Four Reasons You Need to Know About "Camellia," The Hardest Hole at the Masters
By Jason Lisk
1. The most important Sunday moments usually happen here
Last year, Angel Cabrera had a three stroke lead entering the back nine; he bogeyed 10 while Adam Scott got a par. They returned to the same hole in the playoff, and Scott hit the memorable birdie for the win. Without picking up 2 shots on Cabrera on the 10th, Scott is not a champion. Rory McIlroy, who appeared ready to take the tournament by storm in 2011, was still in the lead at 11-under on Sunday, but made a triple bogey at #10, falling to 4-under by the end of Sunday. And who can forget Bubba Watson’s hooked wedge to win the Masters in 2012, getting out of trouble at the 10th?
No. 10 is beautiful, but deadly. Why does it tend to prove a gauntlet that separates contenders? Well, because everything about it is treacherous.
2. It is a long, downhill nightmare
3. The degree of difficulty off the tee is ridiculous
4. The green separates the contenders
It’s right-to-left sloping green is one of the most difficult on the course, and that’s if you get there with your second shot. Leave it short, and you could be looking at this chipping into the grain with your feet well below the surface. It also separates the contenders. Ben Crenshaw made an amazing 60 foot putt for birdie at No. 10 in 1984 on the way to winning the Masters.
Scott Hoch missed a two-foot putt for par at No. 10 that would have ended the playoff against Nick Faldo. And of course, there was last year, where Adam Scott draining the winner at the beautiful, deadly, and decisive No. 10.
[photos via USA Today Sports Images, Augusta.com]