Friday, Jun. 23, 1961

Stone Face & the Monster

Along its narrow fairways, deep traps snare drives with the slightest hook. Around its undulating greens, bunkers catch approach shots with the smallest error. Golf Course Architect Robert Trent Jones fondly calls it "the greatest test of championship golf in the world." But to the 150 golfers who teed off in gusty winds last week to start the 61st U.S. Open, one of golf's most coveted prizes, Jones's 6,907-yd. Oakland Hills course in Birmingham, Mich., was simply "the Monster."

The Monster wasted no time claiming golf's biggest names. Cocky South African Gary Player, the Masters champion, was mystified by the rolling greens, putted so badly he wound up 7-over-par with 287 for 72 holes. Defending Open Champion Arnold Palmer fared even worse, failed to duplicate last year's whirlwind finish, shot 289. Two hardy perennials wilted: Ben Hogan, 48, seeking a record fifth Open, fired 289; Sam Snead, seeking his first in 21 tries, had 290.

If there was any man at Oakland Hills with the brand of golf needed to take the Monster's measure, it was Gene Littler, 30, a sandy-haired, ham-handed ex-sailor from La Jolla, Calif. A reserved, coldly efficient man dubbed "Gene the Machine" and "Stone Face." he was runnerup in the 1954 Open. But then he went into a disastrous slump, and had yet to redeem his promise. Out of play with a rib injury early this year, he had not won a tournament, but he was slowly regaining his old style and steadily perfecting his putting.

Going into the final round--the last 18 holes of the last day's grueling 36--Littler was three strokes behind lanky Georgian Doug Sanders, 27, the only man shooting par golf. A dozen others were so close that the Open was still a scramble. Burly Mike Souchak seemed to be hot, birdied the first hole of the last round to tie Sanders, but faded to a 284 and a fourth-place tie with blond, brawny Jack Nicklaus, top Amateur in the tournament.

Then Littler, playing his patented, deliberate game, picked up momentum. He birdied the 7th, 11th and 13th holes to draw even with par. The gallery rushed to watch him, and Littler did not let the rubberneckers down. His consistent, steely-nerved game meant the difference. He took the next four holes in par, bogeyed the 18th when a putt fell 2 ft. short, came home with a 1-over-par 281. It was exactly what he needed: Bob Goalby, onetime Darien, Conn., club pro, had finished earlier with a 282. Sanders, playing behind Littler, knew he had to birdie one of the last two holes to earn a tie. But Sanders was a stroke away each time. By the thin margin of one missed putt, quiet Gene Littler was the new Open champion.

"I wanted to win this in the worst way," said he. "It's been a long wait." Then the old Stone Face spread into a wide grin.

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