Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were both in their early 50s when they faced off in May 1964 at Houston Country Club in an edition of Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf. This was hardly a match between two aging stars whose better days were behind them, though. The match has gained a cult following over the years, and not only because it is a rare opportunity to get an extended look at two of the greatest swings in the game’s history. Though only an exhibition, Hogan turned in one of the greatest rounds of his career, a ball-striking performance that displayed his mastery of the golf swing. Related: Free historical content available on PGA TOUR LIVE | Golf in these times “That’s about as good as I can play,â€� said Hogan, who was 51 at the time. Gene Sarazen, one of five men to achieve the career Grand Slam, called it “the finest round of golf that has been played in my lifetime.â€� Sarazen saw it firsthand while providing on-air commentary for the match. You can now watch that round, originally aired in 1965, free on PGA TOUR LIVE. During the coronavirus pandemic, the PGA TOUR is making PGA TOUR LIVE free and available for streaming. New content is being added each week, and the Hogan-Snead match is among this week’s highlights. Currently the free content is limited to those in the U.S. To sign up for free and get started, click here. This Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf was just the fourth time that Hogan and Snead, whose swings are still admired and analyzed by players and instructors, met in a head-to-head match. The first came in San Francisco in 1941. Snead shot 66 to Hogan’s 68. Then there was a playoff at the 1950 Los Angeles Open. It was Hogan’s first event after the car accident that nearly ended his life, but Snead spoiled the fairytale storyline by winning their playoff, 72-76 (Hogan would win the U.S. Open at Merion later that year). Then they met in a playoff at the 1954 Masters. Hogan was trying to become the first player to win back-to-back Masters, but Snead squeaked by him, winning their playoff, 70-71. Two years before their match, Snead wrote in a book, “All I know is that it’s true that Hogan and (Byron) Nelson won plenty of tournaments which I didn’t, but any time Hogan and I met in a head-to-head playoff, I won. We met three times over the years when we were rivals. The score reads: Snead 3, Hogan 0.” Hogan was unbeatable during this made-for-TV match, however. His play from tee-to-green was flawless. The Sports Illustrated report of the match states that Hogan “never hit a shot more than 10 feet off the line of flight he intended it to travel. He never once hit the ball into the rough or a hazard. On all 18 greens, he was putting for either a birdie or an eagle. “If someone like Arnold Palmer or Billy Casper had been putting for him, he might well have scored in the 50s.â€� There are two more exhibitions that are currently available on PGA TOUR LIVE that are now available for free: • Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, Ben Crenshaw vs. Tom Kite (1996): The two boyhood friends became major champions and World Golf Hall of Fame members. Like Hogan and Snead, they met in Houston. This match was played at Champions Golf Club, which was founded by former Masters champions Jackie Burke Jr. and Jimmy Demaret. The club also has hosted the Ryder Cup, U.S. Open, TOUR Championship and U.S. Amateur. • MGM Resorts The Challenge: Japan Skins: Four of today’s stars from disparate corners of the globe gathered in Japan for this exhibition that preceded Tiger Woods’ record-tying 82nd PGA TOUR victory. This offers something different if you’ve already gorged yourself on old tournament action.
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