The resulting shot defied the wind, hit the flagstick and rolled to a stop close to the cup. A birdie clinched his win, by three strokes, over Bruce Crampton. In 1982 Nicklaus battled the 17th again and Tom Watson. The two were tied when Watson missed the 17th green completely. His next shot from the rough dropped onto the green and into the hole for a jaw-dropping birdie, a win and another legend in U.S. Open history.
Nature plays a starring role in the stories of Pebble Beach.
During the 1967 Crosby, nature again conspired against Palmer when not one, but two, balls ricochet off the same tree and out of bounds on the 14th hole. He finished third. The tree fell in a raging storm that night. Built by amateur golfer and architect Jack Neville, who built no other courses, and Douglas Grant, Pebble Beach's beauty and challenge would attract more tournaments and create more legends. Lanny Wadkins won in one of the first sudden-deaths at Pebble Beach's first PGA Championship in 1977.