The most famous golf tournament in the World is taking place this weekend in August, Georgia. The history of the Masters could have an entire encyclopedia series written about it, but this article will rank the top 5 greatest Master moments of all time.
5. Completing the Tiger Slam
In April of 2001 Woods would win his second career green jacket and would hold all four majors for the first time in the history of golf. He was playing golf at a level that no one in the history of golf has ever done.
Woods would hold onto a Saturday lead, something that became automatic, by beating David Duval by two strokes. The Tiger Slam started with a 15 stroke dismantling of the rest of the golf world in the 2000 U.S. Open.
The golf world would be at the mercy of Tiger for the better part of the next two years as he would go on to win six of the next 10 majors after the 2000 U.S. Open. Tiger or the field was an actual betting option in Las Vegas sportsbooks, something that will never happen in golf again.
4. Larry Mize’s Chip in at 11
The 1987 Masters resulted in a three person playoff between Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, and Larry Mize. Norman was in the middle of a legendary career, where unfortunately for him, would finish second seven different times at major tournaments.
1987 would see him finish second for the second straight year, when after the first playoff hole Ballesteros bogeyed, leaving only Norman and Mize to battle it out for the green jacket. Playing the 11th hole, Norman hit his second shot just on the fringe and had a birdie putt coming.
Mize left his shot short, and had 140 feet remaining to the pin, with the green sloping away from him, with almost no chance to stop it near the hole. However, he would pull off the impossible by sinking the chip, and Norman’s hope at a green jacket.
3. 1986: “Yes Sir”
In 1986 Jack Nickalus ended up winning what would be his 18th and final Major title, and his 6th and final green jacket. The six green jackets is the most ever by any golfer, and the Golden Bear should have the flair for the dramatic for his final victory at Augusta.
On the 17th hole Nickalus had a 12 foot birdie putt that would extend his lead over Greg Norman and Tom Kite. The putt could have broken either way according to Nickalus, and his son, who was his caddy, disagreed with the read, but the Golden Bear was right.
One of the most famous images in golf, Nicklaus would hold his putter to the sky as he watched the putt fall into the cup, cementing his legacy at the time as the greatest golfer that ever lived. The famous call from announcer Verne Lundquist, “Yes, Sir” also added to the lore of this moment.
2. Woods’ Chip in at 16 at the 2005 Masters
A chip that launched Nike to the center of the golf world when the Nike Swoosh showed for what seemed like 5 seconds, while Woods’ ball hung on the edge of the cup before falling for a birdie that would help him win his fourth Masters championship.
A shot that the announcer said he would be lucky to get within five feet of the cup he ended up making, something that became common for his career. Tiger would have to win a playoff against Chris DiMarco and he would do just that by birdieing the 18th hole that was acting as the playoff hole.
The Crazy thing is Woods’ chip in gave him a 2 stroke lead with only two holes remaining but he would go on to bogey both and it was the chip that allowed him a chance to win it in a playoff. Any other golfer would have been lucky to make par, but Woods found a way to birdie it.
1. Return to Glory: Winning Major #15
From his 14th major win at the 2008 U.S. Open, he would go 11 years before winning another major. Scandal, injury, and controversy followed Woods for all 11 of those years, and there was nothing better than seeing him return to the top of the golf world by winning his fifth Masters.
After tapping in to secure his 15th major title Woods would celebrate by hugging his son, similar to when he won his first major by hugging his father. It was a perfect full circle to a career that is the greatest in the history of golf.
Tiger could still add another moment to this list as he still is playing, and I wouldn’t put it past him. But, as it stands now this moment was the icing on the cake to a historic career. The greatest moment in the history of the Masters.
