1972 — WE HAVE LIFTOFF!

Oakland Hills Country Club,
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Winner: Gary Player

After making back-to-back bogeys and slicing his tee shot on the 16th in the final round, Gary Player couldn't see the flagstick. Blind shot? Not quite. Player grabbed a chair from the gallery and climbed atop to line up his shot. Then he hit one of the best recovery shots in major history: a 9-iron that just cleared the trees and a lake and rolled to within four feet of the hole. Player sank the birdie putt and clinched his second PGA with pars on the final two holes.