Thanks for posting Joe. The stories of Snead's meltdown on the 72nd hole in the 1939 US Open at Philadelphia CC were fascinating. First, I never realized that Sam was only 27 years old at the time. But what was more interesting is the similarity between Sam's triple bogey on the 72nd hole at Philadelphia CC and Mickleson's double bogey on 72nd hole at Winged Foot, both costing each the elusive Open title. Both were directly caused not by their poor tee shots, but by mental lapses in their second shot. Snead stated after the round that he knew never to attempt a fairway wood from the difficult rough, that he would always use an iron to get ball back in play. Instead, on that day, a the most crucial time, he tried an heroic wood from the rough, and the rest is history. Similarly, it was not Phil's drive which cost him the title, but his attempt at an heroic second shot, instead of safely getting ball back in play, which cost him, if not the championship, at least a tie and play-off.
Interesting that Snead was described as a "swashbuckler," much like Mickleson is today. The press was much kinder to Snead's self-destruction that it was to Mickleson years later.
Great articles.