While attention is often centered on elite players at Augusta there are times when the push for the green jacket comes from others. Scott Hoch came to the PGA TOUR after a quality golf career at Wake Forest University including being runner-up in the 1978 U.S. Amateur.<\/p>\n
The North-Carolina born Hoch would win eleven times on the PGA TOUR but his failure at the 1989 Masters is forever etched in stone.<\/p>\n
On a rainy final round Hoch had assumed the lead by the 5th and maintained it until a short missed short par putt at the penultimate hole dropped him into a tie for the lead. Hoch would also miss a birdie putt at the 18th and have him enter a playoff with Nick Faldo.<\/p>\n
The 10th hole served as the first playoff hole and Hoch smartly played his approach to 25 feet before lagging his birdie putt to two feet. Faldo had erred with his approach into the greenside bunker and then after hitting out to 15 feet missed his par putt.<\/p>\n
All Hoch needed to do was make the two-foot putt and the green jacket was his.<\/p>\n
He missed.<\/p>\n
Faldo would make birdie at the par-4 11th and become England’s first major winner.<\/p>\n
Re-watching the hapless Hoch horror even years later is still cringing to watch.<\/p>\n