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00:12Welcome in to another edition of Who's Number One, I'm Trey Wingo.
00:15You know, when players start whining about the difficult setups on a U.S. Open golf course,
00:20generally they accuse the U.S. Golf Association of deliberately trying to embarrass them,
00:25to which the U.S.GA haughtily replies, our intent is not to embarrass the best players,
00:31it is merely to identify them. In other words, shut up and play.
00:35Keeping that definition in mind, let's identify the 20 best men's U.S. Opens of all time.
00:45Who could forget Ed Fergal, Ed Baltasar.
00:49The great Ed Fergal. Who is Ed Fergal?
00:51That's what they were asking then, because 54, it was just the coming of age to the U.S. Open,
00:56because it was the first one that was televised.
01:00Slammin' Sammy Sneed was there, along with Ben Hogan,
01:03but they were all chasing 37-year-old Ed Fergal,
01:06whose left elbow was bent and withered from a childhood accident.
01:11The thing about Ed Fergal is that he could...
01:14You know, a guy who couldn't bend his left arm straight, dominate them?
01:19He couldn't straighten his left arm.
01:22It's important to keep the left arm straight through the backswing,
01:25but you know, the important thing is making contact,
01:27and Ed Fergal made great contact that week.
01:31A gallery of almost 40,000 saw Fergal's 4 over par 284 edge out Gene Littler,
01:38who missed an 8-foot putt to tie on the final hole.
01:41Golf said, look at us, and here's their poster boy, Ed Fergal.
01:541930, Interlochen Country Club, Minneapolis.
01:57Bobby Jones had already won the British Open and the British Amateur,
02:01and he was shooting to try and become the first person to ever win the Grand Slam.
02:06In the golden age of sport, Jones was the biggest sports celebrity in America,
02:10even bigger at one point than Babe Ruth.
02:13Accorded a ticker tape parade for...
02:15Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey, there's no way he was bigger than them.
02:21Winning the two major British championships,
02:23Bobby Jones struggled to live up to his reputation and to expectations.
02:28The closer he got to the Grand Slam, the more pressure there was on him.
02:31He didn't eat very much.
02:33He would have sleepless nights.
02:35He would lose tremendous amounts of weight on the golf course.
02:38They're short alone. He don't care.
02:39He wants to make every one of them.
02:44Jones' five-stroke lead had shrunk to one by the final hole,
02:47where he faced a long and daunting putt.
02:50Forty feet up the slope, you know, the tournament was still in balance.
02:56The issue was still in doubt.
03:02And he makes this putt.
03:03People go crazy, and he just walked up and got it out of the hole.
03:06I mean, extremely cool.
03:08He'd only play one more tournament.
03:10He wins the U.S. Open at Interlochen,
03:12and then goes on to win the U.S. Amateur and hangs it up at 28.
03:16He retires at 28.
03:18The magic of 1930 and Bobby Jones, I think,
03:20is told in the inability of any golfer since
03:24to be able to put together a Grand Slam.
03:28It's 18.
03:311987, Olympic Club, San Francisco.
03:33It was a great battle coming down the final nine holes.
03:37Scott Simpson was battling Tom Watson,
03:40a proven major champion winner.
03:42It wasn't a guy faltering like it is so often.
03:45Watson and Simpson were just going mano a mano back and forth.
03:49There was leaderboard gridlock early in the final round,
03:52with nine players bunched within one shot.
03:54But by the 13th, all save Tom Watson and Scott Simpson had fallen away.
04:03Scott Simpson was one of those players
04:05who just quietly lurked around the leaderboard,
04:08didn't have a lot of flash.
04:09And the plot thickens even more.
04:11Scott Simpson came in and didn't have a bunch of one-liners
04:14and snappy stories, and he was a nice, quiet, really good guy.
04:17Scott is definitely from the school of the soft-spoken.
04:20Tom Watson was a big media superstar.
04:22The media thought he was going to win.
04:23The media wanted him to win.
04:25Oh, boy.
04:27At the 15th, Simpson drained a long putt,
04:30his second straight bird.
04:33He has hold it to take the lead in the U.S. Open.
04:36Playing one hole behind Simpson,
04:38Watson answered with a birdie of his own.
04:42Yes!
04:44Within seconds of each other,
04:45Scott Simpson and Tom Watson chase each other to two under par.
04:49Simpson for a birdie on 16 that would give him the lead.
04:52Simpson, still sizzling, sank his third straight.
04:55Oh, boy.
04:55Scott Simpson.
04:57Oh, man, what a birdie.
04:59At the age of 31,
05:00maybe on his way to the U.S. Open Championship.
05:04For him, under those conditions at a U.S. Open,
05:06to birdie three holes in a row,
05:08Tom Watson looking at you.
05:11When Watson's long putt to tie missed on the 72nd hole,
05:15Simpson was the U.S. Open champ by a stroke
05:17with his three under par, 277.
05:20I made a lot of really good putts,
05:22and I'm just really thankful to the Lord just to be here.
05:2817.
05:3017.
05:321971, Marion, Jack Nicklaus, and Lee Trevino
05:35had battled to a tie after 72 holes.
05:40What a birdie!
05:41The colorful Trevino had a surprise for Jack the next day.
05:44They got to the first tee in the playoff day,
05:47and Lee reaches in his bag,
05:50gets this rubber snake out there,
05:52and says,
05:52Hey, Jack,
05:52and flips it to him.
05:54I'm sure Jack's heart flipped about three times,
05:57but the crowd, you know,
05:58got a great kick out of him.
05:59Of course, Lee did, too.
06:04Trevino's practical joke
06:05might have had a carryover effect.
06:07Jack went for the green in two,
06:08but he's in a bunker.
06:11Nicklaus hit into bunkers at two and three,
06:13and quickly was two shots behind.
06:15I says,
06:15He may be choking worse than I am.
06:19Trevino never relinquished the lead
06:21en route to a 68.
06:22Nicklaus shot 71.
06:27There it is.
06:27The United States Open champion,
06:29Lee Preston.
06:30He's pretty hard-pressed
06:31to find a better shot maker
06:33that is contemporary of mine.
06:35We covered him on this channel.
06:37I like Pete Trevino.
06:38He had a lot of color.
06:40He had a lot of flair.
06:41But he had a lot of fun, too.
06:46And I think he's the best shot maker
06:47in my era.
06:5116, 16, 16.
06:53Trying to watch the 86 Open
06:55was like trying to watch a five-ring circus.
06:57It was chaos.
06:58Coming down the stretch
06:59of that major championship,
07:00there might have been a dozen guys
07:02that could have won that tournament.
07:041986, Shinnecock Hills,
07:06Southampton, New York.
07:08The young Lions lead the way.
07:10Payne Stewart was in there.
07:12Chip Beck was in there.
07:13Randy Watkins played a great last round.
07:18Greg Norman.
07:19Everyone was just assuming
07:21at the time
07:22that this dude's gonna
07:23whoop up on everybody.
07:24Raymond Floyd was,
07:26you know,
07:27already 43 years old
07:28and certainly wasn't considered
07:30a great factor for that event.
07:33During the final round,
07:35nine players shared the lead.
07:37At the 11th hole,
07:39Raymond Floyd launched his charge.
07:48All of a sudden,
07:48Raymond Floyd,
07:49who just
08:06up-thought everybody else
08:08coming down the stretch.
08:09Made the right shots,
08:10played to the right areas.
08:12While the young guns fell back,
08:16the steady Floyd
08:17parred 17 and 18,
08:19finishing with a 66
08:21and a two-shot win.
08:22He became the oldest
08:24U.S. champion to date.
08:26I guess patience
08:27and hard work
08:29and waiting,
08:30I guess it pays off.
08:391955 Olympic Club,
08:40San Francisco.
08:42Funny things happen at Olympic
08:43and funny things happen in 1955.
08:45Ben Hogan was the greatest
08:47golfer in the world.
08:48And the ball slides
08:49just below the hole.
08:50No one has ever won
08:51five U.S. Opens.
08:53This would have been
08:54Hogan's fifth.
08:54Hogan has scored a 287
08:56and it appears that he has
08:57clinched the Open Championship
08:59for the fifth time
09:00in a glorious career.
09:02In the locker room,
09:02Joe Dye of the USGA
09:03came up to him
09:04and Hogan actually
09:05handed him the ball
09:06and said,
09:06here, Joe,
09:06this is for golf house.
09:07Kind of stick this
09:08in the museum.
09:09Over the transom
09:09there keeps coming
09:10a word about somebody
09:11named Jack Fleck
09:12who's birdieing hole
09:13after hole.
09:14That somebody
09:15was a 32-year-old
09:17municipal course pro
09:18from Davenport, Iowa
09:19and a tour rookie.
09:21Jack Fleck
09:22birdied two of the last
09:24four holes
09:24to catch Ben Hogan
09:25and force a playoff.
09:27Decide the great Hogan
09:28for the title.
09:29Fleck sees the early lead
09:31in the playoffs.
09:32After nine holes,
09:33Hogan is two strokes
09:34down to Fleck.
09:35A 20-footer
09:37on number 10
09:37propelled Fleck
09:38into a three-stroke lead.
09:40Hogan was down
09:41only one
09:42as they reached
09:43the 18th.
09:43Hogan snap-hooked
09:45his ball off the tee
09:46into the deep rough
09:47and saw Hogan
09:48swinging his club
09:49and said,
09:50hey,
09:50what's Hogan
09:51taking all those
09:51practice swings for?
09:52John said,
09:53those aren't
09:54practice swings.
09:55Hogan finished
09:56with a flourish,
09:57nailing a 30-footer,
09:58but it was only
09:59for double bogey
10:00and his 72
10:01left him three strokes
10:02behind Fleck.
10:03It was not
10:04a popular victory.
10:05I don't think
10:06there's another sport
10:07where people
10:08root against
10:10the underdog.
10:12Around four,
10:13where'd they call him
10:14Jack Fluke?
10:15They hated him
10:16for beating Hogan.
10:251964 Congressional
10:26Country Club,
10:27Bethesda, Maryland.
10:28Brutal heat
10:29at Congressional.
10:30The 1964 U.S. Open
10:31almost killed
10:32Ken Venturi
10:33and not surprisingly
10:34this was the last year
10:39that they would play
10:3936 holes in the final round.
10:43In 1964,
10:44the U.S. Open
10:45was contested
10:46over three days,
10:47not four,
10:47with 18 holes
10:49Saturday morning,
10:5018 more that afternoon.
10:52Six strokes behind
10:53after 36 holes,
10:55Ken Venturi persevered.
10:57Seems to be getting
10:58hotter and more humid
10:59by the minute.
11:0094 degrees now.
11:02Although Venturi
11:03finished the third round
11:04with a 66,
11:05heat exhaustion
11:06ate away his putting
11:07on the last two holes.
11:08A physician examined
11:09Venturi
11:10and permitted him
11:11to play the final 18.
11:12He was tied for second.
11:14He basically did
11:15everything wrong that day.
11:16He didn't drink
11:17any water in the morning
11:18because he was
11:18so focused on his golf.
11:20He was drinking
11:21iced tea,
11:22which was caffeinated,
11:23which is also not good.
11:25They brought the doctor
11:26out in between
11:27the two rounds.
11:28The doctor said,
11:29okay, you can play.
11:30He walked around
11:30with Ken Venturi.
11:32Wait a minute.
11:32You got a chance
11:33to win the U.S. Open.
11:34The doctor's gonna
11:35give you permission
11:36because you got
11:36one iron jabbed
11:37in his neck
11:38saying,
11:38what's your answer?
11:39Tommy Jacobs,
11:40the 54-hole leader,
11:41stumbled at the start.
11:42Now Jacobs has to settle
11:43for a big bogey six.
11:45And on the ninth,
11:46Venturi,
11:46on tottering legs,
11:48surged to the front.
11:49He makes the birdie four.
11:50He goes into the lead.
11:51One stroke ahead of Jacobs.
11:52He was quoted afterwards
11:53as saying,
11:54he doesn't remember
11:54the back nine.
11:56Venturi gutted through
11:57that final torturous day
11:58and won by four strokes.
12:01Perfect example
12:02of mind over matter
12:03with a mind took over
12:06and the mind was strong
12:07enough to get him through.
12:09And they changed the rules.
12:10They said,
12:11enough is enough.
12:11We almost killed
12:12our champion in 64.
12:13And from then on,
12:14they'd play 18 holes a day.
12:1713, 13, 13.
12:211939,
12:21Spring Mill Course
12:22Philadelphia Country Club.
12:26Byron Nelson
12:27made up five strokes
12:28with the final round 68
12:29and became the clubhouse
12:31his first rival Sam Steed
12:32stood on the 18th tee
12:33thinking he needed
12:34a birdie four to win
12:35par five to tie.
12:38Sam was misinformed
12:40about what the scores were
12:42they were in.
12:43They did not have
12:43the communications
12:44on the course
12:45the way they do today.
12:47And Sam stood on the last tee
12:49thinking that he needed
12:50a birdie to win.
12:52Going for the bird,
12:53Sam made a mess
12:54out of the final hole.
12:56Driving in the rough,
12:57going from bunker to bunker.
12:58Then he three putted
13:00for a snowman triple bogey eight
13:03after only needing
13:04a par five to win.
13:05Probably the most tragic thing
13:06that ever happened
13:07to any player
13:07in any U.S. Open.
13:10Craig Wood and Denny Shute
13:11caught Nelson
13:12creating a three-way playoff.
13:14Nelson birdied 18
13:15to tie Wood
13:16and eliminate Shute.
13:18And we got to go
13:19another 18 holes,
13:20another playoff.
13:21And in that second 18 holes,
13:23Byron Nelson said enough.
13:24Iron Byron eagled
13:25the par four fourth
13:26with a 215-yard one iron.
13:29It catapulted him
13:30to a 70
13:30and a three-shot triumph.
13:3312.
13:3412.
13:35Hale Irwin wasn't
13:36that popular of a golfer
13:37with the public
13:38over the years.
13:39He wore the wire room glasses.
13:41He kind of looked
13:41like the geeky kid
13:42from the science club
13:43in your high school.
13:44By the 90s,
13:45he was wearing contacts.
13:46He was wearing
13:46some spiffier clothes.
13:481990 Medina Country Club,
13:50Medina, Illinois.
13:51Eleven years after
13:52his second U.S. Open title,
13:54Hale Irwin had
13:55another in his grasp.
13:56Hale Irwin was
13:57tremendous with long irons.
13:59Medina required that.
14:01He had the opportunity
14:02and the ability
14:03to go ahead and play well,
14:04but he was aging.
14:05Not many people won
14:06in their mid-40s.
14:08And he makes
14:09this monster putt
14:10on 18 to all of a sudden
14:12have a chance at Medina
14:13to win the Open.
14:14He did a lap
14:14around the green
14:15and started high-fiving
14:16people in the crowd.
14:17He high-fived a marshal
14:18over by a tree.
14:19Twirling his arm in the air
14:20and the putter going
14:21and he's blowing kisses.
14:22And instantly,
14:23the crowd loved him
14:24because he finally
14:24showed some emotion.
14:25Behind him was Mike Donald,
14:27a little-known player,
14:28a very good player,
14:29but not as well-known
14:30as Hale Irwin.
14:31Mike Donald tied Irwin
14:33at 8 over 280,
14:34forcing another 18.
14:36That is strong.
14:38It's for birdie.
14:39A little hard.
14:42Donald led
14:42throughout the playoff,
14:44but on the 18th,
14:46leading by one,
14:47his drive plunged
14:48into the forest.
14:50Irwin took advantage
14:51with another radar iron.
14:53Needs to hurry.
14:55Just enough.
14:56Even with that errant drive,
14:59Donald had a par putt to win.
15:02Not only did this go
15:03to an 18-hole playoff,
15:04but it actually had to go
15:05to a 19th hole.
15:07On the 19th,
15:09Irwin zeroed in
15:10on another wonderful approach.
15:12Leaves himself
15:13a perfect uphill putt
15:14from about 18.
15:16Donald had birdie to win,
15:17but again couldn't convert.
15:22Irwin cashed his 8-footer
15:24for birdie.
15:26And at 45,
15:28passed Ray Floyd
15:29as the oldest
15:29U.S. Open champ.
15:31You know, Mike gave me a chance.
15:34God bless him.
15:35I almost wish he'd have won.
15:3811.
15:3911.
15:411972,
15:42Pebble Beach Golf Links,
15:43California.
15:45Typical U.S. Open conditions
15:46at Pebble Windy,
15:48golf course very firm.
15:51Jack Nicklaus ground his way
15:52through the wind-lash conditions
15:54leading after every round.
15:55He held a four-shot lead
15:57going into the final nine holes.
15:59It's a birdie
16:00just when he needed it most.
16:02Nicklaus knew when
16:03to take a chance,
16:04knew when to play safe,
16:05and was in great position
16:06coming in the last nine holes.
16:09But on number 10,
16:11Jack hit his drive
16:12over the cliffs
16:12and onto the beach.
16:14After another errant shot,
16:16he scuffled
16:16for a double bogey.
16:18Then came a rumble
16:19like thunder.
16:20Arnie Palmer was charging.
16:23A birdie for Arnold.
16:24Arnold Palmer was
16:26kind of his last
16:27shot at glory.
16:28He was on the leaderboard
16:28going to the last day.
16:29It was actually he and Jack
16:30duking it out.
16:31With Palmer on 14
16:33and Nicklaus on 12,
16:34the tournament
16:34was in its decisive stage.
16:38If he misses this putt
16:39and Arnold holds,
16:41Palmer will lead the open.
16:43It's in.
16:45Now, Palmer can tie.
16:49Oh, that was close.
16:52Palmer couldn't sustain.
16:54Nicklaus remained ahead.
16:55He's three strokes
16:56in the lead once more.
16:58And on 17,
17:00struck a shot for the ages.
17:12Thunder and lightning,
17:13hold up a one iron.
17:14Because not even God
17:15can hit a one iron.
17:16Well, Jack Nicklaus
17:18could hit a one iron.
17:21That one iron that he hit
17:22on 17 was one of those
17:23shots where everyone
17:24who was watching it went,
17:27and the man who hit it went,
17:30Nicklaus had only
17:31inches for birdie,
17:32then cautiously
17:32three putt at 18
17:33for bogey six
17:34to win by...
17:35What about a typical
17:37thing in sports?
17:38An old gun,
17:39young gun,
17:41and the young gun won.
17:44Three strokes.
17:45It was his third
17:46of four U.S. Open titles.
17:571966 Olympic Club,
17:59San Francisco.
18:00Arnold Palmer was
18:01the man in golf.
18:02Everybody loved him.
18:03Billy Casper was
18:04kind of the outsider.
18:05A little overweight,
18:06didn't smile a lot.
18:07Everybody,
18:07including the golf media,
18:09were rooting for Arnie
18:09to win the Open.
18:11Arnold Palmer breezed
18:12into the final nine holes
18:13with a lead
18:14that looked uncatchable.
18:19There's no way
18:20you catch Arnold Palmer
18:21if he has a seven-shot lead
18:23with nine holes to go.
18:24Palmer thought
18:25he had the thing one,
18:26so he now had
18:27one thing in mind,
18:27and that was to try
18:28to set a new scoring record
18:29for the U.S. Open.
18:30Billy Casper said,
18:31Arnie, I just want
18:32to play for second place,
18:33and Arnie said,
18:34I'll do what I can
18:34to help you.
18:36Needing only a one
18:37over 36 for the record,
18:38Palmer came undone.
18:43Casper fired a birdie
18:44barrage en route
18:45to a 32 on the back nine.
18:47Casper erased
18:48that seven-shot deficit
18:50in eight holes.
18:51Palmer had to make
18:52a three-footer
18:52just to get into a playoff.
18:55It was either
18:55one of the great comebacks,
18:56the great meltdowns,
18:57or maybe both
18:58in golf history.
18:59Palmer led early
19:00in the playoff,
19:00but Casper continued
19:01to wield a magic wand.
19:08He only used
19:10117 putts
19:11for 90 holes.
19:13Casper won
19:13his second U.S. Open
19:14by four strokes
19:15over a crestfall
19:17on Palmer.
19:17Palmer kind of handed
19:19it to him
19:19and gave him
19:20that opportunity,
19:21but Billy Casper
19:21certainly came through.
19:26Nine.
19:27Nine.
19:28Nine.
19:29Nine.
19:301973,
19:31Oakmont Country Club
19:32outside Pittsburgh.
19:33Anybody who
19:34follows golf knows
19:35Oakmont is one
19:36of the most
19:37severe tests
19:38of golf.
19:39Johnny Miller
19:40teed off
19:40in the third round
19:41only to discover
19:42he didn't have
19:43his notebook,
19:43which was as important
19:44to him as any club.
19:47Johnny did these
19:48meticulous yardage books.
19:49He goes out
19:50and checks the putts,
19:52checks the lines,
19:54and he left them
19:55in his other pants
19:55Saturday morning.
19:57Unsettled,
19:58Miller was five over
19:59after six holes,
20:00then held on
20:01for a 76.
20:02After three rounds,
20:03he was six strokes back
20:04with 12 players
20:05in front of him.
20:08There were all
20:09the other names,
20:10Weisskopf, Trevino,
20:11Palmer, Nicholas,
20:12they were all there.
20:13Johnny Miller
20:14was way behind
20:15and as so often happens,
20:16somebody that's way back
20:17has nothing to lose
20:18and goes out
20:19and shoots
20:19all the round
20:20of his life.
20:22Miller began
20:23his final round
20:23an hour ahead
20:24of the leaders.
20:25On the back nine,
20:26the 26-year-old
20:28exploded,
20:29making birdie
20:29at 11,
20:3012,
20:31and 13.
20:32It was like
20:32he had a gun
20:33in his hands
20:33because they were
20:34flying all these darts
20:35right at the flag.
20:37Ronald Palmer
20:38looked at the leaderboard
20:39and saw Miller's name
20:40and it was like
20:42how can that be?
20:44His driving was precise.
20:46He missed only one fairway
20:47and his approaches
20:49were pristine.
20:50He made nine birds
20:51and only one bogey
20:52then watched
20:53as Tom Weisskopf
20:54and John Schley,
20:55the only two
20:56with a chance
20:56to catch him,
20:57failed to do so.
21:00To shoot a six...
21:01Ronald Palmer
21:02has been on this list
21:03like three times.
21:04Has he won any?
21:05A new one-one
21:07that makes the list?
21:08C3 at Oakmont
21:10on Sunday
21:11to win
21:12a United States Open
21:13according to
21:14Johnny Miller.
21:15It's his greatest
21:16thrill in golf.
21:222000 Pebble Beach
21:24Golf Links, California.
21:26It really was
21:27a poignant
21:28passing of the torch.
21:31You've got Jack Nicklaus
21:33who's declared
21:33this is the last
21:34U.S. Open.
21:35And then you've got
21:36Tiger
21:38putting on the performance
21:39that may never be equaled.
21:44Tiger Woods rushed
21:45to the front
21:46and steadily improved
21:47his position.
21:47He opened with a 65
21:49and by Sunday
21:50was a disappearing
21:51dot on the horizon
21:52up by 10.
21:54The greens
21:55were really fast
21:56and really bumpy
21:57which is a really
21:57bad combination
21:58and Tiger's just
21:59banging them in
22:00all week.
22:02Anytime
22:03and you don't miss
22:04a buck from 10 feet
22:05or less
22:05for four days.
22:08I think the 2000
22:10U.S. Open
22:11was by far
22:13the most jaw-dropping
22:15awe-inspiring
22:16performance
22:17he's ever had
22:18in a tournament.
22:18In the final round
22:20Woods cruised home
22:21with a 67
22:22finishing 12 under par.
22:24His margin of victory
22:25a record for a major.
22:30Felt very tranquil
22:32very peaceful
22:33inside
22:33and for some reason
22:34no matter what
22:35happened out there
22:36I was able to keep
22:37my cool
22:38and my composure
22:38and focus 100%
22:40on each and every shot.
22:41That to me is
22:42when Tiger Woods
22:43became Tiger Woods.
22:4515 stroke win
22:46at the U.S. Open.
22:48You just don't do that.
22:53Seven, seven, seven, seven.
22:571984 Winged Foot Golf Club
22:58Mamaronek, New York.
23:00A marvelous shot
23:01by Fuzzy Zeller
23:02under...
23:02I was playing well.
23:03I mean my guns were loaded
23:05I had all 12 bullets
23:07in both guns.
23:08In the final round
23:09Fuzzy Zeller
23:10loose and loquacious
23:11gained five shots
23:12and made the turn
23:13with a three stroke lead.
23:15But Greg Norman
23:16pulled even
23:16on the 17th.
23:19Oh my goodness!
23:22Then
23:22a familiar flame-out.
23:24I don't think he...
23:25Oh, he hit the worst
23:25shot of the day.
23:26On the 18th
23:27Norman's second shot
23:28headed for oblivion.
23:30Unbelievable!
23:31He's got a chance
23:31because of those pants.
23:33The U.S. Open
23:35he blows his
23:36approach shot
23:36so far right
23:37into the grandstands.
23:39It's like watching
23:39a foul ball
23:40at a baseball game.
23:41Norman was allowed
23:42a drop without a penalty.
23:44Back on the 18th tee
23:45Zeller was unaware
23:46of what had happened.
23:49Like Norman
23:50might well have just
23:51lost the championship.
23:52Norman had to
23:53snake in a 45-footer
23:55just to save par.
23:56Not a bad-looking
23:57putt though, is it?
23:59Can you believe it?
24:01Fuzzy season
24:01makes the putt
24:02thinks it's a birdie
24:03thinks he's lost.
24:04He surrenders.
24:07That is mobbed.
24:08After I saw the putt
24:09go in, I'm thinking
24:10my God, I've just
24:10worked my butt off here
24:11and this man's
24:13hosed, I don't know
24:14what, 45-footers.
24:15Even though
24:16Zeller waived surrender
24:17Norman's putt
24:18didn't win the U.S. Open
24:19but it forced a playoff.
24:21Boy, what a shot
24:22he's hit, Jim.
24:23In the playoff
24:24Zeller fashioned
24:24an elegant 67
24:25while Norman
24:27graciously suffered
24:28a crash and burn 75.
24:30There's another
24:31on the beat.
24:32God returning
24:33the surrender
24:35towel of yesterday.
24:36Greg Norman said
24:37okay.
24:37A lot of that
24:38I learned through
24:38Jack Nicklaus.
24:39I mean, you've got
24:40to be a great winner
24:41but you better be
24:42a great loser
24:43at the same time.
24:44Frank Urban Zeller
24:45the United States
24:46Open champion
24:47for 1984.
24:53Six.
24:54Six.
24:54Six.
24:571999 Pinehurst
24:58number two
24:58North Carolina
24:59starts
25:00shot.
25:04Payne Stewart
25:05Phil Mickelson
25:06Tiger Woods
25:07Vijay Singh
25:08the four of them
25:09going down the stretch.
25:11Shot for shot
25:12I mean
25:12any one of those
25:13four could have won it.
25:15Same line as Payne's.
25:17Oh, what a shot!
25:19You're kidding me!
25:20Payne had been
25:20playing terrific all week
25:23but on that Sunday
25:24it just looked like
25:25Phil was going to
25:25take over.
25:27Phil Mickelson's
25:28wife Amy
25:29was back home
25:29expecting their
25:30first child.
25:31He had a plane
25:32waiting.
25:33Also waiting
25:34was Vijay Singh
25:35in the clubhouse
25:36with a chance
25:36at a playoff
25:38along with Tiger Woods
25:40who was playing
25:41the 18th.
25:42He drives it
25:43same as yesterday.
25:44They were both
25:45one stroke down
25:46to Stewart and
25:46Mickelson
25:47who were on the 17th.
25:48This crowd is
25:51electric right now.
25:52Wow, this could
25:53really be wild
25:54if the beeper
25:55actually goes off
25:56and Bones
25:57is catty.
25:57Jim McKay
25:58has to reach in
25:58and say
25:59we're out of here.
26:01I went there
26:02solely to win.
26:03I didn't want to
26:04leave Amy
26:04go to Pinehurst
26:06all the way
26:06across the country
26:07to do anything
26:08but win.
26:10Hold it again.
26:13Mickelson missed
26:14his birdie.
26:15Stewart made his.
26:19It's to the right.
26:22Woods missed
26:22his birdie putt
26:23to remain within one.
26:25Agonizing.
26:36Mickelson's putt
26:37to gain a share
26:37of the lead
26:38missed
26:38but he still had hope
26:39because Stewart
26:40was looking at
26:41a 15-footer
26:42just to save par.
26:48Payne Stewart
26:49is the 1999
26:51U.S. Open
26:52champion.
26:53Oh my.
26:55It's bittersweet
26:56to look at that
26:56because
26:58Payne Stewart
26:58wouldn't be around
26:59much longer.
27:00He would die
27:00in a plane crash
27:02a few months later.
27:04So
27:04that was his last
27:05U.S. Open win.
27:07That was his last
27:07PGA Tour win.
27:17Payne Stewart
27:18then turned around
27:19to Phil Mickelson
27:19and said
27:21don't worry about
27:21losing the U.S. Open
27:22you're going to be
27:23a father.
27:23In that
27:24moment
27:25of triumph
27:26he was able
27:27to spare a thought
27:28for his
27:29fellow competitor.
27:32Most disappointed
27:33I ever was
27:34was the
27:351999 U.S. Open.
27:36It was such
27:37an emotional rollercoaster.
27:38I think that
27:39added to
27:39the letdown
27:41of not winning.
27:43I didn't
27:43obviously have
27:44the foresight
27:45to know
27:45what was going
27:45to happen
27:46a couple months
27:46later.
27:47That October
27:48Payne Stewart
27:49died when the
27:49Learjet he was
27:50aboard crashed.
27:53His career
27:54was really
27:55starting to take off.
27:56He had become
27:56a champion
27:57off the course
27:57as well as
27:59on the course.
28:06in 1960
28:07three different
28:08eras came
28:09together.
28:10You had
28:10Jack Nicklaus
28:11as an amateur
28:11threatening to
28:12win the Open.
28:13You had
28:13Ben Hogan
28:14at age 48
28:15threatening to
28:16win his
28:17fifth Open
28:17and then you
28:18have Palmer
28:18the most popular
28:19player of his
28:20time.
28:22So you've
28:23got a guy
28:24from 30s
28:25and 40s
28:26Palmer from
28:2750s and 60s
28:31and 70s
28:32you've got
28:33Nicklaus from
28:3460s, 70s
28:36and 80s
28:36that's
28:42that's
28:42six different
28:43decades
28:43at least.
28:491860
28:49Cherry Hills
28:50Country Club
28:51outside Denver.
28:52Arnold Palmer
28:53was seven
28:54shots behind
28:54after the
28:54third round
28:55and he's
28:56in the
28:56locker room
28:57between rounds.
28:58Arnold gets
28:58a challenge
28:59from his
28:59old golf
29:00writer buddy
29:00Bob Drum
29:01that what
29:02do you think
29:0265 will do?
29:03He sort of
29:04arrogantly said
29:05wouldn't do
29:06you any good
29:07and he was
29:08a good friend.
29:09He really
29:09upset me,
29:10made me mad
29:11and maybe
29:11that was what
29:12I needed.
29:13The first hole
29:14little downhill
29:14par four
29:15346 yards
29:16knocked it
29:17on the green
29:17and was able
29:18to two-putt
29:18for a birdie
29:19and that
29:19kind of
29:19got him
29:20going.
29:20Thus was
29:21launched
29:22another bugle
29:22blaring Palmer
29:23charge.
29:24To the delight
29:25of Arnie's
29:25army,
29:26their man
29:26birdied
29:26six of the
29:27first seven
29:28holes
29:28and root
29:29to a record
29:29equaling 30
29:30on the front
29:31nine.
29:32But Ben
29:32Hogan wasn't
29:33surrendering
29:33and on the
29:3417th was only
29:35a shot behind
29:36Palmer.
29:37Not though
29:38for long.
29:39Hogan
29:39almost won.
29:40Just made
29:40the tiniest
29:42error with his
29:43third shot
29:43to the par five
29:44wound up
29:45making a
29:45really deflating
29:46bogey.
29:48Palmer's
29:48final round
29:4965 left him
29:50two up ahead
29:50of runner-up
29:51Nicholas and
29:51cemented his
29:52lofty status.
29:54The determination
29:55of Arnold Palmer
29:56and the go for broke
29:58kind of attitude
29:58really kind of
29:59cemented the image
30:00of the Arnold Palmer
30:01charge.
30:02This was his
30:02shining moment
30:03of glory.
30:04That's how I think
30:05we all want to
30:05remember Arnold.
30:06Hitching up his
30:07pants,
30:07going out to the
30:08course,
30:09and doing something
30:10that somebody
30:11told him he
30:12couldn't do.
30:17Boy,
30:18boy.
30:201913,
30:21the country club,
30:22Brookline, Massachusetts.
30:23Two legends
30:23came over from
30:24Britain,
30:25Ted Ray and
30:25Harry Varden.
30:26They were always
30:27expected to win.
30:28It was a two-horse
30:28race.
30:29Ted Ray and
30:30Harry Varden were
30:30the gods of
30:31golf in Britain.
30:32I mean,
30:32golf in America
30:33was really not
30:33on the map.
30:34There weren't
30:34even that many
30:34courses.
30:35Nobody played.
30:36Francis,
30:37we met an
30:38ex-caddy from
30:39across the street
30:39from the
30:40country club,
30:4120 years old,
30:42beats the two
30:43best British
30:43players at the
30:44time in the
30:45playoff in the
30:46U.S. Open.
30:48With a 10-year-old
30:49caddying for him,
30:51Francis,
30:51we met,
30:51became the
30:52first amateur
30:53to win the
30:53U.S. Open,
30:54shooting a 72
30:55in the playoff
30:56to Harry Varden's
30:5777 and Ted Ray's
30:5978.
31:02Francis,
31:02we met,
31:03opened the
31:04floodgates for
31:04golf's popularity
31:06here in the
31:06United States.
31:07It put golf
31:08on the front
31:08pages for
31:09the first
31:09time.
31:10Probably the
31:11most romantic
31:12story in
31:12American golf
31:13history.
31:17Three.
31:18Three.
31:18Three.
31:20Arnold Palmer
31:21was the king
31:22of golf in
31:231962.
31:24Arnold Palmer
31:25was absolutely
31:26at the height
31:27of his powers.
31:28Here was Jack
31:29Nicholas,
31:29the challenger,
31:30who everybody
31:31just started to
31:32call Fat Jack.
31:33How dare he
31:34challenge the
31:35king?
31:371962 Oakmont
31:38Country Club
31:39outside Pittsburgh.
31:4022-year-old Jack
31:42Nicholas found
31:42himself paired
31:43with Arnold
31:43Palmer,
31:44whose hometown
31:45of Latrobe was
31:46only 40 miles
31:46away.
31:47This was his
31:48backyard.
31:49I mean,
31:49there couldn't
31:50have been a
31:50better stage for
31:51Arnold Palmer
31:51to win a U.S.
31:53Open.
31:53Jack had just
31:54turned professional.
31:55As a matter of
31:55fact, it was only
31:56his 17th start
31:57as a professional.
31:58Nicholas was so
31:59scared he started
32:00on the first day,
32:01birdie, birdie,
32:01birdie.
32:03I mean,
32:04I had my tunnel
32:04vision on.
32:05I didn't know
32:05about Arnold
32:06Palmer or
32:06anybody else.
32:07I mean,
32:08all I was
32:08thinking about
32:09is what is
32:09Jack Nicholas
32:10going to do
32:10at Oakmont?
32:11Palmer took
32:12a two-stroke
32:12lead going
32:13into the final
32:14round,
32:14but Nicholas
32:15closed with
32:16a 69.
32:17When Palmer
32:18missed a
32:18birdie putt
32:18at 18,
32:19Arnie's army
32:20had to
32:20reassemble
32:21for a
32:21playoff.
32:23They introduced
32:24Arnold.
32:25He was first
32:25to hit.
32:26The ultimate
32:26hero.
32:27And the
32:28long build-up
32:29and down
32:30the center
32:30of the
32:30fairway,
32:31he launched
32:31this drive.
32:33Crushed it.
32:33Jack got up
32:34there,
32:34you know,
32:35and they
32:35introduced
32:36him.
32:36Boos.
32:37It was
32:38something that
32:38only motivated
32:39him.
32:39Only pressed
32:40his button
32:41a little bit
32:41harder.
32:42Launched
32:43this ball,
32:44carried Arnold
32:44by 20,
32:4525 yards,
32:46and right
32:46then,
32:47the game
32:47was over.
32:49Nicholas leaped
32:50to a four-stroke
32:50lead in the
32:51first six holes
32:52on his way
32:52to 71
32:53and a three-shot
32:54win.
32:56Palmer,
32:56who three-putted
32:57ten times over
32:5890 holes,
32:59was distraught.
33:01It was in front
33:03of my folks
33:03in my hometown
33:04and it hurt.
33:151950,
33:16Marion Golf Club,
33:17Ardmore,
33:18Pennsylvania.
33:19Ben Hogan
33:19was in pursuit
33:20of another U.S.
33:21Open title
33:22just 16 months
33:23after his legs
33:24were shattered
33:25when a bus
33:26hit his car
33:26in a head-on
33:27collision.
33:29That was a
33:30triumph in itself.
33:32Nobody really
33:33thought that he
33:34would be able
33:34for his comeback
33:35at the open
33:36to be able to
33:37walk the 72
33:39holes.
33:40His legs
33:41at Marion
33:42were wrapped.
33:43He was in
33:44enormous pain.
33:47Somehow,
33:48Bantam Ben
33:48managed to walk
33:4936 holes the
33:50final day,
33:51lost the lead,
33:52regained a share
33:53of it on the
33:5372nd hole,
33:54and created a
33:55three-way playoff
33:56with George
33:57Fazio and
33:57Lloyd Mangrum.
33:59He still had
34:00to soak his
34:00legs because
34:02you know
34:02naturally he
34:03would get
34:03swelling.
34:04I did not
34:05think he'd
34:05be able to
34:06play.
34:06Hogan's
34:07169 beat
34:08Mangrum by
34:09four,
34:09Fazio by
34:10six,
34:10and was his
34:11second U.S.
34:12Open,
34:12with two more
34:13to follow.
34:15You run
34:16over by a bus
34:16on your way
34:17home from
34:17Phoenix in
34:18your Cadillac,
34:19and a year
34:19later you're
34:20winning the
34:20U.S.
34:20Open.
34:21That was
34:21probably one
34:22of the greatest
34:23comebacks in
34:24the 20th century
34:24because this
34:25man was
34:26given up for
34:26dead.
34:29What?
34:30What?
34:31What?
34:321982,
34:33Pebble Beach
34:34Golf Links,
34:34California.
34:35What you have
34:36to have is not
34:37only dramatic
34:38golf but
34:38compelling
34:39characters,
34:40and certainly
34:41at that time
34:41there were
34:42very few
34:42more compelling
34:43characters than
34:44Watson and
34:45Nicklaus.
34:47Jack Nicklaus
34:48was gunning for
34:48a record
34:49fifth U.S.
34:50Open,
34:50while Tom
34:50Watson was
34:51in pursuit
34:51of his first
34:52as well as
34:53his just due.
34:54Even though
34:55Watson had
34:56won Masters
34:56and he had
34:57won British
34:57Opens,
34:58there was a
34:59sense that
34:59until he got
35:00the U.S.
35:01Open on
35:01his resume
35:02that it
35:03wasn't
35:03complete.
35:04The day
35:04really was
35:05a day of
35:06my putter.
35:07When you
35:07have that
35:08feeling with
35:08your putter,
35:09you feel,
35:09you know,
35:10it takes the
35:10pressure off
35:11the rest
35:11of your
35:11game.
35:14Dr.
35:15Two feet
35:15back,
35:16look at
35:16here.
35:18Wow.
35:20Nicklaus,
35:20two years
35:20earlier,
35:21had won
35:22an Open
35:23and a PGA
35:23had somewhat
35:24reestablished
35:25himself.
35:26Another fine
35:26shot.
35:27You never
35:27know it,
35:28Jack.
35:28The last
35:29round there,
35:29he had five
35:30birdies on
35:30that front
35:31nine.
35:31He's right
35:32smack in it.
35:34Nicklaus
35:34closed with
35:35a 69,
35:36and when
35:37Watson bogeyed
35:38the 16th,
35:38the two were
35:39tied for the
35:39lead.
35:40Then at
35:41the par
35:41three 17th,
35:43Watson's
35:43tee ball
35:44landed in
35:44jail.
35:46The whole
35:47turn was
35:47coming down
35:48to the
35:48last couple
35:49of holes,
35:49and he
35:50hit it in
35:50a spot that
35:51is very,
35:51very difficult
35:52to recover
35:52from.
35:55The ball
35:56was sitting
35:56in deep
35:56grass,
35:57but at least
35:57I could get
35:58the club
35:58hit underneath
35:58it.
35:59Didn't take
35:59long to
36:00judge the
36:00shot.
36:00I knew
36:00it broke
36:01right.
36:01I take
36:02the sandwich
36:02out of the
36:03bag.
36:03Bruce
36:03says,
36:04get it
36:04close.
36:04I said,
36:04get it
36:05close,
36:05hell,
36:05I'm going
36:05to sink it.
36:06That was
36:06such a
36:07hard shot
36:07because he's
36:08coming out
36:08of the
36:09rough and
36:09a very
36:10slick green
36:11going downhill
36:11away from
36:12him.
36:12For frosting,
36:13there was
36:13this birdie
36:14putt at
36:14the 18th.
36:15Do you
36:16believe it?
36:17Do you
36:17believe it?
36:18What can
36:18you say?
36:19Tom Watson
36:20pitching into the
36:21hole for a
36:22birdie has
36:23taken the lead
36:24in the U.S.
36:24Open.
36:25One more
36:25par and he's
36:26finally won it.
36:27Turned around
36:28looking to
36:28Bruce and I
36:28said,
36:29see,
36:29I told you
36:29I was
36:29going to
36:30sink it.
36:47The chip
36:48in on
36:4817 because
36:49of the
36:50venue
36:50Pebble Beach,
36:51people involved,
36:52Nicholas and
36:52Watson,
36:53the tournament,
36:54the U.S.
36:54Open,
36:55has to go
36:55down as
36:56possibly the
36:57greatest shot
36:57in the
36:57history of
36:58golf.
36:59Watson gave
36:59up that
37:00year on
37:00trying to
37:01be perfect
37:02and instead
37:03concentrated
37:03on being
37:04clutch.
37:05First U.S.
37:06Open.
37:06Happy Father's Day,
37:08Tom Watson.
37:12Looks like
37:13that'll do it.
37:13You know,
37:14they say
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