Sports Wax Episode 8: The Middle-Aged Man Does the Impossible
Share
With the Masters just days away, Sports Wax revisits one of the most iconic — and improbable — moments in golf history. It’s a story that’s part fairy tale, part sports legend. One man. One Sunday. One unforgettable back nine.
This is the story of Jack Nicklaus, age 46, who turned back time and stunned the sports world at Augusta National in 1986.
Listen to the full episode on:
A Sunday Like No Other
April 13, 1986. It’s a perfect spring day in Augusta, Georgia — sunshine, light wind, and a packed leaderboard featuring stars like Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, and Tom Kite. The CBS broadcast opens with Brent Musburger laying the scene.
But he doesn’t mention the guy who’s about to steal the show. Not once.
That guy? Jack Nicklaus — a 46-year-old legend whose last major win came six years earlier. He hadn’t even won anything since 1984. So why would anyone think this Sunday would be any different?
They were about to find out.
The Golden Bear Roars Again
Once the most dominant name in golf, Nicklaus arrived at Augusta that year with little fanfare. His press conference? Canceled. His preparation? Minimal. His motivation? Personal — with his son Jackie on the bag and his mother watching in person for the first time since 1959.
He was playing for himself. For the memories.
And yet, after an opening 74 and a steady climb on Friday and Saturday, he quietly positioned himself just four shots off the lead heading into Sunday. By the turn, he was still five shots back. But then came the back nine — and the magic.
The Back Nine That Changed Everything
Birdie at 10. Birdie at 11.
A bogey at 12 seemed to stall momentum, but Nicklaus bounced back with a birdie at 13.
On the par-5 15th, he asked his son, “Do you think a 3 would go a long way here?”
He eagled the hole.
The crowd roared. CBS’s Ben Wright delivered the call: “Yessir! The battle is joined.”
He birdied 16. Then 17 — raising that odd-looking, oversized putter in the air as the ball dropped. And just like that, Nicklaus walked up 18 as the leader, finishing at 9-under.
The Field Crumbles
Seve Ballesteros faltered. Tom Kite missed his birdie putt on 18. Greg Norman, charging late, needed a par on 18 to tie. He missed.
Jack Nicklaus was the 1986 Masters Champion.
At age 46. With his son on the bag. 23 years after his first green jacket.
The Legacy of That Day
When it was over, pro shops across the country were flooded with phone calls:
“Do you have that putter?”
It was Nicklaus’s final major win. His final Masters victory. And still, nearly four decades later, Ken Venturi’s words ring true:
“You may one day live to see 50 of these … but you will never see a day like this ever again around Augusta National.”
Why This Episode Matters
This is more than a golf story. It’s about redemption, belief, and the timeless beauty of sport. Whether you remember watching it live or are hearing it for the first time, Jack Nicklaus’s 1986 Masters is one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.
If you love golf, classic sports moments, or just a story that gives you chills — don’t miss this one.
Listen here: