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Ford wins Masters with sizzling finish
Sub-par 66 gives champ total of 283, Snead takes second place
By Johnny Hendrix
Chronicle Sports Editor
Augusta, Ga., Monday, April 8, 1957 -- Doug Ford, a 34-year-old native of New Haven, Conn., shot an incredible 66 to win the 1957 Masters golf tournament by three strokes yesterday afternoon.
Ford's final round was the lowest effort ever recorded on the last day of any player to finish in the top 24 of the Masters. Only Sam Snead, who led by one going into the final 18 had come close to this. He had two straight 67's in 1949 to win by three shots the same margin Ford registered today.
Score of 283
Ford, who was torn between a career as a baseball player and a golfer in his youth and now registers out of Mahonac, N.Y., had a card of 72-73-72-66-283 over the exacting 6,790 yards that is the Augusta National golf course. ``Lord was with me on the last nine,'' the jubilant Ford said of his round that gave him his first major victory since he won the 1956 PGA title.
Another three-time winner of the Masters, Jimmy Demaret finished alone at 287. Harvie Ward, the two-time U.S. Amateur champion from Tarboro, N.C., and San Francisco was at even par 288. This made only four players who were able to equal par or better on the course that Bobby Jones built to fulfill a dream after his grand slam in 1930.
Threats Fade
While Ford was picking up a total of six strokes on the lead, considered threats such as Peter Thomson, Ed Furgol, Arnold Palmer and defending champion Jack Burke were finding troubles all over the place.
Thomson, the three-time British Open champion from Australia, finished with a 289 and Furgol was at 290. Palmer and Burke deadlocked at 291 with Dow Finsterwald, who has now finished in the money in 50 consecutive tournaments. Stan Leonard, the sensation who moved to within one stroke of the lead with a 68 on Saturday, skidded to 78 with a 41 on the back nine to finish at 293 with Marty Furgol.
Taylor Shoots 69
Dr. Bud Taylor, the amateur from San Francisco, had the second best round of the day, a three under par 69 to end up in a tie at 294 with Ken Venruri, the sensation of the 1956 tournament, and Henry Cotton, the veteran British entry. Bryon Nelson, a two-time winner of the tournament, took a disastrous seven on the par three 16th hole to shoot the back nine in 40 and finish at 295 with Fred Hawkins, Bill Casper, Mike Fetchick and Canadian Al Balding.
For his victory, Ford earned $8,750 a record for the Masters. The prize money, which was at $42,200 last year jumped better than $10,000 to $53,000 this year. Ford, already the leading money winner on the winter tour, now has picked up more than $20,000 for 1957 with half the year's tournament's remaining.
20,000 Watch
Although there is no way to pin down the number of people who witnessed the final round, it was estimated at upwards of 20,000 and the increase in prize money denoted that this Masters was better attended than any of the 20 others. The weather for the final day was ideal with sunshine all the way and little wind. Ford made it look like a perfect day for golf with his 66.
Only twice before in the tournament had better rounds been recorded. Lloyd Mangrum had the 18-hole record of 64 in 1940 and Cary Middlecoff shot a 65 on the second round of the 1955 tournament. Mangrum had since said that the course is much tougher than it was when he recorded his 64, leaving Ford's 66 ranking among the greatest rounds ever shot in the tournament.
Unbelievable 32
Out in 34, Ford shot the back nine in an unbelievable 32. He finished the round by holing a shot out of the right bunker on the 18th, the same sand that Jack Burke found on the last day and blasted out for a par last year.
As it turned out, he didn't need his birds at 18 or at 15 where he debated on going for the green. Snead, a three-time champion of the tournament and the leader since the second round, came in with an even par 72. Ford got a shot in the arm on the first hole when he stopped a seven iron second shot four feet from the pin and stroked the putt home for a bird.
Short with his second shot on the par-five second, Ford chipped up and two-putted for a par at five. He followed this with routine pars through seven and then at eight he picked up another stroke on the card. His four wood approach was pin high and to the left of the green and he chipped to within three feet and made the putt.
Ford Blasts Out
At nine he was bunkered for the first time in the round, blasted out to within six inches and put the putt in to turn two under.
At 10, Ford's three-iron shot to the green kicked right and he had to chip, but he stopped the ball three feet from the cup and got down in one for the par. He made the green on 11 when his drive was to the left of the fairway and he hooked a two iron onto the green 15 feet from the hole and made it in two putts.
Par took a skinning at 12 again when he put his wedge into the cup from 25 feet after the six iron off the tee went over the green. His driver didn't work too well at 13 and he played short, chipped to within 12 feet and made par in two putts, but he chipped 14 for a stroke when he boomed a drive far down the fairway, hit a ``little seven iron'' past the hole eight feet and made the putt. The 15th, the hole that Gene Sarazen made famous with his double eagle in 1935, was the big decision hole and the clincher.
``I was exactly where I was the day before,'' Ford said. ``I argued with my caddy about going for the green or playing safe with an iron. I already had the iron out of the bag and I put it back and went for it.'' He hit a three wood 35 feet from the pin and got down in two putts for a bird that was the absolute clincher. After he parred 16 and 17, the birdie out of the trap on 18 was only icing on the cake. The approach shot on 18 was buried in the trap on the left front after ``a wonderful drive.'' ``I hit behind the ball and only fluffed it,'' Ford said, but although he didn't know it, he could have taken a double bogey and still won.
Drops Into Cup
He walked into the sand and with about as much deliberation as a waiter picking up a 10-buck tip, he swung. The ball hit about 25 feet from the hole and as it trickled dead into the cup, Harvie Ward, Ford's playing partner, chased the ball to its destination. ``I had wonderful playing partners both days,'' Ford said of the final two rounds. ``I couldn't have asked for any better because (Sam) Snead and Harvie (Ward) play about like I do.'' Noted for his fast playing, Ford has often been involved in wrangles with some of the slower players over their deliberation.
Ford's triumph came as a belated anniversary present for his wife, Marilyn, who missed this tournament for the first time in the five years he has played here. They have been married 13 years and two days. As soon as he walked off the 18th green and battled his way through the mob of reporters into the seclusion of Cliff Roberts' cottage, he phoned her the good news. Once before he had the occasion to do the same thing after a great triumph. This came in 1955 at Northville, Mich., when he beat Cary Middlecoff in the finals of the PGA.
Ford turned professional in 1949 at the U.S. Open, following the footsteps of his father, who is the club professional at Putnam Country Club in Yonkers, N.Y. He has three uncles who are professionals. Ford was decked out early in the traditional green coat that marks the Masters champion, but he got it re-done on the practice putting green in the tradition that says the defending champion puts the jacket on the new champion. No man has ever been able to break this tradition since there has never been a repeater in the tournament.
Only 25 Putts
In his winning round, Ford had seven one-putt greens and used only 25 putts in the round. He had no putts, of course, at 12 and 18 where he chipped the ball in the hole. Sam Snead, who had his heart set on becoming the first man ever to win the Masters four times, looked like he was on his was after seven holes despite starting the round with a bogey at one. For the fourth consecutive day, he dropped in a bird at seven to go two under par after knocking home a 25-footer for a birdie douce at four, following a four at two for a bird.
But it wasn't in the books for the man who has won more golf tournaments than anyone else. He hit a poor second shot at nine, however, and wound up with a bogey five. That began the downfall although it didn't appear so when he turned in one under 35.
Die Was Cast
After a bogey at 10, and three putts at 11 for the third straight one-over par hole, the die was cast. Forced now to go for it on every hole, he parred 12, but bogeyed 13 from the ditch and then drew another at 14, this time because of three putts again.
He birdied 15 and 16 and parred 17 before winding up with a bird at 18, but by this time it was too late. The day before he had said he was happy there weren't any more holes in the round. Sunday he would have been happy with the chance to get on a few more to get even. It took a score of 297 or better to finish in the top 24 players. This group included Bruce Crampton, Henry Ransom and Al Mengert at 296 and Johnny Palmer and Gary Player at 297.
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