Stadler Gets First Win While The World is Focused on Augusta
Craig Stadler wins his first event in "Second Tour" event at Hattiesburg
The late rally by the International team on the weekend at the President’s Cup was nice to see, but this event needs to be more competitive to make it enduring. It was fun to watch Tom Kim become a breakout star, though. Maybe that mixed format with women being added to the teams could do the trick. If you look at the LPGA, a good argument could be made that the addition of women from that tour could even up the talent gap. What do you think? Let us know in our poll.
This week, the PGA TOUR is in the state of Mississippi for the Sanderson Farms Championship. This tournament has roots that go back to the Magnolia Classic first played in 1968. We’re backspinning to 1978 when Craig Stadler won his first tournament. Because the Magnolia was an unofficial “Second Tour” event played opposite of the Masters, the money Stadler won was official, but the title wasn’t. Stadler would add the Masters to his list of wins in 1982.
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Stadler’s Record Setting Round Captures Magnolia Classic
Craig Stadler in 1982 (photo: Sports illustrated)
It is Wednesday, April 5th, 1978, and it’s pro-am day at the Magnolia Golf Classic played at the 6,731-yard Hattiesburg Country Club. The Magnolia Classic is a “Second Tour” event played opposite of the Masters and is the only PGA TOUR event in the state of Mississippi.
It might have been a second-tier event, but the pro-am field included top-tier talent including Charlie Pride, Archie Manning, Dale Robertson, Ray Guy, and Walter Peyton. The crowd for the pro-am event included many school aged kids playing hooky and collecting autographs.
Craig Stadler warmed up in the pro-am by shooting a 64, which was tied by Homero Blancas for low round of the day.
In the first round, Bob Eastwood, who at one time played out of Hattiesburg, but now played out of Stockton, CA, shot a first round 65. He only required 22 putts in his round. Tied with Eastwood was D.A. Weibring, a tour rookie who aced the 199-yard seventh hole, and Fred Marti. Bill Caffee, in his second year on the tour, sat at 66 while a gaggle of players, including Craig Stadler were at 67. A total of 66 players in the field of 152 shot par or better.
“They told me it was really a lot of fun to be in the lead. And, I’ll tell you it’s great.”
The field continued to take the Hattisburg course apart in the second round. Rookie Don Bringham rode a red-hot putter to tie the tournament record of 63 and took a 1-shot lead over Craig Stadler, who shot a 67, and Bill Caffee, who shot a 66.
Bringham was ecstatic over his performance on the greens. “That was my best putting round ever—without question,” he said after his round. He made seven birdies on his round and was making the most of a rare opportunity. In 11 attempts at Monday qualifying, he had only gained entry into one tournament before the Magnolia, the Bob Hope Desert Classic, and he missed the cut there. So, he was going to enjoy this lead.
“They told me it was really a lot of fun to be in the lead,” he said. “And, I’ll tell you it’s great.”
The weather remained good as the third round began on Saturday. The field bunched up and by the end of the day, there were six players tied for the lead and 35 players were within five strokes of the lead.
The leaders at 202 included Homero Blancas who shot a third round 65, as did Bruce Fleisher. Craig Stadler shot a 72 and sat at 203, tied with Bringham. It was setting up for a race to the finish on Sunday.
Craig Stadler, in his third year on tour, was looking for his first victory and played aggressively shooting a 63 in the final round. His 63 tied the tournament record and his total of 268 also tied the tournament record. He then had to sweat out Bruce Fleisher’s 17-foot birdie attempt at the final hole that would have tied him. Fleisher’s putt finished three inches from the cup.
Stadler won $7,000, which counted towards his official money earnings for the year, but because this was “second tour” event, he was not credited with an official win. Even so, Stadler was just as happy with the win as Gary Player was some 500 miles away in Augusta, GA, slipping on his third green jacket as champion of the Masters. Stadler would win his own green jacket at the Masters in 1982.
Craig Stadler and wife Sue with his walrus headcovers (photo: Sports Illustrated)
This week’s Bonus Story is about an assassination attempt—at the Masters! Scroll down to see.
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Larry Baush
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Tour Backspin Quiz | Rank the Purse
Rank the purse size, from smallest to largest, from the 1978 PGA TOUR
Greater Greensboro Open
Byron Nelson Golf Classic
Colgate Hall of Fame Classic
Western Open
Answers below
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(Second in a four part series, click HERE for part one )
Bonus Story
While they played the third round of the Magnolia Golf Classic in Hattiesburg, Jack Nicklaus was preparing to play his third round at the Masters. His preparation included having uniformed state troopers, FBI agents and plainclothes detectives joining him for his own protection.
Early Saturday morning a phone call was received that informed tournament organizers that Nicklaus would be killed during Sunday’s final round. Nicklaus had police protection during both Saturday’s third round and Sunday’s final round.
Arnold Palmer also had police protection, not because he was also threatened, but as a decoy measure.
Masters officials pleaded with Barbara Nicklaus to not follow her husband on Sunday, but she was not persuaded. She followed her husband during the final round.
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Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
Byron Nelson Golf Classic ($200,000
Western Open ($225,000)
Greater Greensboro Open ($240,000)
Colgate Hall of Fame Classic ($250,000)
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