R.I.P. Doug Sanders
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I’ll never forget watching Doug Sanders eat a cheeseburger.
The spot was LA’s Apple Pan, a small counter institution just down the street from Rancho Park where Sanders was playing in a Senior Tour event. And there he was after Saturday’s second round in a soft pink, almost mauve ensemble as only you’d expect from modern golf’s most colorful dresser.
Anyhow, it was a joy to watch him play in his later years, to see the outfits and ponder what might have been had it not been for Jack Nicklaus beating him in two Opens.
Doug Ferguson’s AP obituary of the 20-time PGA Tour winner gracefully leaves out a direct mention of the 1970 Open and focuses on Saunders legacy as one of the games’ most colorful players.
Guy Yocom’s My Shot with Sanders for Golf Digest.
Tim Southwell talked to Sanders for 30 minutes and covers everything from the Rat Pack days to his storage of his clothes in various places and even a pair of gloves worn by astronauts who walked on the moon. []
The 1970 Open Highlight film. The Trevino view here says it all.
This 1970 Open telecast portion was posted on YouTube. Featuring the last two holes and playoff highlights, note the announcer calling him out and how much trouble Sanders has pulling the trigger at the Road hole. The faux structure and faux rough lining the hole today are not there either.
An underrated golf swing slowed down, Sanders used a wide stance, had some backswing lag and then ended it abruptly, rare for such a takeway style. But effective!
