Collapse Puts Perry on Masters Meltdown List
Bogeys Hand Masters Title to Argentine Cabrera in Playoff
© Ray Cox
Apr 12, 2009
Perry is the latest in a string of unfortunate leaders who fell at the final holes at the Masters tournament. Despite near-flawless golf through 16 holes and most of the first three rounds, he bogeyed his final two holes in regulation and the second playoff hole.
Perry, at 48 years and 8 months, would have surpassed Julius Boros as the oldest winner of a professional major. Boros won the 1968 PGA at 48 years, 4 months. And Perry would have surpassed Jack Nicklaus as the oldest Masters winner, who was 46 years and 2 months when he won the 1986 Masters in one of the great finishes in tournament history.
Instead Perry joined a different historic list, that of notable Masters meltdowns. Here’s a capsule look at seven of those sad Masters Sundays.
1. Perry Falters in Final Holes and in Three-Way Playoff
2009:Kenny Perry led most of the way in the final round at the 75th Masters despite charges by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Perry hit a near-career defining tee shot on the par-3 16th to a foot to garner a two-shot lead. He proceeded to bogey both the 17th and 18th holes, fall into a three-way playoff, and then lose to Cabrera when Perry also bogeyed the second playoff hole.
2. Snake-Bitten Norman Falters in Stunning Final-Day Fall
1996: Greg Norman, one of the biggest winners in PGA Tour history but who often found himself on the losing end in majors, suffered perhaps the biggest loss of his career. Leading after three rounds by six shots, he suffered through a stunning free-fall and shot a 78 in the final round, losing to Nick Faldo, who shot a 67.
3. Hoch’s Troubles With Short Putts Hand Tourney to Faldo
1989:A short 4-foot putt on the 17th hole forced Scott Hoch into a playoff with Nick Faldo. Hoch proceeded to miss another, even shorter, putt on the first playoff hole from less than 3 feet and Faldo won the tournament on the second playoff hole with a birdie putt. Twenty years later Hoch told reporters he had stood over the putts saying to himself, “I’m going to win the Masters.”
4. Norman Fans Final Approach Shot, Loses to Nicklaus
1986: Greg Norman, just establishing himself as a consistent star on the PGA Tour, faltered early, regained his footing and came to the 18th hole needing only a par to match Jack Nicklaus and force a playoff. Norman drilled his drive to an almost perfect position but then fanned his 4-iron approach shot to the right of the green, made a bogey and Nicklaus won his sixth Green Jacket as Masters champion with a final-round 65. Norman led after three rounds of each of the four 1986 majors but won only the British Open.
5. Sneed Loses in First Masters Playoff Following Late Collapse
1979: Journeyman Ed Sneed, 34, walked to the 16th tee with a three-shot lead and proceeded to bogey the final three holes, forcing a sudden-death playoff with Fuzzy Zoeller and Tom Watson. Sneed parred both playoff holes, but Zoeller made a birdie putt on the second hole to win. Sneed left the PGA Tour five years later.
6. Palmer’s Wayward Shot on No. 18 Allows Player to be First International Champ
1961: Arnold Palmer came to the final hole, needing only a par to win. He talked to a fan and for all intents acted as though he had the tournament won. He put his approach shot in the same bunker that Chad Campbell hit into in the 2009 playoff, made a bogey and handed Player the victory.
7. Venturi Blows Up in Chance to be First Amateur to Win Masters
1956: Amateur Ken Venturi shot a final-round 80, letting a four-shot lead get away and he lost the tournament to Jackie Burke. Venturi hit 15 greens in regulation but three-putted six times. Venturi later said the mistake he made was trying to two-putt every green instead of trying to make putts.
