Two Recent Shots at the Masters That Will Probably Never Be Forgotten

In the history of the Masters there have been countless shots that will be remembered as great golf shots. Augusta has always been a course that rewards a good shot, or punishes a bad shot, and it can even sometimes punish a good shot that is just inches from where it needed to be.

Gene Sarazen's albatross (three-under-par) at the par five 15th in 1935 was dubbed by many at the time as golf's "Shot heard 'round the world.

Jack Nicklaus' double-breaking 18-foot birdie putt on 17 in 1986 was another incredible shot. The image of Nicklaus raising his putter in the air at age 46 on his way to his 6th Masters Championship and 18th career major is one most golf fans who are old enough will never forget.

Of course Sarezen's shot wasn't on live television, and Nicklaus' shot was 25 years ago—and is now somewhat forgotten by many younger golf fans.

In past the few years there are two golf shots at the Masters that will probably never be forgotten by those who witnessed them—either in person, or on live television.

Tiger Woods' chip-in birdie on 16 in 2005

Tiger Woods' chip-in for a birdie in the 2005 Masters is one of those.

Woods was fighting for the lead with Chris Dimarco and came to the 16th with a one-shot lead. He hit his tee shot long and left and left himself with a very difficult downhill 30 foot chip.

Using his keen ability to read a golf course, Woods hit his next shot left into the bank of the green hoping it would take a 90 degree turn downhill to the hole.

And that is exactly what happened.

The ball landed on the green and immediately slowly tracked to the hole. It got to the lip of the cup and hung for a second—like it wasn't going to go in. Finally, with the Nike logo showing, it dropped into the cup and gave Woods a two-stroke lead.

The image of the ball hanging on the lip of the cup—with the Nike logo showing—is one that golf fans will always remember.

Woods later beat Chris DiMarco in a playoff for his fourth Masters championship.

Phil Mickelson's birdie on 13 in 2010

Last year Phil Mickelson provided another unforgettable golf shot.

After a birdie on 12 during Sunday's final round, Mickelson hit an errant drive on the par 5 13th to the right that ended up in the trees—and ended up sitting on top of pine needles 207 yards from the pin.

Most golfers would have probably just chipped into the fairway from that location, but Mickelson isn't most gofers.

Mickelson had a five to six-foot gap between a pair of pine trees to hit through, and his ball would have to split them and carry long enough to get over the creek in front of the green.

Mickelson said later, "I was going to have to go through that gap if I laid up or went for the green."

So instead of lying up, he went for it.

While the television announcers were debating the wisdom of trying to make the shot, Mickelson stepped up and did what Mickelson does.

The ball shot up out of the pine needles and barely carried the creek, stopping only a few feet away from the cup. A huge roar erupted at the green, around Amen Corner, and in millions of households around the world.

Mickelson missed the eagle putt, but made birdie and went on to win the tournament.

If he'd missed that shot and ended up in the creek, the tournament outcome probably would have been different. People would have been comparing that shot to his collapse during the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot when he double-bogeyed 18 after hitting a horrible drive.

While both of these golf shots were amazing, I believe Tiger's birdie on 16 is the most memorable.

The way the ball stopped on the lip of the cup, and sat there for what seemed like a minute, then dropped into the hole was just eerie.

And I believe it was the first time a golf shot made for an instant commercial for a golf ball manufacturer. Nike had to love watching that ball drop into the cup with their logo showing the whole time.

So will the 2011 Masters bring us another unforgettable golf shot? Well, we will just have to watch and find out.