Beman carded a closing 81 in the horrendous weather, playing the last three holes in five over and missing an eight-footer for par on the 72nd hole that would have forced a playoff with Gary Player. The South African shot a 75 to win despite going five over on the last six holes. "If I had taken them off, my glasses wouldn't have been a worry for me, and it might have made a difference," Beman says. "It was a lot of fun -- disappointing, but rewarding, too."
After retiring in 1994, Beman competed sporadically on the Champions Tour. His best finish was a fifth place at the Kaanapali Classic in 1996, his senior forays limited by injury. His tournament days may be long over, but his love of the game endures.
"I still try to play and practice every day," says Beman, who underwent successful quadruple bypass heart surgery Oct. 20, 2008. "I'm fighting hard, and I'm not losing my skills. I love golf, but I really enjoy playing at a level that satisfies me. I don't enjoy playing at a level below that. I play at scratch, so I work hard so I won't disappoint myself. I'm getting back into walking around the golf course, gaining some stamina. I've been flagging at the end of the second nine, but I'm making progress."
No one tuning into the action at Turnberry this week will have quite the perspective of Beman, a commissioner who related to his players in a way no other sports czar could. He turned the PGA Tour into big business, his achievements many. But to compete in the 1986 Open also was a pretty big deal. David Stern doesn't even play H-O-R-S-E with LeBron James.
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