Golf Special Edition: Happy belated birthday Larry Mize
It’s the 24th of September today, just one day after the birthday of Larry Mize from Columbus, Georgia. Mize turned fifty two years old yesterday which refreshed many memories from his past. He is the four-time winner of the PGA Tour, and has grabbed the
Inaugural Champions Tour of 2010 Montreal Championship as well. Along with these events, he also won the Master of 1987, where the magical performance by Mize can never be forgotten. During the Masters of 1987, Mize caught the attention of nearly every golf
fan living or dead. The match at the Augusta course went through a Sunday which left many perplexed. Mize played a miracle shot against Greg Norman at the 11th green and displayed an unbelievable sudden-death playoff.
Here’s how it went, the shot was 140 feet long, the ball played by Mize bounced up a grassy bank, twice, which then bounced the putting surface. In simple words, the ball had basically rolled halfway through the green and dropped straight into the hole after
its mystifying dance.
Mize was 28 years old when he won the Tour and due to the magical shot at the Augusta Club, he had defeated Norman in one of the most creative ways possible. Norman was the then premier player in the world but unluckily lost on the second hole at the sudden-death
playoff.
This amazing end to the Masters tournament was ruled by the 28-year-old at the 13th hole, which lasted for a brief period. He played a birdie which moved him ahead two golfers named Crenshaw and Roger Maltbie. Mize however, dropped down again
after hole number 14 and 15 which was carded to be 2 under. His bogeys in the previous holes were expected but the three-perfects he played weren’t expected at all. At that magical hole, Mize played a perfect 3-wood, nine-iron and putt in order to attain the
perfect birdie taking him to rule the leader board again.
At the last regulations and the 2 playoff holes, Mize had mesmerised everyone at the fields, and his competitor Norman only made things worse for himself. Norman’s 18th hole was a disaster which led him to lose the Majors. He had played his shot,
which looked as if it was directed to drive the green but apparently only covered a distance of mere 285 yards with his ball gauging to the far side of the bunkers. He played from there with the intention of playing over it and finally made his desired shot.
The shot, however, landed with the distance of 91 yards to green.
After the 91 yard scene, Norman hit a sand wedge which made a chance of birdie. The ball had stopped at a distance of 20 foot putt and it looked as if Norman would win the tournament. He didn’t however. He missed the putt and stated that never in his wildest
dreams he thought he would miss such a putt.
Mize is the youngest of his three siblings in the family. His father, Charles Mize, took up golf when he was thirty five years old, who later transferred his love for the game to his children. He defeated his father first time at the age of 13, after which
his father could never beat him again. Larry had played a 74 while his dad ended his game at 75. In the festive year of 1987, Larry Mize was surrounded by his family and friends to celebrate his amazing victory. His sister Lisa, had laughingly said that Larry
would never mow the grass lest he might get a blister. Along with Lisa, Mize’s wife Bonnie and his son David were also seen at the event.
The time may have moved on but Larry’s amazing shot at the summer of 1987 can never be forgotten. The golf enthusiasts still regard him for that outrageous shot, which was one of its own kinds. After 23 years, people still love him for his genius on the
golf ground. As fans gather to wish him a belated birthday, they can’t stop recapturing the magical memories.
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