At the 1977 U.S. Open, as Green walked to the 15th tee of the final round, he was notified of a caller anonymously phoning in a death threat on his life.

The police presented him with options, and he courageously opted to play on, winning by one stroke over Lou Graham.

"[5] Alluding to the extent to which Watson and Nicklaus's scores were so significantly clear of the rest of the field, he notably remarked, "I won the other tournament."

Player had a one-shot lead over Green, who hit a good drive and then a great approach to within three feet of the cup.

Green never blamed Kelly, however, telling Golf Digest, "Only an amateur would have been put off by the interruption — or would try to make excuses about it.

"[3] At the 1985 PGA Championship, Green won his second major title, two strokes ahead of defending champion Lee Trevino.

He shot a final round of 64, playing the last six holes with an eagle, four birdies, and one par to beat Hale Irwin by one stroke.

Green was also active in golf course design, having worked on TPC Southwind, the site for the PGA Tour's St. Jude Classic; Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia; and Greystone Golf & Country Club, the site of his Bruno's Classic victory.

[1][6] In the spring of 2003, Green was diagnosed with oral cancer after his dentist noticed an unusual swelling on the back of his tongue[3] after a routine cleaning and referred him to a medical specialist for evaluation.

At the 2005 Masters Tournament, Green was presented with the Ben Hogan Award for continuing to be active in golf despite a serious illness.