The Masters: Ranking the 25 most exceptional performances at Augusta
By Bill Felber
23: Gay Brewer, 1967 Masters; 280 (-8), Std. Deviation -2.35
Brewer seemed to save his best efforts for Augusta. With no finish better than fifth in any other major of his career, Brewer had emerged from obscurity to take a one-stroke lead onto Augusta National’s final green one April earlier, only to three-putt and then lose to Jack Nicklaus in a playoff.
Still, nobody expected much from him at the 1967 event, and those minute expectations appeared justified when he recorded an opening 73, six strokes behind Bert Yancey and one behind Nicklaus.
Playing pressure-free golf on Friday, Brewer put together a 68 that shot him into contention, one behind Yancey and tied with Julius Boros, Tony Jacklin and Bobby Nichols. Nicklaus, meanwhile, disappeared from contention with an off-key 79 that caused him to miss the cut in a major for only the second time in his pro career.
His even-par Saturday round left Brewer two behind Boros, Nichols and Yancey. He put together a front nine 33 on Sunday but remained a stroke behind Nichols until the leader’s bogey at 11 threw him back into a three-way tie with Brewer and Yancey. Brewer fractured that tie by unleashing three straight birdies on 13 through 15, the last two of those capped with 20-foot and 10-foot putts. He closed with pars from there to defeat Nichols by one shot.
“I redeemed myself,” he told reporters after the round.