The Masters, Chicago Connections
If you’re a Chicago golf fan and looking for some local blood to pull for, you have a few options. As usual, the core trio of Steve Stricker (U of I), Luke Donald (Evanston), and Jeff Sluman (Western ‘burbs I think) are all in.
You have already read my rant on why I’m discouraged that these guys aren’t highlighted in the local papers so I won’t belabor the point. I will make a couple of other points that may be interesting to you.
First, according to my sources (Ed Sherman), the Masters will begin inviting certain PGA tour winners from the previous year. Had this been implemented last year, we would be seeing our man Mark Wilson teeing it up today. Oh well, hopefully he wins again before next year’s Masters.
Second, keep in mind that we actually have a former Masters winner with a Chicago connection (somewhat). Bob Goalby, from Belleville, IL and a graduate of U of I, won the tournament back in 1968.
This wasn’t just an ordinary win and is recounted in detail by famous golf writer Curt Sampson in his book The Lost Masters: Grace and Disgrace in ‘68. Among other reasons, this Masters was famous for a simple scoring mistake. You see, Goalby ended regulation play tied with Roberto DeVicenzo and went on beat DeVicenzo in a playoff. However, DeVicenzo should have won outright. His playing partner marked an erroneous 4 on the scorecard on number 17 rather than a 3-the correct number. If scored correctly, DeVicenzo would have been shrugging on the green jacket that evening, but since he signed the scorecard, the erroneous score stood.
Hmm, I might have to add the Sampson book to my summer reading schedule. I played a Goalby-designed course a few years ago in southern Illinois called Far Oaks. Nice course. I wish I would have known some of this history when I played it.