| 1977 U.S. Open | |
Twelve players were within three strokes of the lead as the final round began at the 1977 U.S. Open. The golfer who held that lead was Hubert Green.
Green had won 11 times on the PGA Tour at this point in his career, but was still looking for his first victory in a major championship. But before that final round began, a disturbing phone call was received by authorities.
Due to mistakes and oversights earlier in the day, Green wasn't informed of the threat until he walked off the green of the 14th hole.
After hearing of the threat, Green decided to keep playing without delay. But he hooked his drive on the 15th into a tree - which might have been the only thing keeping the ball from going out of bounds. Green hit his approach to 35 feet and 2-putted for par. No shots rang out, no snipers were found on or around the course. Green survived the 15th, literally and figuratively, and then birdied the 16th to take a 2-stroke lead.
Green wound up with a 70 in that final round to win by one stroke over 1975 U.S. Open champ Lou Graham. Graham started the day three shots behind Green, but ran off four birdies on the back nine. Green had to make a 3-foot putt on the final hole to avoid a playoff, and rolled it in for the win.
The 1977 U.S. Open was the final one played by Sam Snead, who shot 74-78 and missed the cut.
1977 U.S. Open Golf Tournament Scores
Results from the 1977 U.S. Open golf tournament played at the par-70 Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma (a-amateur):
| Hubert Green | 69-67-72-70--278 | $45,000 |
| Lou Graham | 72-71-68-68--279 | $23,500 |
| Tom Weiskopf | 71-71-68-71--281 | $16,000 |
| Tom Purtzer | 69-69-72-72--282 | $13,000 |
| Jay Haas | 72-68-71-72--283 | $10,875 |
| Gary Jacobsen | 73-70-67-73--283 | $10,875 |
| Lyn Lott | 73-73-68-70--284 | $8,000 |
| Terry Diehl | 69-68-73-74--284 | $8,000 |
| Tom Watson | 74-72-71-67--284 | $8,000 |
| Mike McCullough | 73-73-69-70--285 | $4,100 |
| Rod Funseth | 69-70-72-74--285 | $4,100 |
| Peter Oosterhuis | 71-70-74-70--285 | $4,100 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 74-68-71-72--285 | $4,100 |
| Al Geiberger | 70-71-75-69--285 | $4,100 |
| Gary Player | 72-67-71-75--285 | $4,100 |
| Steve Melnyk | 70-73-70-73--286 | $2,400 |
| Joe Inman | 70-70-72-74--286 | $2,400 |
| Wally Armstrong | 71-70-70-75--286 | $2,400 |
| Arnold Palmer | 70-72-73-72--287 | $1,887 |
| Bruce Lietzke | 74-68-71-74--287 | $1,887 |
| Billy Kratzert | 73-69-75-70--287 | $1,887 |
| Jerry McGee | 76-69-76-66--287 | $1,887 |
| Ron Streck | 73-73-71-71--288 | $1,700 |
| Sam Adams | 70-69-76-73--288 | $1,700 |
| Andy Bean | 71-70-68-79--288 | $1,700 |
| Gay Brewer | 73-72-70-74--289 | $1,600 |
| Mike Morley | 70-73-74-73--290 | $1,412 |
| George Archer | 73-72-74-71--290 | $1,412 |
| Lee Trevino | 74-70-73-73--290 | $1,412 |
| J.C. Snead | 72-75-68-75--290 | $1,412 |
| Tom Kite | 71-73-70-76--290 | $1,412 |
| Johnny Miller | 71-73-70-76--290 | $1,412 |
| John Lister | 72-73-68-77--290 | $1,412 |
| Don Padgett | 70-74-66-80--290 | $1,412 |
| Graham Marsh | 74-72-72-73--291 | $1,270 |
| Grier Jones | 69-75-72-75--291 | $1,270 |
| Rod Curl | 75-71-73-72--291 | $1,270 |
| Jim Simons | 75-67-71-78--291 | $1,270 |
| Florentino Molina | 69-76-75-72--292 | $1,210 |
| Rik Massengale | 71-72-77-72--292 | $1,210 |
| Mark Hayes | 76-68-73-76--293 | $1,180 |
| Hale Irwin | 73-71-77-72--293 | $1,180 |
| Gil Morgan | 76-70-69-78--293 | $1,180 |
| Phil Hancock | 74-73-72-75--294 | $1,150 |
| Bruce Fleisher | 73-69-74-78--294 | $1,150 |
| Fuzzy Zoeller | 73-69-79-73--294 | $1,150 |
| Raymond Floyd | 73-73-78-71--295 | $1,125 |
| David Canipe | 74-73-70-78--295 | $1,125 |
| George Burns | 70-75-76-75--296 | $1,095 |
| Jim Dent | 76-71-74-75--296 | $1,095 |
| Ben Crenshaw | 74-71-72-79--296 | $1,095 |
| Morris Hatalsky | 70-74-72-80--296 | $1,095 |
| Bill Mallon | 73-71-77-77--298 | $1,070 |
| a-Lindy Miller | 73-73-76-77--299 | |
| Larry Nelson | 69-75-78-77--299 | $1,055 |
| John Melnick | 71-75-78-75--299 | $1,055 |
| Bob E. Smith | 70-77-77-76--300 | $1,040 |
| a-John Fought | 73-74-78-77--302 | |
| Vince Bizik | 71-76-76-79--302 | $1,030 |
| Chi Chi Rodriguez | 74-71-75-84--304 | $1,020 |
Back to list of U.S. Open Winners
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