PAST MAJORS
Who's the fairest of them all? Our panel ranks all seven majors at Southern Hills by ken macleod
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irror, mirror on the wall, what’s the greatest major of them all? Southern Hills has hosted seven previous golf major championships prior to the 2022 PGA Championship, a rich history not many clubs can match. How are they remembered by observers who have personally witnessed most or are intimately familiar
with the history? We asked seven panelists to rank the seven majors. Not by any set criteria, but on the impact they had on them personally and the legacy they left on the club and golf. Each of the panelists has witnessed, worked on or covered multiple majors and have a deep knowledge and appreciation of Southern Hills and golf.
OTIS WINTERS The son of John Winters, who was the 1962-63 USGA president, founding member of Southern Hills and the man most responsible for the 1958 U.S. Open coming to Tulsa. Oits began his observations of major tournaments at Southern Hills as a forecaddie on the seventh hole of the 1946 Women’s Amateur Championship won by Babe Zaharias. He was a committee member for the 1958 U.S. Open, committee chairman for the 1970 PGA Championship and Vice Chairman for the 1977 U.S. Open, and a keen observer of every major since.
JENK JONES JR. Former editor and publisher of the Tulsa Tribune, Jenk covered most of the majors and took a famous picture of Hubert Green flanked by three police officers in the 18th fairway in the 1977 U.S. Open after the infamous death threat.
DAN GRIFFIN A caddy of more than 2,500 rounds at Southern Hills since 1959, including for Lee Trevino in the 1970 PGA Championship, Florentino Molina in the 1977 U.S. Open and Omar Uresti in last summer’s Senior PGA Championship, also for Donna Caponi when she won the 1970 U.S. Women’s Open at Muskogee Country Club. 26
BRYAN JOHNSON A recent past president of Southern Hills, Johnson, a senior vice president of wealth management at UBS, has served in numerous capacities at the club.
ANDY JOHNSON Past president and Southern Hills club champion in 2010, 2011 and 2020, also a former competitor in national long drive championship events. Johnson is an attorney at Johnson & Jones, P.C. in Tulsa.
CARY COZBY Director of Golf at Southern Hills since 2015, where he also worked previously as an assistant from 1995 to 2000, first stepped on the grounds at Southern Hills in the 1977 U.S. Open with father Jerry Cozby, a PGA of America and Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame inductee.
MIKE CARTER Now athletic director emeritus at Oral Roberts, Carter was the club champion at Southern Hills in 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990. A former NCAA rules committee member for 18 years and rules chairman for five years, he has worked on every major at Southern Hills since 1977.
GOLF OKL AHOMA • 2022 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
THE CONTESTANTS
MEET THE PANELISTS:
Tommy Bolt The Southern Hills majors as described by club historian Clyde Chrisman
1958 U.S. OPEN Tommy Bolt birdies the opening hole, looks back at the clubhouse and says, “OK boys, who’s going to finish second?” He goes on to win his only major by four over 22-year old Gary Player.
1970 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Dave Stockton holes a wedge on No.7 for an eagle two to increase his lead over Arnold Palmer to 7. He never looks back and wins by two over Arnie.
1977 U.S. OPEN Hubert Green, using his trademark lowhands and quick tempo, prevails over Open pressure and a death threat to win by one.
1982 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Raymond Floyd makes nine consecutive 3’s in the first round and shoots a competitive course record 63. He goes on to win by three over Lanny Wadkins.
1994 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Nick Price runs away from the field, shoots 11-under par, and wins by six. Runner-up Corey Pavin says, “ I feel like I won B Flight.” Arnold Palmer plays in his final PGA Championship. Arnie’s golfing career at Southern Hills spans 36 years (ages 28 to 64) beginning with the 1958 U.S. Open.
2001 U.S. OPEN Retief Goosen rebounds from a three putt from 10 feet on the 72nd hole and tops Mark Brooks by two in an 18-hole playoff.
2007 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Tiger Woods fires a major championship record-tying 63 in round two and captures his 13th major. Tiger makes a crucial SunW W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG
