1966

By Robert Eubanks
Chronicle Sports Editor

Augusta, Ga., Tuesday, April 12, 1966 -- Thunderclap drives and two mighty putts gave big Jack Nicklaus an easy playoff victory over Tommy Jacobs and Gay Brewer Jr. Monday and made hin the first man in history to win two Masters golf titles in a row.

The golfing goliath from Columbus, Ohio, who rallied on the final holes to tie for first place Sunday at 288, unleashed a two-under-par 70 that beat Jacobs by two shots and the glassy-eyed, scrambling Brewer by eight. Jacobs shot par 72, Brewer 78.

The handsome, 31-year-old Jacobs, a pro for 10 years, started with a 35-foot birdie putt on the first hole and stayed with Nicklaus - almost shot for shot - through nine. Then, inch by inch, he had to bow before the Strong Boy's prodigious driving and mastery on the greens.

Brewer, shell-shocked and apparently still dazed by his three putts on the 72nd green Sunday that robbed him of a clear cut to the title, never mustered a serious challenge.

List of Records

The 26-year-old fairway phenom now joins Sam Snead and Jimmy Demaret as three-time winners of this event, one back of Palmer, who has won four. Nobody - until this day - had ever put two Masters crown together.

Victory Monday was worth $20,000 to the already wealthy Nicklaus, plus $49.17 as his share of the Monday playoff gate receipts.

The $49.17 represented one-third share - each of the playoff representatives got it - of one half the total gate, which was a mere $296.01.

Although galleries up to an estimated 50,000 swarmed the Augusta National course during the four days of the tournament, the playoff crowd was figured to number no more than 12,000, most of them season ticket holders.

Nicklaus, in winning, thus preserves the modern-day domination of the Big Three - Nicklaus, Palmer and Gary Player, who now have won this tournament eight times in the last nine and the last five in a row.

Jacobs collected $12,300 for second and Brewer $8,300 for third. Like Nicklaus, they got the $49.17 pocket change from the final day's gate.

The match course was so slow and draggy it lasted a little more than five hours, fouling up the national television schedule.

Jack the conqueror, conquers all
Golden Bear paws Brewer, Jacobs

By Jim Martin
Chronicle Sports Editor

Augusta, Ga., Tuesday, April 12, 1966 -- Jack William Nicklaus, the great conqueror of all men, found yet another world for his remarkable, unparalleled collection Monday, marching through the twilight that shrouded the Augusta National Golf Club for a special victory in a special playoff to become the first man that history ever allowed to win the Masters Tournament two years in a row.

Really, there wasn't a thing history could do about it, as the 26-year-old Ohio boy let the ages look at a two-under par 70 for a two-stroke victory over Tommy Jacobs and eight better than Gay Brewer Jr.

It was not only the first successful defense by a champion in the Masters gloried annals, but the third championship in four years for Nicklaus, who also seems intent on making the golden bear the most famous animal in modern times.

Twice before champions have gotten into playoffs, 1953 champion Ben Hogan in 1954 and 1961 champion Gary Player in 1962, but only Nicklaus wins the showdown of the ages.

STARTING WITH a thundering 320-yard drive at the first hole, the blond Goliath of the game was down briefly, but never headed in the stretch. Throughout the day it seemed a clear case for immortality.

Only Jacobs was able to mount a threat as Brewer, apparently still groggy from the three-putt green at the 18th which cost him the championship, struggled with a curiously balky putter.

Both Jacobs and Nicklaus passed the nine-hole turn in one-under 35, but Nicklaus applied a dramatic squeeze after rounding the turn and stoically held the advantage just like the master of the Masters he is.

Nicklaus made three birdies on the front nine, two-putting No. 2 after his second shot with a three-wood bounded off the flagstick to the fringe of the green to get even with Jacobs, who birdied the first hole. Nicklaus bogeyed No. 4 to fall one back, but regained it with a 18-footer for a two at the sixth.

He was never down again, though his card showed three bogeys and several times he had to hole putts that required sufficient integrity for pars.

Jacobs hung in, even on the uphill, par-five eighth when the young strongboy slashed a two-iron only 15 feet from the hole. He two-putted while Jacobs holed a six-footer for a birdie. Both bogeyed nine. Brewer, with two three putts and a two-foot birdie miss at No. 8, was out in 38.

THE FIRST turning point in the grim showdown came in a set, Nos. 10, 11 and 12. Nicklaus scrambled a par from the left fringe of the 10th and when Jacobs didn't, the big bear was up for the first time. Then at the 11th, Nicklaus struck a mighty blow with his putter, holing a fiery 25-footer before Jacobs had a chance from 12 feet. Jacobs missed. Nicklaus was two up and they traded scores right into the winner's circle.

Brewer took a double bogey at the 12th to fall out completely. Nicklaus three-putted the 13th from 50 feet but Jacobs was unable to capitalize on the break that kept his screaming second shot from bounding into the ditch. Nicklaus, over No. 15 with a crackling drive and a two-iron, chipped 12 feet by as Jacobs sought to slice the margin. But big Jack came through again for his birdie.

The door slammed tight. And loud.

When Nicklaus came swimming through a sea of noise up the 18th fairway, he was about to resolutely claim about the only record not already enshrined in the bulging showcase. That was the successful defense, the serious whipping of what had been a cold, dark jinx before this Easter Monday of 1966, April 11.

NICKLAUS shredded the pride of the August National last year with an astounding 17-under-par 271 to break Hogan's old mark by three strokes and he tied the 18-hole mark of Lloyd Mangrum's with a third round 64. When he won his first Masters, all of four years ago at 23, he became the youngest to ever win the most cherished classic in golf.

He now joins Sam Snead and Jimmy Demaret as the only three-time winners of the Masters. Arnold Palmer, who won his first Masters at age 28, is the four-time winner and had been favored to take his fifth title in this even-numbered year. Nicklaus had been established as the best in odd years already, but by winning also in the even year, it presented one small problem.

Jack had to put his green coat on by himself.

He didn't seem to mind it a bit.