Masters memories: Scott Hoch’s pain is Nick Faldo’s joy
The background: After being tied for the lead at the half-way stage, Nick Faldo’s 77 – in a disrupted third round that continued into Sunday morning – pushed him back into a tie for 9th.
Faldo, who had come through the other side of a gruelling reconstruction of his swing with David Leadbetter, was on the hunt for his second Major title following Open glory in 1987.
Scott Hoch, who had always been in the frame following rounds of 69 and 74, lay a shot adrift of Ben Crenshaw – at -3 – as the final round got under way.
The scene: Six different players had at least a share of the lead during a thrilling final round.
Faldo, who had been five back at the start of the day, began in imperious fashion – picking up birdies on four of the first seven holes on his way to an outward 31.
On the 11th, the American Mike Reid chipped into take charge on his own but a double bogey on 15 ended his challenge.
Seve Ballesteros, just one back standing on the 16th, found the water but Greg Norman produced a remarkable run of birdies on 13, 15, 16 and 17, only to bogey the last and miss the eventual play-off by a stroke.
Faldo’s eight birdies and one bogey, at 11, set the clubhouse target at -5. Hoch, with victory in sight, bogeyed 17 and parred the last to tie. Crenshaw missed a 12-foot putt to join them.
The moment: At the first hole of sudden death, the 10th, Faldo hit the bunker with his approach.
After Hoch found the centre of the green and lagged his birdie putt up to two feet, a struggling Faldo needed a 15-footer for par.
He missed, but made the bogey. For the third time, Hoch had a putt for a green jacket but, incredibly, missed it.
Faldo had bogeyed the 11th every time he played it in 89 but, in the fading light, he claimed a memorable triumph when sinking a 25-foot putt for birdie.
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.