AS WE COUNT down to Thursday’s tee-off, we look back at some of the great shots that will forever by synonymous with the Masters.
Today: the wonder-stroke that won Augusta native Larry Mize his one and only major title.
The 1987 Masters came down to a three-way shootout between Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman and local hero Mize. After Ballesteros was eliminated on the first playoff hole Mize and Norman were left to fight it out.
When the American’s approach shot landed short of the 11th green it was very much advantage Norman, who was on the green and facing a putt for birdie.
1. After sizing up his options, Mize decided on a bump and run as the best way to get down and hopefully save par.
2. He pitched his shot up on the fringe of the green and let it bounce once…
3. And then bounce again…
4. As it ran up the hill Mize was focused on the speed of the green, watching to see how far his ball would run.
5. “If it misses it will probably go four or five feet by,” he thought.
6. But as the ball got closer and closer, he realised it wasn’t going to miss.
7. It was going in!
8. And after making a seemimgly impossible birdie three, Mize danced a merry jig all the way up to the hole.
YouTube Credit: armonsol
What happened next? Norman still had a 20-foot putt for a birdie of his own which would have sent the playoff to a third hole. With the memory of his defeat to Jack Nicklaus 12 months earlier still lingering, the Aussie watched in agony as his ball trickled by the lip of the cup and stayed out. Mize had won.
The jammiest of all jam sandwich shots! He could hit that shot 1,000 more times and it wouldn’t go in the hole. That said, you don’t win the Masters without playing top class golf. It’s just a pity that the Shark had to lose!