RIP Hubert Green

[Chef2]

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

 

[playthrough]

Great player. Cancer got its licks on him pretty good, but he kept fighting back.

 

[Donny in his element]

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.

 

[hondo]

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.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

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

 

[Tarheel316]

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.

It’s the USGA. No surprise there.

 

[playthrough]

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

I don't believe he was but not 100 percent sure.

 

[qtlaw]

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).

 

[Scout]

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.

 

[tapintoamerica]

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

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.

 

[qtlaw]

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.

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

 

[playthrough]

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).

Couples (15) and DL III (21) won a lot of Tour events including two Players Championships. Norman won 20 times on the PGA Tour and another 14 on the Euro Tour. Yet everyone thinks they should have won more, and they'd say the same thing. Still, they're all greats. Ditto Green, IMO, who was awfully underrated and overshadowed by all the studs of the '70s yet he won 19 times. Ask anyone to guess Green's career win total and they're not going that high.

Can't put North, Janzen or Koepka (yet) in that group, but I don't think they lose much sleep at night. You know Phil would give up quite a bit (including his Week 1 NFL locks) for just one of their Opens.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

He won bell bottoms. Hall of Fame for me.

 

[Chef2]

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

Ernie has 2 US Opens
Ernie > Phil
Phil has 3 Masters, PGA and An Open
Ernie has 2 US Opens and An Open

Opens/US Opens > PGA/Masters

 

[hondo]

Green had to contend with Jack and Tom Watson in their prime.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Ernie has 2 US Opens
Ernie > Phil
Phil has 3 Masters, PGA and An Open
Ernie has 2 US Opens and An Open

Opens/US Opens > PGA/Masters

This is not how anyone else keeps score. At all.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Green had one of the strangest swings and putting stances on Tour.
Ever.

I would have never guessed he had 19 wins.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Interviewed Jim Furyk once in the '90s, when his swing was much odder than it is now. He said "in my mind, I'm swinging like Ben Hogan." I'll bet Green felt the same way. If it hits the club face square...