Still, there was some remarkable scoring. Gibby Gilbert turned heads with a course-record, nine-under 62 on No. 2 in the opening round. Everyone thought that score would stand for a long time, but a young Tom Watson matched it in the fifth round. The weather warmed up for the second week, but it was very windy for the sixth round, when tour rookie Ben Crenshaw -- fresh off his first victory at the San Antonio Texas Open --shot a 64 and vaulted from 18 shots out of the lead to second place.
Back in 1973, having a gross of tour pros come to the still-sleepy Pinehurst area for two weeks was a big deal. Residents saw them at the Town and Country Cinema, at the Big Star grocery store and the Knollwood Fairways driving range. Snead was paired with Gilbert for his record round and the 61-year-old made the 72-hole cut and finished 144 holes at 595 and earned $971.33 (it was so long ago, winnings were still figured to the penny).
No. 2 ended up having the having the last word on most of the field. Gilbert was ambushed by an 82 in the sixth round, and Watson followed his 62 with 76-76-77. Despite the poor finish, Watson, who had maintained his lead after the two 76s, finished T-4, while the tournament began a duel between Crenshaw and veteran Miller Barber. Crenshaw hit a wild hook on the 16th hole and that was that. Barber, wearing his trademark sunglasses and an Amana cap, shot a 69 to finish at two-over 570, three ahead of the upstart from Texas.
"I plan to play four or five more years then sit back and watch Ben and Leonard [Thompson, who was third] sweat over putts," Barber said.
Despite the quirks and the lackluster reception by many to the first PGA Tour event at Pinehurst in 22 years, the beginning didn't turn out to be the end of the World Open. It was staged, as a traditional 72-hole event in September in 1974 and 1975 and was won by two of the stars missing from the inaugural, Miller and Nicklaus. In fact, a tour event was held at Pinehurst through 1982 and more marquee players -- Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin and Watson (two times) -- were among the winners prior to No. 2's emergence as a U.S. Open site starting in 1999.
Frost delays won't be a worry for the best men and women in the world in 2014, and no-shows don't figure to be a problem either. But when you look at how the makeup of the sport has changed, particularly in women's golf, the name of that wacky fortnight in 1973 makes a lot of sense.
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