The 2024 Masters is scheduled to start this weekend at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
It is the 88th edition of the Masters Tournament and the first of the men’s four major golf championships to be held in 2024.
The field of players includes a mix of past champions, recent majors winners, and leading players from the PGA Tour, ensuring a highly competitive and prestigious tournament.
The previous 87 iterations of the tournament provided a whole host of incredible all-time sports memories. Let’s take a look back at a few of those defining moments.
Tiger Woods Chip Shot In The 2005 Masters
In the 2005 Masters, Tiger Woods executed a legendary chip shot on the 16th hole during the final round. This iconic moment saw Woods’ ball hang on the edge of the cup for a split second before finally dropping.
It is considered one of the most memorable shots in golf history.
The chip came during a battle between Woods and Chris DiMarco, who had led throughout much of the tournament. DiMarco placed his tee shot in the center of the green on the Par 3 16th known as Redbud. Woods, however, pulled his shot off the green. It wasn’t looking good.
With 50 feet or so between him and the hole and a difficult lie, commentator Lanny Wadkins told the audience that “this is one of the toughest pitches on the entire place here.”
In fact, he predicted Woods might not land his shot within DiMarco’s, which was still 20 feet away from the hole. Woods though, did what Woods does.
As Tiger’s shot tracked ever so slowly toward the hole, commentator Verne Lundquist offered up this iconic piece of commentary: “Well… here it comes… Oh, my goodness… OH, WOW! In your life have you seen anything like that!?”
Woods went on to defeat DiMarco in a playoff, winning his fourth green jacket and ninth major title.
Tiger Woods’ chip in at the 2005 Masters is one of the few times I was watching a sport live and actually thought it was a movie pic.twitter.com/8cNpMsEFl3
— NBA Slime (@TerryFranconia) April 7, 2022
RELATED: Tiger Woods Takes Vow of Celibacy To Get Ready For The Masters: Report
46-Year-Old Jack Nicklaus Wins In 1986
In 1986, Jack Nicklaus, at the age of 46, won his record 18th major and 6th green jacket with a historic one-stroke victory at the Masters over Tom Kite and perennial bridesmaid Greg Norman.
This win made him the oldest winner of the Masters and the second-oldest winner of any major championship at the time (Phil Mickelson would win the PGA Championship in 2021 at the age of 50). His previous Green Jacket came in 1975.
Nicklaus was four strokes behind leader Seve Ballesteros with just four holes to play. He eagled 15, birdied 16 and 17, and finished with a back 9 score of 30 (6-under).
His birdie putt on 17 led to one of the most epic calls in golf history when announcer Verne Lundquist shouted, “Maybe … Yes, sir!”
“Maybe…YES SIR!”
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 9, 2019
Jack Nicklaus’ win at the 1986 Masters will forever be one of the most iconic victories at Augusta National. pic.twitter.com/zhHxXJSopR
Lefty Leaps His Way Into The Green Jacket In 2004
For so many years, Phil Mickelson was known as the greatest golfer to never win a major tournament. His luck, however, was finally about to change.
Mickelson, the man known as ‘Lefty’, dueled Ernie Els on the back 9 in the final round at Augusta in 2004. It is widely considered one of the best showdowns in golf history, as the two traded birdies and eagles despite not being in the same pairing.
Els appeared to be heading to victory when Lefty began his charge. Mickelson would shoot a bogey-free 31, and birdie 5 of the last 7 holes, including a dramatic 20-foot putt on 16.
Having earned a tie atop the leaderboard with Els heading into the final hole, Mickelson hit his approach shot onto the green but was still left with a lengthy 18-foot putt.
Mickelson struck the ball and as it approached the cup, commentator Jim Nantz asked what everybody was thinking: “Is it his time?”
The ball caught the left edge of the hole and managed to roll in the side for an incredible victory. Nantz then answered his own question shouting, “Yes! At long last!”
Mickelson’s emotions came out as well as he leaped (we’re putting that kindly) into the air to celebrate his first green jacket. He would go on to win a total of 3 Masters tournaments and 6 majors overall.
Larry Mize Wins In A Playoff In 1987 With One Of The Most Dramatic Shots You’ll Ever See
Larry Mize birdied the final hole of the 1987 Masters to earn himself a spot in a three-way playoff with heavyweights Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros.
Who was Larry Mize? He would earn 10 victories as a professional throughout his career. Still, he finished no higher than 4th in any of the Majors.
But he was a hometown hero in Augusta. And he was about to win his only green jacket. His only Major. In a playoff with two of the best in the world.
Ballesteros bogeyed the first playoff hole and was eliminated from contention. At the second playoff hole (Number 11 on the course), Norman hit his tee shot on the edge of the green. Mize, well, we’ll let Golf Digest set the scene.
“Mize missed right, well off the putting surface, 140 feet from the cup, leaving a perilous chip shot to a green running away from him towards water,” they write. “It was almost impossible to get close.”
Mize did a little better, crushing Norman’s spirit and sealing the improbable victory.
10 days until Masters Monday.
— The Masters (@TheMasters) March 29, 2019
Melnyk, Musburger and Venturi punctuate the moment Augusta-native Larry Mize holed-out on No. 11 to win the 1987 Masters. #cominginapril pic.twitter.com/Fvd4w0ayuI
Tiger’s First Green Jacket In 1997
This one makes the list not for any one defining moment. But because of its historical implications. The anointing of a new king of golf. And the sheer and utter dominance of Tiger Woods that would leave his opponents hearing footsteps for years to come.
The 1997 Masters was Tiger’s first major championship. And it wasn’t a slow build to the top of the leaderboard either.
Few people remember that Woods started behind. He sat at +4 after just 9 holes, before recovering on the back nine of the first round to card a 70, three strokes off the lead. From a 40 on the front to a 30 on the back.
From there it was straight fire. Woods posted a round of 66 followed by a score of 65 to pull away from the field. He would start the final round 9 strokes ahead of his nearest competitor making the final round little more than his coronation as the greatest golfer on the planet.
Woods finished with a score of -18, 12 shots ahead of Tom Kite. It was such a massive win that in tournaments for years to come, the best golfers in the world would see him anywhere on the leaderboard and one could sense their fear. Tiger had intimidated them into thinking their defeat was inevitable.
Woods in 1997 became both the youngest (21) and the first black player to win at Augusta.
He would go on to win a total of 5 green jackets and 15 majors. And the man named Eldrick dominated golf for 15 years, sending TV ratings and prize funds to undreamt heights.
Tiger, despite his off-the-course issues and injuries, is most assuredly in the conversation as the best golfer of all time. And it all started in Augusta, in 1997.
Will this year’s Masters deliver any of these shining moments? Will Tiger Woods or Phil Michelson rekindle some of that old magic this weekend?
We’ll be watching. Will you?
