1974 PGA Championship

The PGA’s retrospective credits an unlikely piece of equipment: an old putter Trevino found in the attic of his rented house. Rain marked the week. After an opening 73, he shot 66 and 68 to reach 207, one stroke ahead of Nicklaus before the final round.¹³

The contemporary Associated Press report describes a final-round three-ball of Trevino, Nicklaus and Bobby Cole. Cole drew level five times during the round, but Trevino never dropped out of the lead. Trevino and Nicklaus each finished with 69. Their totals were 276 and 277; Cole ended at 279.²³

Afterward, Trevino turned the press gathering into another performance. When there was no cold drink waiting, he offered to buy one and produced his winner’s check. The next day’s newspaper preserved the exchange alongside Nicklaus’s assessment that Trevino had scarcely made a mistake. The result gave Trevino a PGA title to add to his U.S. Open and Open Championship victories.²