Chasing Greatness: Johnny Miller, Arnold Palmer, and the Miracle at Oakmont (61 page)
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Authors: Adam Lazarus
Tags: #Palmer; Arnold;, #Golfers, #Golf, #Golf - General, #Pennsylvania, #Sports & Recreation, #Sports, #United States, #Oakmont (Allegheny County), #Golf courses, #1929-, #History
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61 “is the worst of the lot”—
Sports
Illustrated, July 19, 1971, Dan Jenkins, “Now for the Mexican Open.”
Sports
Illustrated, July 19, 1971, Dan Jenkins, “Now for the Mexican Open.”
62 “a little testy”—
Dallas
Morning News, (UPI), July 7, 1971, “No Gags for Trevino.”
Dallas
Morning News, (UPI), July 7, 1971, “No Gags for Trevino.”
62 “This is the most fantastic”
—Dallas Morning
News, (AP), July 11, 1971, “In England, It’s Ole and Viva Lee Trevino.”
—Dallas Morning
News, (AP), July 11, 1971, “In England, It’s Ole and Viva Lee Trevino.”
62 “To be established”—
Dallas Morning News,
July 11, 1971, Sam Blair, “Longer the Streak, the Easier It Looks.”
Dallas Morning News,
July 11, 1971, Sam Blair, “Longer the Streak, the Easier It Looks.”
62 “When I win a championship”—
Corpus
Christi (TX)
Caller-Times,
(AP), July 11, 1971, “Lee Trevino Makes Another Donation.”
Corpus
Christi (TX)
Caller-Times,
(AP), July 11, 1971, “Lee Trevino Makes Another Donation.”
62 “I wanted to do something”—Blair, “Longer the Streak.”
62 “It was such a tragedy”—Trevino and Blair, They
Call
Me Super Mex, p. 112.
Call
Me Super Mex, p. 112.
63 “I could give him $15,000”—Cope, “A Firm Hand.”
63 “The world’s a funny place”—Wind, Herbert Warren, Following Through (New York: HarperCollins, 1995), pp. 251-52.
64 “Just tell Mr. Roberts”—D’Antonio, Tour ’72, p. 111.
64 “The damage has been done”—
Dallas Morning
News, (AP), November 1, 1972, “Trevino Says He Should Be Suspended or Handed Fine.”
Dallas Morning
News, (AP), November 1, 1972, “Trevino Says He Should Be Suspended or Handed Fine.”
65 “I’m usually on the road”—
Dallas
Morning News, November 23, 1972, Marilyn Beck, “Love Lights Jack’s Fire for England.”
Dallas
Morning News, November 23, 1972, Marilyn Beck, “Love Lights Jack’s Fire for England.”
65 “[Losing the weight] ruined”—
Golf
World, February 2, 1973, “Bunker to Bunker.”
Golf
World, February 2, 1973, “Bunker to Bunker.”
65 “They said I have not won”—
Dallas Morning News, (
AP), February 1, 1973, “Lee Gets Teed-off at Talk of Slump.”
Dallas Morning News, (
AP), February 1, 1973, “Lee Gets Teed-off at Talk of Slump.”
65 “No matter how much”—Woy, Sign
’Em
Up,
Bucky, pp. 80, 83.
’Em
Up,
Bucky, pp. 80, 83.
66 “Tacos, get your red-hot”—ibid., p. 77.
66 “Spring training was over”—
New
York Times, February 23, 1973, Lincoln Werden, “Brewer, Fezler Share Lead in Golf with 67s.”
New
York Times, February 23, 1973, Lincoln Werden, “Brewer, Fezler Share Lead in Golf with 67s.”
67 “Man, I’ve got to play”—
Dallas
Morning News, May 9, 1973, Harless Wade, “Will Lee Buck Chest Pains?”
Dallas
Morning News, May 9, 1973, Harless Wade, “Will Lee Buck Chest Pains?”
67 “about 60 days”—
New
York Times, August 23, 1973, “People in Sports: Tour Too Long for Trevino.”
New
York Times, August 23, 1973, “People in Sports: Tour Too Long for Trevino.”
67 “I don’t sleep and live”
—Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette,
June 14, 1973, Phil Gundelfinger, “Tee Topics.”
—Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette,
June 14, 1973, Phil Gundelfinger, “Tee Topics.”
68 “‘Where you going?”’—
Philadelphia
Inquirer,
June 9,1973, John Bloom, “Fans Don’t Care Who’s Leading, They Follow Nicklaus, Trevino.”
Philadelphia
Inquirer,
June 9,1973, John Bloom, “Fans Don’t Care Who’s Leading, They Follow Nicklaus, Trevino.”
68 “‘I’m wasting a whole week’”—Bloom, “Fans Don’t Care.”
68 “Mentally, I wasn’t here”—
Dallas
Morning News, (AP), June 10, 1973, “Weiskopf Holds 3-Stroke Lead.”
Dallas
Morning News, (AP), June 10, 1973, “Weiskopf Holds 3-Stroke Lead.”
68 “We were going on”—
Columbus
Evening Dispatch, June 14, 1973, Paul Hornung, “Trevino Loves His Life, But Seeks Privacy.”
Columbus
Evening Dispatch, June 14, 1973, Paul Hornung, “Trevino Loves His Life, But Seeks Privacy.”
68 “I can’t go into a restaurant”—ibid.
69 “Look, I love to have fun”—
Toronto
Star, June 14, 1973, Ken McKee, “The ‘Other’ Lee Trevino Shuns Golfing Stage.”
Toronto
Star, June 14, 1973, Ken McKee, “The ‘Other’ Lee Trevino Shuns Golfing Stage.”
69 “I thought that was a cute quote”—
Pittsburgh
Press, June 14, 1973, Pat Livingston, “Don’t Count Out the Mex.”
Pittsburgh
Press, June 14, 1973, Pat Livingston, “Don’t Count Out the Mex.”
70 “This thing will be won”—
Dallas
Morning News, June 14, 1973, “Trevino Posts ‘Danger’ Signs.”
Dallas
Morning News, June 14, 1973, “Trevino Posts ‘Danger’ Signs.”
70 “[Trevino] fell victim”
—Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, June 15, 1973, Marino Parascenzo, “Down 3 but Confident, Lee Trusting Oakmont.”
—Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, June 15, 1973, Marino Parascenzo, “Down 3 but Confident, Lee Trusting Oakmont.”
70 “I bogeyed the two easiest”—
Washington
Post, June 15, 1973, Bob Addie, “Player Comes Back to Lead Open by 3.”
Washington
Post, June 15, 1973, Bob Addie, “Player Comes Back to Lead Open by 3.”
71 “I think about what I should make”—
Sports
Illustrated, December 20, 1971, Curry Kirkpatrick, “A Common Man with an Uncommon Touch.”
Sports
Illustrated, December 20, 1971, Curry Kirkpatrick, “A Common Man with an Uncommon Touch.”
71 “you don’t have to”
—Chicago
Sun Times, June 15, 1973, “Player Starts Hot, Leads Open with 67.”
—Chicago
Sun Times, June 15, 1973, “Player Starts Hot, Leads Open with 67.”
71 “I hope he does it every day”—
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, June 15, 1973, Al Smith, “Jack’s Shot Not in Plan Trevino Has.”
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, June 15, 1973, Al Smith, “Jack’s Shot Not in Plan Trevino Has.”
71 “I used a three-iron”—Addie, “Player Comes Back.”
71 “My round couldn’t have been better”—
Cleveland
Plain Dealer, June 15, 1973, Bill Nichols, “Player’s 4-Under 67 Leads Open by 3.”
Cleveland
Plain Dealer, June 15, 1973, Bill Nichols, “Player’s 4-Under 67 Leads Open by 3.”
71 “I want to shoot”—
San Francisco
Chronicle, June 15, 1973, Art Spander, “Player Leads Open by 3.”
San Francisco
Chronicle, June 15, 1973, Art Spander, “Player Leads Open by 3.”
71-72 “The longer you stay”
—Pittsburgh
Press (Evening Edition), June 15, 1973, “Player’s 70 Holds Lead; Borek (Who’s He?) Fires 65.”
—Pittsburgh
Press (Evening Edition), June 15, 1973, “Player’s 70 Holds Lead; Borek (Who’s He?) Fires 65.”
72 “This is a course which requires”
—Pittsburgh
Press (Evening Edition), June 15, 1973, Pat Livingston, “Jack’s Gamble Pays Off.”
CHAPTER 4—Pittsburgh
Press (Evening Edition), June 15, 1973, Pat Livingston, “Jack’s Gamble Pays Off.”
Carnage
73 “I was thrilled”—Interview with Geoff Hensley, October 2008.
73 “the final degree”—Liebman, Glenn, Golf Shorts: Par 2 (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998), p. 153.
74 “Hey, you’re on the tee!”—Interview with Geoff Hensley, October 2008.
74 “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen”—
Pittsburgh
Post Gazette, June 15, 1973, Bill Christine, “Open Opening a Bit Tardy.”
Pittsburgh
Post Gazette, June 15, 1973, Bill Christine, “Open Opening a Bit Tardy.”
74 “I don’t have the equipment”—
Dallas
Morning News, June 12, 1973, Harless Wade, “Rain Opens, Top Hazard.”
Dallas
Morning News, June 12, 1973, Harless Wade, “Rain Opens, Top Hazard.”
75 “In the Super Bowl”—
Ogden
(UT) Standard-Examiner, (UPI), June 15, 1973, “‘Course Zero Fun to Play’—Hill.”
Ogden
(UT) Standard-Examiner, (UPI), June 15, 1973, “‘Course Zero Fun to Play’—Hill.”
75 “taking a good course”—ibid.
75 “He’s just not any fun”—
Sports
Illustrated, June 18,1973, John Underwood, “Golf’s Jekyll and Hyde.”
Sports
Illustrated, June 18,1973, John Underwood, “Golf’s Jekyll and Hyde.”
76 “We all have double bogeys”—ibid.
76 “[You’re] asking a leopard”—ibid.
76 “desperately unhappy”—ibid.
76 “Why doesn’t he quit”
—Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, June 12, 1973, Al Abrams, “Sidelights on Sports: Crampton Didn’t Forget.”
—Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, June 12, 1973, Al Abrams, “Sidelights on Sports: Crampton Didn’t Forget.”
76 “never gave me the opportunity”—Underwood, “Golf’s Jekyll and Hyde.”
76-77 “[I] never had such a congenial round”—ibid.
77 “the most successful journeyman”—
Golf Monthly
, March 1973, “Talking Golf.”
Golf Monthly
, March 1973, “Talking Golf.”
77 “His steady play”—
Golf
Magazine, June 1973, “Six for the Money.”
Golf
Magazine, June 1973, “Six for the Money.”
77 “Nicklaus and Weiskopf”
—Pittsburgh
Post Gazette, June 12, 1973, Bill Christine, “Nicklaus, Weiskopf ... So Why Show Up?”
—Pittsburgh
Post Gazette, June 12, 1973, Bill Christine, “Nicklaus, Weiskopf ... So Why Show Up?”
77 “I’ve been doing a lot of traveling”—
Golf
Magazine, March 1973, Lee Mueller, “Will Buffalo Billy Ride Again?”
Golf
Magazine, March 1973, Lee Mueller, “Will Buffalo Billy Ride Again?”
78 “It wasn’t the greens”—
San Francisco
Chronicle, June 15, 1973, Art Spander, “Oakmont Greens a Nightmare.”
San Francisco
Chronicle, June 15, 1973, Art Spander, “Oakmont Greens a Nightmare.”
79 “I shot an 86”
—Charleston
Gazette, June 16, 1973, Bob Baker, “Sam (75) Blames ‘Blankety-Blank’ Putting.”
—Charleston
Gazette, June 16, 1973, Bob Baker, “Sam (75) Blames ‘Blankety-Blank’ Putting.”
79 “I’m an aggressive putter”—
Los
Angeles Times, June 15, 1973, Bill Shirley, “Player’s 4-under-par 67 leads U.S. Open by Three.”
Los
Angeles Times, June 15, 1973, Bill Shirley, “Player’s 4-under-par 67 leads U.S. Open by Three.”
79 “[But] then I three-putted”—
Columbus
Evening Dispatch, June 15, 1973, Paul Hornung, “Area Hopes Trailing, But Still in Race.”
Columbus
Evening Dispatch, June 15, 1973, Paul Hornung, “Area Hopes Trailing, But Still in Race.”
80 “Why does the Open”
—Pittsburgh
Press, June 12, 1973, “Just Another Tournament to Sam Snead.”
—Pittsburgh
Press, June 12, 1973, “Just Another Tournament to Sam Snead.”
81 “Hey, Sam”
—Pittsburgh
Press (Evening Edition), June 15, 1973, Dan Donovan, “Snead: A Real Iron Man.”
—Pittsburgh
Press (Evening Edition), June 15, 1973, Dan Donovan, “Snead: A Real Iron Man.”
81 “I missed only two fairways”—
Richmond
Times-Dispatch, June 15, 1973, Chauncey Durden, “Old Man and the Greens.”
Richmond
Times-Dispatch, June 15, 1973, Chauncey Durden, “Old Man and the Greens.”
81 “Sam is a better putter”—Donovan, “Snead.”
81 I know that everybody’s“—Durden, “Old Man.”
81 “I think this course is unfair”—
Maryland Cumberland News,
(UPI), June 15, 1973, “Ben Crenshaw Puts Rap on Oakmont Club.”
Maryland Cumberland News,
(UPI), June 15, 1973, “Ben Crenshaw Puts Rap on Oakmont Club.”
82 “maybe the strongest greens”—United States Golf Association, Who Els?, 1994.
83 “Everything went bad”
—Pittsburgh Press,
June 15, 1973, “Stafford Hits Bull’s-Eye.”
—Pittsburgh Press,
June 15, 1973, “Stafford Hits Bull’s-Eye.”
83 “a rogue in spiked shoes”
—Pittsburgh Post Gazette,
June 14, 1973, Bill Christine, “The 24-hour Swinger.”
—Pittsburgh Post Gazette,
June 14, 1973, Bill Christine, “The 24-hour Swinger.”
84 “I played in four consecutive”—
Chicago Tribune,
June 15, 1973, Tom Tomashek, “Player Leads Open with 67.”
Chicago Tribune,
June 15, 1973, Tom Tomashek, “Player Leads Open with 67.”
84 “These are the fastest greens”—
Chicago Sun Times,
June 15, 1973, Len Ziehm, “Floyd ‘prepared by watching Cubs.’”
Chicago Sun Times,
June 15, 1973, Len Ziehm, “Floyd ‘prepared by watching Cubs.’”
84 “At the time”—
Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
June 15, 1973, Al Smith, “Cancer-hit Littler Returns.”
Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
June 15, 1973, Al Smith, “Cancer-hit Littler Returns.”
85 “People are bound to talk”—
Boston Globe,
June 15, 1973, Tom Fitzgerald, “The Little Things Can’t Get Me Down Now—Littler.”
Boston Globe,
June 15, 1973, Tom Fitzgerald, “The Little Things Can’t Get Me Down Now—Littler.”
85 “It’s not the operation”—Smith, “Cancer-Hit Littler.”
CHAPTER 5The Prince and the King
89 “Oh, oh, I’d better”—
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 16, 1973, Art Spander, “S.F.’s Miller a Future King?”
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 16, 1973, Art Spander, “S.F.’s Miller a Future King?”
89 “Take your time, Johnny”—
Chicago Tribune,
June 16, 1973, Cooper Rollow, “Arnie Loses Touch, but Not Army.”
Chicago Tribune,
June 16, 1973, Cooper Rollow, “Arnie Loses Touch, but Not Army.”
89 “If I start playing”—
Pittsburgh Press,
June 16, 1973, Dan Donovan, “It Was Like the 60s for Arnie—for a While.”
Pittsburgh Press,
June 16, 1973, Dan Donovan, “It Was Like the 60s for Arnie—for a While.”
90 “I don’t deserve to be”—Los
Angeles Times (Chicago Sun-Times),
June 13, 1983, Ron Rapoport, “Johnny Miller Returns to the Scene of His Miracle 63.”
Angeles Times (Chicago Sun-Times),
June 13, 1983, Ron Rapoport, “Johnny Miller Returns to the Scene of His Miracle 63.”
90 “Johnny just loved the game”
—Golf Magazine,
September 1973, Johnny Miller, “I’m Not Afraid to Go for the Flagstick.”
—Golf Magazine,
September 1973, Johnny Miller, “I’m Not Afraid to Go for the Flagstick.”
90 “His number one rule”—Miller, Johnny, with Guy Yocom, I
Call The Shots
(New York: Gotham Books, 2004), pp. 222-23.
Call The Shots
(New York: Gotham Books, 2004), pp. 222-23.
91 “about knee-high”—
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 22, 1966, Art Rosenbaum, “Casper’s Caddy Made a Deal.”
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 22, 1966, Art Rosenbaum, “Casper’s Caddy Made a Deal.”
91 “He was the smallest guy”—Miller, “I’m Not Afraid.”
91 “Johnny didn’t pick up”—
Salt Lake City Tribune,
June 18, 1973, “Geertsen Missed Thrills as Protégé Won Open.”
Salt Lake City Tribune,
June 18, 1973, “Geertsen Missed Thrills as Protégé Won Open.”
92 “If there were a better putter”—Miller,
I Call the Shots,
p. 221.
I Call the Shots,
p. 221.
92 “discussion of it spread”—
Oakland Tribune,
June 28, 1963, Norm Hannon, “Archer Takes Charge.”
Oakland Tribune,
June 28, 1963, Norm Hannon, “Archer Takes Charge.”
92 “If I couldn’t beat him”
—Hayward
(CA)
Daily Review,
(AP), June 28, 1963, Sid Hoos, “State Am Favorites Hex Also Hits J. Lotz.”
—Hayward
(CA)
Daily Review,
(AP), June 28, 1963, Sid Hoos, “State Am Favorites Hex Also Hits J. Lotz.”
92 “the committee ruled”—Los
Angeles Times,
June 28, 1963, Bill Shirley, “Teenager Breaks Rule, Still Wins Match in State Amateur.”
Angeles Times,
June 28, 1963, Bill Shirley, “Teenager Breaks Rule, Still Wins Match in State Amateur.”
93 “John Miller, a quiet”—ibid.
93 “a cinch for future”—
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 28, 1963, Joe Wilmot, “1961 Champ Out-of-state Golf.”
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 28, 1963, Joe Wilmot, “1961 Champ Out-of-state Golf.”
93 “I like [Arnold] Palmer”—San
Mateo Times,
August 3, 1964, “Bay Area Youth Wins Jr. Golf.”
Mateo Times,
August 3, 1964, “Bay Area Youth Wins Jr. Golf.”
94 “Mike was the first player”—
http://www.cougarclub.com/hall_of_fame/taylor_m.jsp
.
http://www.cougarclub.com/hall_of_fame/taylor_m.jsp
.
94 “Johnny came in and”—BYU Alumni online magazine, Jeff Call, “Like Father, Like Sons.”
95 “I’m the only nervous one”—
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 17, 1966, Art Spander, “Miller’s Formula for Par.”
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 17, 1966, Art Spander, “Miller’s Formula for Par.”
96 “I wouldn’t take this round”—ibid.
96 “[Nicklaus] won’t bother me”—San
Francisco Chronicle,
June 18, 1966, Art Rosenbaum, “Arnie, Casper Tie; Nicklaus Mad.”
Francisco Chronicle,
June 18, 1966, Art Rosenbaum, “Arnie, Casper Tie; Nicklaus Mad.”
96 “refusing to crack”—
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 19, 1966, Nelson Cullenward, “Nicklaus Moves up with 69.”
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 19, 1966, Nelson Cullenward, “Nicklaus Moves up with 69.”
96 “They billed this one”—San
Francisco Chronicle,
June 19, 1966, Roger Williams, “Miller Gives TV Show.”
Francisco Chronicle,
June 19, 1966, Roger Williams, “Miller Gives TV Show.”
96 “I thought Miller was”—ibid.
97 “I was never at ease”—ibid.
97 “I’ve lost some”—
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 19, 1966, Roger Williams, “Bird on 14th Sparks Arnie.”
San Francisco Chronicle,
June 19, 1966, Roger Williams, “Bird on 14th Sparks Arnie.”
97 “I was feeling pretty good”—ibid.
98 “didn’t get airborne”—
New York Times,
June 20, 1966, Lincoln A. Werden, “Casper Makes Up 7 Strokes in 8 Holes to tie Palmer at 278 in U.S. Open.”
New York Times,
June 20, 1966, Lincoln A. Werden, “Casper Makes Up 7 Strokes in 8 Holes to tie Palmer at 278 in U.S. Open.”
98 “My caddie told me”—ibid.
98 “I’ll be eating buffalo meat”
—Oakland Tribune,
June 20, 1966, “Buffalo Meat Blues.”
—Oakland Tribune,
June 20, 1966, “Buffalo Meat Blues.”
99 “It was pretty damn similar”—
New York Times,
June 21, 1966, Lincoln A. Werden, “Californian Wins for Second Time.”
New York Times,
June 21, 1966, Lincoln A. Werden, “Californian Wins for Second Time.”
99 “I wanted to play so good”—Miller, “I’m Not Afraid.”
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