Opinion & Analysis

Defining moments from the past six Masters

Published

10 years ago

Apr 6, 2016

“Anything can happen in golf” is a quote that is commonly stated year after year. While this traditionally references unfortunate bounces or poor shots, it also refers to moments of greatness. With the 80th edition of the Masters Tournament beginning this week, I wanted to look back at the most recent sample size of golf shots. From spectacular swings to preeminent putts, here are some of the defining moments from the last six Masters.

2010: Phil Mickelson’s 6-iron Between the Trees

The 13th at Augusta National is arguably one of the best par 5’s in professional golf. Accuracy off the tee is crucial for players who are looking to attack this hole in two shots. In 2010, Phil Mickelson left his drive in the pine straw with 207 yards to the hole. He threaded his second shot through a 4-foot gap in the trees and onto the green, and a two-putt birdie on Sunday afternoon propelled him to his third green jacket in seven years.

2011: Charl Schwartzel Birdies Four Holes in a Row

When you birdie the last four holes at Augusta National on Sunday, it’s hard for any one else to catch you. That was the case for South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel in 2011, as he finished his final round 4-2-3-3 to win his first major.

2012: Bubba From the Trees

Really no argument here. Bubba Watson’s 40-yard hook from the trees in his playoff with Louis Oosthuizen was the defining moment of the 2012 Masters. Had Oosthuizen won, we may be talking about his double eagle… but Watson manufactured one of the most defining shots in the history of the Masters and earned his first of two Green Jackets.

2013: Adam Scott’s Birdie on No. 18

We go from one of the most iconic shots in Masters history to one of the most iconic images in Masters history. Adam Scott’s birdie on the 72nd hole gave him the outright lead in the clubhouse. While Angel Cabrera was able to make birdie on top of him, Scott would produce Australia’s first Masters champion on the second playoff hole.

2014: Bubba’s Two-Shot Swing

On the ninth hole in the final round, Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson were tied for the lead at 7-under. It proved to be the turning point, as Spieth would bogey and Watson rolled in his birdie putt (seen above) to take a two-shot lead. Watson would go on to win by three shots.

2015: “The Lord Hates a Coward”

This quote from Byron Nelson accurately describes Spieth’s aggressive approach on the final hole of Amen Corner. Not only did it depict Jordan’s domination that week; it also showed he was able to stay aggressive and finish strong in a major tournament.

Did I miss a moment? Tell us in the comment section below!

Opinion & Analysis

AVL: My U.S. Amateur local qualifying experience

Published

6 days ago

Jun 5, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.

I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.

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Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.

With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.

Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!

Club Junkie

Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast

Published

7 days ago

Jun 4, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.

Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.

If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.

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Club Junkie

Tour Edge Exotics mini driver review + TaylorMade Spider ZT Max first look – Club Junkie

Published

2 weeks ago

May 28, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of Club Junkie, I put the new Tour Edge Exotics Mini Driver to the test and break down the performance, forgiveness, distance, and where it fits compared to a traditional driver or strong fairway wood. If you have been curious about adding a mini driver to the bag, this one is worth a look.

I also dive into the new TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter that was recently spotted and discuss the growing zero torque putter trend. Plus, there is a closer look at the new Project X Titan Yellow shaft showing up on the PGA Tour and what makes it different from other profiles currently out there.