Souchak’s Total of 257 Still a PGA Low Point

Forty-four years ago today, one-time Duke football player Mike Souchak registered the lowest 72-hole tournament score in PGA history.

He finished in 257 strokes, winning the Texas Open at Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio at 27 under par. Since then, three golfers have shot 258s, but Souchak remains alone in the PGA record book at 257.

If you want to be like Mike and set a four-round record, it doesn’t hurt to start off with a 60. And that’s what he did, on his way finishing the back nine in 27 strokes. After that came rounds of 68, 64 and 65. He won the $2,200 first-place check on the final day in 37-degree weather.

Second, seven strokes behind, was Claremont’s Freddie Haas.

Souchak, 27, bettered the previous four-round record held by Byron Nelson and Chandler Harper by two strokes. It was Souchak’s first major victory on the PGA tour and we would go on to win 15 more tournaments.

Souchak’s score ties him for second with Ben Hogan and Mark Calcavecchia for most strokes under par for 72 holes. The record holder is John Houston, who was 28 under in winning the 1998 United Airlines Hawaiian Open.

Also on this date: In 1971, the Dodgers made Frank Robinson the highest-paid Dodger ever, at $145,000, and gave Maury Wills a $7,500 raise, to $100,000. . . . In 1965, UCLA basketball coach John Wooden reached 600 victories in a 74-64 win over Oregon at the Sports Arena. . . . In 1960, Boston University sophomore John Thomas set a world mark of 7 feet 2 inches in the high jump. . . . In 1965, Cedar Key and rider Manuel Ycaza set a grass-track record of 2:24 1/5 in winning the 1 1/2-mile San Luis Rey Handicap at Santa Anita. . . . In 1988, American Brian Boitano won the men’s figure skating gold medal at Calgary, Canada. . . . In 1953, August A. Busch bought the St. Louis Cardinals. . . . In 1971, Phil Esposito became the first NHL player to reach 50 goals in February. . . . In 1998, Tara Lipinski defeated Michelle Kwan for the women’s figure skating gold medal at Nagano, Japan. . . . In 1974, Gordie Howe, 45, came out of retirement and signed with the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Assn., so he could play with sons Mark and Marty.