Going for Green: The 10 best shots of all time at The Masters

[p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nicklaus-jack/6qVIRQU3/"]Jack Nicklaus[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woods-tiger/jcA2kkj7/"]Tiger Woods[/a], Arnold Palmer, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/player-gary/IJYMQppA/"]Gary Player[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/faldo-nick/fsHhWn0S/"]Nick Faldo[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mickelson-phil/QylCNJeL/"]Phil Mickelson[/a][/b] - the biggest names have won a green jacket at The Masters in Augusta, GA. With the greatest players in history come some of the sport's most iconic performances. Think of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-dustin/UqNejxuE/"]Dustin Johnson[/a]'s course record of -20 in 2020, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]Rory McIlroy[/a]'s fairytale playoff in 2025, Tiger Woods' 12-stroke win in 1997, or Jack Nicklaus beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kite-tom/O0FvKg5b/"]Tom Kite[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norman-greg/4CGFujzr/"]Greg Norman[/a] by one stroke in 1986.[/p][p]The Masters at Augusta National always delivers. Its iconic 16th hole, the trees that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watson-bubba/Kd6X6jLs/"]Bubba Watson[/a] and Phil Mickelson overcame, legendary Amen Corner - the tournament brings out the best in all golf players.[/p][p][b]Flashscore[/b] looks back on 89 fantastic editions of The Masters through the 10 best shots in the major's history.[/p][h2]1: Tiger Woods' chip on 16 (2005)[/h2][p]Tiger Woods needed a small miracle to stay in the race for his fourth Masters win. After his approach on the 16th got him on the edge of the green's collar, Tiger hit an immaculate wedge chip that struck gold after 1.8 seconds that felt like an eternity.[/p][p]The birdie that made Augusta erupt got Tiger back in the race with Chris DiMarco, whom he beat in the ensuing playoff for a fourth green jacket.[/p][embed guid="68056f95-4997-458e-818f-35d8567c1a39" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_tkJEAGMDE" social-type="youtube" /][h2]2: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oosthuizen-louis/buFvZY7a/"]Louis Oosthuizen[/a]'s albatross on 2 (2012)[/h2][p]Louis Oosthuizen became just the fourth player in Masters history to hit an albatross. The South African ace did so on the par-5 second with a shot that crossed the entire green. A sight to behold.[/p][embed guid="0609d630-fa5b-4867-a341-d8e83e5346b8" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC_rwe29k4Q" social-type="youtube" /][h2]3: Rory McIlroy sets up golden 17th for Grand Slam (2025)[/h2][p]It was a Grand Slam 11 years in the making, but Rory McIlroy did it in style. Shortly before winning a thrilling playoff against Justin Rose, McIlroy was hanging on for dear life and needed a big break after seeing his lead dwindle. A fabulous approach, accompanied by a begging McIlroy, on the 17th got him within inches of the hole, taking back the lead after a tap-in.[/p][p]The first of Rory's last steps on the way to greatness.[/p][embed guid="511c3710-6b1e-45f9-a043-972198acfd33" url="https://youtu.be/vJUAit1wzuQ?si=8nzjZy-mb0O7rHmE&t=279" social-type="youtube" /][h2]4: Phil Mickelson's miracle shot from the trees (2010)[/h2][p]He's not called Phil the Thrill without a reason. With over 200 yards to go on the par-5 13th, classification leader Phil Mickelson was buried among the pine trees when he had a decision to make: play it safe or go for gold. Mickelson went for gold, and gold it was.[/p][embed guid="d95e32e0-dd04-4dcb-afed-da90f477964f" url="https://x.com/KirkHaston35IU/status/1243037242010079234?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]5: Bubba Watson hook wedges it for the win (2012)[/h2][p]Often hailed as the best Masters shot of all time, Bubba Watson was up against the ropes in a sudden-death playoff against Louis Oosthuizen after pulling his drive to the left. A 44-yard, 52-degree wedge was Bubba's brilliant answer to a massive quandary. It was the stroke of a true Master.[/p][embed guid="41ba7a47-4ca4-4b51-8521-a7c18d448c36" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLfhoD1kiuQ" social-type="youtube" /][h2]6: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lyle-sandy/0QvFTVMF/"]Sandy Lyle[/a] from the bunker to the jacket (1988)[/h2][p]"He picked it clean," Ben Wright said when Sandy Lyle was buried in the fairway bunker and got the ball out with a 7-iron. It wasn't just any hit: the Scotsman, tied with Mark Calcavecchia prior to the final hole, played it to perfection, with the ball trickling down the slope and coming to a halt mere inches away. [/p][p]It was the shot of Lyle's lifetime, giving him his second and final career major. [/p][embed guid="f8163c39-4aa8-4cb2-b570-d08363597d9d" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrCdktetQ8Y" social-type="youtube" /][h2]7: Jack Nicklaus drills the putt from 40 feet (1975)[/h2][p]The most decorated golfer to ever grace Augusta's greens, Jack Nicklaus won his fifth of an incredible six green jackets on the back of an equally incredible 40-foot putt. The Golden Bear birdied to tie with Tom Weiskopf for the lead, after which Nicklaus parred his way to another Masters title.[/p][embed guid="e9895387-b6f8-4b19-814e-de47df986277" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThDa5SpZiI" social-type="youtube" /][h2]8: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mize-larry/fNlFhGKf/"]Larry Mize[/a]'s 140-foot chip in the playoffs (1987)[/h2][p]Larry Mize was up against two greats in the playoff of the 1987 Masters, but with Seve Ballesteros done after hole 10 and Greg Norman in a much better position on the green, the hometown hero did exactly what he needed himself to do. From 140 feet, Mize chipped it in, and with the magic of Augusta as the wind in its sails, the ball found its way into the hole. Norman was stumped, and Augusta native Mize was on cloud nine.[/p][p]It's one of those moments where the announcer's shock perfectly captures the moment. In the words of Ken Venturi: "OHH!"[/p][embed guid="ce3c6d37-3ad5-4e77-aa72-5edb97f52384" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1k62_1g7b0" social-type="youtube" /][h2]9: Gene Sarazen's 'shot heard around the world' (1935)[/h2][p]Chances of anyone having watched this shot live are extremely slim, but Gene Sarazen's albatross truly put The Masters on The Map. Sarazen hit his 235-yard approach for the first-ever double eagle at Augusta, thus making good on a three-stroke deficit and forcing a playoff against Craig Wood.[/p][p]Sarazen's incredible shot, nicknamed 'the shot heard around the world', immediately became part of golf canon and made the legendary Squire the first golfer to ever secure the Grand Slam.[/p][embed guid="faac83ce-3832-4b72-b979-f0cb950be71b" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9j1-0Si854&t=2s" social-type="youtube" /][h2]10: Jack Nicklaus sets up beautiful eagle on 16 (1986)[/h2][p]Eleven years after his previous win at Augusta, Nicklaus, who was written off prior to the major, showcased his evergreen dominance at the same hole he captured the hearts of the golf world in 1975.[/p][p]Between Greg Norman's and Seve Ballesteros' self-proclaimed most regretful shots of their careers, Nicklaus staged a timeless comeback with a then-record back-nine 30, capped off by another masterstroke on the 16th, when Nicklaus was still four strokes behind Ballesteros - an eagle set up by a 5-iron that settled three feet off the flag stick.[/p][p]From Jackie Nicklaus, Jack's son and caddie, praying for it to be the right club, to Jack telling him "It is" while not even tracking the ball and Verne Lundquist's legendary "Yes, sir!" call - the Golden Bear's final hurrah might be the greatest of them all.[/p][embed guid="77b8c077-b51f-4dff-9bc6-c69426d5c0c5" url="https://x.com/golfballingpod/status/1942977615079334218?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]