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Putting changes made difference
Posted: Tuesday April 03, 2001 7:03 PM
Updated: Wednesday April 04, 2001 12:10 AM
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From left, Lloyd Mangrum, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were on the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1949, which played at the Belmont Country Club in Belmont, Mass. File/Augusta Chronicle |
By Chris Gay
The Augusta Chronicle
He changed his putter and his putting stance before the 1949 Masters.
In his 10th Masters appearance, Sam Snead's changes paid off. Snead fired rounds of 67-67 in his final 36 holes to come back and defeat Lloyd Mangrum and Johnny Bulla by three shots for his first Masters title.
Snead came into Augusta with his game ablaze. He won a one-day pro-am at the Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken a month earlier. Less than a week later, he defeated Mangrum in a playoff at the Greater Greensboro Open.
The 35-year-old golfer from Hot Springs, Va., found windy conditions wreaking havoc on the first two days of the Masters Tournament.
He went 73-75 for a 4-over 148. He stood in 15th place, five shots off the lead held by Herman Keiser.
On Saturday, the wind fell, and Snead woke up. He made birdies on all four par-5 holes and shot a blistering 32 on the front nine en route to a third round 5-under 67. He was in a group of three golfers, including Mangrum, who trailed Johnny Palmer by one shot heading into the final round.
Snead's putter turned his tournament around Saturday. He one-putted the first five holes, including a 40-footer for birdie on No. 4.
His putter came through again Sunday. After one-putt birdies on Nos. 1 and 2, Snead sank a 10-foot birdie on the par-3 fourth hole and went out in 33.
On the back side, he birdied the two par-5 holes and headed to No. 18 with a comfortable lead.
His tee shot on No. 18 found the rough. But Snead knocked a 7-iron to 22 feet and drained the birdie putt to cap his round.
Snead, who lost the 1947 U.S. Open to Lew Worsham by one shot after missing a 30-inch putt on the last hole of an 18-hole playoff, used only 30 putts in his final round.
With his win, Snead was awarded the first green jacket, which has now become a staple of the Masters Tournament.
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