The Virginia Golfer Conversation
Tiger be helpful to Watson?
RF: It’s pretty much all different players
other than Phil and Jim Furyk. It’s been an
evolution of players in the last six years, so I
don’t know how much that plays into it.
from the women about how much she’d be
missed and how many things she’d done to
help them. The community was a great big
uplift for the family and me.
VG: Who has impressed you following
you around and making you the Hall
of Fame member you became. Did the
best part of your career come after she
challenged you?
RF: Without question. She said to me when
I was 32 years old that if I didn’t like what I
was doing that I was young enough to have
a career change. Wow, you could have hit
me upside the head with a sand wedge. Did
that ever wake me up. All I ever wanted to
do my whole life was play professional golf.
I’ve said I had two careers—a before and
after Maria. I’d won five tournaments and
one major when I married her. Counting
worldwide and senior tour wins, I think I’ve
won 66 times around the world. So it’s pretty
impressive when you see the after Maria side.
VG: You’ve credited Maria with turning
VG: The World Golf Hall of Fame that
you’re a member of is very important to
you. Do you think the selection changes
the Hall of Fame has implemented will
help get the right people inducted?
RF: I think I’m the one who initiated it. I felt
like when you’re putting four or five people
a year in, what will your qualifications be like
in 10 years? That’s what has happened. You
could see the credentials—the wins, majors,
titles and however you figure one elevates
himself or herself from his or her peers in
the game—each and every class that went in,
they got lower.
What is a Hall of Fame? It’s not the best
player available at the time. If there’s nobody
who should be there, then don’t induct
anybody. The women’s Hall of Fame has
specific credentials and they have to play to
that level to make it. So I’m pleased with
the changes and everybody was seeing the
light as well. I certainly have no reflection
against Freddie (Couples), who is a dear
friend. I was one of his mentors for years.
Nor Colin Montgomerie. When those two
guys got in, I guarantee you they were the
best two candidates without question. But
if you go back 20 to 25 years and put those
players’ records in, they wouldn’t have even
been considered. So it’s been a great move
for the Hall of Fame to keep its integrity and
put people in there who literally have Hall
of Fame credentials. I don’t know if someone
with 10 or 12 wins and one major is (a) Hall
of Fame (player). It certainly wasn’t when
Floyd won the 1986 U.S. Open Championship at
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
He credits his wife, Maria, (pictured right with their
daughter, Christina), who passed away in 2012,
with fueling his career success. “I’ve said I had two
careers—a before and after Maria,” Floyd says.
I went in. I had four majors and 22 wins
when I went in. If there aren’t legitimate
candidates, select people for other honors—
the citizenship award, the ambassador award.
That’s fine. But a player going into the Hall
of Fame needs to have the credentials to be
there to put them up next to Arnold and Jack
and Player and Trevino and Watson. With
10 wins and one major? Hmmm.
VG: Your wife, Maria, passed away from
cancer in 2012, and you went through
a very difficult time. It seemed like the
golf community rallied around you and
lifted you up. How did it feel to have
that support?
RF: I was totally taken by what a close
community we are and what a great
fraternity the game is. The respect that my
peers, and especially the wives of players,
had for Maria... I mean I knew they admired
her, but I got voluminous amounts of letters
VG: Of all your accomplishments, is the
longevity of your game what you’re most
proud of as you look back?
RF: Most definitely. You hit it. I was able to
compete and win in five decades. There’s
only one other player who’s done that and
that’s Sam Snead. I won in the ’60s, ’70s,
’80s, ’90s and 2000s. That’s pretty unique on
the PGA T
our.
VG: You also came so close to getting
the career slam at the 1978 British
Open at St. Andrews. Is that the one
career regret that you didn’t get that
last major trophy?
RF: I never really thought about that.
When you talk and reflect about it, sure, I’d
definitely like to be one of the guys who has
won them all. It didn’t happen and I sleep
very well without it, but if there was one
more feather in the hat, that would be it.
Interviewer Scott Michaux is an awardwinning columnist for The Augusta Chronicle
in Augusta, Ga., and a
regular contributor
to Virginia Golfer.
“A player going into the Hall of Fame needs to have
the credentials to be there to put them up next to
Arnold and Jack and Player and Trev [