William H. Lane sat silently next to Clifford Roberts.
It was the day before the 1976 Masters Tournament — the 40th playing of the event — when Roberts announced he was retiring as chairman of Augusta National Golf Club. Roberts had commanded the tournament since its inception in 1934 but, at 81, the Wall Street stockbroker had found his heir.
“He is the right age,” Roberts said of Lane, 52. “I think we can expect him to last at least another 25 years. That won’t match my record of 42 years, but it is adequate and I’ll settle for it.”
Two years into his role, Lane was replaced.
Two years after that, on June 28, 1980, the second chairman of Augusta National died.
Who was William H. Lane?
At the 1976 chairman’s news conference, Roberts and Lane sat together on the press room stage. Roberts had given no hints of the impending announcement, and it was handled in typical Roberts’s fashion.
As he made public he was stepping down, Roberts clenched his iron fist as questions began. One of the first inquiries was directed to Lane, who didn’t say a word. Seconds later, Roberts informed the press that his successor would not speak.
“I’m not going to call on Bill,” Roberts said, “because I’m the chairman of this tournament until its conclusion.”
Hubert Mizell, sports editor of the Tampa Bay Times, wrote, “For all the audience knew, Lane might have been a mute.”
Lane had been an Augusta National member for 12 years and served on the pin placement and tee marking committees. The Maryville, Tenn., native moved to Houston in 1960 and was president and Chief Executive Officer of Riviana Foods, Inc., one of the world’s largest rice companies.
He was friends with Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard; had a 10 handicap; and could play as a member at River Oaks Country Club (Houston), East Lake (Atlanta) and Atlanta Athletic Club. He also spoke. Lane admitted his ascension to chairman was decided by one person: Roberts.
“That’s kind of the way Cliff operates,” Lane said in 1976. “I will never try to emulate Clifford Roberts. No question about it, there will never be another Clifford Roberts.”
Following Lane’s appointment, the Chicago Tribune spoke to former Masters champions Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.
“The pattern has been established,” Nelson said. “Everything’s started. Everything’s done. It’s just a matter of carrying on.”
Palmer added: “I think it’s good that he’s doing this now, so he can give some direction to Bill Lane. Clifford will remain president of the club for some time, I feel. Frankly, I feel the tournament will continue as powerfully as ever — maybe even more so with someone younger and more active.”
Lane’s Masters tenure short, but memorable
In 1977, Lane held his first news conference, joking, “I can talk this year!” Roberts, who would die five months later, did not join Lane, and news outlets were quick to comment on the briefness of the briefing. United Press International published the headline: “Masters Chairman is man of few words.”
When asked about his first year as chairman, Lane said he traveled to other tournaments with hopes of bringing novel concepts to Augusta National. “We’re always open to new ideas,” he remarked.
When asked by an interviewer, “Who is Bill Lane?” Lane described himself as being raised in Tennessee, schooled at Georgia Tech and had moved to Houston for his food processing business. Lane didn’t divulge much, but did admit there had been an increase in practice round tickets.
Ahead of Lane’s second news conference in 1978, there was already controversy. The National Football League decided to push its conference championship games for the following year from the last week of December to the first week in January, leaving golf with a television conflict. The NFC and AFC title games suddenly overlapped the Tucson Open (golf’s first televised tournament of the year) and the PGA needed to move back every event. Lane agreed to push the 1979 Masters to April 12-15 — an unprecedented move in tournament history.
“We anticipate a one-year change on the date,” Lane said. “TV schedules are important and we are delighted to cooperate with this change.”
The gesture did not go unnoticed by the PGA Tour. “This is a significant contribution,” said PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman. “The NFL’s decision precipitated all our problems. This is going to be very helpful.”
Lane also noted that Arnold Palmer would replace Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles as conductor of post-tournament interviews.
It was Lane’s final “State of the Masters” address.
Days before the 1979 tournament, Lane knew something wasn’t right. Augusta National’s second chairman had experienced spells of dizziness and was hospitalized on Tuesday of Masters Week. On Wednesday, Augusta National announced its chairman was receiving tests and observations.
The results were dire.
Lane, 55, was found to have a cranial aneurysm, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and instead of conducting his third press conference, he was fighting for his life.
Augusta National promoted Hord Hardin, the club’s vice chairman, to active chairman. A year later, Lane underwent surgery and Hardin again served as chairman for the 1980 event.
An Augusta National spokesperson said in 1980, “Lane will require a period of recuperation (from the circulatory problems) that will prevent his active participation in the Masters.”
Later that month, on April 25, Augusta National announced that Hardin would become permanent chairman.
According to the Associated Press, Lane’s wife, Dorothy, told Augusta National that her husband’s condition is such that, “He could not presently carry out his responsibilities as chairman.”
Two months later, Lane died at his Texas home.
