When Knudson nearly won the Masters

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This article was published 06/04/2020 (2243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., that was scheduled for April 9 to 12 is one of the countless sporting events postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

That decision must have weighed heavily on the bigwigs at Augusta National Golf Club, who liken themselves to God in the golf universe. They still hope to play the event later in the year. 

For Manitobans, the highlight in Masters history came in 1969 when George Knudson finished in a tie for second place. Our province’s best golfer, Knudson learned the game at the St. Charles Country Club and won the Manitoba junior championship in 1954 and the provincial and Canadian titles the next summer, while playing out of the West Winnipeg course. His resume also includes Manitoba Open crowns of 1958, ’59 and ’60. The sport took him east to Toronto, so our province’s pride might have been hurt a little when the Winnipeg product was listed as being from the Ontario city during his days on the PGA Tour. 

Knudson opened the 1969 Masters by shooting 70. On day two, the slow play of playing partner Dr. Cary Middlecoff bothered Knudson, who scored 73. His two-day total of 143 left him tied for 14th place with Jack Nicklaus and Bruce Crampton. While playing with Nicklaus in round three on the Saturday, his 69 outscored the best player in the world by three strokes. Nicklaus had won three Masters at that point in his career. The leader after three rounds was Billy Casper, the leading money-winner on the tour in 1968. Knudson didn’t make his first appearance on the leader board until late in the round and at the end of the day he was tied for sixth.

On Sun., April 13, when the final round was played, Casper ran into early trouble and George Archer grabbed the lead on the seventh hole. Knudson moved into contention during the round and a birdie putt on the 18th that stopped six inches short would have tied him with Archer, who shot 72 and a total of 281 for the four rounds. Knudson’s 70 left him tied with Casper, who shot 74, and Tom Weiskopf, who had a 71, at 282. Knudson won $12,333, a far cry from the winnings on today’s circuit. Before the Masters, his total for the year was $7,607.

Putting was what let Knudson down throughout the tournament. He had 34, 33, 32 and 31 putts over the four rounds. 

“Every putt was an adventure, every time I got that rattlesnake in my hands,” he said.

Knudson had only one bad drive in 72 holes and a reporter suggested that Knudson would have finished first from tee-to-green and last in putting. 

Knudson made an interesting observation following the final round. 

“I never really felt I belonged, now I do,” he said.

When you examine his record, Knudson proved that he did belong with the best players in the world. He finished in the top 10 at the Masters on three separate occasions (10th in 1965 and sixth in 1966) and he won eight times on the PGA Tour as well as at international events in Australia, Venezuela, Panama and Puerto Rico. He was a member of the Canada Cup team in nine world competitions, was the individual winner in Tokyo in 1966 and partnered with Al Balding to win the doubles in Rome in 1968.

Knudson was recognized in his home province in 1988 when he was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Cancer took his life a few months later in January 1989. In 2000, the golfer was one of five finalists for Manitoba Professional Athlete of the 20th Century, an honour that went to hockey goalie Terry Sawchuk. That year, Knudson was named Canada’s Golfer of the Century by the Royal Canadian Golf Association. 

Memories of Sport appears every second week in the Canstar Community News weeklies. Kent Morgan can be contacted at 204-489-6641 or email: sportsmemories@canstarnews.com

T. Kent Morgan
Memories of Sport

Memories of Sport appears every second week in the Canstar Community News weeklies. Kent Morgan can be contacted at 204-489-6641 or email: sportsmemories@canstarnews.com

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