Decade by decade, the best of the Masters
By Bill Felber
Masters: The world game
Foreign-born stars won half the Green Jackets between 1980 and 1989, Seve Ballesteros won in 1980 and 1983 with Bernhard Langer (1985), Sandy Lyle (1988), and Nick Faldo (1989) also winning.
Although well into his 40s, Nicklaus was still good enough to emerge with a sixth title in 1986. But generally speaking, the American crop of champions was ordinary, featuring Craig Stadler (1982) and Larry Mize (1987) along with Tom Watson (1981) and Ben Crenshaw.
Forty-four players met the qualifying standard of playing at least five full four-round events, although only Crenshaw and Watson survived the cut in all 10. From those 44, here are the decade’s top 10.
Rk Player Avg. Std. Dev
1. Seve Ballesteros -1.70
2. Tom Watson -1.21
3. Ben Crenshaw -0.88
4. Jack Nicklaus -0.76
5. Tom Kite -0.75
6. Bernhard Langer -0.74
7. Ray Floyd -0.74
8. Greg Norman -0.57
9. Craig Stadler -0.50
10. Fred Couples -0.48
Ballesteros supplemented his 1980 and 1983 victories with runner-up finishes in 1985 and 1987 – the latter as the third-wheel in the famed Mize-Norman playoff.
He was third in 1982, fourth in 1986, and fifth in 1989. Add it up and you get seven top 10s for the decade.
Watson only twice finished outside the top 10 during the decade, never lower than 14th…hence his runner-up position for the decade. He was second to Crenshaw in 1984.
A poor showing as defending champion in1985 – he tied for 55th – cost Crenshaw a chance to supplant Watson as the decade’s No. 2. Still, he could look back on a decade that included his 1984 victory, a tie for second in 1983, a tie for third in 1989, a solo fourth in 1988, and two other top 10s.