Posted March 23, 2012, 8:33 pm |

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1985: Bernhard Langer uses weekend 68s to win Masters

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Langer
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Langer
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Front Page of The Augusta Chronicle after the 1985 Masters Tournament

With Augusta National Golf Club's slick, undulating greens, most experts would agree that a skillful putting touch is a requirement for Masters champions.

A man who putts cross-handed and once quit the game because of a bout with the yips? Forget about it.

But Bernhard Langer doesn't fit the conventional mold when it comes to Masters winners. The German turned pro as a teen-ager, battled putting woes and persevered to become one of the game's all-time greats.
Both of Langer's Masters victories - 1985 and 1993 - will be remembered for back-nine decisions made by players who wound up as losers. Weekend rounds of 68 wound up being the difference.

In 1985, the European trailed American Curtis Strange heading into the back nine. But Strange, bidding to win after opening with an 80, found water on both of the par-5s on the back nine and made a pair of bogeys to squander a four-shot lead.

``What's a three- or four-shot lead on a golf course like this where you have holes like 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16?'' Langer asked.

The German hit both par-5 greens in two and made birdies. A birdie on the short 12th helped him shoot a 3-under 33 on the back nine.

``I think I won the tournament on the back nine,'' Langer said.

Strange came to the 18th hole with a chance to tie if he made birdie, but he made a bogey and joined Seve Ballesteros and Ray Floyd in a tie for second, two shots behind Langer.

The win was his first major championship and his first win on American soil. A week later, he won the MCI Heritage Classic at Hilton Head Island.

1985 Masters

	Player	F	R1	R2	R3	R4	Earn.
1	B. Langer	-6	72	74	68	68	$126,000
2	S. Ballesteros	-4	72	71	71	70	$52,267
2	Ray Floyd	-4	70	73	69	72	$52,267
2	Curtis Strange	-4	80	65	68	71	$52,267
5	Jay Haas	-3	73	73	72	67	$28,000
6	Gary Hallberg	-2	68	73	75	70	$22,663
6	Bruce Lietzke	-2	72	71	73	70	$22,663
6	Jack Nicklaus	-2	71	74	72	69	$22,663
6	Craig Stadler	-2	73	67	76	70	$22,663
10	Fred Couples	-1	75	73	69	70	$16,800
10	David Graham	-1	74	71	71	71	$16,800
10	Lee Trevino	-1	70	73	72	72	$16,800
10	Tom Watson	-1	69	71	75	72	$16,800

1985: Bernhard Langer uses weekend 68s to win Masters

1985 Masters

From AugustaChronicle.com »

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