| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 11–14, 1968 |
| Location | Augusta, Georgia 33°30′11″N 82°01′12″W / 33.503°N 82.020°W |
| Course(s) | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Organized by | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,980 yards (6,383 m)[1] |
| Field | 74 players, 52 after cut |
| Cut | 149 (+5) |
| Winner's share | $20,000 |
| Champion | |
 Bob Goalby | |
| 277 (−11) | |
| Location map | |
  Augusta National Location in the United States  Augusta National Location in Georgia | |
The 1968 Masters Tournament was the 32nd Masters Tournament, held April 11–14 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
Bob Goalby won his only major championship, one stroke ahead of Roberto De Vicenzo, the reigning British Open champion.[2] On the back nine in the final round, Goalby birdied 13 and 14 and eagled 15 to record a 66 (−6) and a total of 277 (−11).
At first it appeared that he had tied De Vicenzo and the two would meet in an 18-hole Monday playoff, but De Vicenzo returned an incorrect scorecard showing a par 4 on the 17th hole, instead of a birdie 3, sunk with a two-foot putt. Playing partner Tommy Aaron incorrectly marked the 4 and De Vicenzo failed to catch the mistake and signed the scorecard. USGA rules stated that the higher written score signed by a golfer on his card must stand,[3] and the error gave Goalby the championship.[1][2]
Speaking to the press after the error, De Vincenzo said, "What a stupid I am."[4]
Ironically, Goalby discovered a scoring error he had made on the card he was keeping for Raymond Floyd, his playing partner in the final round, which he corrected at the scorer's table (there was not a scoring tent in 1968; after DeVicenzo's mistake in 1968, however, a scoring tent was erected directly behind the 18th green for the 1969 tournament). He had marked Floyd down for a par-3 on the 16th hole, when Floyd had actually bogeyed the hole. Floyd ended up in a tie for seventh place with, among others, Aaron. Both Aaron and Floyd would win the Masters in future years, Aaron in 1973 and Floyd in 1976.
Jack Nicklaus tied for fifth place and third-round leader Gary Player finished tied for seventh. Lee Trevino, 28, made his Masters debut and was two strokes back after three rounds, tied for seventh place. A rough back nine of 43 (+7) pushed his score to 80 and he finished tied for 40th. Two months later, he won the 1968 U.S. Open, the first of his six major titles. The Masters was the only major that eluded him; his best finish was a tie for tenth, in 1975 and 1985. Citing incompatibility, Trevino skipped Augusta three times in the early 1970s,[5][6][7] and missed in 1977 due to a bad back.[8]
In his fourteenth Masters at age 38, four-time champion Arnold Palmer found the water three times during a second round 79 for 151 and missed the cut for the first time at Augusta.[9][10] He made the next seven cuts, through 1975.
Bob Rosburg won the ninth Par 3 contest on Wednesday with a score of 22. Claude Harmon, 51, had consecutive aces at the fourth and fifth holes, but tied for third at 24.[11] The next day, Harmon withdrew in the first round after a nine-hole score of 40.[12]
- ^ a b "Stain mars Goalby's jacket". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. April 15, 1968. p. 19.
- ^ a b Wright, Alfred (April 22, 1968). "Golf's craziest drama". Sports Illustrated. p. 14.
- ^ Green, Bob (April 15, 1968). "Goalby's 277 captures Masters as scoring error costs De Vicenzo tie". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. p. 15.
- ^ "1968: De Vicenzo signs for wrong score, Goalby wins Masters".
- ^ "Lee Trevino to skip Masters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 17, 1969. p. 20.
- ^ Addie, Bob (April 11, 1973). "Have Trevino, Masters parted company for good?". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). (Washington Post). p. 10.
- ^ Mizell, Hubert (April 8, 1978). "Trevino, Masters still not compatible". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). p. 1C.
- ^ Green, Bob (March 24, 1977). "Trevino to miss Masters". Free Lance-Star. (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press. p. 8.
- ^ "'Worst ever here' – Arnie". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 13, 1968. p. 12.
- ^ Gundelfinger, Phil (April 13, 1968). "Player, January tie in Masters; Arnie out". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 12.
- ^ "Harmon holds pair of aces". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 12, 1968.
- ^ "(Masters scores)". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 12, 1968. p. 22.