Countdown to the Masters 2011 – Day 42: Faldo’s win against Scott Hoch in 1989

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Welcome to Day 42 of the Today’s Golfer Countdown to The Masters 2011. Every day from February 17th until the big day when the season’s first Major tees off, April 7th, we will be bringing you some of our favourite memorable moments from The Masters since the tournament started in 1934.

Faldo played the first 27 holes of the Tournament in 8-under par; and the next 27 in 8-over, before finishing with a round of 65, 7-under. In that final round, he needed to make birdies at the 14th, 16th and 17th, just to make the playoff with Scott Hoch.

At the first playoff hole (10th) Hoch looked certain to win. The American had a two and a half footer for victory. He had missed a short putt on the 17th in regulation from about four feet for par and maybe this was playing on his mind; but this one was even shorter.

“I stood over it and said ‘This is for all the marbles, hit it firm’,” he said afterwards.  “The message between my brain and my hands got criss-crossed.”

The moment it missed, Hoch threw his putter way up in the air. His ball went four feet past the hole, and he bravely sank the return without any hesitation.

Watching Hoch, Faldo said afterwards: “I never thought I was out of it, even when he was over that short one. I know what was going through his mind.”

Very few good photos exist of Faldo, arms raised above his head, after sinking a 30-foot putt on the second playoff hole (the 11th), to win the 1989 Masters, for the simple reason that it was so dark the playoff could not have gone on another hole. What’s more, just after they had finished, torrential rain started, and didn’t stop until Wednesday! 

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