Hogan forces Open playoff

Sixteen months after a near-fatal car accident, Ben Hogan fired a one-iron from the fairway on the 18th hole on this date in 1950 and landed the ball 40 feet from the cup in the fourth round of the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

Hogan two-putted for par, putting him in a three-way tie and forcing an 18-hole playoff the next day against Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio.

Hogan wrenched his knee teeing off on the 12th hole but refused to acknowledge the injury, saying, “Boys, let’s forget it. I imagine people are getting tired of reading about my injuries.”

Nevertheless, from that point his caddie had to pick Hogan’s ball out of the hole and his playing partner, Cary Middlecoff, had to mark Hogan’s ball on the greens.

Hogan won the playoff the next day, his second of four U.S. Open titles.

This week, in the second game of a six-game trip, the Dodgers would have played the Reds on Wednesday at Cincinnati. The Angels were set to play the second of two interleague games against the Miami Marlins at Angel Stadium. Both games were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Other memorable outstanding sports performances on this date:

1977 — Al Geiberger sets a PGA Tour 18-hole record when he shoots a 59 in the second round of the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic at Colonial Country Club.

2006 — At Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., Bernard Hopkins wins a unanimous decision over light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver.