How Will the 2016 Masters be Remembered?

Jordan Spieth’s dramatic 12th unfortunately overshadows a brilliant round by a worthy champion.

Jon Rizzi

Reading accounts of the 2015 Masters, you’d think Danny Willett, the winner of the event, just happened to be in the right place at the right time. As if he weren’t the 12^th ranked golfer in the world and didn’t shoot a 5-under 67 on Sunday.

The talk has centered around the one Jordan Spieth chunked away with a quadruple bogey on the 12^th rather than the one Willett won with a five-birdie, bogey-free performance on the final day.

It's like Willet's win was a fluke. Like he backed into it.

And that’s a shame.

But it’s not unprecedented—especially in major championships.

Do you remember the 1999 Open Championship for winner Paul Lawrie or choke artist Jean Van De Velde? The 2006 U. S. Open for champion Geoff Ogilvy’s clutch chip-in on 17 or Phil Mickelson’s epic meltdown on 18?

The Masters has its own special magnifying glass. 

Those old enough to remember the 1961 event know it as the one Arnold Palmer—leading by one going into the final hole—let get away, not the first one Gary Player won.

Seven years later, Roberto DeVicenzo signed an incorrect scorecard, making a winner of Bob Goalby, who remains bitter that people remember that gaffe—followed by DeVicenzo’s famous “What a stupid I am”— and not the 66 Goalby shot on Sunday. P.S. DeVicenzo didn’t sign away a win, as everyone now “remembers,” but a spot in a playoff.

Caddie Michael Greller consoles Jordan Spieth after the 18th hole on Sunday at Augusta National (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Willett’s victory in the 80^th Masters represents the first win by an Englishman since Greg Norman gagged away a six-shot lead, giving Nick Faldo his third Green Jacket.

Hold on. The gag is what everyone remembers. Norman no more “gave” Faldo that Jacket than Spieth “gave” his to Willett. Faldo, like Willett, also carded a 67 in his final round that year. That’s a better Sunday round than Spieth had (70) in last year’s historic, record-tying effort.

It wasn’t just the 12^th hole that cost Spieth the 80^th Masters. He started taking on water with bogeys on 10 and 11. He had six holes to right the ship after the disastrous 12^th and even birdied the next hole. 

But a 41 on the back nine on Sunday at Augusta won’t win you a jacket anyway, especially against an unblinking player who closed with a mistake-free 33 on the back to win.

We all watched Spieth’s pained expression in Butler Cabin as he slid the jacket on Willett. But that was the only time he “gave” it to him. Those of us who know this cruel, fickle game—especially those of us with children—felt young Jordan’s pain. But he will be back. And so will Willett, who earned every stitch of that new item in his wardrobe.

2016 Masters winner Danny Willett salutes the crowd after the 18th hole at the 2016 Masters.

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