The atmosphere was intense on Sunday during the final nine holes at Augusta, especially with five players tightly bunched within two strokes of the lead. While weather reports indicated a temperature of 30°C, the real heat was palpable at Amen Corner, particularly as Rory McIlroy prepared to tee off at the 12th hole, a challenging 155-yard par three, while tied for the lead and awaiting calmer winds to take his shot. Just days prior, Tom Watson was asked what alteration he would make to this iconic golf course, and without hesitation, he replied, “I would fill in the creek in front of No. 12.”
Gary Player responded with, “Touché,” while Jack Nicklaus concurred with, “Good move.” Watson emphasized the significance of the 12th hole, stating, “To be honest, it’s the critical hole on the golf course, and I believe everyone here recognizes that.” Player humorously noted, “That hole has crippled more men than polio,” prompting surprised reactions from those present. The underlying truth is that regardless of how commanding your lead may appear, victory is not secured until your tee shot safely clears the water. Jordan Spieth’s experience in 2016, when he squandered a five-shot advantage with a quadruple bogey at the 12th, serves as a poignant reminder of this reality.
Nicklaus once referred to the 12th hole as “the hardest hole in tournament golf,” and he had a simple strategy: avoid aiming for the pin if it’s located on the right side. Instead, he advised playing towards the center of the green, making par, and swiftly moving on to the 13th tee. “It comes down to whether you want to keep it in play or risk going for a two and ending up with a five,” he explained, a lesson he mastered during his years at Augusta, having only found the water once.
This Sunday, the competition committee had placed the pin precariously far to the right. Out of the entire 56-man field, only three birdies had been recorded all day, with the players collectively sitting 15 over par.
As McIlroy stood on the 12th, he was tied for the lead with Justin Rose, who was playing a short distance ahead. Just one stroke behind were Cameron Young, Russ Henley, and Tyrrell Hatton, who was already back in Butler Cabin awaiting the potential of a playoff.
Earlier in the round, McIlroy had already faltered when he deviated from one of Nicklaus’s guiding principles on another par three. “No double bogeys,” was Nicklaus’s stern advice, but McIlroy found himself in trouble at the 4th hole, where his tee shot veered left into the fringe of a large bunker. After managing to escape the bunker to a distance of nine feet, he shockingly three-putted, missing a crucial two-foot putt that rimmed the hole and rolled away, eliciting a collective sigh of disappointment from the crowd.
His putter seemed ice-cold, with spectators likely wondering if they could borrow it for a moment of relief. This was compounded by another bogey at the 6th hole, where his putt from the first cut came to a halt just short of the green. At this point, McIlroy’s score had slipped to nine under, placing him two strokes behind Young. After making history as the first player to take a six-shot lead into the weekend of the Masters, it appeared he was on track to be the first to lose such a lead as well.
However, true to form, McIlroy began to regain his momentum. He made a birdie at the 7th hole when he finally sank a putt, followed by another at the 8th, executing a remarkable second shot that maneuvered around the trees and landed on the green. Suddenly, he was back in contention.
As he approached the 12th hole, known as Golden Bell, the wind was gusting fiercely, rustling the pine needles, and the crowd was so hushed that even a cough would draw the attention of the stewards. The famous yellow flag seemed to challenge him to take a shot, as spectators echoed Nicklaus’s advice in their minds. McIlroy swung, sending the ball soaring into the bright blue sky, clearing the water, and landing on the narrow strip of dry grass just beyond the bunker. The ball bounced several times before rolling towards the hole.
With a mere seven feet left for a birdie putt that he could not possibly miss, McIlroy found himself in a position that many before him had failed to secure. On this day, he not only avoided the pitfalls of the 12th hole but emerged victorious, joining the ranks of the few who have triumphed at Augusta.
