Nick Faldo won the first of his three Masters titles, the second of his six major championships. After a third round 77 (+5), he shot a final round 65 (−7) and won with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff with Scott Hoch.[2] The 1989 Masters is remembered for Hoch missing a two-foot (0.6 m) putt on the first playoff hole that would have won him the green jacket.[1][3]Greg Norman continued his misfortunes at the Masters with a bogey on the 72nd hole to miss a playoff by a stroke, similar to 1986. Third round leader Ben Crenshaw also bogeyed the final hole to tie Norman for third.[4]
Faldo became the first man from England to win the Masters and was the second consecutive winner from the United Kingdom. Defending champion Sandy Lyle of Scotland missed the cut by two strokes, but made history at the champions' dinner on Tuesday by sporting a kilt and serving haggis.[5]
Lee Trevino, vying for an elusive Masters title, shot an opening round 67 to lead Nick Faldo by one shot. Only 10 players broke par on day one, including 1984 champion Ben Crenshaw and 1980 and 1983 champion Seve Ballesteros. Defending champion Sandy Lyle birdied 18 to shoot a disappointing 77.[2]
Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo, who both shot over par on the day, shared the lead after a difficult scoring day. Only four players broke par including Ken Green, who shot 69 and had the round of the day. Seve Ballesteros shot 72 even though he had a 4 putt on the 15th hole.[2]
Amateurs: Howe III (+12), Yates (+14), Eger (+18), Meeks (+18), Hardin (+26)
Third round
Saturday, April 8, 1989
Saturday was a long day that included a 90-minute delay and eventual suspension of play. Ben Crenshaw stormed to a four-shot lead at the suspension of play. Crenshaw was 3-under on the day through 13. Nick Faldo got off to a slow start with a double bogey on the first hole. On the second hole, he holed an improbable 100-foot (30 m) birdie putt, but was 3 over on the day through 12 holes. Out early, clubhouse leader Greg Norman posted a 68 to reach +1 and close within five shots of the lead when play was suspended. Lee Trevino, trying to complete the career Grand Slam, faded out of contention Saturday.[2]
For the first time since 1984, the third round was completed on Sunday morning. Conditions were ideal, but overnight leader Ben Crenshaw was unable to take advantage as his four-shot morning lead was cut to one by the end of the third round. Seve Ballesteros who was +3 at the suspension of play on Saturday birdied 14, 15, and 17 to get back to level par. Nick Faldo continued to struggle in the morning, playing his last six holes in two over par, to fall 5 shots out of the lead at the end of the third round. First and second round leader Lee Trevino couldn't get any momentum in the morning and stumbled to an 81.[2]
An exciting final round had six different players hold at least a share of the lead on the back nine. Nick Faldo, five shots back to start the round, birdied four of his first seven holes to post 32 on the front nine. Faldo continued his comeback with miraculous birdies on 16 and 17 to post 65 and hold the clubhouse lead at −5. In the round Faldo made eight birdies and just one bogey at the 11th hole. Mike Reid chipped in for birdie on the 12th hole to take sole possession of the lead for the first time in the tournament at −6. However, Reid missed a short putt for par on 14 and double-bogeyed 15 after hitting his approach into the water to fade to 6th place. Seve Ballesteros, who went out in 5-under 31, had held the lead earlier in the day and was still only 1 behind as he teed off on the par-3 16th but underhit his tee-shot into the water and took a double dogey. Ballesteros later birdied 18 to finish 3-under. Meanwhile, Greg Norman had stormed into contention with birdies on 9, 10, 13, 15, 16 and 17 to tie for the lead at 5-under. Norman, however, mis-clubbed his 2nd shot from the fairway on 18 and came up short. Subsequently, he was unable to get up and down from the chipping area fronting the green and made bogey, missing the playoff by one stroke.
In the end it came down to the final pairing of Ben Crenshaw and Scott Hoch. Hoch birdied the 15th to take sole possession of the lead at −6, but missed a short par putt at 17 to drop back to −5. Crenshaw, three back of the lead after the 15th hole, birdied 16 and 17 to share the lead with Hoch heading to the final hole. Both players hit the fairway off the tee, and then Hoch hit his approach on the green after Crenshaw missed in the front greenside bunker. After Crenshaw chipped out to 12 feet (4 m), Hoch had 25 feet (8 m) for birdie and his first major championship. Hoch barely missed his birdie putt and was able to tap in for par, tying Faldo for the clubhouse lead. Crenshaw then had 12 feet to join a playoff with Faldo and Hoch, but missed.[2]
Faldo and Hoch were in the tenth playoff in Masters history and the fourth to use the sudden death format. The playoff began at the 10th hole, where both had made par every day. Both hit the fairway, but Faldo pushed his approach in the short right side bunker. Hoch then played safely, hitting the front middle of the green, leaving an uphill birdie putt. After Faldo chipped out to 15 feet (5 m), Hoch had 25 feet (8 m) to win his first major championship. Hoch lagged his putt up to 2 feet, forcing Faldo to make his 15 footer for par. Faldo missed, but made his 4-foot comebacker for a bogey five. Hoch then had his third putt of the day to win the championship, but missed, then made the 4-foot comebacker for bogey to extend the playoff.
The playoff went to the 11th hole, which Faldo had bogeyed in all four rounds. After Faldo hit his approach to 25 feet, Hoch pushed his approach right of the green. Hoch chipped to six feet,[9] but Faldo made his long birdie putt for his second major championship and first Masters title.[2][10]
