1977 U.S. Open: Overcoming a Death Threat
Winner: Hubert Green, 278
Where it was played: Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tournament dates: June 16-19, 1977
Leader after first round: Larry Nelson, Tom Purtzer, Grier Jones, Florentino Molina, Hubert Green, Rod Funseth and Terry Diehl, 69
Leader after second round: Hubert Green, 136
Leader after third round: Hubert Green, 208
Notable Notes: Hubert Green held a one-stroke lead entering the final round. But after making birdies on holes 12 and 14, Green was informed that a death threat had been made against him by phone, the caller saying he was going to shoot Green on the course. Was it a serious threat? It was taken seriously, anyway: police walked along with Green, and Green walked apart from his fellow competitors. How did Green react? He birdied the two holes immediately after being informed of the threat and won by a stroke.
Final Scores
| Hubert Green | 69-67-72-70—278 |
| Lou Graham | 72-71-68-68—279 |
| Tom Weiskopf | 71-71-68-71—281 |
| Tom Purtzer | 69-69-72-72—282 |
| Jay Haas | 72-68-71-72—283 |
| Gary Jacobsen | 73-70-67-73—283 |
| Lyn Lott | 73-73-68-70—284 |
| Terry Diehl | 69-68-73-74—284 |
| Tom Watson | 74-72-71-67—284 |
| Mike McCullough | 73-73-69-70—285 |
| Rod Funseth | 69-70-72-74—285 |
| Peter Oosterhuis | 71-70-74-70—285 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 74-68-71-72—285 |
| Al Geiberger | 70-71-75-69—285 |
| Gary Player | 72-67-71-75—285 |
| Steve Melnyk | 70-73-70-73—286 |
| Joe Inman | 70-70-72-74—286 |
| Wally Armstrong | 71-70-70-75—286 |
| Arnold Palmer | 70-72-73-72—287 |
| Bruce Lietzke | 74-68-71-74—287 |
| Billy Kratzert | 73-69-75-70—287 |
| Jerry McGee | 76-69-76-66—287 |
| Ron Streck | 73-73-71-71—288 |
| Sam Adams | 70-69-76-73—288 |
| Andy Bean | 71-70-68-79—288 |
| Gay Brewer | 73-72-70-74—289 |
| Mike Morley | 70-73-74-73—290 |
| George Archer | 73-72-74-71—290 |
| Lee Trevino | 74-70-73-73—290 |
| J.C. Snead | 72-75-68-75—290 |
| Tom Kite | 71-73-70-76—290 |
| Johnny Miller | 71-73-70-76—290 |
| John Lister | 72-73-68-77—290 |
| Don Padgett | 70-74-66-80—290 |
| Graham Marsh | 74-72-72-73—291 |
| Grier Jones | 69-75-72-75—291 |
| Rod Curl | 75-71-73-72—291 |
| Jim Simons | 75-67-71-78—291 |
| Florentino Molina | 69-76-75-72—292 |
| Rik Massengale | 71-72-77-72—292 |
| Mark Hayes | 76-68-73-76—293 |
| Hale Irwin | 73-71-77-72—293 |
| Gil Morgan | 76-70-69-78—293 |
| Phil Hancock | 74-73-72-75—294 |
| Bruce Fleisher | 73-69-74-78—294 |
| Fuzzy Zoeller | 73-69-79-73—294 |
| Raymond Floyd | 73-73-78-71—295 |
| David Canipe | 74-73-70-78—295 |
| George Burns | 70-75-76-75—296 |
| Jim Dent | 76-71-74-75—296 |
| Ben Crenshaw | 74-71-72-79—296 |
| Morris Hatalsky | 70-74-72-80—296 |
| Bill Mallon | 73-71-77-77—298 |
| a-Lindy Miller | 73-73-76-77—299 |
| Larry Nelson | 69-75-78-77—299 |
| John Melnick | 71-75-78-75—299 |
| Bob E. Smith | 70-77-77-76—300 |
| a-John Fought | 73-74-78-77—302 |
| Vince Bizik | 71-76-76-79—302 |
| Chi Chi Rodriguez | 74-71-75-84—304 |
