RIP Hubert Green

Green passes away at age 71

2-time major winner.
19 tour titles.

Love this story about him winning the 77 US Open with the death threat.

US Open Countdown: Green shakes off death threat to grab 1977 title

 

Interesting timing, given that Green's name has been referenced a lot as Koepka became the second Florida State alum -- after Green -- to win multiple majors.

 

The narrative on the death threat in 1977 shows that USGA officials have always been dumb. The threat said Green would be shot on the 15th green. They told Green at No. 14, when he had a one-shot lead.

 

Anyone know if he was a smoker? I saw him once at the then-Pittsburgh Senior Classic and he was very friendly.

 

It’s the USGA. No surprise there.

 

So how do you feel about someone like Green, or Miller, O'Meara, Janzen, North, Bill Rogers, Zach Johnson, now Koepka, who won 2 majors relative to guys who are held up as great players, Couples, DLIII, who only won one? Or even the (bummer) case of Norman ("Only" two Opens)? IMHO, majors > regular wins, even substantially more (Miller > Couples).

 

Good question.

And just to make things more complicated, where do players like Player, Els, Ballesteros and others who spent time in Japan and Europe playing professional golf rate against the more well known American names.

It sure seems like Els > Mickelson, but I am not sure how the non-American wins should be rated.

 

Amazing. Story says this was the first US Open shown final round that showed the lead group start to finish. Yet I can't find anything on youtube. Shouldn't images of a player surrounded by FBI agents while walking up the 18th fairway -- I presume that's what happened -- be among the most famous in the history of sports? Maybe it didn't happen that way. But I'd like to know.

 

Mickelson has 5 majors and Els 3 so Mick > Els to me.