Augusta magic and much, much more from Gary Player!
THE Joburg Open starts right here at Randpark next week but in the meantime it’s the Masters this week in America with seven South Africans in the line-up. And – on the subject of the annual Augusta National showpiece – it was 42 years ago that, coincidentally, a 42-year-old Gary Player wowed the golf world by winning his third Green Jacket following an absolutely storming finish to the Championship.
Actually it was 42 years and seven months ago to be precise because this year’s Masters has been moved from its traditional April slot to this week because of Covid.
In any event, in April 1978 Player (who turned a still remarkably strong and fit 85 on the first of this month!) barely hinted at being a challenger in the early rounds after a pair of level-par 72s, and was lying 10th when the last day started, eight strokes off the lead,
And even after eight holes he had gained only one stroke on the overnight leader, American Hubert Green. But amazingly, Gary then birdied seven of the next 10 holes and finished the round by rolling in a 20-footer from above the cup on the final green. During the last round he overhauled 16 players en route to victory which was achieved with an 11-under-par aggregate of 277, one better than Tom Watson, Green and Rod Funseth.
It was one of golf’s most famous victories and his closing 64 was the lowest final round by a Masters winner. It all added up to a stunning performance by a man who wasn’t getting any younger. He was at the time the oldest man to win the Masters and the legendary golf writer Herbert Warren Wind in his book ‘Following Through’ penned these words: “I very much doubt if anyone with a chance to win has ever played the last nine holes of a Major championship as well as Player did the last nine of the 1978 Masters.” For the record, Gary holed from 25 feet for birdie at the 10th, 15 feet for another at the short, treacherous 12th over Rae’s Creek, on the par-5 13th his eagle putt from 12 feet grazed the cup and stayed out, on the par-5 15th he two putted from 50 feet to pick up another shot, on 16 he coaxed in a slippery 15-footer for a two, and then on the home hole he stroked in his 20-footer for a sixth birdie of the nine and a brilliant inward loop of just 30 strokes.
It seemed things couldn’t get much better but the South African veteran wasn’t finished with his heroics during his trip to the United States in the northern hemisphere spring of 1978 – not by a long shot.
The very next day after donning his third Green Jacket, Player flew across the country to San Diego for the Tournament of Champions at La Costa Golf Club starting on the Thursday of that week. After shooting 70-68 Gary fell ill on day three, evidently through food poisoning, and following a 76 started the last day seven strokes off the lead.
The final round, though, turned out to be almost a replica of the Masters. With the wind gusting, Player birdied four of the first seven holes and was tied for the lead after only nine holes. In the end he could afford to bogey the 18th for a 67 and still win by two strokes from runner-up Andy North. In the course of the last round he overtook leader Seve Ballesteros, who struggled with a 79, and pulled rapidly away from Jack Nicklaus who posted a 77.
So that was two straight wins in two weeks for South Africa’s little man in black. But it didn’t end there. The very next week he captured the Houston Open by one from Andy Bean at Woodlands Golf Club with rounds of 64, 67, 70 and 69 for a 270 total. Player’s succession of victories was the best by a non-American since Bobby Locke in 1947. He started the final round three strokes behind Bean, but Gary’s 69 was four better than Bean’s 73. Crucial birdies at 16 and 17 brought him home and that completed one of the most impressive runs by any South African in any sport in any era.
So, here’s to hoping our boys can emulate the great fighter that was Gary Player in his prime and make an impact in this week’s Masters.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Dylan Frittelli, Justin Harding, former winner Trevor Immelman, Louis Oosthuizen, 2011 champion Charl Schwartzel and Erik van Rooyen will be carrying the Rainbow Nation’s hopes.
Three South Africans have won the Masters – Player (three times), Immelman and Schwartzel. Let’s hope for another win for us at the end of this week.
A big month is ahead of us at Randpark for those who follow big tournament golf. The Masters this week, the Joburg Open right here on Firethorn next week, then it’s the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek seven days later followed by the South African Open at Sun City from December 3-6. May the birdie putts drop for our South African players.
Written by Randpark member Grant Winter.
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