1966 U.S. Open: Billy Casper Looks Back

Billy Casper, who died on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, recounted his historic victory in the 1966 U.S. Open over Arnold Palmer prior to the championship being contested there in 2012.
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[@MissDaisyTheRacoon]

He is dearly missed... One of the nicest guys I've ever met.

[@robsaxepga]

Wow...how gracious was Billy. Amazing..

[@linkoncasper8642]

this is my great grampa

[@ysgol3]

Great upload, thank you ! If there had been a 'Big Four' not three, the brilliant Casper would have been in it.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

And actually, during the Big Three years of the 60s, Billy won more tournaments than any one of them did.

[@ysgol3]

@@nicholasschroeder3678 He didn't get on with Mark McCormack apparently.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

@@ysgol3 No. But Billy was insecure and difficult: it's no surprise the marketing guru didn't want him. I saw it for myself at a senior tournament in his interaction with the other players: lots of sarcasm, and it was palpable that the other players didn't like him. He was his own worst enemy in the popularity game. But he was a wizard around and on the greens, and I saw that too. It's pretty telling here that he refers to himself as "the fat boy." Major insecurities. Still admire him tough. He had the personality and talents of a pool hustler: cool and calm with uncanny hand/eye.

[@ysgol3]

@@nicholasschroeder3678 There's an old Ryder Cup clip of Tony Jacklin and others making fun of Billy's grumpy and graceless attitude on the course (Billy's not there BTW). Another story gives a glimpse of what Palmer really thought of Nicklaus, famously in the 1966 US Open he encouraged Casper after Billy expressed doubts about beating Jack to 2nd place - serves the Palmer right for what happened, he was so so resentful of Nicklaus's vast golfing superiority. I wonder whether the story of an even more unbearable man - Ben Hogan - grabbing Billy's lapels and snarling 'tell me how to putt' is true? I bet it is. Hogan was very possibly the most appalling person in sporting history.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

@@ysgol3 I do know Hogan said after Billy won the 59 Open at Wingfoot, "A guy just won today that looks like he should be selling hot dogs." These guys are professional athletes in the most selfish of sports: little wonder that they're hyper-competitive and resentful of each other. When you go to tournaments you feel it in the air--they're not friends and the gallery is a necessary nuisance. I've often wondered about guys like Weiskoff and Norman who never quite fulfilled the awesome potential of their talent: I just don't think they had the same icy interiors that Woods and Nicklaus had. I used to really admire Nicklaus for his gentlemanly rep and conduct, but that went out the window when he bent over backwards to promote Trump (if you like Trump, too bad). Just the rich, insular country club guy that I suppose you'd expect. Had an interesting experience with Hale Irwin as a teen. He was playing lousy, and he had a meltdown--started cursing and thrashing at the rough like a maniac. My friends and I laughed, and he actually chased us with his club. His caddy had to restrain him. Kinda wild having this famous pro do that. Anyway, yeah, top of the heap folks are generally ruthless and narcissistic in any field, and I can't imagine a more self-obsessed arena than golf. It's kind of why I quit playing: I didn't like a lot of the people.