Panel ranks seven previous S-Hills majors

Who's the fairest of them all?

Our panel ranks all seven majors at Southern Hills

by ken macleod

Mirror, 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.

MEET THE PANELISTS:

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.

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.

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.

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.

THE CONTESTANTS

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 Sun-

Dave Stockton Hubert Green Raymond Floyd

day birdie on 15 to hold off Woody Austin and win by two.

And finally, the rankings, from last to first, with observations from the panelists:

No. 7, 1994 PGA Championship, 41 points

Ranking sixth or seventh on five of seven ballots, Nick Price’s brilliance could not overcome the lack of drama that such excellent play induced.

Winters: “This was the Nick Price show and he set the PGA scoring record at 269. He is acknowledged as one of the nicest men in professional golf. He had just won the Open Championship and this win propelled him into the golfer of the year award and number one in the world rankings. This was Arnie’s last of 37 PGA tournaments. He holed a long putt on 18 and his army responded appropriately.”

Jones: “Great golf doesn’t always bring exciting finishes. Nick Price was red-hot at the 1994 PGA, leaving Corey Pavin (six back) and the rest of his competitors in the dust.”

Carter: “The number one player in the world led wire to wire and showed why he was the best defeating the top field in golf. Price’s friendly graciousness was displayed not only after winning the championship but also the next year at the Tour Championship at Southern Hills. After shooting 79 the first round, he was as nice and engaging to those of us working in the locker room as if he had shot 63. He sat and visited with us for almost an hour. The 1994 PGA was Arnold Palmer’s last, and the crowds gave him a standing ovation on every hole.”

Nick Price No. 6, 2001 U.S. Open, 35 points

No one wanted a Monday playoff, and the way it came about, with three putts galore on 18, made it worse. Ranked sixth or seventh on four ballots, only a No. 1 vote from Jones kept it from battling 1994 as the least favorite.

Winters: “I hate to see golf tournaments lost rather than won. Reteif Goosen, Mark Brooks and Stewart Cink all three putted the 18th hole. Cink’s last miss was about 20 inches, which dropped him into third place and Goosen prevailed by two shots in a dull playoff. None of the big names were ever in contention.”

Jones: “The event that broke Tiger Woods’ incredible run of four straight majors victories. He was brought down in particular by the relatively short ninth hole which he played in four over.”

Griffin: “I thought it was a little bit lackluster with Goosen, Cink, Brooks and others playing the last hole so poorly resulting in a 18 hole play-off won by Goosen.”

Cozby: “The carnage on 18.”

Carter: “Goosen had the tournament won and three putted the final hole from 12 feet. I was the chair of the marshals, and after a long, hot week of exciting golf, we thought the tournament was over when he had hit it so close. Two of us had carried the table down the hill for the trophy presentation, only to have to carry it back up after he 3-putted. Goosen and Mark Brooks played an 18-hole playoff the next day that Goosen

Retief Goosen Tiger Woods

Retief Goosen

won handily. We had to scramble to get the marshals needed for a Monday playoff, but all went well, except maybe for the squirrels playing in the front bunker on 12 while the players were approaching!”

No 5, 1982 PGA Championship, 32 points

Winters: “The Ray Floyd show. His opening round of 63 was the course record and featured the amazing streak of nine straight 3s from number 6 to 14. He led the field and was never really challenged. Lanny Watkins finished second. “

Jones: “The only suspense at the 1982 PGA was whether Ray Floyd would break the tournament’s scoring record. He hacked up No. 18, however, and his double bogey left him a stroke short of tying the mark.”

Cozby: “One of the greatest chippers of all time makes nine straight 3s from 6-14. Over.”

No. 4, 1977 U.S. Open, 31 points

Winters: “Once again the big names were not in contention. The highlight was Hubert Green receiving a death threat as he walked off the 14th green. He said, “let’s play” and promptly revealed his nerves by snap hooking his drive on number 15. He was fortunate to have hit a tree as his ball was headed out of bounds. He made par, birdied 16 and pared 17 to go to 18 with a two-stroke lead. Lou Graham had mounted a charge and had birdied 12, 14, 15 and 16 to get within two. Hubert was leaking oil by 18 and had to make a trembling 4-footer for a bogey to win by one.”

Jones: “I took a photo from mid-fairway that showed Hubert Green sitting on his golf bag and staring up at No. 18, green the tournament’s final hole. Three police officers were with him; Green had received a death threat while on the back nine, though spectators TV viewers and other golfers didn’t know it. He hit a poor second shot into the huge front-left bunker, but managed a long blast out and a testing bogey putt to defeat Lou Graham by a stroke.”

Griffin: “The course played at 6,873 yards and was won by my pre-tournament pick, Hubert Green. Hubie played the last 5 holes under a death threat as some idiot called the club and said they were going to shoot him on 15. Another tournament with all the big names of that era, Nicklaus, Palmer, Trevino, Player, Miller and many more helped to make it a big gallery draw.”

Andy Johnson: “Star players not in contention and death threat against the leader sums it up.”

Cozby: That was my first time at Southern Hills and at a professional golf event. I had a program and got autographs and had Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and a bunch more. My mom recently gave me some items from my dad’s office and I noticed that he had turned the autograph page upside down and signed it at the bottom for me. (Jerry Cozby, a member of the PGA of America and Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame, passed away in 2020.)”

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No. 3, 1958 U.S. Open, 23 point

Winters: “Tommy “Thunder” Bolt controlled his well-known temper to win the first major at SHCC. This was the introduction of Gary Player who played beautifully and finished second 4 shots behind Bolt who led wire to wire. Jack Nicklaus was 18 years old and made the cut in his second Open. This was a chance to see the great players of that time. Ben Hogan was mediocre and finished 10th, Julius Boros was third, Sam Snead missed his first cut in 18 years and Jimmy Demaret withdrew.

Bryan Johnson: “Wasn’t alive for this one but very important as it established Southern Hills as a major championship venue. Have always appreciated seeing that 22-year-old Gary Player finished second behind the winner Tommy Bolt.”

Carter: “The greatest names in golf were in the field including Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Gene Littler, Cary Middlecoff, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and a very young Jack Nicklaus. The fiery Bolt held them all off to win his only major championship over second place Gene Littler.”

No. 2, 1970 PGA Championship, 22 points

Received three first or second-place votes. Tulsan Jed Day played a key role as the caddy for Dave Stockton, who recalls his memories of this event in this issue.

Winters: “This is my favorite and I count it as a tribute to Arnie and all he has meant to golf. Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller led the first round. Dave Stockton won the tournament with 98 percent of the gallery rooting for Arnie on Sunday. On the 13th hole on Sunday, Arnie was 4 shots behind and had hit his ball to about 15 feet from the hole. Stockton had hit it in the water and was looking at a double bogey. If Arnie holed his putt, it could be a threeshot swing. To his great credit, Stockton hit a beautiful pitch from a very difficult spot. He made bogey, Arnie missed and could not close the gap. Stockton was gasping for air and made shaky fives on 17 and 18 to win by two. This was Arnie’s third runner

up in the PGA championship and was his last time in conHOW THEY VOTED, LAST TO FIRST tention in a major.” Winters: 2001, 1994, 1982, 1977, 1958, 2007, 1970 Jones: “On the final day of the 1970 PGA tourney a great Jones: 1994, 1982, 1970, 2007, 1958, 1977, 2001 shout went up from specta- Griffin: 2001, 1958, 1994, 1982, 1977, 1970, 2007 tors at the seventh green. Andy Johnson: 1977, 1994, 1982, 1970, 2001, 1958, 2007People around the course figured crowd favorite Arnold Bryan Johnson: 1994, 1977, 2001, 1970, 1982, 1958, 2007 Palmer had birded, but t was Cary Cozby: 1994, 2001, 1970, 1958, 1977, 2007 Dave Stockton holing out for an eagle — the two-stroke Mike Carter: 1977, 2001, 1982, 1958, 1994, 1970, 2007 margin by which be ultimately defeated Palmer and Bob Murphy. The PGA remained the only major Palmer did not win.”

Griffin: “Stockton, Palmer and Murphy were in the final group of the day on Sunday. Stockton holed out a wedge from 120 yards on number 7 for a 2 and Arnold double-bogeyed 12. So close for the win and the crowds were so jubilant in rooting for him to win.

“With all of the big dogs . . . Palmer, Nicklaus, Trevino, Player and others playing in this event, it made it a big draw for crowds. My brother-in-law, Jerry Hausner, caddied for Murphy and I caddied for Lee Trevino in this event. Lee shot a course record 65 on Sunday hitting all 18 greens in regulation.”

AND THE WINNER IS: No. 1, 2007 PGA Championship, 12 points

Received five votes at No. 1 and one at No. 2. Andy Johnson: “One word, Tiger.” Bryan Johnson: “Tiger Woods winning furthered the legacy of Southern Hills, as great major courses are defined by their champions. The heat was oppressive all week.” Cozby: “Arguably the greatest player of all time in his prime, one of the two best players ever to walk the earth.” Carter: “The excitement was unparalleled. Tiger was the No. 1 player in the world and everyone was waiting and hoping for him to win. The golf fans in Oklahoma may not remember all the championships that have been hosted in the state, but they will always remember that Tiger Woods won the PGA at Southern Hills. “I was the chair of the Marshals, and we were told that no one would start a practice round on the 10th tee so marshals were not scheduled to work the back nine until after 8:30. I look up from the halfway house at 7:30 to see Tiger and Mark O’Meara teeing up on the 10th tee. I ran down to the USGA officials who were testing the speed of the 9th green, apprised them of the situation and asked what they wanted us to do. They looked at each other and held their hands up. Our area marshal captains escorted the twosome until marshals arrived for their shifts on the 14th and later holes. It was a great tribute to the Tulsa fans that followed 6-7 deep without any incidents. At that point in time, nothing was larger than Tiger!”