Episode 10: 1986 Masters

In 1986 Jack Nicklaus was 46 and in the sunset of his fabulous career. He had won two U.S. Amateur titles, 17 majors and 72 PGA tournaments overall. But Nicklaus was six years removed from his last major championship, and he had won just twice since 1980. His focus had shifted from golf to his myriad business interests.

So when the ‘86 Masters got underway at Augusta National, he wasn’t give much of a chance, least of all by Atlanta Constitution golf writer Tom McCollister, who wrote, “Nicklaus is gone, done. He just doesn’t have the game anymore. It’s rusted from lack of use. He’s 46 and nobody that old wins the Masters.”

McCollister’s article was taped to the refrigerator in the house Nicklaus rented for the week. His business partner, John Montgomery, had taped it up to motivate him. Nicklaus later admitted that the article made his blood “sizzle”. But what McCollister and golf media could not have known was that Nicklaus had reconstructed his game with the help of a couple of old friends.

When the final round got underway on Sunday, Australian Greg Norman was in the lead with 210. Four players at 211 included Germany’s Bernhard Langer, the defending champion, and Spain’s Seve Ballesteros, a former champion. At 212 was another former champion, Tom Watson. At 214, quietly and unobtrusively, was Nicklaus. And then the fun began.

Thunderous approval from the gallery spurred Nicklaus on. But what drove him was the article (below) by Tom McCollister, a veteran golf writer for the Atlanta Constitution.