It’s one of those Sundays at Augusta that feels almost scripted. The kind of day where golf stops being just golf — and becomes something more.
Nick Faldo was six shots behind Greg Norman heading into the final round of the 1996 Masters. Six. That’s not a gap — that’s a canyon. Especially when you’re chasing The Shark, world number one, swinging freely, and seemingly on cruise control toward a long-overdue Green Jacket.
But if golf has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is guaranteed. Not even a six-shot lead on Sunday at Augusta.
The Setup: Norman’s to Lose
Greg Norman had opened the week with a course-record-tying 63. He led wire to wire through Saturday. By all accounts, this was finally going to be his Masters.
Faldo? He was steady. Classic Nick Faldo. Fairways, greens, pars, the occasional birdie. Enough to stay in it — but not enough to make headlines.
Until Sunday.
The Shift Begins Early
Norman bogeyed the first. Just a blip, right?
Faldo didn’t blink.
Then came the eighth — Faldo rolls in a birdie, Norman doesn’t answer. The gap narrows. By the turn, it’s just two shots.
And if you’ve ever played Augusta — or even watched enough — you know what’s coming at Amen Corner.
The Collapse, and the Climb
Hole 12. That little par-three devil over Rae’s Creek. Norman steps up, swings, and splashes it into the water. Double bogey. Faldo makes par.
Suddenly, Faldo leads.
What had been a six-shot deficit was now a two-shot cushion. Augusta was quiet — the kind of quiet that only happens when thousands of people are stunned.
Then came the 13th — a vintage Faldo 2-iron to the heart of the green. Birdie.
By the time they reached 16, it was all but over. Norman found the water again. Faldo walked up 18 knowing he’d just played the round of his life — a 67 on Sunday at Augusta.
More Than a Win
It wasn’t just a win. It was the win.
- The biggest comeback in Masters history.
- The most heartbreaking collapse golf had seen.
- Faldo’s third Green Jacket.
But what sealed this moment into golf lore wasn’t just the numbers.
It was what happened after the final putt dropped.
A Champion’s Embrace
Instead of pumping fists or shouting to the heavens, Faldo walked straight to Norman and hugged him. A real hug. One that said, I know how much this hurts — and I respect you anyway.
No one needed words. The image said it all: one man rising, another man crumbling, and a game that — for better or worse — always finds a way to humble you.
Faldo’s Legacy, Sealed
That win did more than put another major on Faldo’s resume. It completed the story of his reinvention — from a mechanically-rebuilt player under David Leadbetter to a mental fortress who could win without flash, just pure grit.
Augusta was the final exam, and Faldo passed with distinction.
This wasn’t just a comeback. It was a transformation. A moment where calm, consistency, and class outlasted firepower.
In that one round, Faldo didn’t just win — he became unforgettable.
“I just kept playing my game. And somehow, it was enough.” — Nick Faldo
