The Masters 2012: Best Rounds Ever Played at Augusta

Masters week is underway as golfers began practice rounds at Augusta National.

These next few days give the golfers a chance to get reacquainted with the course before tournament play begins Thursday.

These practice rounds could play a factor in having a historic round. There is so much history involved with the Masters, and each golfer is striving to become a part of that history with a round to remember.

Some golfers in the field have already had historic performances at Augusta National and have put their names among some of the past greats.

Here's a look at some of the best rounds in Masters history before the 2012 Masters begins on Thursday.

10. Tiger Woods: 1997

Tiger Woods burst on to the scene in 1997 with a dominating win at the Masters. Woods absolutely blew away the field as he finished with a 12-stroke win.

His most impressive round of the tournament came in the third round when he shot a 65.

Woods used that third round to separate himself from the field, which allowed him to coast to victory on Sunday.

It is arguably the best performance in Masters history, so one of the rounds deserved to be on this list.

The third round he put together in his first career Masters is really what put Woods on the map in the golf world.

9. Phil Mickelson: 2010

Phil Mickelson didn't shoot an incredibly low number at the 2010 Masters. The way he played the final round in recording a 67 was very impressive, however.

Mickelson entered Sunday's round trailing Lee Westwood by a stroke but managed to overtake him while also holding off Woods and the rest of the field.

This round will mostly be remembered for the second shot he hit on hole 13. Leading at the time, Mickelson found himself behind a tree but decided to go for the green.

Mickelson stuck a six-iron just a few feet away from the hole, and it was the boost he needed to pull out the victory.

Mickelson's guts and gritty performance in the final round in the 2010 Masters is what got him on the list.

8. Jason Day: 2011

Jason Day would be higher on the list if he had found a way to win the Masters last year.

Day was solid all week and was most impressive in the second round when he shot a 64. His 64 tied a Masters record for the lowest second round in tournament history.

Day was paired with Rory McIlroy for the second round and out-dueled the current No. 1 golfer in the world.

He recorded eight birdies and finished with zero bogeys in the round.

There could be more of Day to come in the future, but his performance in the second round of 2011 already is one of the better rounds in Masters history.

7. Hale Irwin: 1975

The Masters has a deep and rich history, so going back to 1975 should be no surprise. Hale Irwin turned in a record-tying final round score of 64.

Irwin jumped all the way to fourth place thanks to the effort.

Once again, the round didn't earn him a higher place on the list because it did not result in a green jacket.

However, a 64 at the Masters is very impressive and is more impressive when considering scores were not as low in the past.

Clubs have become more powerful, but Irwin didn't need them in that 1975 final round.

6. Charl Schwartzel: 2011

Charl Schwartzel was under the radar until his final round at the 2011 Masters.

Schwartzel shot a final round 66, which helped him capture his first green jacket.

The most impressive part of his final round was the four straight birdies to close out the tournament. Schwartzel was not just cool under pressure but looked comfortable down the stretch of the Masters.

He only had one bogey the entire round and started out minus-four after his first three holes.

Schwartzel had one of the most amazing finishes in Masters history, which earns him a spot on this list.

5. Greg Norman: 1996

Greg Norman, or "the Great White Shark" tied a Masters record with his first-round 63 in 1996.

Only one other player has shot that low in any round at the Masters.

Unfortunately for Norman, he is more known for his collapse in the final round of that tournament. He finished with a 78 and five strokes off the lead.

However, a number that low speaks for itself and should not be overshadowed by the shaky finish.

Norman probably is kicking himself to this day for not finishing the tournament, but his first round in 1996 is arguably the best round in Masters history.

4. Jack Nicklaus: 1965

The list would not be complete without a round from Jack Nicklaus.

Nicklaus is a six-time winner of the event and put together one of his best rounds in 1965 with a 64. He used that third-round 64 to destroy the field.

Nicklaus finished the tournament at minus-17 and nine strokes ahead of the closest competitor, Arnold Palmer.

At the time, his 64 was a record for a third-round score. It has since been broken, but that should not take away from the incredible performance he put on in the third round in his first Masters win.

3. Gary Player: 1978

One of the better final-round performances belongs to Gary Player in 1978. Player shot a final-round 64 and was able to pull out a one-shot victory.

Player overcame a seven-shot deficit to defeat three players by one stroke. His final round ties a Masters record for a final-round score, but he is the only golfer of the group to win.

He even trumps Schwartzel in the best finish category by recording birdies on seven of the final 10 holes. He shot a 30 on the back nine, which was a record at the time.

Player's 1978 final round is truly historic and is easily one of the best rounds in Masters history.

2. Nick Price: 1986

Nick Price is the other player that holds the record low for a round in the Masters.

Price shot a 63 in the third round of the 1986 Masters. Price dug himself a huge deficit by shooting a 79 in the first round.

The record-low 63 got him back in contention, and he eventually finished minus-six, which put him just three strokes behind eventual winner Jack Nicklaus.

Price's round is often overshadowed by the final Masters win in Nicklaus' career. However, Price is the first golfer to ever score that low in a Masters tournament and did so in a third round.

1. Jack Nicklaus: 1986

Price didn't even have the best round in the Masters in 1986. That belongs to Jack Nicklaus as he shot a 65 to win his sixth and final green jacket.

Many thought that Nicklaus' career was over at the time, but he found a way to get it done on Sunday at Augusta National.

He began the day five shots off the lead but soared to the top after an eagle on 15 and birdies on both 16 and 17.

Nicklaus completed the comeback for a one-shot victory over Tom Kite and Greg Norman. Nicklaus handled the pressure like a veteran and made one of the best comebacks in Masters history.

Shooting that low on a Sunday at the Masters is impossible to ignore when considering the top rounds.

Due to the history of the tournament and the greatness of Nicklaus, it is fitting that he completes the list of top rounds at the Masters.