The making of a master: Making legends at Augusta

When it comes to the majors, especially the Masters, there are different kinds, categories, of winners.

Each has its appeal and all have contributed generously to the tradition and magic of the tournament. And what makes Augusta all the more special is that invariably that the top of the leaderboard tends to have a player from each of them fighting it out for green.

1. THE BOLTER, OR THE ‘WHO’S YOUR MAN?’ VICTORY

The first Masters this column watched was ‘87. We’d long heard of Seve and Norman but never the other guy in the play-off with them: a local Augusta boy called Larry Mize.

No wonder: he’d only won one tournament before, the 1983 Memphis Classic. He’d only ever win four tournaments. But one of those was that Masters with that famous chip in.

Maybe that’s why we got hooked on the tournament since.

Augusta hasn’t quite provided a bolter on the scale of John Daly’s Tin Cup-like triumph at the ’91 US PGA. It wasn’t like Tiger Woods was an unknown quantity in ’97 — he’d already won three PGA tournaments in the previous six months — we just didn’t know that he was that good. In recent years though there’ve been more Mize-like wins. Zach Johnson had only ever won one tour event before putting on the green jacket in 2007; in fact he had never finished in the top 15 of a major. A year later Trevor Immelman won only his second tournament out of his native South Africa. Charl Schwartzel had only won one European or US tour event before he capitalised on Rory McIlroy’s final day meltdown in 2011; indeed it would be his first top 12 finish in a major. The spirit of Mize continues.

Other historical standouts: In 1979 Fuzzy Zoeller became the first golfer since 1935 to win The Masters in his first appearance.

Possible 2015 candidates: No one obvious. That’s the whole charm of a bolter.

2. THE CREEPER VICTORY

Not so much a journeyman that leapfrogged to major champion status, as one who took a couple of intermediate steps without becoming a bona fide regular contender either.

Mike Weir first turned pro in ’92. It took him until 1998 to make the US PGA tour. But then in 1999 he had a Top 10 finish in the PGA championship. A year later he’d finish in the top 30 of three of the majors. Then in 2003 he won a few tournaments in February, form he’d bring in to Augusta by winning a play-off against Len Maciatte. Maciatte would’ve been a bolter. Weir was a creeper.

Other historical standouts: Bubba Watson won three tour events in 2011 before winning and wearing green in 2012. Mark O’Meara in ’98.

Possible 2015 candidates: Our own Shane Lowry (100/1)

3. THE ‘AT LAST! YOUR MAN!’ VICTORY

Our personal favourite. To think poor Monty hasn’t a major to show for all those tour and Ryder Cup heroics and six Top 3 major finishes, and there’s Immelman with a green jacket at home. Yet for every Monty there’s been a Woozy who got over the line; Ian Woosnam had won 17 tour events and had four Top four major finishes prior to his 1991 August breakthrough.

In sinking that 18th green putt, he foiled Jose-Maria Olazabal who’d have to wait a further three years before winning his first Masters, even though it was the 15th tour win of his career and his fourth Top 10 finish in Augusta.

There have been many of this vintage: Freddy Couples in 1992. Ben Crenshaw in ’84 (10th tour win, sixth Top 10 finish in Augusta and eighth Top 3 major finish). Bernhard Langer in 1985 (12th pro tour win). Adam Scott two years ago (10th tour win, after finishing second in two majors in the previous 24 months).

Other historical standouts: Phil Mickelson winning his first major in 2004. The guy had won 23 other tour events. Four times he’d finished third in the Masters. He’d finished in the top three of six other majors. A study in persistence and a model of inspiration for a good few – too many – players of a similar profile now.

Possible 2015 candidates: Sergio Garcia: 27 professional wins, three Masters top 10 finishes and 10 top 5 major finishes. Lee Westwood: 41 professional wins, four top 10 finishes in the last five Masters, 10 top 5 major finishes. Jason Day: five top 5 major finishes since 2011. Rickie Fowler: finished top five in all four majors last year. Henrik Stenson: seven top 4 major finishes.

4. THE CONFIRMATION ‘TOP MAN’ VICTORY

You might have won a major before but following it up with a green jacket elevates your status to another level.

There’s kind of two subcategories here. Obviously most of the greats had to go through this phase: Seve in ’80 (following up on his ’79 British Open). Faldo in ’89. Phil in 2006. Even Jack in ’63 and Watson in ’77.

Other historical standouts: Sandy Lyle in ’88, Vijay Singh in 2000, Angel Cabrera in 2009, Bubba last year, maybe didn’t quite reach that level, but in winning a second major in Georgia, they went beyond merely good.

Possible 2015 candidates: Graeme McDowell. Justin Rose. Adam Scott. Keegan Bradley.

5. THE TURNING- BACK-THE-CLOCK ‘REMEMBER ME?’ VICTORY

Call it a comeback, even if they’ve been around for years, for if we’re to continue with the LL Cool J rap, it’d been a long time since these guys had been rockin’ their peers and puttin’ ‘em in fear. But that’s what makes this kind of win it all the sweeter.

There’s been Langer (’93), Crenshaw (’95) and Olazabal (’99) in how they all won their second green jacket. For years Faldo had been told he’d never win a third Masters and sixth major. Ray Floyd’s 1976 win was only his second tournament win since his ’69 US Open victory. Gary Player hadn’t had a top 10 finish in his previous 12 majors prior to his win in ’78 at 43 years of age. But of course there’s no doubting the daddy of them all.

Other historical standouts: The daddy of them all — Jack Nicklaus, — in 1986, at age 46, six years after his previous major win.

2015 possible candidates: Pádraig Harrington. Ernie Els. And of course, a guy by the name of Tiger Woods.

6. THE CLEANER ‘YOU THE MAN!’ VICTORY

This is rarefied air here. Last year a guy called Tim Grover, the physical trainer to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant penned a book called Relentless: From Good To Great To Unstoppable.

Those who made the commitment to unstoppable he called Cleaners.

Jordan’s protégé, Tiger, was a cold-blooded Cleaner, something Augusta in 2001, 2002 and 2005 would confirm.

Jack too, with victories such as ’65 and ’66, and ’72 and ’75. Hogan in ’53 when he’d go on to win three majors that year. Arnie in ’62 and ’64. Snead circa ’49.

Others have had a glimpse of that mindset. Like Faldo in 1990 when he’d win the Masters and British Open and finished just a shot back in the US Open. Seve in ’83.

Having won the past two majors, Rory is in a similar groove, bordering on Jack-Tiger level. He’s the only player on the planet at the moment with that kind of scope.

Right now he’s the most special player in the game.

It’ll take a special story — one from the other five categories — to foil him.