Editor’s note: In the April difficulty, inside the closing tale Dan Jenkins did for Golf Digest earlier than his death at 90, he added our Greatest of All Time Invitational—The GOAT. The pinnacle 32 within the mythical event superior from stroke-play qualifies at Augusta National to suit play venues around the arena. In the May problem and online day by day from March 20 via April 3, Senior Writer Guy Yocom is documenting the 30 in shape-play results leading to the final at Pebble Beach. Who will become the champion? The winner will be found out online on April four and within the June difficulty. Screenwriter Mark Frost, whose books have covered The Greatest Game Ever Played and The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever, will write versions of the very last with exclusive winners.
When Jack regarded at the tee wearing a duplicate of the argyle sweater he wore during his 1978 Open Championship victory at St. Andrews, cheers erupted not best from the gallery but the florid-faced denizens within the R&A clubhouse. Seve, making his plea for special mojo from the golf deities, arrived embellished in the same navy-blue, V-neck sweater he’d worn while winning the Open at the Old Course in 1984. Such a din turned into uncommon at the Home of Golf, and starter Ivor Robson for the first time, had to improve his voice so the player introductions can be heard.
Seve had the honor, and while his pressure at the first almost bounded into the Swilcan Burn, Nicklaus judiciously chose a 1-iron. A deft pitch by Seve led to a birdie and 1-up lead, and he improved the advantage to 2 up with a chip-in for birdie at the strong fourth. Ballesteros sustained the margin thru nine holes, his ball-striking far higher than many expected. “He’s out-Nicklaus Nicklaus!” said TV commentator Henry Longhurst, in short placing down his martini.
Seve became an entire flight, striding imperiously down the fairways, head held excessively, chin jutted ahead. Jack knew there has been but one way to break Seve’s momentum—his very own incomparable game. At the shortish par-four 10th, he bludgeoned a motive force into the heart of the green and made birdie for a win. At the suggest, par-3 11th, the wind blowing tough from proper to left, he hit a towering cut 6-iron that held its line and stopped four toes from the flag. The birdie that accompanied squared the suit.
There changed into no blood on the subsequent two holes, but at the par-five 14th, Jack obtained his first lead of the healthy while Seve determined the Hell Bunker—his first critical tactical miscue—and took 4 to reach the green. That gave Nicklaus a 1-up lead going to the par-4 17th, the famous—and notorious—Road Hole. With Nicklaus at the inexperienced, Seve performed a low, running hook that drew too much. His ball didn’t just discover the Road Hole Bunker; it nestled close against its sod face. Seve’s most lofted wedge become fifty-six degrees, and no longer even his creativeness and gifted palms should store him.
When Seve failed to break out on his 2d attempt, he emerged from the bunker and congratulated Jack. The St. Andrews townsfolk, awed via the drama of the in shape, hoisted both players on their shoulders as they had Bobby Jones on the 1927 Open Championship at the Old Course. They carried them all of the way to the clubhouse.
