Loran Smith - ‘ 75 Masters

Loran

Smith

Much of the pleasure of the Masters each year is reminiscing—looking back to great moments in the storied history of the most unique sporting event there is. It is the only major championship that is played at the same club every year. It was at Augusta that tournament officials started such traditions as bringing the former champions back. Every year I reflect on the times I have joined various former winners on the porch of the old plantation home and listened to the ole timers talk about the past. Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and later Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

Seeing Arnold Palmer win three of his Masters victories and every one of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods championships have been an enriching experience.

One of the most exciting Masters came in 1975 when Jack Nicklaus won his fifth title here and what a finish it was! Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller came to the 18th hole with an opportunity to make birdie and force a playoff.

Nicklaus had finished ahead of them and watched them play the 18th hole without any emotion from the doorway of the scorer’s tent behind the 18th green. Even when the last to putt, Tom Weiskopf, saw his ball slide past the hole which settled the tournament 50 years ago.

At Augusta in ’75, when victory was confirmed, Jack noted that he was not pulling against his challengers, saying, “There is too much negative talk in the world today. I was relieved when they did not make their putts, but I was not pulling against them. When a guy is in a position to win the Masters, more power to him if he can make a putt like that.”

There was cheering, however, when Weiskopf, the last to putt, missed the shot that would have brought about an 18 hole playoff on Monday. Nobody wanted to come back Monday for a full round of golf to determine the champion. Thank goodness those days are over.

It was Jack’s 40-foot birdie putt on No. 16 which turned out to be the difference in that year’s classic. Known for his prodigious power off the tee, Jack seldom got credit for one of his greatest attributes—a deft putting touch. During a rain delay at a Tour tournament several years ago, Palmer got into a routine discussion with the media about the best putters on play on tour.

Casper got high marks and so did South African Bobby Locke. Ben Crenshaw was given high ratings. Arnold made a classic comment: When a putt had to be made, Jack was as good as you could want.

Arnold, in his prime, was considered a good putter but when he was off, he often experienced disaster such as the 1962 Open at Oakmont, which was like a home course for the popular Palmer.

He lost to Nicklaus in an 18-hole playoff. but three putted 17 times during the tournament. If he had made 10 of continued from page

those putts, he would have run away with the Open championship.

Following the final round of the Masters, fifty years ago, Weiskopf was disconsolate. I remember him sitting in front of his locker in the old lower clubhouse on the verge of tears. He never sobbed but he came close.

“It hurts,” he said. “You just don’t know how many times in your career that you will be in a position to win the Masters.”

Those years there was always a lot of talk about the possibility of a player winning a Grand Slam— four major titles in the same year. For that to happen, a player must obviously win the first one.

I remember Nicklaus saying, “It is possible, but not probable.” The man always had great insights and measured commentary when he met the press.

Nicklaus came from behind often to win a lot of golf tournaments, including majors. In 1975, there were two outstanding golfers who could have done unto him as he so often had done unto others.

The threat was real, and like always Nicklaus managed the results and aftermath with class which has always been a constant throughout his career.