2011 Masters: The 10 Most Dramatic Finishes in Masters' History
Since the very first Masters, won by Horton Smith in 1934, the tournament has been one of the most cherished in all of golf.
The youngest of the four majors and the first one played every year, it is also the only major played on the same golf course every year.
Over the years, there have been some incredible Sunday finishes at Augusta, and we've put together what are perhaps the 10 most dramatic in the history of this great golf tournament.
10. 1988: Sandy Lyle
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Sandy Lyle won his first and only Masters title in 1988. It took a birdie on the final hole on Sunday for the Scotsman to beat American Mark Calcavecchia by a single stroke.
Lyle, tied with Calcavecchia heading to No. 18, put his drive in the fairway. But he hit a brilliant 7-iron out of the bunker within 10 feet of the hole and rolled in the birdie for the miraculous win.
9. 1935: Gene Sarazan
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For the second Masters, the front nine and back nine were switched to their current positions.
Gene Sarazan holed a double eagle on the 15th hole (a 4-wood from 235 yards), which would ultimately force a 36-hole playoff with Craig Wood. Sarazan bested Wood by five strokes in the playoff.
The 5'5" Sarazan won seven majors in all, but the '35 Masters was his only win at Augusta.
8. 2004: Phil Mickelson
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Mickelson's first green jacket and first major came in dramatic fashion at the 2004 Masters.
Mickelson defeated Ernie Els on the final hole on Sunday with an 18-foot birdie putt to win the championship.
Els shot a brilliant 67 on Sunday and seemed destined to be in a playoff with Mickelson until Phil's heroics on 18.
7. 1990: Nick Faldo
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Faldo won his second consecutive green jacket in 1990 with a come-from-behind victory.
Faldo's 69 on Sunday propelled him into a tie with Raymond Floyd after 72 holes.
The Englishman won on the second playoff hole.
Faldo trailed Floyd by four strokes with just six holes to play, but reeled off three birdies in those six holes to catch him. A bogey on 17 by the 48-year-old Floyd cost him dearly.
6. 1942: Byron Nelson
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Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan each shot eight under par, and thus played a dramatic 18-hole playoff.
Hogan had a big lead early in the playoff, but Nelson came storming back, shooting five under over the last 13 holes to beat Hogan by a stroke.
This was Nelson's second and final Masters title.
5. 1954: Sam Snead
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Any major tournament that pitted Sam Snead and Ben Hogan battling in an 18-hole playoff has to be considered memorable.
So was the '54 Masters.
The two legends finished the 72 holes tied at one over par. Hogan, in particular, struggled during the final round, losing a three-shot lead and shooting a 75.
The playoff was great theater. Both players were on top of their game. Snead's 70 bested Hogan's 71 by a single shot.
It was Snead's seventh and final major title.
4. 1978: Gary Player
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Gary Player had one of the all-time great come-from-behind wins at Augusta in 1978.
The South African trailed leader Hubert Green by seven shots heading into the final round. Player shot a remarkable 64 on Sunday to win by one stroke.
For Player, it was the last of his nine major titles and his third green jacket.
3. 1987: Larry Mize
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Although many thought the '87 Masters would be a bit anticlimactic following the dramatic events at Augusta in '86, it was anything but.
Larry Mize, Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros found themselves in a three-hole playoff on Sunday, after they all shot three under par.
Norman could have won it on 18 with a very sinkable birdie putt, but alas, it was not to be.
Seve was eliminated on the first playoff hole, and the second playoff was one of the greatest finishes in major championship history, when Mize chipped in to win it.
2. 2005: Tiger Woods
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Woods' fourth green jacket victory was easily his most dramatic.
Woods and Chris DiMarco both fired 12 under par through 72 holes to get into a playoff.
Woods seemed destined to run away with the title after a 66 on Friday and a 65 on Saturday. He took a three-shot lead into the final round.
However, although few could have predicted it, Sunday became incredible theater with Woods and DiMarco playing in the final pairing together. It became a classic two-man duel.
It really heated up on the par 3 16th. DiMarco, down by one shot, put his iron shot into the middle of the green, while Tiger overshot the green and landed on the back approach.
Woods would hole one of the all-time great chip shots, the ball sitting on the lip forever before dropping in. DiMarco would miss his putt, and the lead grew to two shots with two to play.
However, if wasn't over. Woods bogeyed the last two holes and DiMarco, who nearly holed a chip on 18, was able to par them both. Ultimately DiMarco needed to sink a 10-foot putt to force the playoff.
Tiger drained a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win his fourth Masters title.
1. 1986: Jack Nicklaus
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This Top 10 list of the most dramatic finishes in Masters history was, of course, not very dramatic at all when it came to picking the No. 1 finish.
Of course, it is the '86 Masters.
Jack, at age 46, won his final green jacket (as well as his final major and, in fact, his final win on the PGA Tour).
Jack shot a remarkable 65 on Sunday to win by a stroke over Greg Norman and Tom Kite. In fact, Jack played the final 10 holes on Sunday seven under par.
Twenty-three years separated his first Masters title and his last. In all, six of Jack's 18 majors came at Augusta National.
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