The Masters 2017: 5 best moments in history
By John Buhler
1. Jack Nicklaus wins his sixth Masters at age 46 (1986)
No golfer has had more success at Augusta National than the greatest of all-time: Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus won possibly an unattainable 18 majors, including six Masters Tournaments. While he dominated on the fairways and greens in the 1960s and 1970s, his most iconic moment came in 1986.
People didn’t really know what to think, as a 46-year-old golfer was about to win his sixth Green Jacket. In miraculous fashion, the middle-aged golfer shot a ridiculous 65 in Round 4 to win The Masters.
The video of Nicklaus sinking an 18-foot putt didn’t actually occur on the 18th green, but the 17th green. From the 15th to 17th holes in the back-nine of Round 4, Nicklaus went to another level. He went eagle-birdie-birdie before parring 18 to eagerly await guys like Tom Kite and Greg Norman to stumble out of contention.
The Golden Bear had one more great run left in him in 1986. He came out of hibernation to the countless blooming azaleas, looked around and realized that he had this. Nicklaus’ final Masters win was so powerful and so improbable that no other memory of his illustrious golf career can touch it.
Next: Complete List of U.S. Open Winners
On that early April Sunday in 1986, golf had its greatest player of all-time having his greatest moment of all-time in the sports’ greatest venue. Sports don’t usually give the television viewer something that pure in greatness. Thirty years later, it feels like it was just yesterday. It’s part of what makes The Masters the greatest tournament in professional golf.