Sad to see that Roberto DeVicenzo passed away at the age of 94 on June 1st. Roberto had a fine international career. In the “Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf” episode played at the London Hunt Club in 1968 he hit one shot that was especially memorable. Roberto was a big, strong guy and on #4 he outdrove both Ben Arda and Dan Sykes by a considerable margin. Neither of the other players could hit the green in two but Roberto pulled out a four iron and hit a slinging hook around the pond and onto the center of the green. We were watching from behind and it looked like that shot was headed for the fifth tee before it boomeranged to the left.
In the 1968 Ontario Junior Championship, also held at the London Hunt Club, there was a sign where you walked off the 18th green that said “Remember Roberto, check and sign your card”. It was an obvious reference to Roberto’s mistake in the 1967 Masters of signing for a score higher than he made that cost him a chance at an 18 hole playoff on Monday for the Masters Championship.