For Openers, Trevino Put On Quite a Show

This one is like winning the heavyweight championship in your first pro fight. Or pitching a perfect game for your first victory.

Golfer Lee Trevino picked the biggest stage he could find to win his first PGA Tour tournament--the U.S. Open at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.

And he did it with all guns blazing: He became the first U.S. Open champion to shoot four consecutive rounds in the 60s. His 69-68-69-69--275 tied Jack Nicklaus’ Open record.

Further, the grade-school dropout from El Paso beat a golf icon, Nicklaus (279), who called his final-round 67 the best round he had ever shot at an Open. Only Trevino and Nicklaus broke par for the tournament.

Trevino, who had a herky-jerky swing no one ever confused with Sam Snead’s, won it with his putter.

Jim Murray, after pointing out Trevino was the first Open champion to have tattoos, wrote: “Trevino hasn’t had a three-putt green since the Alamo. He could two-putt an airport.”

As sizzling as Trevino’s game was, Arnold Palmer’s was never worse.

In arguably the worst tournament of his career, Palmer shot 73-74-79-75--301.

Then there was Steve Spray of Indianola, Iowa, and his day in the sun. He shot a 65, equaling the lowest final round at the Open, and he had a back-nine 30, also a record. He had eight birdies.

Also on this date: On the same day, Hall of Fame outfielder “Wahoo” Sam Crawford died in Hollywood at 88. . . . In 1918, Pittsburgh’s Casey Stengel, as he came to bat in the first inning at Brooklyn, doffed his cap to jeering Dodger fans, and out flew a sparrow. . . . In 1973, Baltimore’s Jim Palmer retired the first 25 batters before giving up a single to Ken Suarez with one out in the ninth inning. Palmer lost a perfect game but the Orioles beat Kansas City, 9-1.