Masters Golf Tournament 2009

Adjusting the Volume

However, the first move toward more excitement has to come from the men in green. Ultimately the key to the Masters getting its mojo back lies with getting back to getting it right.


Augusta National

The par 5s on the back nine -- the 510-yard 13th (top left) and 530-yard 15th (right) have been prime sources of drama during the Masters. Selected highlights:

1935: Gene Sarazen holes a 4-wood shot from 235 yards for a double eagle at the 15th, forcing a 36-hole playoff he wins by five strokes over Craig Wood.
1937: Byron Nelson eagles the 13th and wins by two over Ralph Guldahl, who makes a bogey at the 13th.
1954: Amateur Billy Joe Patton leads in the final round but makes a 7 at the 13th and a 6 at the 15th, finishing one shot out of a playoff that Sam Snead wins over Ben Hogan.
1958: Arnold Palmer eagles the 13th on Sunday -- a controversial ruling later in the round upholds his par at the par-3 12th hole -- and he wins by a stroke.
1975: Winner Jack Nicklaus calls the 1-iron he hit over the flag to the 15th a favorite shot, even though he missed the eagle putt.
1976: Winner Raymond Floyd's 5-wood sits behind glass in the Augusta National clubhouse because of his success with it on the par 5s that year.
1985: Curtis Strange hits water at 13 and 15, opening the way for Bernhard Langer.
1986: Nicklaus eagles the 15th, and Seve Ballesteros bogeys it after hearing a roar from Nicklaus' gallery at the 16th hole; Nicklaus wins his sixth Masters.
1993: Chip Beck lays up at the 15th and makes a par; Langer eagles 13 and birdies 15 to win by four.
1994: Jose Maria Olazabal's eagle at the 15th is the key moment in a two-stroke win.
1996: Nick Faldo's birdie at the 13th keeps the pressure on Greg Norman, whose chance at winning essentially ends when he misses chipping in for an eagle at the 15th.
1997: Tiger Woods plays 13 and 15 in eight under par and wins by 12.
1998: Fred Couples doubles the 13th and eagles the 15th on Sunday but loses by a stroke to Mark O'Meara.
2007: Zach Johnson never goes for a par 5 in two but is 11 under par on them for the week, including five birdies on 13 and 15.

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November 21, 2009

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