Golf · 1986 · Augusta, USA
The Bear's Sixth Green Jacket
At 46, and written off in print that same week, Jack Nicklaus plays the back nine in 30 on the final day and wins a record sixth Masters.
65 (back nine 30)
Final round
6th (record)
Masters titles
46 (oldest Masters champion)
Age
Jack Nicklaus came to the 1986 Masters six years past his last major win, and a newspaper column that Saturday had put in writing what most people were thinking, that he was finished as a serious contender. He began the final round four strokes off the lead with his son Jackie caddying for him, apparently there to make up the numbers behind a leaderboard packed with younger players.
He went out in level par and then turned the back nine into the passage of golf everyone replays: birdies at the 9th, 10th and 11th, another at the 13th, an eagle at the par-5 15th, a birdie at the par-3 16th. A back nine of 30 tied the course record. The roars moved around Augusta National ahead of him, reaching each leaderboard before his group did, so the rest of the field knew exactly what was happening without being told.
The closing 65 beat Greg Norman and Tom Kite by a single stroke. It was a sixth Masters title, which nobody else has, and at 46 he is still the oldest champion the tournament has had.
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