Houston Golf Association Historical Moments
Compiled by Burt Darden
[ Intro ][ 1940's ][ 1950's ][ 1960's ][ 1970's ][ 1980's ][ 1990's ][ 2000 ]
1960's Time Line
| 1960 | |
| May 2 | Bill Collins felt as if he had done battle with an army en route to his victory in the Houston Classic, the first HGA-promoted event to finish in the month of May. Collins stumbled to a 72 the last round and ended up tied with Arnold Palmer at 8-under-par 280. Collins beat Palmer and Arnie's Army 69-71 in the $36,440 tournament. Gary Player, a young South African, cashed his first Houston Open check of $1,800 for a fourth-place tie. |
| 1961 | |
| April 24 | The purse escalated to $43,569.44, according to PGA TOUR records. A Houston resident won in the first sudden-death playoff in tournament history. Jay Hebert and Ken Venturi finished at 4-under-276 and tied at 69 in the 18-hole playoff. In sudden-death Hebert birdied the par-5 first hole while Venturi parred. |
| 1962 | |
| April 23 | Texas Aggie Bobby Nichols became the first Southwest Conference graduate to win in Houston as the sudden-death playoff syndrome continued. Nichols, Dan Sikes and rookie Jack Nicklaus finished at 2-under-par 278. Nichols and Sikes each shot 71 in the 18-hole playoff while Nicklaus was eliminated with a 76. In sudden death Nichols eagled the par-5 first hole to beat a birdie by Sikes. |
| 1963 | |
| April 23 | The playoff string thankfully ended at four years. Bob Charles of New Zealand became the first left-hander to win on the PGA TOUR. Charles shot 12-under-par 268 to edge Fred Hawkins by a shot. The purse moved up to a then-lofty $53,500. Charles would win the British Open later that year. |
| 1964 | |
| April 19 | Mike Souchak won his second Houston title, nine years after the first, as the tournament moved to the Sharpstown Country Club. Souchak posted a 2-under-par 278, a stroke ahead of Jack Nicklaus in the $57,500 event. |
| 1965 | |
| April 18 | Houston Golf Association officials boosted the purse to $75,000 to entice the game's best. Bobby Nichols earned his second Houston title at Sharpstown Country Club with a 7-under-par 273 total. Australian Bruce Devlin, who would later win the event in 1972, finished a stroke back. |
| 1966 | |
| November 20 | Houston's event moved to Champions Golf Club, co-founded by Jimmy Demaret and Jack Burke Jr.. The event got a new moniker -- Houston Champions International, plus a large purse increase to $110,000. It also set a PGA TOUR record for the longest rain delay -- six months and 10 days. When rain made the course unplayable in the spring, Arnold Palmer persuaded HGA officials to reschedule in November. Palmer came back in late fall to record a 9-under-par 275 total for a one-shot victory over Gardiner Dickinson. Billy Casper locked up the No. 1 spot on the money list with his tie for 18th. |
| 1967 | |
| May 7 | Frank Beard's closing 67 gave him a one-shot victory over Arnold Palmer in the second event played at Champions Golf Club. The pros loved the Cypress Creek Course at Champions and co-founders Jimmy Demaret and Jack Burke hoped to build on that reputation later that fall when it would be the host venue of the Ryder Cup Matches. |
| October 22 | The HGA and Champions were persuaded by the PGA of America to host the Ryder Cup Matches in October. Ben Hogan captained the team composed of Julius Boros, Gay Brewer, Billy Casper, Gardiner Dickinson, Al Geiberger, Gene Littler, Bobby Nichols, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Pott and Doug Sanders. The U.S. Team won the Ryder Cup but HGA's already depleted treasury took another infusion of red ink. There were no lucrative sponsorship contracts in those days. |
| 1968 | |
| May 5 | Roberto de Vicenzo, only weeks after signing an incorrect scorecard and costing himself a chance for a green jacket at The Masters, won in Houston. The affable Argentinean shot 10-under-par to beat a young Texan named Lee Trevino by a shot. In the meantime Jimmy Demaret and Jack Burke continued to lobbying the USGA for the 1969 U.S. Open Championship. |
| 1969 | |
| June 15 | Badly in need of funds, the Houston Golf Association officials had agreed to cancel their tournament in 1969 and work in tandem with the United States Golf Association to host the U.S. Open at Champions. Retired Army Sergeant Orville Moody shot 1-over-par 281 to win by a stroke over Deane Beman, Bob Rosburg and Al Geiberger. The U.S. Open erased HGA's debts and gave it some much needed funding. |
[ Intro ][ 1940's ][ 1950's ][ 1960's ][ 1970's ][ 1980's ][ 1990's ][ 2000 ]
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