It’s Masters week and through the years, we’ve seen this iconic course crown legends in the game. It has also humbled quite several stars along the way.
While most articles (including my previous ones) focus on who might emerge victorious this week, few talk about past champions who seemingly kept under the radar or completely shocked the world by winning this most prestigious of events.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the Masters if we didn’t talk about some famous collapses and heartbreaks.
I remember my first ever Masters on TV. It was 1991, 13 years old, and I wasn’t remotely into golf yet. Most in our family played though, from my grandpa to my dad, to uncles and aunts, to family friends.
That April, we were on vacation and staying with family and friends in San Francisco.
I remember watching the Masters live every day on TV. It was the year Ian Woosnam won, and I had no idea who he was.
I’d hear of Nicklaus and Ballesteros, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer from the golfers in the family. I’ve heard of Greg Norman and Nick Faldo too.
But Ian Woosnam won that year and without knowing it, I would be watching every Masters from that point on.
In 1992 I also watched Fred Couples’ final round and took to golf in the summer of 1993 and never looked back. So from 1991 to 2025, a good 35 years of watching this annual spectacle, here are my Masters’ memories of surprise winners and misfortunes:
Ben Crenshaw was a respected professional in the 80s and 90s but wasn’t remotely exciting to watch. That year though, he just lost his coach of many years, the legendary teacher Harvey Penick a week before. Crenshaw was around 43 years old at the time and wasn’t known for his length. His touch on the greens was what kept him competitive. I remember him breaking down after his final putt, beating Davis Love III by a shot. Worth noting was that 1995 was the year Tiger Woods won low amateur honors.
On top of the golfing world and seemingly invincible, Greg Norman held a 6-shot lead over Nick Faldo entering the final round. A bad front nine trimmed his lead down to two, but it was still salvageable. Consecutive bogeys on 9,10 and 11 tied him with Faldo. A lost ball over the 12th resulted in a double bogey for Norman, and a double bogey on the 16th after hooking it into the water added to what was the worst collapse in major golf. Faldo couldn’t celebrate his win on the 18th after what happened to Norman.
Tiger and Mark O’Meara were famously unlikely besties in the late 90s. They often practiced together in Florida and some of Tiger’s 1997 Masters magic must have rubbed off and into O’Meara as he won his first of two majors in Augusta that year. After his Masters title, he also won The Open in July of 1998.
The Canadian lefty wasn’t on anyone’s list in 2003 but he did manage to get himself his first and only major at the Masters. Weir won in a playoff, after just one hole, against Len Mattiace who hooked his second shot to the left of the 10th. That costly mistake handed Weir the win.
Another lefty won in 2004, and this time, it’s Phil Mickelson. I would categorize his 2004 Masters title as a “surprise” because Phil until then was known as the best player without a major. Phil was more popular for collapses and despite so much talent, could not get it done in the majors. 2004 was his breakthrough major, and he won a few more since then.
Zach Johnson famously didn’t go for any par 5 in his Masters win in 2007. It was a display of patience and course management. Of course, exceptional wedge play and great putting got him the win. It just goes to show that there is more than one way to win a green jacket.
Their wins were pretty unexpected and honestly, I can’t remember anything about those years. Nothing against the two fine golfers from South Africa, but I am drawing a blank.
Spieth was golf’s golden boy at that point, seemingly winning tournaments, even majors, at will. He was the defending champion and with a sizeable lead with 9 holes to go, looked to defend his Masters title. An uncharacteristic collapse in the 12th, scoring a quadruple-bogey 7, all but gifted Danny Willett his first major.
This was the biggest surprise in golf. Many have counted Tiger out and for good reason. Injuries and personal problems have plagued his career and he hadn’t won a major in a decade.
But a mini-collapse from Molinari combined with a vintage Tiger on the back nine of Augusta gave the golfing world a shock. It was Tiger’s 5th green jacket, 15th major and in all likelihood, his last.
The Masters has become iconic, not just for the pristine, picture-perfect surroundings.
Its genius layout, iconic holes and Sunday pin positions, and Amen corner all combine for a yearly spectacle that we all look forward to year after year.
I’m ready for 4 days of little sleep this coming Friday to Monday, waiting and watching if it’ll be another year of surprises, collapses, or a Masters where the top players contend and succeed. Happy watching!