Posted March 22, 2012, 10:25 pm |

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1970: Billy Casper putts way to first Masters win

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Front Page of The Augusta Chronicle after the 1970 Masters Tournament

Billy Casper, one of the game's best putters, was a perennial contender at the Masters throughout the 1960s.

But the Big Three - Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player - had made Augusta National Golf Club their own private playground and took turns slipping into green jackets from 1960-66.

When the trio's winning streak came to an end, Casper turned in so-so performances in 1967 and 1968.

Casper was poised to win his first Masters in 1969, but a final-round 74 left him one shot behind George Archer.

When Casper arrived in Augusta the next year, he changed his strategy by taking advice from his caddie, a regular at Augusta National.

The move paid off as Casper earned a spot in an 18-hole playoff against Gene Littler. In the extra round - the last playoff of its kind in Masters history - Casper needed only one putt on six of the first seven holes as he cruised to 69 and a five-shot victory.

For the day, Casper had nine one-putts and needed just 27 putts on the challenging greens.

"The greens here are very subtle," Casper told reporters after slipping on his green jacket. "Sometimes they don't break just the way you figure them to.

"If you misread them as much as an inch, you've missed the putt."

1970 Masters

	Player	F	R1	R2	R3	R4	Earn.
1	Billy Casper	-9	72	68	68	71	$25,000
2	Gene Littler	-9	69	70	70	70	$17,500
3	Gary Player	-8	74	68	68	70	$14,000
4	Bert Yancey	-7	69	70	72	70	$10,000
5	Tommy Aaron	-5	68	74	69	72	$6,667
5	Dave Hill	-5	73	70	70	70	$6,667
5	D. Stockton	-5	72	72	69	70	$6,667
8	Jack Nicklaus	-4	71	75	69	69	$4,500
9	Frank Beard	-3	71	76	68	70	$4,000
10	Bob Lunn	-1	70	70	75	72	$3,500
10	J. Rodriguez	-1	70	76	73	68	$3,500

1970: Billy Casper putts way to first Masters win

1970 Masters

From AugustaChronicle.com »

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