11 of The Most Dramatic Masters Moments

By: Derek Clements | Mon 03 Apr 2023

MORE than any other major, The Masters is a tournament that is guaranteed to produce more than its fair share of dramatic moments. Here are just a few of them:

1935

Gene Sarazen hits the shot “heard around the world” when he holes his second at the par five 15th in the final round for an albatross. He finishes 72 holes tied with Craig Wood, whom he goes on to beat in a 36-hole playoff. Wood had also finished runner-up in 1934 but would win in 1941.

1968

Roberto de Vicenzo should have joined Bob Goalby in a playoff but signed for an incorrect score and missed out by a single shot. His reaction? “What a stupid I am.”

1986

Jack Nicklaus produces an inspired final round of 65 to win his 18th and final major at the age of 46 with his son Jackie on the bag. In the process, the Golden Bear becomes the oldest winner.

1996

Greg Norman begins the final round with a six-shot lead over Nick Faldo as he attempts to finally land the major he wants more than any other. The wheels quickly come off, however. Faldo shoots a stunning final round of 67, while Norman stumbles to a 78. On the 18th green, Faldo embraces a shellshocked Norman and tells him: “Greg, I just don’t know what to say."

1997

Playing with Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods plays the opening nine holes in 40 shots. He only needs 230 strokes to negotiate the following 54 holes and finishes the week on 270, 18 under par, and wins by and astonishing 12 shots.

1999

There is not a dry eye in the house as Jose Maria Olazabal wins for the second time after fearing that his career was over due to foot pain. He was able to return after an Austrian doctor discovers that the Spaniard’s medical treatment had been doing more harm than good.

2004

Phil Mickelson finally wins The Masters for the first time. He repeats the feat two years later and wins for a third time in 2010.

2010

Phil Mickelson hit a wayward drive into the trees at the par-five 13th. It finished in the pine straw and his caddie, Bones Mackay implored him to lay up. Mickelson was having none of it. He saw a gap in the trees, asked for a six iron and played a magnificent shot that finished feet from the hole. He missed the eagle putt but would go on to secure his third Masters title.

2012

Bubba Watson and Louis Oosthuizen finish the tournament tied on 278 and head out for a playoff. After both players parred the 18th they headed off to the par-four 10th hole. Watson hit a wild drive to the right and looked to have no shot but he produced a miraculous that moved fully 90 degrees in the air and landed 10 feet from the hole. Oosthuizen needed five blows, allowing Watson two putts for the victory.

2016

Looking for back to back wins, Jordan Spieth led from the start and headed into the back nine leading by five shots. He dropped shots at the 10th and 11th but still had things under control as he stood on the tee at the par-three 12th. He put his first shot into the water guarding the green, took a drop and then fluffed his third shot and looked on in horror as that also found water. He walked off with a quadruple-bogey seven. His hopes were over. Danny Willett shot a 67 and claimed the Green Jacket.

2019

Tiger Woods brings the house down when he takes advantage of Francesco Molinari’s collapse at the par-three 12th hole to win his 15th major - 11 years after his 14th triumph. It is hailed by many as the greatest sporting comeback ever seen.