h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*shoulders his way through all the tennis fans*

1986, The Masters, Augusta, Georgia. Jack Nicklaus, as a five-time winner in the 1960s and 1970s was guaranteed to be invited back for life, but in 1986 was thought to be finally past his best. At the age of 46, his drives were falling short, and his iron nerve around the greens was become increasingly rusty, forcing him to give way to the 1980s breed of longer-hitting stronger golfers.

A first round 74 looked ominous. Most thought that Nicklaus would miss the cut and go home a defeated man. A better round of 71 on a wind-hit Friday meant he slipped inside the cut margin by a stroke. A round of 69 on the thrid day left him some five strokes back from the leaders, Greg Norman and Nick Price; the latter shot a course-record 63 in the still Saturday conditions.

Huge crowds gathered to cheer on Nicklaus on his final day. At best, they hoped to see him post a good respectable score of 67 and leave with a top-10 placing. Instead, they were treated to one of the phenomenal rounds in golfing history. Nicklaus reached the turn in 35, one under par, and promptly set about demolishing Amen Corner and one of the toughest back nine holes in golf, cheered all the way by an increasingly frenzied crowd, for a 65 total, seven under par, and victory by one stroked over Norman and Tom Kite. It was his sixth Masters victory, a record that may never be equalled.

Nicklaus continued to believe he could play with the best at Augusta, and this was borne out as late as 1998. A memorial plaque to Nicklaus' achievements was placed between the 16th and 17th holes this day, at Nicklaus celebrated the achievement by, at the age of 58, finishing in the top six with a 68 on the final day.

"Are you happy?", a reporter asked him. "No, I was a bit disappointed with my approach to the 11th", replied Nicklaus, capturing the quest for perfection that has made history's most popular golfer.

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