Best moments in Masters history

PGA: Masters Tournament - First Round

The Masters will begin on Thursday. Here are the five of the greatest moments.


5) Mike Weir becomes the first and only Canadian to win a men’s major.

In 2003, Mike Weir of Sarnia fascinated an entire country of Canadian. After the second round, Weir had a comfortable lead of four strokes after shooting a 36-hole score of -6. However after the third round, Weir shot a score of three-over par, and found himself two strokes back of American Jeff Maggert. In the final round, Weir put together a string of difficult par putts and beat Len Mattiace in a playoff. Two Canadian women have won majors. Sandra Post won the 1968 LPGA Championship, and Brooke Henderson won the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship, but Weir remains the only Canadian man to win a golf major.


4) Phil Mickelson wins his first Major title.

In 2004, Phil Mickelson finally won a major after being in the top 10 in 17 majors from 1993 to 2003. Among his top 10 finishes were four third place finishes between 1996 to 2003. When Mickelson won the Masters for the first time, he made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to prevent a playoff against a red hot Erine Els, who had two eagles in his final round.


3) Tiger Woods makes golf history.

For decades, Augusta National was known for its exclusivity. They did allow its first black member until 1990 and did not allow its first female member until 2012. When Tiger Woods won the Masters in 1997, he became the first black golfer ever to win the Masters. He shot a remarkable score of -18 and beat his nearest competitor, Tom Kite, by 12 strokes. It was the most dominant victory in the history of the Masters.


2) Tiger Woods wins first major in 11 years.

Many people in the latter part of the 2010s, thought Tiger Woods was done. He had not won a major since the U.S. Open in 2008. However, in a gritty performance for the ages, Woods put together a four round score of -13 to beat Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele by a stroke. For Woods it was his fifth Masters title and 15th major title.


1) Jack Nicklaus wins 1986 Masters.

At the 1986 Masters, Jack Nicklaus, also known as The Golden Bear, beat Tom Kite and Greg Norman by a stroke. He shot a four round score of -9, to become the oldest Masters champion at age 46. Nicklaus actually eagled the 15th hole, and then had back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th holes. It was Nicklaus’s 18th major title, which remains a record to this day.

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