1987 Masters: Local Golfer's Miracle Finish
The 1987 Masters was the 51st one played. It was won by a native of Augusta, Ga., in a playoff over two superstars, with a famous chip-in.
Winner: Larry Mize, 285
Where it was played: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Tournament dates: April 9-12, 1987
Leader after first round: John Cook, 69
Leader after second round: Curtis Strange, 141
Leader after third round: Ben Crenshaw and Roger Maltbie, 212
Notable Notes: Third-round co-leaders Crenshaw and Maltbie each shot 74 in the final round, opening the door for others. Augusta, Ga., native Larry Mize, plus Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros, took advantage, all tying at 285. A 3-way, sudden-death playoff ensued.
Ballesteros went out on the first hole, while Mize and Norman continued to a second playoff hole. An errant approach left Mize off the green, about 140 feet from the cup. It appeared Norman (who missed a birdie putt on the last hole of regulation that would have won it) was in position for the win. But then Mize proceeded to knock that long chip shot right into the hole, leaping exultantly as the ball dropped. After Norman missed a long birdie putt, Mize was the champion.
Final Scores
| Larry Mize | 70-72-72-71—285 |
| Seve Ballesteros | 73-71-70-71—285 |
| Greg Norman | 73-74-66-72—285 |
| Ben Crenshaw | 75-70-67-74—286 |
| Roger Maltbie | 76-66-70-74—286 |
| Jodie Mudd | 74-72-71-69—286 |
| Jay Haas | 72-72-72-73—289 |
| Bernhard Langer | 71-72-70-76—289 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 74-72-73-70—289 |
| Tom Watson | 71-72-74-72—289 |
| D.A, Weibring | 72-75-71-71—289 |
| Chip Beck | 75-72-70-73—290 |
| T.C. Chen | 74-69-71-76—290 |
| Mark McCumber | 75-71-69-75—290 |
| Curtis Strange | 71-70-73-76—290 |
| Lanny Wadkins | 73-72-70-75—290 |
| Paul Azinger | 77-73-69-72—291 |
| Mark Calcavecchia | 73-72-78-68—291 |
| Sandy Lyle | 77-74-68-72—291 |
| Craig Stadler | 74-74-72-71—291 |
| Bobby Wadkins | 76-69-73-74—292 |
| Gary Koch | 76-75-72-70—293 |
| Nick Price | 73-73-71-76—293 |
| John Cook | 69-73-74-78—294 |
| Tom Kite | 73-74-74-73—294 |
| Mark O'Meara | 75-74-71-74—294 |
| David Graham | 73 77 72 73—295 |
| Donnie Hammond | 73-75-74-73—295 |
| Corey Pavin | 71-71-81-72—295 |
| Scott Simpson | 72-75-72-76—295 |
| Dennis Watson | 76-74-73-72—295 |
| Fuzzy Zoeller | 76-71-76-72—295 |
| Calvin Peete | 71-77-75-73—296 |
| Gene Sauers | 75-73-74-74—296 |
| Andy Bean | 75-69-78-75—297 |
| Howard Clark | 74-71-77-75—297 |
| Hubert Green | 80-71-74-72—297 |
| John Mahaffey | 73-75-76-73—297 |
| Gary Player | 75-75-71-76—297 |
| Joey Sindelar | 74-70-81-72—297 |
| Mark Wiebe | 73-74-71-79—297 |
| Johnny Miller | 75-75-71-77—298 |
| Payne Stewart | 71-75-74-78—298 |
| Jim Thorpe | 77-74-76-71—298 |
| David Frost | 75-70-77-78—300 |
| Kenny Knox | 75-75-75-75—300 |
| Don Pooley | 76-75-76-73—300 |
| Mike Hulbert | 76-75-71-79—301 |
| Bruce Lietzke | 75-74-77-76—302 |
| Tommy Aaron | 72-76-76-81—305 |
| Dave Barr | 79-68-79-79—305 |
| Billy Casper | 77-74-75-79—305 |
| Mac O'Grady | 72-79-79-75—305 |
| a-Bob Lewis Jr. | 74-77-79-79—309 |