Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates winning the Masters during the final roubnd at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
As sport grinds to a halt all over the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve decided to have a daily look back at those “simpler” times, when there was triumph, drama and disappointment on various fields and arenas.
This is today in sport history and, with this year’s Masters having been scheduled for the past weekend, we’ll focus on the tournament today…
1968
Argentinian golfer Roberto De Vicenzo (seated, right) during the US Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, circa April 1968. (Photo by Leonard Kamsler/Popperfoto via Getty Images)
“All I can say is what a stupid I am to be wrong in this wonderful tournament.”
Roberto de Vicenzo’s anguish in those words were very much apparent after the Argentinian golfing legend missed out on a playoff against Bob Goalby with the silliest of mistakes: a wrong scorecard.
But to really capture his heartache, one needed to go back to the end of the third round.
De Vicenzo had just bogeyed at the 18th, leaving him so disappointed with himself that he stormed towards the clubhouse, hastily signed his scorecard and threw it onto the scorer’s table.
Significantly, he didn’t even bother to double check his scores, clearly preoccupied with being two strokes behind the leader, South Africa’s Gary Player.
De Vicenzo approached the final round with renewed vigour and kept himself in contention throughout.
On the 17th, he hit a brilliant approach, leaving him with a mere four foot putt for a birdie three.
However, Tommy Aaron, De Vicenzo’s playing partner for the final round, mistakenly thought the Argentine had merely made par four.
He then overcooked his fourth shot on the 18th and, ironically, bogeyed just like he did roughly 24 hours previously.
Under the impression that his prospect of winning was sunk, De Vicenzo made his way to the scorer’s tent and slumped into an empty chair.
Aaron, after marking his bogey five at the final hole, slid the scorecard to De Vincenzo, who just sat there staring blankly into the distance. His scores were clearly the last thing on his mind.
He was then called by a media officer, who requested his presence at the conference, and, in the rush, signed his scorecard.
Something though ate at Aaron, who, after checking his own card about eight times, decided to just double check his partner’s card.
“I picked it up and immediately realized the mistake I had made,” Aaron later said.
After officials scurried to address the issue, they agonisingly had to apply the US Golfing Assocation’s rules that the higher written score signed by a player is the one that counts.
De Vincenzo was gracious in the aftermath: “It’s my fault, nobody else’s.”
1974
South African golfer Gary Player enroute to victory during the US Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, circa April 1974. (Photo by Leonard Kamsler/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Dressed in an all-black number that was unashamedly designed to psych out his opponents, Gary Player triumphantly secures a second Masters crown … after a gap of 13 years!
It was a workmanlike performance from the South African legend, who was off the pace at the halfway stage of that year’s tournament.
But a brilliant 66 in the third round saw him shoot up the leaderboard and into tied second going into the final 18 holes, a platform he made sure he wouldn’t waste.
Player carded a two-under 70 to claim a two-shot victory.
It also alleviated any fears over his fitness after he missed the previous year’s edition due to leg and abdominal surgery, the only time the self-confessed fitness nut would miss the tournament in 53 years.
Four years later, Player would conjure up one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the tournament to win at Augusta a third and final time.
2002
Sergio Garcia of Spain with Ernie Els of South Africa during the second practice day at the Masters Tournament from the Augusta National Golf Club Augusta, Georgia. DIGITAL IMAGE. EDITORIAL USE ONLY Mandatory Credit: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
South Africa looks primed for a brilliant week at Augusta as Ernie Els and Retief Goosen go into the final round with a real shot at glory.
The Big Easy lurks in fourth position, but it’s “The Goose” who’s tied with Tiger Woods for the lead and looking in great form.
It all comes to nothing.
Els cards a wayward 73 to finish fifth and Goosen goes two-over for the round to end as the runner-up.
Instead, Woods becomes only the third player in history to win back-to-back Masters titles, comfortably keeping his challengers at arm’s length.
To cap it off, the American records the best score for a player defending his title.
2019
11 years after his previous major win – the 2008 US Open – and a messy divorce, psychological problems, injury concerns and run-ins with law enforcement, Woods claims a memorable fifth Masters title with a one-shot victory.
The way the golfing world rejoiced said it all…
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