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Brett Avery
PGATOUR.com Contributor

If a man cries in his backyard, it's usually a private moment.

Then again, 27 years ago Larry Nelson shed tears in his backyard and thousands of people cheered.

Atlanta Country Club was about 18 miles as the crow flies from where Nelson lived at the time, in suburban Acworth. The Atlanta Golf Classic was in his figurative backyard and Nelson, then a 32-year-old burgeoning professional, was one of the neighborhood boys.

Winning at home in Atlanta was extra special for Larry Nelson. (Martin/WireImage)

Nelson unsuccessfully fought back tears walking up the 18th fairway at the end of the final round, a seven-shot victory over Don Pooley and Andy Bean but a formality. His 66-69-68-67 made him the tournament's first Georgian victor since Tommy Aaron in 1970 and established him as one of the game's dominating players.

"There is just no way to describe the feeling I had walking to the last green," Nelson said. "This victory means more to me than the two I won last year because it came at home. It's something I don't think I'll ever forget."

Nelson had come a long way since 1969, the first time he picked up a club and hit balls at a driving range on his way home from work as an illustrator at a nearby Lockheed plant. Enthralled with the challenge, Nelson quit the job and became an assistant at Pine Tree Country Club in Kennesaw.

That began a whirlwind progression that saw Nelson nearly win the 1973 Florida Open and land his PGA TOUR card in the 1973 Qualifying Tournament.

Nelson quickly became known as one of the nicest, gentlest guys on TOUR, not to mention one of the most patient. That's a difficult combination when facing some of the most competitive individuals on the planet and explains why he failed in 11 straight Monday qualifiers -- prior to the all-exempt TOUR, "rabbits" from 18-hole qualifiers filled many tournament spots.

Nelson made enough money in 1976 to crack the top 60 and earn a full-fledged card. Three years later he finally broke through with victories in the Jackie Gleason-Inverrary Classic (now The Honda Classic) and Western Open (BMW Championship), the No. 2 spot on the money list and a 5-0 record in his Ryder Cup debut.

Thing is, Nelson had never competed in match play before the United States pasted Great Britain and Ireland, 17-11, at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. Credit his crash course to Lanny Wadkins, his partner in four points. Nelson defeated Seve Ballesteros in singles, 3 & 2, meaning he went 4-0 against the debonair Spaniard.

"It's hard to think of Larry being mean," Wadkins recalled a few years later, "but since the Ryder Cup he's got more competitive than he ever was. If he's a shot ahead, he wants to make it two shots, three shots."

Compared to his previous play, Nelson was all but ruthless in the first half of the 1980 season. He placed in the top six half a dozen times, including The Masters, before the TOUR arrived in Atlanta in early June, the week before the U.S. Open would be played at Baltusrol GC in New Jersey.

Bob Shearer of Australia set the early pace at Atlanta CC thanks to an opening 63, but Nelson drew to within one at the halfway point. With the heat and humidity increasing, Shearer fell back with a 72. Nelson thrust, taking a two-shot lead over the Australian and defending champ Andy Bean.

"It would mean a lot for me to win here," Nelson admitted following the third round. "Everybody is pulling for you but that doesn't make you a better putter. In fact, it makes it that much easier to get down on yourself if you're not doing anything."

Nelson gave himself a pep talk walking off the 10th tee Saturday and it resulted in an incoming 31. A year earlier Bean produced a third-round 61 that led to an eight-shot win, so Nelson running away from the field wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

And run away he did, gathering up four more shots on Bean between the third and seventh holes -- Nelson drained a 10-footer at the third and chipped in at the fifth while Bean made two bogeys. That allowed Nelson to float until tacking on a three-footer for birdie at the 13th.

Nelson's approach shot at the home hole, an 8-iron from about 140 yards, gave way to the realization that he not only was going to win but convincingly and in front of so many family members, neighbors and friends. He couldn't help but be overcome by emotion.

"The money [$54,000] is nice, but the biggest thing is the confidence I gained. I think I'm a good front-runner, but beating a player of Andy's status gives me a great feeling going to the Open."

Nelson never cracked 70 at Baltusrol and finished well back in the pack. Fourteen months later, however, he won again in his hometown. This time it was Atlanta Athletic Club and the PGA Championship, the first of his three Grand Slam titles. This time he won by four shots over Fuzzy Zoeller.

And once again, the walk up the last fairway was a real tearjerker.