Just doing the same, some great night's off golf, in Ireland it was late viewing and a hope you'd be allowed to stay up and watch it, thankfully I was.
I'm same as you. I've not watch any golf in the last 18 years. So all the late 80's, 90's golf is still fresh to me. I'm stuck in the past. But I'd go back there tomorrow..
What a time it was to grow up as a European/British golfer. We dominated the masters for the best part of 15-20 years. If it wasn’t Faldo or Seve, it was Langer, or Lyle, or Woosnam, but not least the very sympathetic José-Maria Olazabal. Is it any wonder we did well in the Ryder cup? No, because you saw in all of these players how brilliant they were in match play situations. They all had the stomach for the fight.
Stat that has been lost with time, but still impressive: in 4 consecutive years (95-98), Tom Lehman played in the final Sunday group of each US Open and won none of them. But he did win the British Open in 1996 and briefly held the #1 world ranking spot.
The 15th hole with Lehman and Jose is amazing. The crowd and the broadcasters (mostly the latter) seem to be coronating Lehman as he walks to the green and Jose walks off of it having essentially won the tournament.
I don't understand why Tom Lehman hit iron off the tee on 18??🤷♂️ He was down 1, had been striping his driver, and 18 is hard to birdie. Odd to think a man of his age lost the tournament because of inexperience. But Lehman was just starting out on the PGA Tour. Had played in very few Majors at the time. Credit to Josie Maria Olazabal for grinding throughout the round. And what a putt for Eagle he made on 15! What Lehman wouldn't give to have 1 of those putts on the back nine drop..? What a unique Masters. Played more like a U.S. Open, or British Open scoring wise. Love watching these past Masters tournaments back!
Because he couldn’t fade the ball with his driver, by his own admission. He took iron hoping to stay short of the bunker. He never really managed to reliably fade the ball throughout his career. Same problem on the 72nd hole of the ‘96 US Open.
@MrAJR76 I understand playing against your miss. But in that situation needing a birdie, I think he should've played aggressively. Nobody remembers whether you finished 2nd or 3rd. Only who won!
Incredible to watch re-watch these with a new appreciation of perspective and context. I mean that 15th hole for Jose and Tom is simply incredible and makes you believe that fate is a very real thing. I mean Ollie is legitimately a foot away from making a 6 at best and walks off with a 3 while big Tom hits the best shot of the day in there and sees his perfect, center tracking putt take an inexplicable last second detour and miss by what, a quarter inch? That's a legit 4 shot swing right there that 100% decides the tournament - even compounded when you realize that if his ball then at 16 hadn't trickled down into that left side channel, a second putt inside of 6 feet is almost impossible too. Reminds me of 05 and DiMarco getting shafted by the golf gods with his putt at 16 and chip at 18 that lips out as he had to swallow Tiger making his sensational but fortunate hole out at 16 just to keep himself alive. Either way it never ceases to amaze how much incredible razors edge drama always happens on the back 9 at Augusta on Sunday save for a few years (Tiger in 97 and DJ this year spring to mind). Awesome.
2:09:23. The infamous, seemingly innocuous ‘body bags’ comment from Gary McCord, who was/is a great commentator. Now just need to find the bikini wax line.
1994 was the final straw for Gary McCord’s career at the Masters, and the year before Ben Wright’s final year commentary as well. Both men were outstanding talents, and the cowards at CBS including Jim Nantz let both of these men roast in the sun for the continuation of CBS’ bottom line.
Levin 1976 that’s absurd, he was basically praising the setup. He was saying there are body bags behind the green to imply that anyone who went over the green was dead. Which is true if you know the 17th at Augusta. If he just said “dead” he probly would still be there to this day (dead is a word Ken Venturi used to use a lot) but the uptight Augusta members at the time didn’t like his metaphor to body bags. Seems like a really ticky tack fine line
And this was the last we heard of Gary McCord doing the Masters. Can’t say I agreed with it…but after hearing the “body bags”, “they don’t cut the greens they use bikini wax” and his British “theatre” imitation…. I understand.
2:14:34 the greatest golf commentator Gary McCord was fired over saying bikini wax. Stupid! Golf commentating has never been the same since, Keeps getting worse. Listen to the Masters commentating this year after listening to this broadcast, it's boring!
Was there ever a more overrated commentator than Pat Summerall. He says absolutely nothing of significance, ever. Was the same in NFL work. Venturi was too fond of his own voice and never knew when to be quiet and proud to let you know. What was Lehman thinking on the 18th tee? You could see the regret on his face as Josè teed up the answer iron.
