Memories of first Heritage hold special place for Cobb Jr.

Sporting events often borrow a theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber and create “Memories,” and tournaments such as the RBC Heritage offer a prime example. Ask George Cobb Jr.; his bring to mind Gary Koch’s famous call of a Tiger Woods’ putt and are “better than most.”

No matter what unfolds this week at Harbour Town in the 48th Heritage, the moments to remember will be hard pressed to surpass Cobb’s from the very first time the PGA Tour dropped anchor on Hilton Head Island.

Return to the fall of 1969; the tournament came into existence on that Thanksgiving weekend. Cobb’s father, Hall-of-Fame golf architect George Cobb Sr., had been involved with the designing courses for Sea Pines and Port Royal for a decade, and his credits include the original routing of Harbour Town Golf Links.

“My parents gave my bride (the former Tally Batson) and me the greatest wedding present – a honeymoon trip to Hilton Head Island that week with a place in the pro-am tournament on Wednesday,” Cobb said.

He had recently returned from six months of active duty in the Army National Guard, attending military police school at Fort Gordon, and hadn’t played golf. He needed a handicap for the pro-am, so he and his dad played a round on Monday of that week at Port Royal with Ted Hayes, Jr., Golf Digest’s 1970 rookie of the year. The pro signed him for an 18 handicap.

Playing in the pro-am with pro Rod Funseth and two others, Cobb made that 18 look ridiculous. He helped the team in a big way – with three natural birdies and a natural eagle – and the foursome won by a stroke.

“We played the back nine first and while we were riding from the 18th green to the first tee, Funseth, a very righteous man, asked me, ‘What are you doing next week?’ ” Cobb said and laughed. “Funseth was a Morman who lived in Utah and said he was the only player on the tour who couldn’t beat his next door neighbor – Johnny Miller.”

Cobb, who recently moved from Lexington to Easley and is executive director of the Senior Golfers of South Carolina, looks back over the years and said, “The (Harbour Town) course was so fresh, they wouldn’t let the pros play a practice round. The pro-am was their practice round and (amateurs) played from the really forward tees.”

In addition to the honeymoon and playing in the pro-am, what Cobb calls “the most fantastic Heritage memory” included being introduced to and shaking hands with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

More important, he added, “My marriage to the greatest golf widow is still strong and growing.”

Long week

Taking the first step toward professional careers, South Carolina seniors Will Starke, Matt NeSmith and Sean Kelly experienced eight days of exhaustive –and successful – golf. The three participated in the weather-delayed qualifying tournament for the Mackenzie (PGA Canadian) Tour in Port St. Lucie, Fla., (March 29-April 2) and hurried to Charleston to join the Gamecocks in the Hootie at Bulls Bay event (April 3-5).

Starke led the field in Florida and earned full status for the year. NeSmith finished second and will be exempt through the first reshuffle. Kelly tied for 17th and has conditional status. Back with the team, they all tied for 10th as the Gamecocks earned the title.

“The scheduling was awkward,” USC coach Bill McDonald said, “and it’s amazing what they did.”

Chip shots

USC’s second runner-up finish of the spring, this one in the Bryan Park Collegiate near Greensboro, N.C., boosted the Gamecocks’ women’s team to 21st in the Golfstat poll and 22nd in the Golfweek rankings. … Keenan Huskey’s six-stroke victory in the Hootie at Bulls Bay tournament earned the Gamecocks’ sophomore SEC player of the week honors. … The SCGA team of amateurs regained the Palmetto Cup with a 29.5-18.5 victory over South Carolina PGA pros at the Patriot Golf Club.

This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Memories of first Heritage hold special place for Cobb Jr.."