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Hallberg's style, play drew notice
Posted: Thursday April 10, 2003 8:38 PM
Updated: Thursday April 10, 2003 11:35 PM
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Gary Hallberg reacts to his birdie chip shot from about 30 feet away during the 1985 tournament. File/AugustaChronicle |
By John Boyette
The Augusta Chronicle
Before there was Tiger Woods, Charles Howell or any of the other "can't miss" kids on the PGA Tour, there was Gary Hallberg.
A standout amateur who played collegiately at Wake Forest, Hallberg was the first four-time All-America selection - a feat since duplicated by Phil Mickelson and David Duval.
Hallberg, who won the 1979 NCAA championship, was so good that he jumped straight from college to the PGA Tour. He became the first player to earn tour privileges without going through the annual qualifying tournament, and he won 1980 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors.
Along with all of those accolades, Hallberg's play in the 1985 Masters Tournamentranks among his fondest memories.
Though not much was expected of Hallberg as he entered the tournament that year, he left a lasting impression with his fedora and his solid play.
Hallberg seized the lead and the headlines in the next day's newspapers with 4-under-par 68 in the opening round.
Hallberg, now 44 and living with his family in Castle Rock, Colo., still has a winning touch. In 2002, he missed the cut in all three PGA Tour events he entered, but he made up for that by winning the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic on the Buy.com Tour in June, shooting 64 in the final round.
Hallberg finished the 1985 Masters with 70, earning him a tie for sixth place. Overall, he played in six Masters from 1978 to 1993, but the 1985 tournament was his best showing.
"I don't think I was choking. I didn't lose my cool," Hallberg said at the 1985 Masters. "I was hitting the ball solid. I made a couple of mistakes and it cost me."
Copyright 2003 The Augusta Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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