Golf Without A Caddie

"I can't do it," said the photographer. "I've got to find Thad Daber."

"You'll be sorry," Burklew called after him.

Burklew made good on his boast. He went to his closing hole at even par. So far, he had one-putted nine times, sinking five putts of 15 feet or more.

"I knew I had to have a par 4 to break the world record," says Burklew. As it turned out he also needed a par to win the tournament.

Behind him Daber was finishing at one over par. During his round Daber had sunk an 80-foot chip shot and holed out a bunker shot that he intentionally ricocheted off a bank. And Daber was matched by Bob Garza, 27, from Oxnard, Calif. A short, moon-faced pro garbed in purple slacks, Garza hit 14 greens in regulation with his five-iron.

Too pumped up, Burklew hit his final tee shot 25 yards past his target area. His next shot courted disaster—he left the ball near an island in the bunker fronting the green.

Burklew perched his left foot on the island and worked his right into the sand. He saw a pond lurking behind the green but ignored it. Why worry about the water? he thought. If I mis-hit this blast, it's going 200 yards.

He laid the face of his six-iron wide open, then swung fiercely. The ball neatly popped seven feet in the air, hit past the pin and drew back a foot from the cup. Burklew dropped to his knees and tapped in the winner.

The Be-Lo butcher had brought home the bacon.