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5 All-Time Great Masters Shots That Will Never Get Old

Look back at Augusta National’s iconic highlights, from Tiger Woods’s 2005 chip-in to Bubba Watson’s playoff miracle.

Gabrielle Herzig

5 All-Time Great Masters Shots That Will Never Get Old
5 All-Time Great Masters Shots That Will Never Get Old /

There’s a reason that the Masters is the most-watched golf tournament of the year. With a top-tier field of players competing at Augusta National, one of the most revered golf courses in the world, some absolutely remarkable shots are bound to be produced. 

While you sit back and prepare to be entertained next week, take a look back at some of the tournament’s all-time greatest swings. From Tiger Woods’s explosive chip-in to Bubba Watson’s punch-out wizardry, we’ll never get tired of replaying these five magical shots. 

Jack Nicklaus, Hole 16, 1986

The Golden Bear’s iconic tee shot on the 16th hole won him his sixth green jacket. Nicklaus smacked a 5-iron into the slope on the right side of the green and nearly aced the famed par 3. The best part? Nicklaus reached down to pick up his tee—he didn’t even watch his ball in the air. “I knew it was right,” Nicklaus said. The Hall of Famer played holes 13 through 17 in 5 under that day, beating Tom Kite and Greg Norman by one shot. 

Larry Mize, Hole 11, 1987

On the second sudden-death playoff hole at the 1987 Masters, Larry Mize defeated Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros in legendary fashion. On the tricky par-4, Mize pitched in from 140 feet for an unlikely birdie hole-out for first and only major championship victory. 

Tiger Woods, Hole 16, 2005

Woods’s chip-in on from the back left side of the 16th green is arguably the most famous shot in all of Masters history. Starting the ball a good 25 feet left of the Sunday pin location, the hole-out was nothing short of miraculous. Woods went on the bogey the 17th and 18th holes, however, to enter a sudden-death playoff against Chris DiMarco. He birdied the 18th hole to win his fourth Masters. 

Phil Mickelson, Hole 13, 2010

Phil Mickelson’s 6-iron from the pine straw on Augusta National's renowned 13th hole par-5 was the shot that defined his three-shot victory over Lee Westwood. He had 207 yards in, and needed 187 to carry Rae’s Creek. Although Mickelson failed to sink the eagle putt, a birdie helped lead the charge to his third green jacket. 

Bubba Watson, Hole 10, 2012

On the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against Louis Oosthuizen, Bubba Watson’s drive found a spot deep in the pine straw, leaving him with a ridiculously slim chance of hitting the green in regulation. But the fearless lefty pulled out a gap wedge and hit a duck-hook that found the putting surface. The miraculous shot led Watson to a two-putt par that secured his first Masters victory. 

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Gabrielle Herzig
GABRIELLE HERZIG

Gabrielle Herzig is a Breaking and Trending News writer for Sports Illustrated Golf. Previously, she worked as a Golf Digest Contributing Editor, an NBC Sports Digital Editorial Intern, and a Production Runner for FOX Sports at the site of the 2018 U.S. Open. Gabrielle graduated as a Politics Major from Pomona College in Claremont, California, where she was a four-year member and senior-year captain of the Pomona-Pitzer women’s golf team. In her junior year, Gabrielle studied abroad in Scotland for three months, where she explored the Home of Golf by joining the Edinburgh University Golf Club.

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