Augusta, GA … Lost in this week’s 30th year anniversary of Jack Nicklaus’ memorable 18th Major triumph in winning the 1986 Masters is the fact that Sandy Lyle partnered golf’s Golden Bear over that final round at Augusta National.
It was Nicklaus 27th Masters appearance and 11 years after he had clinched a fifth Masters and also five years since his 17th Major Championship success in the 1980 PGA Championship.
And at 46 years of age Nicklaus was not expected to win whereas Lyle, who was making his fifth Masters appearance, was considered a better bet to run down Norman given Lyle was the reigning Open Champion and arrived at Augusta in the best of form having won the Greater Greensboro Open the week before.
Nicklaus and Lyle found themselves in the fifth last group on that final day – April 13th, 1986 – tied with five others to be trailing just four shots behind Australia’s Greg Norman.
While Norman went into the last day leading by one, five different players would lead before Nicklaus took the lead in holing his now infamous 18-foot birdie putt at the 17th.
Nicklaus then two-putted the last for par producing an inward half of 30 in a score of 65 to capture a sixth Masters title, his 18th Major Championship and at age 46, the oldest winner of the Masters.
Sandy Lyle shakes hand with 1986 Masters Champion Jack Nicklaus after the ‘Golden Bear’, at age 46 made up a four shot deficit to win by one.
Lyle signed off for a 71 to eventually share 11th place and on the eve of his 35th Masters appearance still recalls vividly walking Augusta National in awe of the ‘Golden Bear’.
“Jack was then aged 46 and he had basically ‘signed off’ on his career but then in that year the course had not changed that much in 10 years, so Augusta was very much playable for slightly older players, as it was a little shorter,” said Lyle.
“Jack didn’t’ do much the first few rounds but then you know Jack because when he gets a chance, and he hasn’t won 18 Majors just by luck and finishing second just as many other times, as well.
“So for a player like him, and if he gets a little sniff as he did, and he just took advantage of it.
“I shot 71 that day and I was playing pretty good considering the horrendous noise over the last four holes.
“The nose after Jack made the eagle at 15 came from all over the place and then he almost holed his tee shot at the 16th, and the noise was ridiculous there.
“Then when we got to the 16th green we looked back to the 15th green and Tom Watson and Tommy Nakajima are just standing there not even playing and just watching what Jack was doing.”
“So it was great to watch and there were no signs of any kind of deep breathing or backing off of shots or struggling with making decisions or scratching your hair. He played almost clinical golf.
Jack Nicklaus ‘rides’ his 18-foot birdie putt into the hole at the 17th to take a one shot lead up the final fairway.
“It’s is something that I will always remember as I’ve only played with him that once ever.”
While Nicklaus whipped the crowd into a frenzy over his remaining four holes, Lyle recalled an incident at the par five eighth hole, named ‘Yellow Jasmine’, that also highlighted all the fighting Nicklaus trademarks.
“One of the occasions that really sticks in my mind was the eighth hole as Jack hit this awful tee shot that was like about 25-yards right into the trees, and for Jack it was a really bad tee shot,” said Lyle.
“Well about 1,800 spectators went in there with him.
“I could just almost see what is going on and I could see him pull out this 3-wood, and he’s looking at this gap in the trees.
“Well, the shot came out cleanly and I watched his ball go all the way to the green as it was a hell of a shot.
“So Jack is walking back towards me and he’s got a sort of smile on his face from ear to ear. And I am standing there going like (shrugging his shoulders) so what?
“Jack then said to me he was trying to go for a gap like about 15 feet wide and instead he went through a gap like that (Lyle indicating about five feet). So he missed the gap he had chosen and also missed a tree by about this much (Lyle indicating about one feet).
“Jack had a sense of humour at the time, so he got away with shot.”
Lyle insists walking that final round 40 years ago with Nicklaus still inspires him to be competitive at August even though the Balquidder-based Scot is now aged 58, and a dozen years older than Nicklaus was in 1986.
“Jack’s win all of 40 year ago does give you a sense that at age 50 you are not down and out, and even at 55 you are no longer competitive,” Lyle added.
“I am now 58 and some of the holes, like the par 5s, are a little too long for me but then my decision is already made for me because if the wind is against me I am not going to get the run on the fairways, so it’s always getting to about 40 to 50 yards short and where they have the cross walks.
“But then in saying that I probably make more pars and birdies now as I am long enough to reach the greens with mid-irons and long-irons but then have the odd double after getting into trouble with my second shot.
“So I am quite happy with my game distance-wise and good enough to be competitive.”
However this has not stopped Lyle imparting the wealth of his Masters knowledge to a younger generation including playing a practice round Monday in the company of Scotland’s top-ranked Russell Knox.
The duo chatted constantly throughout their 18 holes despite Knox being surprised to see Lyle heading to the 10th tee when informed by Lyle to stick to playing nine holes a day, but then affording Knox a further nine holes to ‘pick his brains’, as he later remarked.
“I am very impressed and I like Russell an awful lot as he’s interested to ask questions, and he wants to know the decision process around why some of the shots are played to different positions and what advantage is to be gained,” said Lyle.
“So I’ve helped him out a lot on playing these fringe shots and ‘blading’ the shot and the same advice I offered to Stephen Gallacher, and that is to use the ‘blade’ shot about three or four yards from the green and where you would normally tend to chip the ball. It just doesn’t work with a 5-iron but if you ‘blade’ it with a sand-iron it works so much better day-in and day-out over the 18 holes.
“I think he realises that someone who has been playing here at Augusta for 30-odd years is going to have more advantage over someone who is playing here for the first time.”
And the best advice Lyle could give to Knox who is making his Masters debut?
Lyle said: “It’s a bit like when you go into a boxing match and you need to suss out the guy who you are boxing against for the first few holes rather than thinking you go out swinging and you are going to knock him out in the first round.
“So if you come out straight away attacking the flag here at Augusta you will find yourself taking doubles, triples and so on, and you start asking yourself why did I do that.
“Nicklaus, I don’t think, was a fast starter. He grinded away and if the opportunity arises, and the wind is in the right direction, by all means open the shoulder a bit and go for the big drive on holes like the 15th and then have a medium iron to the green.
“At the 13th you can hit it around the corner and take the chance and have a 6-iron into the green.
“Genuinely, you have just got to play very, very cagy and if you are playing well, you might take more on and if you are not playing well, just think where do you need to miss it.
“It’s easier said than done but my advice to Russell is just don’t go flat out at it too hard. Try to remain steady because a 72 in the first round is not a disaster.
“Then you need to get rolling but what I am stressing don’t blow yourself out of the tournament but shooting a first day 76 because you tried to attack the course, and you’ve seen it backfire on you.”
