Top five Masters moments: Woods, Spieth and Garcia all feature
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We look back on legendary Masters memories
One of the greatest weekends in Golf is upon this weekend, with the 2019 US Masters at Georgia’s legendary Augusta.
This is the 83rd Masters, and the previous 82 have produced every piece of Golfing drama imaginable.
And ahead of this weekend’s action, we’ve rewound the years to pick out five of the Masters’ most legendary moments over the past 25 years…
Woods rules the world – 1997
They knew he was going to be good. But so good, so soon? Not a chance.
Tiger Woods announced himself in the biggest possible way at the 1997 US Masters and changed the game forever.
Woods landed his first Major by a mighty 12 shots, thanks to a sensational (and record-breaking) -18 card. It was the first time the world got a true glimpse of Woods’ talent.
Playoff magic from Bubba – 2012
Few things come close to the tension created by a Masters playoff. And we were treated to a classic in 2012 between Louis Oosthuizen and Bubba Watson.
Oosthuizen looked to have things sewn up when Bubba found himself well into the rough stuff on the second playoff hole 10th.
But a scarcely believable banana-recovery shot put Watson within nine feet of the pin. Oosthuizen, stunned by his opponent’s revival, saw his putt go agonizingly past the hole, allowing Bubba two shots to land his first Masters title in sensational fashion.
Spieth does his own Tiger – 2015
Some 18 years after Tiger’s heroics in 1997, American golf’s next prodigy stole the show.
Jordan Spieth was a sensational second in 2014 on his first ever Masters outing. But while many would see that as a success, the Texan was reportedly furious at his failure to prevail.
So he left nothing on the line in 2015 and a sensational eight-under first round set the tone. Much like Woods in ’97, nobody could get near Spieth at any point across the weekend.
Not yet 22-years-old, Spieth led wire-to-wire en route to equalling Woods’ -18 score.
Spieth hits the drink – 2016
A year later and the American looked like making it back-to-back Green Jackets. But then it all went so infamously wrong on the par-3 12th on the Sunday.
Spieth had lead the way throughout the tournament, until his plonked his tee shot in the drink – twice.
Those four dropped shots suddenly opened the door for clubhouse leader Danny Willet. The Yorkshireman had to sit tight and wait, but Spieth couldn’t recover and Willett won his first Major in unexpected style by three shots.
Joy for Sergio at last – 2017
They say that elite sport is 98% losing and 2% victory. That could certainly be the case for Sergio Garcia and Majors.
After 73 previous attempts (and 22 top-10 finishes), the Spaniard finally landed the big one on his 74th Major entry. It didn’t come easily, though.
He and Justin Rose were the final pairing after sharing the lead at the end of day three. A fascinating duel saw the lead change hands throughout the final round, only for the pair to each end on -9, thus forcing a play-off.
Rose’s tee-shot ended up in the trees, and Garcia didn’t show any mercy. The Spaniard sunk a 12-footer, Augusta erupted, and Sergio’s Major bogey was well and truly over.
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