Hubert Green

American professional golfer

Hubert Myatt Green (December 28, 1946 – June 19, 2018) was an American professional golfer. Green won 19 PGA Tour events including two major championships: the 1977 U. S. Open and the 1985 PGA Championship. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007.

Green was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended and played golf for Shades Valley High School in Birmingham.

Green attended Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Florida. While at FSU, he won the Southern Amateur in 1966 on his home course at the Country Club of Birmingham. In 1967, he became the Alabama Amateur golf champion, a title he successfully defended in 1968. He also won the Cape Coral Inter Collegiate Tournament by eight strokes and the Miami Invitational by five strokes, among others. His fourth place finish in the 1968 U. S. Amateur in Columbus, Ohio, earned him an invitation to play in the 1969 Masters as an amateur. Green graduated from FSU in 1968 with a degree in marketing. Shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the Alabama National Guard at Enterprise, Alabama. However, in 1969, Green won the Southern Amateur for a second time and as one of the top 10 amateurs in the country, he decided to turn pro. He took a year to earn his PGA of America credentials.

In his 26 years on the PGA Tour, Green had 19 victories, including two major championships: the 1977 U. S. Open at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the 1985 PGA Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. He finished in the top 25 in a third of the PGA Tour events he entered. He also played on three Ryder Cup teams (1977, 1979, and 1985) and was undefeated in singles play. In 1971, Green won the Houston Champions International and was the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year. A month later at the 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry, Green finished third behind Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, who were respectively eleven and ten shots clear of Green in their famous "Duel in the Sun." Alluding to the extent to which Watson and Nicklaus's scores were so significantly clear of the rest of the field, he notably remarked, "I won the other tournament." Green was ranked third in Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in 1977, having also won the 1977 Irish Open in August. Green finished in the top 10 of the Masters six times in seven years from 1974 to 1980. At the 1978 Masters Tournament he came to the final hole about 30 minutes after Gary Player had finished a round of 64. Player had a one shot lead over Green, who hit a good drive and then a great approach to within three feet of the cup. Green had to back away from the putt when he overheard radio announcer Jim Kelly say something. When Green took the stroke, he pushed it a little to the right and the putt slid by. Green never blamed Kelly, however, telling Golf Digest, "Only an amateur would have been put off by the interruption — or would try to make excuses about it."

Green was inducted into the Florida State Seminoles Hall of Fame in 1977, becoming the first golfer to be enshrined. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Southern Amateur Hall of Fame in 2006. He received the Champions Tour Comeback Player of the Year award in 2002 and 2004, and the American Cancer Life Inspiration Award in 2004. At the 2005 Masters Tournament, Green was presented with the Ben Hogan Award for continuing to be active in golf despite a serious illness. In 2007, he was recognized again when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

No. DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner up1Jul 29, 1980Jerry Ford Invitational−5 (71 66=137)Shared title with J. C. Snead

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner up 1977 U. S. Open 1 shot lead −2 (69 67 72 70=278) 1 stroke Lou Graham 1985 PGA Championship 3 shot lead −6 (67 69 70 72=278) 2 strokes Lee Trevino