1975

By Robert Eubanks
Chronicle Sports Editor

Augusta, Ga., Monday, April 14, 1975 -- Jack William Nicklaus is so unemotional while playing golf that he has been likened to a machine.

But he went bouncing - hop-skip-and-jumping - with glee while caddie Willie Peterson just went straight up when Nicklaus blazed in a 40-footer on the 16th hole at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday afternoon.

``I don't often hole 40-footers on the 70th hole, either,'' Nicklaus said in explaining his emotional outburst.

The putt produced a record fifth Masters championship for the Golden Bear, who shot a 276 and nudged Tom Weiskopf and red-hot Johnny Miller by a single stroke.

Weiskopf, a four-time runner-up who also lost the tournament at 16 last year, bogeyed the hole. It was a two-stroke swing and put Nicklaus ahead for good, although he had to withstand some nervous moments as the charged-up Weiskopf (70) and Miller (66) went birdie-hunting on the final two holes.

Both Miller and Weiskopf had the opportunity to see the pivotal putt because they were standing on the 16th tee.

``I saw the `Bear' tracks,'' quipped Miller.

Miller said that ``was a super clutch putt. That made the tournament.''

Nicklaus, who won the tournament in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1972, now has 15 major championships, more than any player in history.

It possibly could have been the greatest Masters, or any tournament, ever played.

The tournament had everything from the debut of Negro Lee Elder on down to the final round that included some records besides Nicklaus' unprecedented fifth championship.

Miller set final 36 and 54-hole records with his closing 71-65-66. And U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin shot a 64 to tie the record originally set by Lloyd Mangrum in 1940, later matched by Nicklaus in 1965 and England's Maurice Bembridge in 1974.

``In all the time I have played golf, I thought this was the most exciting display I had ever seen,'' Nicklaus said.

Jack said, ``I feel like I played better than 271,'' referring to the record he set in 1965.

Miller's 36-hole mark broke Nicklaus' 64-69-133, which also came in 1965, and his 54-hole standard topped the 69-66-69-204 registered by Ben Hogan in 1953 and Nicklaus in 1965. Nicklaus had a 71 in the second round that year.

The two-stroke swing on No. 16 reversed the situation that had occurred on 14, where Nicklaus lost a one-shot lead and fell behind. He was 40 feet short of the hole, just off the green, and putted it off the green, 25 feet past the hole.

``That was a one-putt green,'' laughed Nicklaus, who used his putter three times on the hole.

Weiskopf came right behind him and nailed an eight-iron to within six feet for a birdie. Miller made a tremendous par, hitting two shots into the woods, but put his third shot inside Weiskopf.

Then at 15, Nicklaus hit what he said may have been the finest one-iron of his life.

``I knew I had to play well,'' he said. ``I hit a fair drive although I didn't catch all of it. I was left 235 yards to the green and 245 to 250 to the hole. The wind was in my face. I had a three-wood out, put it back in the bag, pulled out the three-wood and put it back again because I didn't want to hit it.

``I knew I couldn't get an iron there. So I fiddled around just long enough and the wind died.''

The one-iron approach left him putting for an eagle from 18 feet. He narrowly missed it but got the tap-in birdie.

``The only one-iron even close to it was the last one at Baltusrol (where he won the U.S. Open in 1967),'' Nicklaus said.

Miller also two-putted 15 for a birdie, his seventh of the day, bringing him to 10 under par for the tournament.

Weiskopf drilled a one-iron over the green but pitched back to 12 feet for a birdie that put him back on top by a shot at 12 under par.

It then came down to the final two holes. Nicklaus barely missed a 25-foot birdie at 17. Then he had played a three-wood and six-iron to 11 feet on 18 when he heard a terrific roar.

He waited a while before he putted.

``I was curious to know whether or not I was ahead,'' he said. ``I might have been more aggressive if Tom had made birdie at 17. If John birdied then I would go at it as a lag putt.''

Miller was the birdie man, from 25 feet to tie Weiskopf, and Tom missed a 20-footer along the same lines on 17. Nicklaus then putted but couldn't find the mark.

``It was a big breaking putt,'' he said. ``It broke a foot. I should have played it out 18 inches.''

Weiskopf and Miller still had a big opportunity on 18. Weiskopf hit a big drive and nine-iron eight feet above the hole and Miller was right behind him with a ``Lee Trevino slice'' drive and seven-iron. Miller missed his and Nicklaus, watching from the scorer's tent, was afraid a playoff was coming. But Tom couldn't find the range.

``I just knew one of them was going to make it,'' Nicklaus said.

``I still don't see how that putt didn't break,'' Weiskopf said.

``It's very hard at times to put into words when you're very, very unhappy,'' Weiskopf said. ``Someone once said you can't explain pain. There's no explanation. I just felt terrible.''

``It wasn't the disappointment for me that it was for Tom,'' said Miller, who figured he had blown himself out of it the first two days. ``I was just fighting my guts out to try to catch those guys.''

``I'll win this tournament yet,'' Weiskopf said. ``And when I do the jacket will be tailor made.''

No one else really got in the title chase.

Irwin's 64 claimed a tie for fourth at 282, a distant six shots back of the winner.

He was tied with veteran Bobby Nichols, a former PGA champion and the head pro at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, who had a closing 69.

Veteran Billy Casper, the 1970 Masters champion, was next, shooting 70-283.

Dave Hill came on with a 68 and was next at 284.

Lee Trevino, who came to this event only because he won last year's PGA national championship and was hoping for a career grand slam, never really got in it. He had a 71-286. Trevino often has passed up his invitation to play here, but now swears he'll return until he wins it and completes a sweep of the game's Big Four: The Masters, U.S. and British Opens and the PGA.

Arnold Palmer, that legendary 45-year-old, received a series of standing ovations as he fought his way around in a solid par 72 for 287.

Palmer, winless for more than two seasons, still ranks as the game's most popular performer. While he played well, it was a dark moment for the man who put the word ``charge'' in golf's lexicon.

One of his proudest achievements was gone. Until today, he had shared with Nicklaus the record of four Masters titles. Now Nicklaus owns the record alone.

Gary Player, the gritty, gallant little South African who won this title as well as the British Open crown last year, wasn't a factor this time. He was never closer than five shots - that was in the first round - and finished with a 73-292.

The final round offered all the high drama anyone could want. It seemed to follow a script-writer's dream.

Nicklaus and Weiskopf jockeyed back and forth in the building tension and growing drama, handing the lead back and forth, following error with superlative.

The day started with a wardrobe discussion.

Someone asked Nicklaus why he was wearing green and he said it wasn't by his design.

The people who make his slacks and sports coats and the company that manufactures his shirts set up what he will wear each Saturday and Sunday of any tournament six months ahead of time.

``They thought green would be a good color for Augusta,'' he said with a smile.

Miller was resplendent in blue, part of a new line of clothes marketed by a major store chain.

``I'm not color blind like Jack,'' he said. ``I can pick out my own clothes.''

Weiskopf was wearing lavender.

``I buy my own,'' he said. ``And I've worn green and finished second three times so I thought I would wear something that clashed.''

Nicklaus still was wearing street shoes.

``That's what you call real concentration, isn't it?'' Nicklaus said.

Jack discovered on the practice tee that he had tempo problems and it carried over to the No. 1 tee. His drive went into the woods and he clipped a tree coming out, producing a bogey.

But after that, he started playing better and it ``snowballed.''

He blasted to three feet on two and sand a three-footer to tie Weiskopf at nine under par.

But Weiskopf sank an 18-footer to go back ahead. That's the way it went. Every time Nicklaus would birdie, Weiskopf would jump back in front. Nicklaus hit a five-iron to four feet on five but Weiskopf dropped in an eight-footer on six.

Nicklaus finally pulled even with a seven-footer at nine.

Meanwhile, Miller made birdie from a bunker (three feet) on two, went over the green and bogeyed, three, dropped in a six-footer on four and then birdied three of the last four holes on the front nine.

He made a 14-footer at six, two-putted from 25 feet on eight and ran in a 15-footer on nine.

Weiskopf lost a share of the lead when he hooked his second shot into the water but still made a tremendous bogey. Nicklaus had a golden opportunity to gain some ground when he barely missed a 15-footer at 12. Miller three-putted from 30 feet on 11 and two-putted from 30 feet on 13 to set up the stretch run.