10 Greatest Masters Shots

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Larry Mize - 1987 Augusta native Larry Mize is a decided underdog when he finds himself in a sudden-death playoff with Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros. THE SHOT: Mize misses the green to the right and leaves himself a 100-foot shot. He plays the chip shot perfectly, and the ball rattles the pin and falls into the cup for an improbable birdie, setting off a wild celebration by Mize at Amen Corner.

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Sandy Lyle - 1988 Scotsman Sandy Lyle comes to the 18th hole tied with Nebraska native Mark Calcavecchia, but he hits his tee shot into a fairway bunker. THE SHOT: From 143 yards out, Lyle’s 7-iron shot lands about 30 feet past the pin, but it catches the slope and trickles down to just 10 feet away. Lyle sinks the putt and does a celebratory jig.

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Bubba Watson - 2012 Watson appeared to be in trouble on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff against Louis Oosthuizen. Watson’s ball comes to rest on pine straw well right of the 10th fairway. THE SHOT: Watson, a left-hander, hits an incredible hook shot around the trees from 140 yards out. The ball lands on the green and sets up a two-putt par for Watson. When Oosthuizen fails to get up-and-down for par from short of the green, Watson earns his first major championship.

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Tiger Woods - 2005 Tiger Woods has a one-shot lead over Chris DiMarco going into 16. Woods hits his tee shot long and left. DiMarco is about 15 feet from the pin. THE SHOT: Woods catches a break with a good lie, and he chips it away from the hole and watches as it comes off the hill toward the cup. It appears the ball will stop just short, but then it tumbles into the cup for an improbable birdie.

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Jack Nicklaus - 1975 With three holes remaining in the final round, Tom Weiskopf leads Jack Nicklaus by one and Johnny Miller by two. THE SHOT: Nicklaus’ tee shot on the par-3 16th comes up about 40 feet short. With Weiskopf and Miller watching from the tee, he somehow sinks the birdie putt. A shaken Weiskopf three-putts the 16th, and both he and Miller miss short birdie putts on the final hole.

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Gene Sarazen - 1935 Masters Tournament rookie Gene Sarazen trails Craig Wood by three shots as he plays the 15th hole in the final round. THE SHOT: Sarazen holes out his 235-yard shot for the rarest of shots, a double eagle. He pars the final three holes and forces a 36-hole playoff with Wood. Sarazen wins, 144-149. The double eagle, known as the shot heard ‘round the world, gives the Masters international recognition.

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Phil Mickelson - 2010 Mickelson’s tee shot on the par-5 13th lands right of the fairway. With a two-shot lead, he has to decide whether to go for the green or play safe. THE SHOT: Mickel-son’s ball comes to rest on pine straw, but he has a gap between two pine trees. He selects a 6-iron for the 207-yard shot and executes it perfectly. The ball clears the tributary of Rae’s Creek and settles a few feet from the pin. He misses the eagle putt, but the birdie locks up the victory.

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Jack Nicklaus - 1986 Tom Kite, Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman battle for the lead. Jack Nicklaus – at 46, presumed too old to win – comes alive with birdies at Nos. 9, 10 and 11. THE SHOT(S): On 15, Nicklaus hits a perfect drive. His 4-iron from 202 yards heads for the flag and stops 12 feet away. When he sinks the eagle putt, Nicklaus is back in contention. His birdies on the next two holes, along with miscues by Ballesteros and Norman, ensure him an unprecedented sixth win.

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Arnold Palmer - 1960 With Ken Venturi in the lead, Arnold Palmer comes to No. 17 in the final round needing one birdie to tie and two to win. THE SHOT: After a 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th, Palmer stripes a drive on 18. On his approach, he hits his 6-iron low and right toward the flagstick. It comes to rest five feet away, and he sinks the putt to become just the second player to birdie the final hole for the green jacket.

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Byron Nelson - 1937 Byron Nelson trails Ralph Guldahl by four shots going into the final round. The margin is the same as the final nine start. THE SHOT(S): On the par-3 12th, Nelson makes a long birdie putt. Guldahl makes a double-bogey five. On the par-5 13th, Nelson chips in from just off the green for an eagle. Guldahl makes a bogey. Nelson picks up six strokes in the two holes and wins by two shots.

10 Greatest Masters Shots

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10 Greatest Masters Shots

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