The Greatest Comeback

Robin Moyer talks to 1990 Hong Kong Open champion Ken Green, who despite losing part of his leg in a tragic crash four years ago, has triumphed over adversity by getting back on the course and playing the game he loves

Celebrating his 1990 Hong Kong Open triumph with his former girlfriend

Wearing his trademark bright green shoes, hat and glove, Green never relinquished his three-shot lead on that final day. Shooting a one-over-par 72 gave him a three-round total of 205, four shots ahead of compatriot Brian Watts, who would return to win the Hong Kong Open in 1993, and Canadian Danny Mijovic. Yau fell back to finish with a 76 in eighth place.

The only other Hong Kong professional to make the half-way cut was Dominique Boulet who, in his first outing as a pro, finished with an even par 71 to tie with Langer in 19th place.

Highly touted as the man to beat and ranked world number 17, Langer said at the time, "I had a horrible day. I played very badly and couldn’t get near the hole. (But) I enjoyed it here, and I’m sure if the weather was better the course would have played well. I’d love to come back here again sometime."

One good result from the persistent downpours was the tournament committee’s decision to hold future Opens in December when Hong Kong’s weather is historically drier. And Langer returned to win the tournament the next year.

Green had a reputation on the PGA Tour for being a bit of a wild-man, or at least a wild-child. Bored with practice he was known to hit full-on 3-woods off the carpet and through a narrow gap in the doors of his den to the golf course outside. He once had a beer delivered to him while playing a special event paired with Arnold Palmer, just so “I could say I had a beer with Mr. Palmer.” Often fined for swearing, he was usually portrayed by the media as “prickly” or having “temper issues.” Whatever he had, he combined it with a long run of bad luck.

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