AUGUSTA, GA. Creating riveting drama is no easy feat. The exact circumstances in concert with how the specific personalities engage must be in alignment.
When Bob Jones and Alister MacKenzie designed Augusta National the thought process was quite straightforward — present shot making challenges in which ultimate risks and rewards are constantly faced.
Critical decisions are constant hurdles. Working through the ever-escalating pressure cauldron that lies at the epicenter of Augusta.
The ebb and flow of such epic events is seared into memory banks. The Masters has been a consistent contributor to the annals of golf history. The champions who have donned the famed green jacket were able to do so in the most pressure packed of circumstances.
The exhilarating highs counterpointed by the head-scratching meltdowns.
One specific Masters was not included — the 1968 Masters. In that tournament Roberto De Vicenzo endured a scorekeeping error which prevented him from being in a playoff with eventual winner Bob Goalby.
The Argentinian made birdie at the penultimate hole but when the round concluded his fellow playing competitor Tommy Aaron inadvertently marked a four on the scorecard. De Vicenzo did not notice and signed for the higher number. Under the rules of golf the higher number remained. De Vicenzo summed up his feelings succinctly — “What a stupid I am.”
The ten outlined below showcase ultimate pain — so near to ultimate triumph and then total emptiness. Reconciling one’s inability to execute when the situation presented itself and then having the lasting image of a Masters green jacket placed upon the shoulders of another.
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10 Memorable Masters Meltdowns
Greg Norman — 1996
Norman started the championship with a record-tying 18-hole score of 63. It appeared Greg would be the first Aussie ever to secure the green jacket.
Going into the final round, he held a six-shot lead. But, as had happened in previous visits to Augusta National, the final round proved to be a hurdle that Norman could not finally climb over.
His lead quickly evaporated through the outward side — but still two shots ahead. Dunked approaches at the 12th and 16th hole proved fatal and what should have been a coronation turned into a funeral procession and a concluding score of 78.
Jordan Spieth — 2016
The defending champion was on the brink of becoming just the fourth player to successfully defend his title.
Reached the treacherous par-3 12th with a five-shot lead before self-imploding by splashing two balls into Rae’s Creek at the par-3 12th.
Spieth gamely fought on but the self-imposed fumble provided the pathway for Englishman Danny Willett to secure the green jacket with a quality final round score of 67.
Ken Venturi — 1956
Venturi scored 80 in the final round to lose by one shot. He three-putted six times and ended with a score of 42 on the inward half when a score of 40 would have resulted in becoming the first amateur to don the green jacket. Heavy winds blew for the final 18 holes with a stroke average of 78.26.
Only two players broke par – including winner Jack Burke who benefited immensely from not having a single three-putt for the event. Venturi led after the first 54 holes and all appeared set for the ultimate coronation which never happened.
That pain would replicate itself again for the 24-year-old in 1958 and in 1960– both times coming up short to Arnold Palmer.
Ed Sneed — 1979
Started the final round with a five shot lead and all appeared on cruise control to the title before bogeying the final three holes and dropping into a playoff with eventual winner Fuzzy Zoeller and Tom Watson.
Sneed even led by four after 15 holes played in the final round but a balky putter caused his undoing highlighted by missing a six-foot par putt at the closing hole.
The image of Sneed staring at his ball when it refused to drop at 18 remains a most painful moment.
Scott Hoch — 1989
The lasting image is of Hoch missing from just over two feet at the first playoff hole — the 10th — losing to Nick Faldo.
Hoch did not help himself when missing from six feet at the penultimate hole and dropping into a three-way tie at that moment.
The visible pain of Hoch raising his putter after missing the short putt still lingers to this day.
Ray Floyd — 1990
Floyd was in ideal position for capturing his second Masters at the age of 47 and thereby becoming the oldest Masters champion.
The undoing started at hole 17 when after a perfect tee shot and having no more than 130 yards left, Floyd pulled his approach leaving himself nearly 60 feet to navigate on the sloping green. A three-putt ensued and Floyd needed to escape from the greenside bunker at the 18th and hole his putt just to secure a playoff spot with defending champion Faldo.
Both men hit the fairway at the 11th but Floyd pulled his 7-iron approach to the left of the green and into the adjacent pond. Faldo played cautiously and became just the second player at that time to defend his title. Floyd’s words afterwards summed up his feelings — “This is the most devastating thing that’s ever happened to me in my career. I’ve had a lot of losses, but nothing like this.”
Seve Ballesteros — 1986
The Spaniard was looking to snare a third Masters title when standing in the 15th fairway during the final round. The 32-year-old faced a challenging shot over the fronting pond on the par-5 hole. Ballesteros led by two and faced a second shot just under 200 yards.
His 4-iron was poorly struck and found a water grave. The resulting bogey pushed him out of the lead and opened the door for a surging Jack Nicklaus to win a record 6th green jacket at age 46.
Kenny Perry — 2009
The Kentuckian was a fan favorite and searching for his first major title. Tied for the lead after 54 holes, Perry was able to gain the lead with consecutive birdies at 15 and 16 and had a two-shot lead with just two holes to play.
A green jacket seemed imminent.
However, Perry would unfortunately bogey 17 and 18 and drop into a playoff with Ángel Cabrera. The Argentinian would seize the moment and win on the second hole of the playoff.
Billy Joe Patton — 1954
The North Carolina amateur led after 36 holes and though he started the final round five shots behind leader Ben Hogan, the 31-year-old lumber salesman made a surge the last day aided by an ace at the par-3 6th.
With just seven holes to play Patton held a two stroke lead.
When reaching the par-5 13th, Patton opted for a bold play in going for the green in two shots. The result? A watery grave and resulting bogey. Two holes later at the 15th he tried similarly, and the same outcome took place.
Ultimately, Patton would finish one shot out of a playoff that ensued between Hogan and Sam Snead which Sam would win the next day in an 18-hole playoff.
Looking back, Patton would have secured the title outright by making two pars at both par-5 holes and becoming the first amateur to wear the green jacket. It was not to be.
Curtis Strange — 1985
Started with an eight-over-par 80 and then battled back into contention. Heading into the final nine holes with a four-shot lead. After the par-3 12th, he still maintained a two-shot lead.
Then disaster took place.
Strange drowned his approach at the par-5 13th and did similarly at the par-5 15th. If Curtis hade made just two pars at both holes, he would have been in a playoff with eventual winner Bernhard Langer.
The pain of a Masters defeat was diminished with consecutive US Open wins in 1988 and 1989 but Strange will always remember those two fateful holes and how his faulty mental errors on both of them forever denied him a green jacket.
