Top Ten: Greatest rounds at the Masters
Tim Franklin
Posted on: 31 March 2011 - 11:08
Golf
The Augusta National Golf Club has been home to the Masters since its inception back in 1934. Whether it is “The shot heard ‘round the world” by Gene Sarazen back in 1935, Sam Snead becoming the first recipient of the green jacket in 1949, or Tiger Woods holing his chip shot on the 16th for birdie in 2005, the tournament has provided an array of great performances and moments that have helped to shape the very face of golf.
The green jacket has now arguably become the most sought after prize in golf and each year the leading golfers in the world battle it out to join this illustrious club. Historically, the tournament has brought the very best out of the world’s leading players and never fails to deliver some stunning rounds of golf. Sport.co.uk looks over the rounds that helped create the reputation that surrounds this great tournament.
1. Jack Nicklaus
When the 46 year old Jack Nicklaus arrived at Augusta back in 1986 many felt that his best days were behind him. He had already won 17 major titles and his position at the head of the golfing hall of fame was secure. However, his 65 on Sunday afternoon possibly eclipses all of the great rounds that he had been able to construct over the years. In a back nine of 30, which equaled the course record, Nicklaus was able to conjure one last magical round to claim his sixth green jacket and cement his place in history.
2. Tiger Woods
The 1997 Masters Tournament will go down in history for launching the career of Tiger Woods, as he delivered perhaps the greatest performance ever seen in a golf major. Over the four days at Augusta, 21-year-old Woods had reduced the course to its knees and set a record score of 18 under par. His final round of 69 is perhaps the finest of his career to date, as it put the finishing touches to his first major triumph, established his dominance over the rest of the field and changed the entire face of golf forever.
3. Nick Price
Unfortunately for Nick Price the year that he set the course record was back in 1986, which meant that it got a little lost amidst Nicklaus’ stunning victory. However, his third round will always be remembered as one of the greatest rounds in Masters history. Although his nine under par 63 has since been equalled by Greg Norman, as the first to achieve the feat it is Price that sits higher on this list. Over the years, the course has been lengthened and narrowed, which means Price’s stunning course record could stand for a very long time to come.
4. Nick Faldo
Nick Faldo managed to claim his first green jacket in 1989, after a very mixed weekend. After hacking his way to a 77 in the third round, Faldo burst back with a stunning round of 65 on the final day to force his way past a number of players and into a playoff with Scott Hoch. Faldo eventually claimed victory on the 11th hole in the descending gloom with a 30 foot birdie putt. This set up one of the most memorable images in Masters history of Faldo raising his arms to the heavens in a jumper that can, at best, be described as awful.
5. Mike Donald
For any player, stepping onto the hallowed turf of Augusta for the first time is a daunting experience, although it would seem that someone forgot to mention this to Mike Donald. Donald made his debut at the Masters in 1990 and he opened the tournament with a faultless round of 64, propelling him to the top of the leaderboard. Sadly for Donald, what followed his refulgent 64 was not quite so good, as he could only manage a 10 over par 82 in the second round, which saw him tumble down the leaderboard and only just make the cut.
6. Jack Burke
At the start of the final day of the Masters in 1956, Jack Burke sat eight shots off the leader. That year the tournament was dogged with tough, windy conditions and the Sunday was no different. Burke managed to shoot a one under par 71 and was able to overturn the deficit and win the tournament by one. There are two remarkable things about this round, the first of which was that Burke was one of only two to be under par that day and secondly, the 8-stroke final-round deficit that Burke made up makes this the biggest come-from-behind win in Masters history.
7. Ken Venturi
An amateur has never won the Masters, although on three occasions they have finished second. Perhaps the most famous of these was Ken Venturi, who in 1956 held a four shot lead going into the final day, only to three putt six times and shoot an 80 to lose out to Jack Burke. It was the opening round however that really captured the public’s attention as Venturi blasted out of the traps with a stunning 66, which to this day remains a record for the lowest ever round by an amateur at Augusta.
8. Roberto De Vicenzo
De Vicenzo is often remembered for his misfortune in the 1968 Masters, although that cannot detract from one of the best final day rounds the tournament has witnessed. On his 45th birthday he managed to card a 65, which would have put him in a playoff with Bob Goalby. However, playing partner Tommy Aaron inadvertently entered an incorrect hole score on De Vicenzo's scorecard, marking a four on the 17th when it should have been a three. De Vicenzo failed to catch the mistake, signing the scorecard and the higher score stood, dropping De Vicenzo from the playoff.
9. Lee Elder
Lee Elder did not win the Masters in 1975, in fact he didn’t even come close, but he did do something historic: with his opening tee shot he became the first African-American player to qualify for and play in the Masters tournament. Despite the fact he faced death threats so serious that he rented two houses near the course, and never went out in public alone, he still teed off and played. Elder shot a 74 on day one and went on to miss the cut, but the impact his presence had on golf and society in general means his opening round is one of the all-time greats.
10. Greg Norman
Greg Norman has suffered more heartbreak at Augusta than perhaps anyone else. 1996 was perhaps the most famous, as his game imploded during the final round, allowing Nick Faldo to sneak past him and claim his third green jacket. However, it must not be forgotten that in his first round, Norman equaled the course record 63 with the type of aggressive play that made him so popular with the galleries. The Great White Shark was making birdie after birdie and finished the back nine in just 30 shots. It is just a shame for him though that his tournament had such an unhappy ending.