SAN FRANCISCO - June 19, 1966
The Sports Time Traveler is here virtually at the Olympic Club in San Francisco to experience the 1966 U.S. Open. The final round begins today. But it’s already been an exhilarating experience following the big names (including the big names that people here in this time don’t know yet).
Let’s meet them.
Here’s Johnny!
The first thrill for me was seeing Johnny Miller’s name in the newspapers before the tournament began.
19-year-old Johnny Miller has just completed his freshman year of college at Brigham Young University. He grew up right here in San Francisco, and learned to play golf on this very course.
Miller had qualified for the U.S. Open qualifier on May 23rd by beating Chick Evans in a sudden death playoff in a local qualifier in Salt Lake City, as reported by the Deseret News.
WAIT! WHAT? Chick Evans?
Only hard core golf historians would recognize the name Chick Evans. The 75-year-old Evans was one of the greatest American golfers in the early 20th century, and remains paired with Bobby Jones as the only two players ever to win both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur in the same year.
Evans had turned the trick in 1916, and now Johnny Miller had just spoiled Evans dream of competing in the U.S. Open 50 years after he had won it.
The Open Ride Continues for Miller
On June 8th, Johnny played in the U.S. Open qualifier right here at Olympic. As reported in the San Francisco Examiner, Miller scored a 143, good enough for 3rd place, and a ticket to tee it up with the biggest names in golf in the opening round of the U.S. Open in what would be Miller’s first ever professional golf tournament (he would be competing as an amateur).
Miller Encounters the Golden Bear
The fairy tale got even better for Johnny Miller before the U.S. Open even started. The next day after the qualifier, Miller played a practice round with Jack Nicklaus. Jack is one of the heavy favorites, and has already won 4 majors, including the 1962 U.S. Open in a playoff over Arnold Palmer.
Now here’s where it gets unreal. In his first time playing against Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller went on a hot streak and birdied the 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th holes, and wait for it… Miller beat Nicklaus!
Nelson Cullenward followed the pair and reported this in the June 10th San Francisco Examiner:
The tournament was still almost a week away from getting started, and already I was enthralled.
It got better yet!
Bantam Ben
At the other end of the age spectrum of the players in the field for the U.S. Open was the legendary Ben Hogan, age 53, and the oldest man in the tournament. Hogan also had the distinction of being the only man in the field who didn’t actually qualify for the tournament. As far as anyone knows, it’s the first time the USGA has ever extended a special exemption to a golfer to play in the U.S. Open.
Here in 1966, Ben Hogan is the only 4-time winner of the U.S. Open. Since 1962, he has declined to play in qualifiers for the U.S. Open because his damaged legs from a near fatal 1949 automobile accident severely limit his ability to play. And it can be assumed he also felt that a 4-time champion shouldn’t have to play in qualifiers.
For these reasons, Hogan has not played in the U.S. Open in 5 years. But this year, the USGA gave him a special exemption, the only one ever. Perhaps it was because they couldn’t resist the nostalgic return of Hogan to the Olympic Club, where he narrowly lost a 5th U.S. Open championship in a famous 18 hole playoff 11 years ago to Jack Fleck. Fleck is back as well, having qualified like everyone else.
Hogan however, is not here for a ceremonial walk along the fairways. He intends to win. He told Roger Williams in the June 10 San Francisco Examiner:
What about Slammin’ Sammy?
Hogan’s special exemption actually drew the ire of the King, Arnold Palmer. Leo H. Peterson in a UPI article on June 10th quoted Palmer:
The one major difference between the two giants, Hogan and Snead, is that Slammin’ Sammy, while winning 7 majors, has never won the U.S. Open, losing famously in several heartbreaking near misses.
Sam Snead did try, but failed to qualify for the 1966 U.S. Open, ending the longest streak of consecutive U.S. Open appearances (25) for any golfer up to this time. Sam Snead had played in every U.S. Open contested from 1938 to 1965. And at age 53, he had won a PGA tournament in 1965, the oldest player ever to do so.
It would have been nice to see both Sam Snead and Ben Hogan at Olympic, but it wasn’t to be.
Joe DiMaggio
Okay, here’s a name you weren’t expecting in this article. But Joltin’ Joe is a San Francisco native, and he was on hand to watch the practice rounds on Tuesday, June 14th. He was looking dapper as ever at age 51 as you can see in this photo that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle:
Perhaps stimulated by seeing DiMaggio on the course, 1964 PGA Champion Bobby Nichols described the rough here at the Olympic Club to Art Rosenbaum of the San Francisco Chronicle in baseball terms, “It’s ridiculous. It’s like letting Yankee Stadium grow knee deep weeds in the outfield for the World Series.”
The Favorites
Of course, all the top players in the world are here.
The front page of the San Francisco Chronicle sports section shared the Las Vegas odds to win the U.S. Open:
4.5 to 1 - Jack Nicklaus
5 to 1 - Arnold Palmer
6 to 1 - Doug Sanders and Tony Lema
12 to 1 - Gene Littler
15 to 1 - Gary Player, Billy Casper, Dave Marr and Gay Brewer
It’s no surprise to find Jack and Arnie at the top of that list. They have dominated the majors so far in this decade.
Arnie has finished in the top 2 in 12 of the 25 majors since 1960. That’s a staggering stat. Just think about it for a moment.
And now for a statistic that will help explain why Arnie is known as The King here in 1966. In our time, Tiger Woods has never had a 25 major stretch like that.
Jack has finished in the top 2 in 9 of the last 17 majors played, going back to 1962, when he made his 1st appearance in a major.
By comparison, Gary Player, the 3rd member of what is commonly called, “The Big 3” here in 1966, has only finished in the top 2 in 5 majors since 1960. It’s a little surprising that Player is only 15 to 1 to win since he is the defending U.S. Open champion, but here in 1966, Player has started the year in a slump and in outside of the top 10 money leaders.
But Gary Player does have a distinction that neither Jack nor Arnie have. Player is the only member of “The Big 3” to have captured the career Grand Slam, which he completed when he won the U.S. Open last year at age 29, becoming just the third player with this honor after Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan.
With the Big 3 plus Hogan in the field, one reporter called this the greatest field in the history of the U.S. Open.
The Future Famous
Another group of players that have made the field of 151 golfers for the U.S. Open generate no excitement to almost anyone outside their own family and friends. These include future multiple U.S. Open winners - Lee Trevino and Hale Irwin.
Lee Trevino
26-year-old ex-Marine Lee Trevino is currently an assistant club pro at Horizon Hills in El Paso, TX, and plays the mini-tour golf in the southwest. On June 6th, the El Paso Post reported that Trevino had finished in 3rd place in the Conrad Hilton golf tournament in New Mexico, for which Lee pocketed $450.
Two days later the Fort-Worth Star Telegram reported on the results of the Texas sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open. Four spots were up for grabs. On the very first hole, Trevino holed a 60 foot putt. And on the 15th hole of the 2nd and final round, he hit the flagstick on the par 3 15th hole and nearly had a hole-in-one. Those 2 shots helped Lee Trevino qualify by a single stroke.
In 1st place in the Texas sectional qualifier was long time tour pro Don January, a winner of 4 PGA events so far in his career. 2nd place went to Rives McBee. And tied for 3rd with Lee Trevino, and just 1 shot ahead of 5th place, was another amateur Ras Allen.
By a single stroke, Lee Trevino had earned a spot to play in his first major golf tournament.
Hale Irwin
20-year-old University of Colorado student Hale Irwin, who just completed his sophomore year, won the Colorado sectional qualifier for the U.S. Open by 3 shots as reported by the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph on June 7th.
Hale Irwin was also an All Big 8 defensive back in the prior football season in 1965.
In qualifying to compete in the 1966 U.S. Open, Hale Irwin gained the distinction of being the only All Conference football player across any college sports conference to qualify for the U.S. Open in the prior year.
NOTE From The Sports Time Traveler
This feat by Hale Irwin was not mentioned in any of the newspapers in 1966 that I could find. In addition, Irwin went on the repeat as an All Big 8 defensive back in the 1966 season.
Now back to 1966.
The Opening Rounds
One of the big stories in the 1st round on June 16th was that Ben Hogan outplayed Jack Fleck soundly, besting him by 7 shots, and thereby getting a tiny bit of redemption for his playoff loss here to Fleck in 1955.
Also, by shooting a 72, Ben Hogan found himself high up on the leaderboard in a tie for 16th place. Hogan was just 1 shot back of Arnie and Jack.
Reporters were in awe of Hogan’s play from tee to green. Here’s how Glenn Dickey of the San Francisco Chronicle described his play on the tees and fairways:
But at nearly 54 years old, and with eyes that are damaged from his car accident, Ben Hogan can’t putt. Hogan only required 39 shots from tee to green, but he took 33 putts.
Here’s how Dickey described Hogan’s horrors on the green:
Hogan is also known for chain smoking and being a man few words. An AP article that ran in the the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that Hogan smoked 21 cigarettes and spoke 41 words during his round of 72 strokes.
The AP also noted in reference to Ben’s shaky putting, “had he been a bit luckier, he could have had the lead.”
The first round lead belonged to a virtually unknown club pro from Tacoma, Al Mengert, who shot a 3 under par 67. Mengert who said he only plays 3 times a week, credited his mental buildup for the tournament for his success.
For San Francisco area golf fans, the big story of the day was the local boy, 19-year-old Johnny Miller. Johnny shot an even par 70 good for a tie for 5th place.
Nels Cullenward of the San Francisco Examiner wrote a touching story about Miller’s determination to be walking the course at the Olympic Club inside the ropes this year, “If Johnny hadn’t played, the San Francisco lad fully intended to caddy for someone who was.”
In fact, before he did qualify to play, Miller had a caddy position lined up.
He told Cullenward his goal for the week is to be low amateur. He’s off to a great start, as he’s 3 shots ahead of the nearest amateur Bob Murphy.
LEADERS AFTER ROUND 1:
67 - Al Mengert
68 - Gene Littler, Don Massengale
69 - Billy Casper
70 - Johnny Miller, Kel Nagle, Phil Rodgers, Doug Sanders
71 - Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tony Lema and 4 others
72 - Ben Hogan, Dave Hill and 7 others
Round 2
The King, Arnold Palmer, asserted his command in firing a 4 under 66 on Friday to move into a tie for the lead with Billy Casper at 3 under par 137 for 36 holes.
It could have been even better. Arnie could have broken the Olympic Club course record and equaled the U.S. Open record of 64 had he not missed 4-footers on both 17 and 18.
While Arnie missed out on a record round, another unknown player did not. Rives McBee shot a 64.
This is the same McBee who qualified for the U.S. Open in the Texas sectional finishing a shot ahead of Lee Trevino.
Rives McBee is now the co-holder of the lowest score ever posted in a single round at any U.S. Open up to this time.
McBee ended the day tied for 2nd place at even par 140.
First day leader Al Mengert ballooned to a 77 for a 2 day total of 144 putting him 7 shots off the lead.
Other Big Names Lurking
One of the biggest current names in 1966, and one of the biggest future names in golf, Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller will be paired together in Saturday’s 3rd round. That’s because they ended Friday tied at 2 over 142, good for 5th place.
Art Rosenbaum asked Jonny Miller about what it would be like playing with Jack Nicklaus on Saturday in the U.S. Open, “He won’t bother me. But the crowd will.”
Finally, Ben Hogan shot 73 on the 2nd day for a 2 day score of 5 over 145, keeping him still in the hunt, although 8 shots behind the leaders.
The Cut Line
The cut line was as 152 (+12).
The biggest name to miss the cut was the 1955 champion Jack Fleck.
But making the cut were two unexpected names - Lee Trevino and Hale Irwin. Trevino was safely in at 147. Irwin was 2 shots inside the cut at 150.
LEADERS AFTER ROUND 2:
-3 Arnold Palmer and Billy Casper
EVEN Rives McBee and Phil Rodgers
+2 Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller
+3 Julius Boros, Kel Nagle and Dave Hill
+4 Al Mengert and Bob Goalby
+5 Ben Hogan, Doug Sanders, Tony Lema, Dave Marr, Bob Murphy and 2 others
Round 3
On moving day, The King had an up and down round, but finished with a 3 shot lead on Saturday, carding an even par 70. His playing partner, Billy Casper, who started the day tied with Palmer, could only manage a 73.
Casper told Bill Shirley of the Los Angeles Times, “After the way I played today, I’m just happy to be playing tomorrow.”
Playing better than anyone else on Saturday was Dave Marr who had the low round of the day at 68 to put himself into a 4th place tie with Phil Rodgers, 6 shots back of Palmer.
Rives McBee shot 10 strokes worse than his record round of 64 on Friday, but is still just 7 shots off the lead and alone in 6th.
One of the big stories of the day was the USGA. Implementing new speed of play rules, the golfers averaged just 3 and a half hours for their rounds. The normally slow playing Nicklaus traversed the course in just 3 hours and 25 minutes.
The USGA calls it “The Continuous Putting Rule,” and it was partially explained by Dwayne Netland in the June 5th Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
The rule requires the first player who putts, to continue putting, until their ball is in the cup, before the next player putts.
Benefitting from the new rule, Jack Nicklaus, with a speedy 69, kept himself in contention, moving into 3rd place and just 4 shots behind Arnold Palmer.
The New York Times’ Lincoln A. Werden noted that Jack’s playing partner, Johnny Miller, “proved a big favorite with the crowd.” as he played in front of “his first big gallery.” Miller told Werden, “I certainly enjoyed playing with Nicklaus. But I’d hit a good shot, then a bad one, and never could concentrate.”
Miller’s inability to concentrate may explain what turned out to be his worst round of the week so far. In his first head-to-head battle against Jack Nicklaus in tournament play, Jack beat Johnny 69 to 74.
Prescott Sullivan captured the moment that Nicklaus and Miller finished the round in his column in the June 19th San Francisco Examiner:
To finish his June 19th column, Prescott Sullivan wrote this:
NOTE from The Sports Time Traveler
What an incredibly prescient line from Prescott Sullivan predicting Johnny Miller “when he’s 26, could have made it, too.” Precisely 7 years later, at age 26, in 1973, Johnny Miller will fire his major final round record 63 to win the U.S. Open and begin one of the greatest runs in golf history over the next 2 years.
Now back to 1966.
Roger Williams of the San Francisco Chronicle spoke to Nicklaus after the round and got this precious quote from the 26-year-old Jack:
Arthur Daley of the New York Times heard the story a little bit differently. He wrote about it in his June 20th column:
With a 74, Johnny Miller is now 9 shots back, but still 4 shots ahead of Bob Murphy and 5 shots ahead of Deane Beman in the race for low amateur.
Werden noted that the ovation Johnny Miller received on the 18th hole, “was equal that given to Ben Hogan.”
Ben Hogan ballooned to 76, dropping him to 14 shots back, and in a tie for 22nd place. Ben’s out of contention for the dream of a 5th U.S. Open title. Werden noted that Hogan’s goal now is to finish in the top 15, so he can receive an automatic invitation to the 1967 U.S. Open.
Arthur Daley, who writes the celebrated “Sports of the Times” column in The New York Times, was on the course on Saturday following Hogan and had this to say:
LEADERS AFTER ROUND 3:
-3 Arnold Palmer
EVEN Billy Casper
+1 Jack Nicklaus
+3 Dave Marr and Phil Rodgers
+4 Rives McBee
+5 Tony Lema, Al Mengert and Bob Goalby
+6 Johnny Miller
+7 Bobby Nichols and Mason Rudolph
+8 Walter Burkemo
+9 Doug Sanders, Frank Beard, Tommie Aaron, Rod Funseth
+10 Julius Boros, Bob Murphy, Bruce Devlin and 2 others
+11 Ben Hogan, Ken Venturi, Deane Beman and 3 others
The headline in the Santa Ana Register told the big story going into the final round:
The Sports Time Traveler is looking forward to the final round of the 1966 U.S. Open and will report back to you soon.