Memorable moments: Geiberger wins in 1975
 
Apr. 17, 2007

Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of 12 vignettes about memorable moments in the history of THE PLAYERS Championship. The 2007 event will be played May 10-13 on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

Put Al Geiberger in hot weather at Colonial Country Club and watch out.

75Geiberger_A_200.jpg
Al Geiberger won the second PLAYERS Championship at Colonial in 1975.

Geiberger excelled during the stifling heat of summer during the mid-1970s to record notable PGA TOUR scoring feats. The first occurred in 1975 when he won the second PLAYERS Championship at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, shooting 10-under-par 270, which stands today as the third-best total in tournament history.

Just two years after that accomplishment, Geiberger again overcame the heat, this time at Colonial Country Club in Memphis, Tenn., at the Danny Thomas-Memphis Classic, to become the first PGA TOUR player to shoot 59.

Geiberger's hot week in Texas was due in part to superstition. On Tuesday night of tournament week, he dined at the clubhouse with a few close friends. The next day, he shot an unfathomable 7-under-par 63 in the pro-am on the difficult layout, annually the site of the Bank of America Colonial.

"For the rest of the week, I parked the car in the same spot, went up the stairs the same way, sat the same table to eat, etc." Geiberger said.

The on-course first-aid stations packed ice on dehydrated fans during the late-August heat wave. Jack Nicklaus, usually bare-headed during his rounds, woke up for Friday's second round with swollen eyes and proceeded to buy a $3.50 visor. Geiberger even turned in his trusty visor for a floppy hot.

Geiberger shot 66-68-67-69 to break Clayton Heafner's 72-hole Colonial scoring mark, set 27 years prior. But he had to withstand a final-round onslaught from friend Dave Stockton. Stockton was three behind entering the final round, but turned in 32 to take a one-stroke lead. Geiberger rallied on the back with a 2-under 33 to retake the lead and coasted to a three-stroke victory.

"This course is so hard, and it was so hot," Geiberger said. "I only tried to play one shot at a time. I know you hear a lot of that, but I concentrated on it."