The L.A. Open : SLAMMIN’ SAMMY TRIED HIS WHAMMY

Sam Snead was 61 in 1974 and the sentimental favorite at Riviera. Snead had won twice at Riviera, most recently in 1950. He shot a 66 in the third round for a share of the lead with Dave Stockton, John Mahaffey and Tom Weiskopf, players who hadn’t even been born when Snead was the tour’s money leader in 1938.

On Sunday, Stockton pulled in front of Snead, but found himself only one stroke ahead after Snead sank a long birdie putt on the 17 hole. On the 18th tee, Snead, never one to give an opponent an even break, stretched the facts a bit when he tried a little good-ol’-boy gamesmanship and said to Stockton: “You know, I birdied the last two holes to beat Hogan in 1950.”

Stockton pulled his tee shot into the left rough on the 447-yard hole and faced a 243-yard shot from a sidehill lie to the pin. He nailed a three-wood 12 feet past the cup in what he called the greatest shot of his life, made the birdie putt and won the tournament by two shots.