Induction evokes memories
PGA of America honors legendary Longhorns coach.
We are in the midst of what you might call George Hannon Season.
It starts Thursday night in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where the Austin golf legend will be inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame. Then comes the 19th Hannon Cup Matches Nov. 23-24 at Barton Creek, where teams of area amateurs take on their local pro counterparts.
The Hall of Fame selection is clearly deserved, and the Hannon Cup indicates how much and how long the local golf community has recognized Hannon’s importance. He was the longtime pro at both Lions Municipal and Morris Williams and was also head coach for the University of Texas from 1964 through 1981. He is often recognized as having coached Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite in those years and guiding the Longhorns to national championships in 1971 and 1972.
As noteworthy as those national titles are, Hannon’s final season, 1981, merits attention. Early in the season, Hannon announced that it would be his last with the Horns.
Hannon’s final team had plenty of talent. It included senior Cutts Benedict, juniors Greg Aune, Lawrence Field and Mark Brooks, and freshmen Brandel Chamblee and Paul Thomas. Brooks, Chamblee and Thomas would go on to earn all-America honors multiple times. Brooks and Chamblee went on to careers on the PGA Tour. Brooks is still playing on the Champions Tour, while Chamblee has attained star status on the Golf Channel.
Hannon is famous as a man of few words, but in the spring of 1981 it was clear to those near him that he desperately wanted to go out with a win at the Southwest Conference Championship.
The SWC Championship was held that May in Tyler. Houston was ranked No. 3 nationally and was the favorite to win a sixth consecutive title.
Texas got rounds of even par 72s from Benedict, Chamblee, Field and Thomas plus a 73 from Aune for an opening-round 1-over 289 to share the lead with TCU. Houston was just one shot back at 290.
Led by a 4-under 68 from Field, Texas shot a second-round 3-under 285 for a four-shot edge over A&M while Houston was six back going into the final round.
The Aggies fell off the pace in Sunday’s final round while Houston made a strong move. It was a close battle between Texas and Houston on the final nine, and it appeared that it would go down to the last hole.
Brooks, UT’s No. 1 player most of the season, had struggled with opening rounds of 74 and 75 but was the difference Sunday. His final-round 3-under 69 was the best round of the day. The final count was a team total 863 for Texas, 865 for Houston.
The best part of that Sunday may have been yet to come. A few years ago, Chamblee told me the story of the team’s drive from Tyler back to Austin:
“We all got into the van with Coach driving. As we headed out of town, he pulled up to a convenience store, gave Brooks $100 and told him, ‘Get whatever you guys need to make it an enjoyable drive back home.’ And we did.
“It was a great trip back, just cherishing the win and happy for Coach. By the way, he didn’t touch a drop. When we got back to campus, Coach drove us over to that big lawn between the LBJ Library and the football stadium.
“We kind of spilled out of the van and then just sprawled out on that lawn looking up at the UT Tower that was lit up orange for our win. To this day, that is one of the great times in my life and a wonderful moment I will always treasure.”