The writers had written him off. Washed up. Finished. Kaput.

Jack Nicklaus watches his putt in final round play of the 1986 Masters, where he won his sixth green jacket. (File/Staff)

Jack Nicklaus was an afterthought for most people heading into the 50th Masters Tournament.

The greatest winner in Augusta National Golf Club's history, Nicklaus also was 46 years old. The "Olden Bear,'' they were calling him.

Two years since his last PGA Tour win. Six years since his last major triumph. And, more important, four years from getting his AARP card.

But Nicklaus would have none of it. Nor would his family.

"I felt like he could win it the whole week,'' said his oldest son, Jackie, who caddied for him that week.

Inspired by an Atlanta newspaper clipping that questioned his abilities and using a putter that looked like a vacuum-cleaner attachment, Nicklaus defied the odds and won his sixth green jacket.

A who's who of golf stars - Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Tom Kite, Nick Price and Tom Watson - was in the hunt April 13, 1986.

Nicklaus struggled early in the round, and it appeared Ballesteros and Kite would battle it out.

But Nicklaus rolled in a short birdie putt at the ninth hole to make the turn in 1-under-par 35, and he set off to the back nine in pursuit of another green jacket.

Here's how it unfolded on the final nine holes at Augusta National:

NO. 10

An indifferent drive left Nicklaus farther back than usual, but he rifled his approach shot in below the hole. Using his Response ZT putter, a new release from MacGregor, Nicklaus made birdie. Now he was 4 under for the tournament.

NO. 11

Entering Amen Corner with some momentum, Nicklaus didn't let up. A perfect drive and well-placed approach gave him his third consecutive birdie. Five under.

NO. 12

Willie Peterson was on the bag for Nicklaus' first five Masters victories. The caddie was outside the ropes on this day, but he was still cheering his man on.

"If he shoots 30 (on the back nine), they can hang it up,'' Peterson said.

But Nicklaus stumbled at the devilish par 3 guarded by Rae's Creek. His tee shot wound up on the back fringe, and his chip left him an awkward short putt. He missed, then stabbed his putter in the air in frustration. Back to 4 under.

NO. 13

Nicklaus hit a perfect tee shot that took the slope and left him in position to reach the par 5 in two. His 3-iron hit the front of the green soft and settled well below the hole. Two putts later, he had the birdie he wanted. Five under again.

NO. 14

A long approach left Nicklaus with an awkward chip from the back of the green. But he coaxed the ball close to the cup and saved par.

NO. 15

Nicklaus was running out of holes and knew he needed something special. Ballesteros made eagles on Nos. 8 and 13 and was at 9 under. Kite was two shots back at 7 under. Norman, Watson and Nicklaus stood at 5 under.

Another solid drive left Nicklaus about 200 yards from the green. Turning to his caddie, son Jackie, he asked, "You think three would go very far here?"

"Let's see it," Jackie replied.

His 4-iron shot stopped about 12 feet from the cup. When the eagle putt landed, Jackie jumped into the air and the gallery roared. Now Nicklaus was 7 under and in contention for the first time all week.

NO. 16

Jim Nantz was working his first Masters for CBS Sports. His assignment was the 16th hole. Now he was in the middle of a Nicklaus charge that hadn't been seen at Augusta National in more than a decade.

Nicklaus' tee shot was slightly right of the flag, but it caught the slope and spun back toward the hole. It came to rest three feet below the cup, setting up an easy birdie for Nicklaus.

"The Bear has come out of hibernation," Nantz said after the putt dropped.

Nicklaus was now 8 under.

NO. 17

Jackie Nicklaus can still remember the noise while walking from the 16th green to the 17th tee.

"It was deafening," he said.

A different roar greeted Nicklaus on the tee. It came from the vicinity of No. 15, where Ballesteros had found the water with his second shot.

Nicklaus hit a poor tee shot, pulling it to the left, but he still had a shot to the green. His approach settled 11 feet from the hole, but he and Jackie disagreed on which way the putt would break.

Nicklaus thought it would break left, toward Rae's Creek. It did.

As the putt neared the hole, CBS announcer Verne Lundquist made his famous call.

"Maybe ... Yes sir!" Lundquist exclaimed as Nicklaus moved to 9 under.

NO. 18

Nicklaus now had the outright lead, as Ballesteros made bogey on the 15th. Struggling to keep his emotions in check, Nicklaus still managed to play the finishing hole in textbook fashion.

His birdie putt came up a bit short, but it left him with a tap-in par. Nicklaus had completed his final nine in 30, which tied a record, and left him with a final-round 65 and 279 total.

Father and son hugged after the round was over.

"Before we knew it, we were embracing on the 18th green," Jackie Nicklaus said. "It happened pretty quick."

THE AFTERMATH

Nicklaus was escorted to Jones Cabin to watch the final groups come in. One by one, they faded.

Ballesteros three-putted the 17th.

Kite needed to birdie the final hole to tie Nicklaus; he hit his second shot to about eight feet. But the putt wouldn't break, and it stayed out of the cup.

Now it was up to Norman. He started the day with the lead but gave it back in the middle of the round. Four consecutive birdies at Nos. 14-17 left him tied with Nicklaus going into the final hole.

But his approach to the 18th green sailed wide right, and he couldn't save par.

A 46-year-old had just won the Masters, and father and son hugged again.

"It was the first time I'd seen Dad nervous all day," Jackie said of the wait in Jones Cabin. "He was pacing around, waiting to see what would happen. When the last putt was complete, we embraced again."

Reach John Boyette at (706) 823-3337 or john.boyette@augustachronicle.com.