his father?