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MasterCard Colonial Tournament History - 1950s
1950 Sam Snead 277 |
A Special Time for Colonial and Hogan
As Colonial's young tournament entered the 1950s it was quickly rising to the top
of national prominence for professional golf events. The 1950 event was eagerly
awaited if for no other reason than the 1949 tourney had been canceled, and
Hogan was back.
Colonial made history in 1950 by introducing the first scoreboard system with
telephone service from all 18 greens. (That system is intact today, with radios, and
still surpasses all the electronic/computer gadgetry tried in scoring for quickness
and accuracy.) Local WBAP-TV broadcast weekend action into area homes.
(The U.S. Open wasn't televised until 1954!) After Saturday's round, the
committee presented Snead with a birthday cake on #18 while Jimmy Demaret
led the crowd in "Happy Birthday." Demaret had such a good time at the
tournament that after Sunday's award presentations, he closed the proceedings by
singing "Some Enchanted Evening."
In 1951 Hogan threatened to win again and led the first two rounds, but the former
dentist Cary Middlecoff won the event with an over-par total on Colonial's layout,
which some were now calling the toughest par 70 in the world. Middlecoff
commented that "If I had to play this course every day for a living, I'd go back to
pulling teeth."
The following year, Colonial almost lost its second tournament in five years. Just
one month before the 1953 event, a devastating fire roared through the clubhouse.
Proud officials, however, declared that "the course is still there," so the tournament
would be held even "if the clubhouse was a tent." One month later, reigning
Masters champ Hogan burned up the course for his fourth NIT win en route to the
most incredible year of his career. His wins in the U.S. and British Opens helped
earn him the Hickok Belt as Professional Athlete of the Year. He was the toast of
the world, as well as Fort Worth.
Also in 1953, Colonial began the tradition of having Byron Nelson hit the first ball
of the tournament each year. Nelson regrettably never won Colonial in his
semi-retirement, but 1954 marked his best finish here, a tie for third. Johnny
Palmer claimed the title that year. In 1955 Chandler Harper destroyed the field for
an eight-stroke victory. Finishing in last place that year, in his first appearance at
Colonial, was young Arnold Palmer.
1956 was a soggy year for the tournament, but Mike Souchak slogged in a
champion, edging Tommy "Thunder" Bolt by one shot. The most talked-about
item of the event was burly George Bayer's four-wood to the 18th green during
the first round. It ended up on the roof of Colonial's shiny new three-story
clubhouse! Talk about an unplayable lie. Golf Digest reported in a feature article in
'56 that Colonial's event had reached the "same class of the U.S. Open and
Masters."
Rain soaked Colonial again in 1957, requiring a 36-hole Sunday, and
champion Roberto De Vicenzo claimed he didn't even know he was in the hunt
until after he finished. All 48 players invited showed up, and it was heralded the
"finest field in golf."
In 1958 a calmer, gentler Bolt finally claimed the Colonial championship, nipping
Ken Venturi by one shot in yet another rainy tournament. The showers began
early in the week, and produced this strange quote from Byron Nelson after the
first round. "The course is too wet to be muddy, and, somehow, it's the driest wet
I've ever seen." A sunny weekend saved the event and the tournament's future.
But there were other reasons for excitement. Sam Snead, who reportedly disliked
the galleries at Colonial for their bias toward Hogan, was the Tour's leading
money winner coming in. He had already won four tournaments that year, beating
Hogan in a playoff for one of them. Hogan then whipped his rival by 10 shots at
Snead's home Greenbrier tournament. Folks relished the idea of a Snead-Hogan
duel at Colonial, but never got it. Snead eagled the first hole on the first day and
never looked back. Leading start to finish, Snead won by three shots, and Hogan
never got within four. Snead's game was so flawless that one writer remarked,
"Snead missed a belt loop when he put his pants on for the first round. It was the
only mistake he made."
In 1952 Fort Worth's Raymond Gafford threatened to steal Hogan's local
bragging rights before collapsing in the 36-hole finish and losing a five-shot lead.
Rain had postponed the second round. Colonial's famous plaid jacket was
introduced this year, along with the tradition of making a first-round "feature
threesome" of Hogan, the defending champion and the defending low amateur.
(This required modification in '53 and '54 since Hogan was the defending
champ!The reigning runner-up played in this case.)
To close out the decade in 1959, Hogan claimed his fifth and final Colonial title.
He did it with his company's own clubs in Colonial's first-ever playoff, defeating
Fred Hawkins over 18 holes by four shots. To complete the product
endorsement, Hawkins was playing with a brand new set of Hogan clubs himself.
It was standard procedure in the day of 18-hole playoffs that the golfers got a
piece of the Monday gate. Hogan and Hawkins thus pocketed an extra $549.94
each. It was an emotional, popular win and Marvin Leonard gifted the fabulous
Leonard Trophy to Hogan in honor of the achievement. Fittingly, it was the final
victory of Hogan's career. This, too, most assuredly was fate.