It’s a rite of passage: every Masters champion has to successfully negotiate the tee shot at the 12th hole if he wants to put on the green jacket.
Fred Couples came to the 12th tee in 1992 with the lead. Every golfer knows that to fire at the pin, tucked in its traditional Sunday placement in the right corner, is folly.
Couples was trying to play it safe, but he blocked his tee shot. It hit the bank on the far side of Rae’s Creek but, defying gravity, did not roll back into the water.
From there, Couples chipped up close to save par and went on to win by two strokes over close friend and mentor Raymond Floyd.
“The biggest break, probably, of my life,” Couples said after slipping into his green jacket. “I’m not so sure what would have happened if it would have went in the water like everybody else’s.”
1992 Masters
| Player | F | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Earn. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fred Couples | -13 | 69 | 67 | 69 | 70 | $270,000 | |
| 2 | Ray Floyd | -11 | 69 | 68 | 69 | 71 | $162,000 | |
| 3 | Corey Pavin | -10 | 72 | 71 | 68 | 67 | $102,000 | |
| 4 | M. O'Meara | -8 | 74 | 67 | 69 | 70 | $66,000 | |
| 4 | Jeff Sluman | -8 | 65 | 74 | 70 | 71 | $66,000 | |
| 6 | I. Baker-Finch | -7 | 70 | 69 | 68 | 74 | $43,829 | |
| 6 | Nolan Henke | -7 | 70 | 71 | 70 | 70 | $43,829 | |
| 6 | Larry Mize | -7 | 73 | 69 | 71 | 68 | $43,829 | |
| 6 | Greg Norman | -7 | 70 | 70 | 73 | 68 | $43,829 | |
| 6 | Steve Pate | -7 | 73 | 71 | 70 | 67 | $43,829 | |
| 6 | Nick Price | -7 | 70 | 71 | 67 | 73 | $43,829 | |
| 6 | Ted Schulz | -7 | 68 | 69 | 72 | 72 | $43,829 |