Top seven comebacks in Masters history

On Monday, according to Rex Hoggard of  Golf Channel, the Masters Tournament officials removed the 10-shot rule from the 2020 Masters. Prior to this year, all golfers who were within 10 shots of the lead after the second round made the cut, and could play Saturday and Sunday. Now golfers must be within the top 50 to make the cut. In recognition of the 10-shot rule, here are the seven biggest comebacks in the history of the Masters.

5) Art Wall Jr.–At the 1959 Masters, it was a marvelous first 54 holes for Canadian Stan Leonard of Vancouver, British Columbia, who found himself tied for the lead with the marvelous Arnold Palmer at -4. After the third round, American Art Wall Jr. of Honesdale, Pennsylvania was six shots back at +2, but a sizzling final round score of six-under-par 66, gave him his first and only career major.

5) Fuzzy Zoeller–At the 1979 Masters, Ed Sneed had a third-round lead of five strokes over Tom Watson and Craig Stadler after shooting a 54-hole score of -12. However, it was Fuzzy Zoeller of New Albany, Indiana, who was victorious. Zoeller entered the final round in fourth place at -6, shot a fourth-round score of -2, to finish 72 holes at -8, and ended up beating Watson and Sneed in a three-man playoff. Sneed, not to be confused with the golf legend Sam Snead, really struggled in the final round as he shot a four-over-par 76.

5) Nick Faldo–At the 1996 Masters, Nick Faldo of Welwyn Garden City, England was six strokes back of Greg Norman of Australia heading into the fourth and final round. Norman was at -13, and Faldo was at -7. However, it was Faldo who won by five strokes, as he shot a fourth-round score of -5, and Norman had a fourth-round score of +6. Faldo finished the 1996 Masters with a four-round score of -12.

2) Gary Player–At the 1978 Masters, Gary Player of Johannesburg, South Africa, finished the third round trailing American Hubert Green by a convincing seven strokes. Green was at -10, and Player was tied for 10th at -3. In the fourth round, Green was average as he shot an even-par 72. Player, was sensational as he shot an eight-under-par 64, to finish the round at -11. This was Player’s third Masters title, as he previously won in 1961 and 1974.

2) Nick Faldo–At the 1990 Masters, Faldo was seven strokes back of first-round leader Mike Donald. Faldo was only at -1, while Donald was at -8. Even after the second round, Faldo was five strokes back of leader Raymond Floyd. Things turned for Faldo in the third round, as he shot a six-under-par 66 to pull within three of Floyd. Then in the fourth round, Faldo shot a three-under-par 69 to get to -10, and subsequently beat Floyd in a playoff. This was Faldo’s second straight Masters title as he beat Scott Hoch in a playoff in 1989.

2) Tiger Woods–At the 2005 Masters, Tiger Woods of Cypress, California, was nowhere near the leaderboard after round one as he was seven shots back of leader Chris DiMarco. Even after round two, Woods was six shots back of DiMarco. After round three, Woods closed the gap to four strokes, and in the fourth and final round, beat DiMarco by three. Woods finished the tournament at -14. On the 16th hole, Woods executed an amazing 20-foot chip shot that plopped into the hole.

1) Jack Burke Jr.–At the 1956 Masters, Jack Burke Jr. of Fort Worth, Texas was eight strokes back of amateur Ken Venturi after the second round and third round. After 54 holes, Venturi was at -6, and Burke was tied for fourth at +2. Then in the fourth round, Venturi struggled mightily by shooting a fourth-round score of 80. Burke Jr. was the winner after shooting a final-round score of one-under-par 71 for a four-round-score of +1. The Masters was one of two major titles Burke Jr. won in 1956 as he also won the PGA Championship.

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