SOUTHERN AMATEUR
CHAMPIONSHIP
1973

By Grantland Rice, II
SGA Executive Director


Houston, Texas-Once the tees were moved back it didn't take long for Ben Crenshaw to take charge of the 67th Southern Golf Association championship and wrap up a six stroke victory over the famed Champions' Cypress Creek course.

Gentle Ben actually took charge at the start as he blistered the course with a six under par 65, then lost the lead temporarily after 36 holes, only to close out with rounds of 67-69 as the tees were moved back to the full length and the pin placements became more difficult.

The stocky Texas Universitv ace had an interesting tournament as he collected one eagle, 19 birdies, five bogies and two double bogies, to whip Mike Killian, Largo, Fla.

Crenshaw's rounds showed 65-72-67-69 against Killian's 68-67-75-69. Killian, playing with an elastic brace to ease pleurisy pains, had taken the halfway lead on his four-under-67 the second round. He fell back the third round but recovered sharply by matching Ben's final round.

Keith Fergus, University of Houston ace, and Danny Edwards, Oklahoma State's top man, tied for third at 282 while Bill Rogers, the defending champion, and Phillip Hancock, a young University of Florida golfer from Greenville, Ala., were deadlocked at 284 in fifth place.

Hancock's 68 was the best round the final day. Gary Koch, another U. of Florida ace, had been in the running until the last 18 when he took a 79 finding water and other hazards on the toughened Champions layout.

Crenshaw's 273 total set a new record for the SGA since medal play was started in 1964. It broke Dale Morey's previous record of 275 set in '64.

Killian's 135 at the halfway point earned him the Sam Perry medalist award and that also equaled the medalist record set by Rogers the previous year at Columbus, Ga.

Killian led Florida to the Bobby Jones Four Ball championship teaming with Mickey Van Gerbig (137), Koch (140) and Downing Gray (141). Van Gerbig had played at his best with his 67-70 start and at that point was tied for second with Crenshaw.

It took 149 to make the cut, which was seven over par, and the original field of 208 was reduced to 70 for the final 36.

Ben Crenshaw 65-72-67-69-273
Mike Killian 68-67-75-69-279
Keith Fergus 71-69-71-71-282
Danny Edwards 68-73-72-69-282
Bill Rogers 68-72-72-72-284
Phillip Hancock 70-71-75-68-284
Stan Binion 69-71-72-74-286
Van Gillen, Jr 72-72-71-71-286
John Bodin 70-71-69-77-287
Downing Gray 70-71-73-73-287
Gary Koch 72-68-68-79-288
Ernie McCray 71-73-74-70-288
James Mason 71-73-74-70-288
Brady Miller 68-74-77-69-288
Jim Brennan 73-74-71-71-289
Mickey Van Gerbig 61-70-76-77-290
Charles Harrison 73-70-74-73-290
Dole Morey 72-66-77-76-291
William Boles, Jr 74-70-73-74-291
Tommy Cruse 71-72-76-72-291
Steve Morgun 74-67-75-76-292
Mike Huebinger 74-72-73-73-292
Terry Wilkerson 74-72-73-73-292
Ronnie Kelley 73-71-74-75-293
Henry DeLozier 78-70-75-70-293
Shelby Houston 70-75-76-72-293
Stan Lee 76-73-70-74-293
Mike Craven 70-74-73-77-294
Guy Cuilins 74-74-71-76-295
Jimmy Ellis 73-75-75-72-295
Richard Woulfe 69-77-77-72-295
Barron Sutton 73-73-75-74-295
John Granger 73-74-73-75-295
Bob Rawlins 71-72-77-75-295
Joey Dills 72-75-72-77-296
Danny Yates 73-74-76-73-296
Eddie Lyons 71-73-76-76-296
Robert Shelton 71-73-78-75-297
John Garrett 74-70-76-77-297
Bo Baumeister 76-73-77-72-298
Bill Harvey 75-68-78-77-298
Stan Stopa 74-71-75-78-298
Ben Duncan, Jr. 71-76-77-75-299
Frank Gusmus, Jr. 74-71-77-77-299
Mickey McDonald 73-13-76-77-299
Johnny Dill 74-74-79-73-300
Mike Milligan 72-73-80-75-300
John Pacuk 74-72-76-78-300
Robert Shaw 73-76-72-79-300
John G. Lewis 72-73-75-80-300