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Augusta's Mize wins Masters with `dream' birdie in playoff
Norman, Ballesteros lose in dramatic duel
By David Westin
Sports Writer
Augusta, Ga., Monday, April 13, 1987 -- With the flick of his wrists, Augusta native Larry Mize hit the shot of a lifetime on the second hole of sudden death to turn back hard-luck Greg Norman and win a dramatic 51st Masters Tournament Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club.
Mize, 28, who now lives in Columbus, Ga., knocked in a 140-foot chip shot for birdie on the 11th hole while a stunned Norman watched in disbelief. In the PGA Championship last year, Norman lost when Bob Tway holed a bunker shot on the 18th hole for birdie.
``When you are a little kid, you always have that one big dream you hope will come true,'' said Mize. ``I'll tell you, I'm the luckiest man. My dream when I was a little child growing up here finally came true. This is a dream of a lifetime come true for me. It probably won't hit me until later, but I'm standing nine feet tall right now. Anybody that lives here can probably imagine what it means to me to win here.''
Norman, the long-hitting 32-year-old Australian, still had a chance to send the playoff to the third hole. But his birdie putt of 30 feet whizzed past the hole.
With that, Mize became the first Augusta-born Masters champion. He lived here until his family moved away when he was 2 years old. The family lived in the city again from 1967-1973. Mize returned for his senior year in high school at Augusta Prep in 1976 before heading for Georgia Tech and a three-year stint on the golf team there. He has lived in Columbus since 1979.
``I feel like I played very good today,'' said Mize, who fired a final round one-under-par 71 after previous rounds of 70-72-72. ``I had some bogeys that hurt (five, along with five birdies), but I wasn't going to let anything bother me. This is the greatest. It's hard to put in words. I'm speechless.''
Mize went around the Augusta National course in 285 shots for the highest winning score since 1971 when Jack Nicklaus shot 286. As the players noted all week, the course, with firmer and faster greens, was no lady. Nicklaus' winning total last year was 279.
The victory was worth $162,000 for Mize, a sixth-year PGA Tour veteran who had won only one other time - in 1983. It also allowed Mize to become the PGA Tour's 75th millionaire. He now has won $1,166,861. What's more, Mize receives a 10-year PGA Tour exemption and a lifetime invitation to the Masters.
Norman and Severiano Ballesteros, who dropped out of the playoff after the first hole, split second and third place money, each taking home $79,200.
Mize said as a youngster he had dreamed of winning the Masters in many different ways, ``but this is one way I never dreamed of winning it. To beat two of the greatest golfers in the world.''
Of his winning shot, Mize said, ``It looked good all the way. It went right in there and I went up there (he pointed into the air). I probably could have dunked a basketball and I normally can't.''
Mize's second shot had been a poor one, to the right of the green. Pars are difficult to save from that area.
``It was an easy chip shot and I just chipped it in,'' joked Mize.
``I was on the same line as the 20-footer I'd made for par earlier in the day.'' Mize said. ``I walked up on the green and it was firm and baked like they've been all week. I knew I couldn't land it on the green, so I took my sand wedge and bumped it a yard or two in front of the green. I had to pitch it low. I had to get it on the green and give it a chance. I tried to hit a firm, aggressive chip.''
Norman, who is becoming an expert on watching other golfers hit extraordinary shots in pressure situations, was gracious in defeat.
``I guess it wasn't meant to be,'' said Norman, ``I thought Larry's shot was harder than Bob Tway's in the PGA. It was probably 30 percent harder. I couldn't believe it. I thought if he missed, it would be four or five feet by. He might stand there for three days and not make it.''
Norman was almost as surprised when Ballesteros three-putted on the first hole of sudden death, No. 10, to drop out of the playoff.
``That was a shock,'' said Norman.
Mize thought he had won the tournament on the first hole of sudden death, but his 12-footer slipped past the left side of the hole. Norman and Ballesteros, who both hit their second shots on the back fringe, had already putted and missed their birdie attempts.
``I hit it in absolutely the best place I could have had it on that green,'' said Mize, who lost a playoff with Norman last year in the Kemper Open. ``You can't get disgusted with something like that. I just misread it.''
Mize, playing one group ahead of Ballesteros and two ahead of Norman, was the first golfer to land a spot in the playoff. Mize sank an eight-foot birdie putt for his 285 total.
Minutes later, Ballesteros, who would shoot 72, made birdie on the 17th hole to move to three under for the tournament. He parred the 18th hole to join Mize in the playoff. Norman also birdied No. 17 and parred No. 18 to finish at three under for the championship. Norman's 25-foot birdie attempt on No. 18 burned the left edge of the hole.
Ben Crenshaw and Roger Maltbie had started the day as co-leaders and closed with 74s, needing birdies on No. 18 to make the playoff. Playing the final group of the day, neither could pull it off.
Mize, who drove last on the first hole of sudden death, was not in awe of the famous rivals he was up against.
``I was pretty nervous standing with those two boys, but I was not intimidated,'' said Mize. ``I was happy to be there with two of the greatest players in the world. I respect their games and they are great players. There is much respect for these guys.''
Mize, two shots back of Crenshaw and Maltbie going into the final round, had taken sole possession of the lead when he made a birdie on No. 13. The lead was short-lived, though, as Mize followed the birdie with back-to-back bogeys. He parred Nos. 16 and 17 and came to No. 18 knowing a birdie probably would be necessary.
``I knew I had to make birdie,'' said Mize. ``That was like winning the tournament. I knew if I didn't make birdie, I probably wouldn't be in the playoff. I hit a nine-iron. I ripped it. I couldn't have hit it any better. I knew I had to made that putt (of between six and eight feet).''
Crenshaw, the 1984 Masters champion, sprayed his tee shots all day and lost the rhythm he had spoken of after Saturday's 67.
``I can't say it was fun today,'' said Crenshaw, who had three bogeys and just one birdie (No. 2). ``It was work all day. With my irons, I was guessing all day and I never felt comfortable.''
Maltbie, a journeyman on the PGA Tour, said, ``The course played very hard today. I don't know if that was the jitters of the last day. I was pleased. My swing held up all day.''
Defending champion Nicklaus finished in a five-way tie for seventh place following a 70. His previous rounds were 74-72-73, giving him a 289 total.
``I had a good chance to win the golf tournament,'' said the 47-year-old Nicklaus. ``I shot 34 on the front nine and I had to chance with everybody backing up on the back nine as I knew they would because of the wind. But I didn't do well on the back nine. The putt I made on No. 13 for eagle (a 15-footer) was the only putt I made all week.''
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