25 years later, Nicklaus’ epic Masters win still resonates
AUGUSTA -- Jack Nicklaus arrived Tuesday afternoon. The jacket was waiting for him.
Only minutes after the drive down Magnolia Lane, the only six-time Masters champion settled into a seat to hold court draped in trademark Augusta green. Twenty-five years separated from the last time he shrugged it on in victory, Nicklaus still had the look of golf royalty.
The 75th Masters tournament begins Thursday. Nicklaus will hit a ceremonial tee shot about 7:40 a.m., acting as an honorary starter alongside Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus’ competitive days long done, his appearance will nevertheless conjure memories of a sunny day in 1986 when he played the central role in perhaps the most memorable final round in Masters history.
1986
Nicklaus was a legend by 1986. He had won more major championships and Masters titles than anyone else but was considered past his prime. His most recent major victory was six years in the past. Even so, his game kept improving as the week wore on -- tied for 25th on Thursday, tied for 19th on Friday, tied for ninth after the third round.
On Tuesday, he recalled his famous prediction of the score he needed in the final round to win the tournament -- 66 to tie, 65 to win.
After shooting a blistering second-nine 30 on that iconic Sunday in 1986, Nicklaus still had to wait to see if his 9-under-par 279 total would hold up. Third-round leader Greg Norman also was mounting a charge down the stretch with a string of birdies.
“I’m sitting in the Jones Cabin watching this, and when Norman started making his first birdie, I was sitting down. And I said, ‘I’m not going to do very well sitting here,’ ” Nicklaus said. “So I started getting up and walking around the room, pacing behind the couch. And he kept making birdies, and so that didn’t do any good because I couldn’t control what he was doing.”
Ultimately, Norman bogeyed No. 18 and finished tied for second with Tom Kite -- one shot behind Nicklaus, who shot the 65 he prescribed.
The image of Nicklaus, clad in a canary yellow shirt and plaid pants, with his putter raised high in the air in celebration after a birdie putt on No. 17 put him alone in the lead is now as closely associated with the Masters as azaleas and Amen Corner.
A touchstone
The memory of Nicklaus’ victory in 1986 is a touchstone moment in professional golf history.
“I was at home watching it on TV just like everybody else, going nuts, and it was an incredible thing to watch. When he bogeyed 12, I didn’t think he was going to be able to pull it off,” defending Masters champion Phil Mickelson said. “It was one of the most exciting tournaments I’ve ever seen, if not the most exciting.”
Three-time Masters champion Gary Player missed the cut by a single stroke in 1986, but he still remembers the victory being all the more special because Nicklaus had his son Jackie on his bag.
“He comes out at 46 and wins the tournament, which was so remarkable and touching because what greater dream could you have than to win with your son caddying at 46?” Player said.
Holding the mark
That brilliant moment in 1986 marked the final major championship for Nicklaus, his record 18th, and gave a new generation an indelible moment by which to remember him.
Among that new generation was Tiger Woods, whose long-standing goal -- recently stalled but hardly forgotten -- is to surpass Nicklaus’ majors mark. Woods has won 14 major championships, the most recent coming in the 2008 U.S. Open.
Nicklaus mustered up a bit of sarcastic outrage when asked if he wanted to see Woods break his record.
“Why would I say, ‘Gee, I want to give up my record to him.’ Why would I want to do that?” Nicklaus said with just a hint of a mocking smile. “But do I have an objection to it? No.
“If he plays well enough to do that, more power to him. I want to be the first one there to shake his hand.”
To contact writer Ryan Gilchrest, call 256-9725.
This story was originally published April 7, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "25 years later, Nicklaus’ epic Masters win still resonates."