[Masters] "Indian Curse" on 12th Hole: "This Year's Victim is Smith"

Choi Jong-il's "4 on 2 putt" triple bogey deals a fatal blow to his winning march, ending in a tie for 3rd place; Weiscope says "Worst 13 strokes since 1980"

Cameron Smith is waiting for his shot order on the 2nd hole of the final day at the Masters. Augusta, USA = Getty Images / Multivitz
Photo by Multivitz

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] "4 on, 2 putt triple bogey."

This year, Cameron Smith (Australia), the Players Championship winner known as the ‘5th Major,’ is the ‘sacrificial victim of the 12th hole.’ On the 11th (Korean time) at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, USA (par 72, 7,510 yards), the final day tee shot of the 2022 season’s first major, the Masters (total prize money $15 million), landed in the water, and after a one-stroke penalty, his third shot went far beyond the green, resulting in a devastating triple bogey. With 6 birdies and 4 bogeys, he finished at 1 over par, tied for 3rd place (5 under par, 283 strokes).

The biggest challenge at Augusta National is the stretch from holes 11 to 13, known as the ‘Amen Corner.’ The 12th hole (par 3) is especially notorious, with a superstition that "in 1931, an American Indian burial ground was discovered," and "strange things often happen." Although the hole is only 155 yards, a precise ‘needle-like iron shot’ is essential to reach the narrow space between the creek in front of the green and the bunker behind. Failure to get ‘on the green’ inevitably results in a harsh penalty.

‘The Returned Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods is teeing off at the 12th hole, the 'heart of Amen Corner,' on the final day of the Masters. Augusta, USA = Getty Images / Multibitz

Tom Weiskopf is a representative example. On the first day in 1980, he went into the creek five times, scoring a staggering 13 strokes, the worst score in Masters history. It remained a painful memory as he finished runner-up four times at the Masters. Jeff Maggert recorded a quintuple bogey (8 strokes) on the final day in 2003, Bubba Watson had a septuple bogey (10 strokes) with ‘9 on, 1 putt’ in the 4th round in 2013, and Jordan Spieth was stopped by a quadruple bogey (7 strokes) with ‘6 on, 1 putt’ in the final 4th round in 2016.

On the other hand, ‘the returning golf emperor’ Tiger Woods (both from the USA) greatly benefited from the 12th hole when he won in 2019. Francesco Molinari (Italy), who was 2 strokes behind the leader, had his ball land on the bunker lip and then roll into the water, resulting in a double bogey. Molinari’s misfortune continued as his third shot from 80 yards on the 13th hole (par 5) hit a tree branch and again fell into the water, ultimately forcing him to swallow his tears. It is interesting that Woods suffered the humiliation of a septuple bogey (10 strokes) with ‘8 on, 2 putts’ on the final day of the ‘Fall Masters’ in November 2020.