Every April, Augusta National transforms into a stage for triumphant champions emerging amid the blooming azaleas and towering pines. However, the Masters isn’t just about victory — it’s also remembered for the painful collapses that have defined some of golf’s most unforgettable Sundays.
Even top-tier players aren’t immune to the pressure. In 2016, Jordan Spieth famously saw his lead vanish within the span of a few holes, a harsh reminder of how mentally and physically demanding the course can be. Let’s take a look back at ten of the most memorable final-round Masters meltdowns — moments of heartbreak that have stood the test of time.
10. Roberto DeVicenzo, 1968
After shooting a 65 on Sunday, DeVicenzo should have found himself in a playoff with Bob Goalby. However, he mistakenly signed an incorrect scorecard — his playing partner marked him down for a 4 instead of the 3 he actually scored on the 17th. Because the higher score had to stand, he was disqualified from contention. The clerical error is widely regarded as one of the most unfortunate self-inflicted moments in Masters history.
9. Greg Norman, 1986
That year, Norman was in contention in all four majors but only managed to win the British Open. At the Masters, he needed a par on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Jack Nicklaus but misfired with a four-iron, resulting in a bogey. The focus was on Nicklaus’ historic win, but Norman later described the failed approach as the biggest regret of his career.
8. Ken Venturi, 1956
Playing as a 24-year-old amateur, Venturi led by four shots heading into Sunday. Despite hitting 15 greens in regulation, he three-putted six times in blustery conditions and carded an 80, losing by a single stroke to Jackie Burke Jr. No amateur has come as close to winning the Masters since. Venturi reflected years later on whether he “choked,” acknowledging the argument but offering his own perspective on the experience.
7. Jordan Spieth, 2016
Spieth was aiming to become the first player to win back-to-back majors wire-to-wire. After building a five-shot lead with nine holes to go, things began to unravel with bogeys on the 10th and 11th. The disaster came on the 12th — a poor tee shot found the water, followed by a failed drop and chunked shot, leading to a quadruple bogey. Despite efforts to recover, the damage was done, and Danny Willett surged ahead to win.
6. Rory McIlroy, 2011
Holding a four-shot lead at the start of Sunday, McIlroy’s troubles began on the 10th with a wayward tee shot into the trees, resulting in a triple bogey. He followed with a bogey on 11, then a four-putt double on the 12th. By the 13th, after another ball found the water, his lead and hopes were gone. He finished with an 80 but rebounded two months later to win the U.S. Open in dominant fashion.
5. Ed Sneed, 1979
Sneed carried a five-shot lead into the final round and held steady through 15 holes. But the closing stretch unraveled quickly. He three-putted the 16th for bogey, narrowly missed a par putt on 17, and left a par attempt on 18 hanging on the lip. The back-to-back-to-back errors led to a sudden-death playoff, where Fuzzy Zoeller claimed victory.
4. Scott Hoch, 1989
In a playoff with Nick Faldo, Hoch had a two-foot putt to win on the 10th hole but missed it wide — a moment that shocked viewers. Faldo seized the opportunity, making birdie on the next hole to win. Hoch later tried to downplay the miss, but it remains a defining moment of his career.
3. Kenny Perry, 2009
Perry was two shots ahead with two holes left. A win seemed likely, but mistakes on the 17th and 18th holes — including a bladed chip — forced a playoff. There, he continued to struggle, allowing Ángel Cabrera to claim the green jacket. Perry candidly admitted afterward that he had trouble closing under pressure, despite coming heartbreakingly close.
2. Curtis Strange, 1985
Strange entered Sunday two shots ahead. On the par-five 13th, his aggressive attempt at a birdie backfired when his ball landed in Rae’s Creek. He compounded the mistake by failing to recover cleanly and carded a bogey. A similar error on the 15th sealed his fate. Bernhard Langer would go on to win, while Strange’s gamble proved costly.
1. Greg Norman, 1996
Norman’s Sunday round is widely viewed as the most devastating collapse in Masters history. With a six-shot lead over Nick Faldo, Norman faltered with three consecutive bogeys from holes 9 to 11. His tee shot on the 12th found the water, and his composure never returned. He finished with a 78 as Faldo completed a nearly flawless round to win by five shots. The collapse, witnessed live by millions, has become synonymous with final-round heartbreak.