There have been some truly remarkable stories over the history of the PGA Tour but you’d be hard-pressed to find something quite as astonishing as Hubert Green’s win at the 1977 US Open.
Green, who ended his career as a 19-time winner on the PGA Tour, was one of the stars of the 1970s and 1980s as he battled some of the biggest names around.
In an era of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, winning a major championship was always going to be a tough ask.
However, going into the 1977 US Open at Southern Hills, Green went into the event in good form, having won three times in 1976 and 11 times overall on TOUR.
Still, while Green was one of the players favoured to be in contention in ’77, nobody could have predicted what would unfold as Green battled it out for the win.
Hubert Green overcomes the odds to win the US Open
It was widely accepted at the time that Hubert Green was desperate to win a major.
Having finished in the top ten seven times in majors prior to the 1977 US Open, Green was putting pressure on himself to finally banish the demons and win big.
However, as he approached the 15th green knowing he simply needed to shoot level par for the final four holes to win, the unthinkable happened.
In a bizarre and quite frankly, scary, turn of events, police descended around Green and delivered some shocking news to him.
Green was informed by the authorities that they’d received a call from an anonymous member of the public claiming that a group was on their way to the course in a bid to end Green’s life.
In a quite stunning show of strength and defiance, Green opted to play on, knowing full well his first major win was in sight.
Flanked by a number of police officers over his final four holes, Green somehow managed to keep his cool and play things out at level par, finishing the tournament at two-under ahead of Lou Graham and Tom Weiskopf to finally realise his dream.
In terms of pure drama and circumstances we’d never wish to see again, Green’s win in ’77 will go down as one of the greatest sporting achievements in history.
Hubert Green’s wait for a second major
While Green broke his duck at the US Open and would go on to win seven times on the PGA Tour, his win at Southern Hills did not lead to the years of major success he might have hoped for.
Indeed, it would be another eight years before Green finally won another major.
This time, Green triumphed in the PGA Championship at Cherry Hills, beating out the impressive Lee Trevino to win his second and final major.
Coincidentally, that win would also be Green’s last on the PGA Tour, albeit he did carry on being successful, winning four more times on the Senior Tour, with the last coming in 2002.
Still, while his career was a very successful one, Hubert Green will forever be remembered for overcoming the most frightening of odds to get it done.