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Norman 2.0 as Spieth chokes at the Masters

Jordan Spieth failed to make the cut. (AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel DUNAND)
Expert
11th April, 2016
2

The two biggest chokes in US Masters history are 20 years apart – Greg Norman and Jordan Spieth.

Norman led by six shots with 18 holes to go and lost by five to Nick Faldo in 1996, and yesterday Spieth led by five with nine to go and lost by three to another Englishman Danny Willett.

Faldo and Willett are the only two Englishmen to ever don the coveted green jacket.

The ‘Shark’s’ unbelievable melt-down is as vivid today as it was two decades ago. It was impossible to come to grips with watching the very popular Australian be denied his dearest wish in such a devastating fashion.

But that was the last of a litany of lost causes for the Mount Isa born Gregory John Norman who first picked up a golf club at 15 and in 18 months went from a 27 handicap to scratch and on the way to 331 weeks as the world’s number one golfer.

But among his 90 wins worldwide, that included two Opens in 1986 and 1993, the heartbreaks were neverending.

In 1984, Fuzzy Zoeller won the US Open in an 18-hole play-off – Zoeller 67, Norman 75.

In 1986 Bob Tway sunk a seemingly impossible bunker shot at the final hole to deny Norman the PGA Championship by a shot.

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In 1987, Larry Mize sunk a miracle 140-foot chip shot right across the 11th green in a sudden-death play-off. At the presentation Norman remarked – “I didn’t think he would get down in two and I was right, he did it in one.”

In 1989, Mark Calcavecchia won the British Open in a four-hole playoff with Norman and Wayne Grady. And in 1993, Paul Azinger beat Norman at the second playoff hole for the PGA Championship.

So five different Americans have lowered Norman’s major colours – the only golfer since World War II to lose all four majors in playoffs.

But the last straw was the 1996 Masters meltdown, it virtually ended Norman’s career at 37. No golfer in history has led a major by six shots going into the final round – and lost.

Norman (13-under) and Faldo (7-under) stood together on the first tee on Sunday, and it was just a matter of time before Norman donned his first green jacket.

After the first hole – Norman 12-under led Faldo 7-under.
Second – Norman 13-under, Faldo 8-under.
Third – Norman 13-under, Faldo 8-under.
Fourth – Norman 12-under, Faldo 8-under.
Fifth – Norman 12-under, Faldo 8-under.
Sixth – Norman 12-under, Faldo 7-under.
Seventh – Norman 12-under, Faldo 8-under.
Eighth – Norman 12-under, Faldo 9-under.
Ninth – Norman 11-under, Faldo 9-under.

Norman out in 38, Faldo in 34.

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Tenth hole – Norman 10-under, Faldo 9-under.
11th – Norman 9-under, Faldo 9-under.
12th – Norman 7-under, Faldo 9-under.
13th – Norman 8-under, Faldo 10-under.
14th – Norman 8-under, Faldo 10-under.
15th – Norman 9-under, Faldo 11-under.
16th – Norman 7-under, Faldo 11-under.
17th – Norman 7-under, Faldo 11-under.
18th – Norman 7-under, Faldo 12-under.

Norman shot 78, Faldo 67.

Faldo admitted to shedding tears trying to console Norman on the 72nd green, adding – “What he’s been through is horrible.”

Norman was only 37 at the time, and wore far too may scars to really be a threat anymore. He only won three tournaments in the USA – the 1996 Doral-Ryde Open, the 1997 FedEx St Jose Classic, and the NEC WorldSeries of Golf.

Norman was virtually done at 37, he’s been severely scared for 13 years since he was 25.

Jordan Spieth is only 22, but will he scar like Norman, or will youth throw up a resilience to deep pain? Only time will tell.

On the final day, Spieth was at the tail of the field with rookie Smylie Kaufman, while Danny Willett was in the fourth last pairing with compatriot Lee Westwood.

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Spieth started at 3-under, Willett at even par.

Comparing their cards:

First hole – Spieth 3-under, Willett even.
Second – Spieth 4-under, Willett even
Third – Spieth 4-under, Willett even
Fourth – Spieth 4-under, Willett even.
Fifth – Spieth 3-under, Willett even.
Sixth – Spieth 4-under, Willett 1-under.
Seventh – Spieth 5-under, Willlett 2-under.
Eighth – Spieth 6-under, Willett 2-under.
Ninth – Spieth 7-under, Willett 2-under.

Spieth out in 32, Willett in 34.

10th – Spieth 6-under, Willett 2-under.
11th – Spieth 5-under, Willett 2-under.
12th – Spieth 1-under, Willett 2-under.
13th – Spieth 2-under, Willett 3-under.
14th – Spieth 2-under, Willett 4-under.
15th – Spieth 3-under, Willett 4-under.
16th – Spieth 3-under, Willett 5-under.
17th – Spieth 2-under, Willett 5-under.
18th – Spieth 2-under, Willett 5-under.

Spieth shot 73, Willett 67.

It’s inconceivable Spieth could birdie the last four holes of the front nine to open up a commanding five-shot lead, but drop six shots in the next three holes to be fourth on the leaderboard behind Willett, Westwood and Dustin Johnson.

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Shattered as he was, Spieth showed tremendous courage to birdie 13 and 15, but his race was run when he bogeyed 17 to finish two shots off the pace with Westwood.

Spieth had to magnify his bitter disappointment by helping Willett, a very worthy winner, don his green jacket.

Despite the pain, Spieth was his usual quality self, but he must have been churning inside.

Only Greg Norman knows how he feels, but the future is entirely in Jordan Spieth’s hands.

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