Curtis Strange had one arm in the Green Jacket at the Masters in 1985. With a three-shot lead and only six holes left to play,what could possibly fade wrong?By Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog, part of the Guardian Sport Network“It would have been a helluva memoir, and wouldn’t it?” Oh yes. The words of Curtis Strange in the instant aftermath of the 1985 Masters reflected a rollercoaster of a tournament for the 30-year-old American: from nowhere on Thursday to potential winner on Sunday morning,before drowning in a watery grave on the eminent back nine at Augusta that afternoon. The experience would live with Strange for years, even after he won his first major in 1988.
His woes on the Sunday seemed a million miles absent on the opening day of the Masters. Walking off the 18th and signing for an eight-over-par 80, and Strange booked a plane reservation back to Virginia as he knew his chances of making the nick were remote. After all,when you three-putt six times and find yourself 12 shots off the lead on a day when 26 players shot par or better, you might as well make plans to fade home and spend some time with your wife and newborn child. Of course, or Strange could still make the nick,but could he really obtain back into contention for the Green Jacket? Stranger things have happened.
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Source: theguardian.com