The top 5 collapses in Masters history
Things can change in a hurry at Augusta National. They did on Sunday at the par-3 12th, when leader Jordan Spieth put not one, but two balls in Rae’s Creek en route to a fate-changing quadruple-bogey 7.
Spieth tried to fight back as be he could, making birdie on both of the second nine par 5s. However, the 22-year-old wasn’t able to convert an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th. A bogey on the penultimate hole did in his chances, assuring Danny Willett his first major title on the back of a bogey-free, 5-under 67 to close.
In the end, it was one bad hole that did in Spieth. Does that make his a choke? A quick trip? No matter the descriptor, that one moment now belongs in the pantheon of great Masters collapses.
Here are four others of note:
1. Rory McIlroy at the 2011 Masters — McIlroy came into the final round with a four-shot lead and arrived at the 10th hole in control of the tournament. McIlroy then pulled his tee shot so far left it found a typically unaired portion of Augusta National. He eventually carded a triple-bogey 7. He then put his ball in the water at the 12th, leading to a double bogey. He shot 80 and finished tied for 15th as Charl Schwartzel closed with a record four consecutive birdies to win.
2. Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters — A decade after losing the Masters to 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman appeared destined for his green-jacket moment. He led Nick Faldo by six heading into the final round. Through nine holes, Norman lost two shots to par and another two as Faldo shot 2-under 64. Bogeys at 10 and 11 drew Faldo into a tie. When Norman wound the water at the 12th (sense a theme here?), he lost the lead to Faldo. Norman would birdie both par 5s, but another trip to the water at the par-3 16th locked it up for Faldo. Norman missed his next two Masters cuts before a final third-place finish in 1999.
3. Scott Hoch at the 1989 Masters — Scott Hoch had the Masters in hand. In a playoff against Nick Faldo, Hoch faced a 2-foot putt on the 10th hole — the first playoff hole — that would have given him the green jacket. He didn’t hit the hole. On the next playoff hole, the 11th, Faldo made a birdie that gave him the first of three Masters titles. Who knew that, seven years later, Faldo would benefit from another, even bigger meltdown?
4. Ken Venturi at the 1956 Masters — No amateur has ever won the Masters, but it sure looked like it would be Ken Venturi’s time in 1956. He had a four-shot lead going into the final round. He had imagined a life as an Augusta National member and living out as a legend of the game. However, Venturi drew an uncomfortable final-day (but not last group) pairing with Sam Snead, who Venturi said gave him the “silent treatment.” Venturi hit 15 greens but had six three-putts on the day, eventually shooting 80. Jack Burke Jr. won at 1-over 289, setting the Masters record for the biggest final-round comeback, starting the day down eight shots.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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