For millions of golf fans, the image of Jack Nicklaus on the 16th hole at Augusta National is etched in permanent relief: a 46-year-old legend, long dismissed as a relic of a previous era, defying the laws of athletic aging to claim a record sixth green jacket. It was a moment of sporting transcendence that occurred on Sunday, April 13, 1986, and for Jim Nantz, it served as the most surreal introduction to a career that would redefine golf broadcasting.
At the time, Nantz was not the voice of the Masters, but a 26-year-old rookie announcer in his first year with CBS Sports. The juxtaposition was stark: Nicklaus was fighting to prove he still belonged at the summit of the game, while Nantz was fighting to prove he belonged in the broadcast tower. Together, they navigated a Sunday that felt less like a tournament and more like a fairy tale, resulting in a victory that remains the most Masters titles won by a single player in history.
The road to that Sunday began for Nantz nearly two years earlier in an unlikely setting: Park City, Utah. In June 1984, Nantz found himself acting as a “bag totter” for Nicklaus during an exhibition at Park Meadows C.C., a course designed by the “Golden Bear.” Carrying Nicklaus’s heavy MacGregor tour bag for 18 holes, Nantz experienced a rare, intimate glimpse of the man’s kindness and professional rigor. Despite Nantz steering him to a birdie-free 73, Nicklaus remained warm, occasionally asking the rookie caddie for input on green reads and yardages.
The Trial by Fire at Pebble Beach
Nantz’s transition from caddie to commentator was swift but disciplined. After being hired by CBS in the summer of 1985, he fell under the wing of the legendary and demanding producer Frank Chirkinian. The learning process began in January at Pebble Beach, where Chirkinian set a rigid set of expectations. Nantz was told he would not be calling the action that weekend; instead, he was there strictly to observe the mechanics of a professional telecast.
The experience was a lesson in humility and the grit of sports journalism. With the Lodge at Pebble Beach sold out, Nantz was housed in a villa that once belonged to 1940s golf great Lawson Little, sharing the space with the seasoned and often curmudgeonly golf writer Bob Drum. Chirkinian’s ultimate ultimatum was clear: if Nantz performed well in the coming weeks, including a debut at the Doral Open, he would be granted a spot in the Masters broadcast ten weeks later.
By the time Nantz arrived at Augusta National in April 1986, he was acutely aware of the delicate environment. Positioned in the CBS tower behind the par-3 16th hole, he learned the necessity of a lowered voice to avoid distracting players. He also noted the optical illusions created by the Georgia sun; as the light hit the players’ tee shots, the golf balls appeared unnaturally large—almost like beach balls—rather than their actual 1.68-inch diameter.
A Sunday of Impossibilities
Entering the final round on April 13, the leaderboard suggested that Nicklaus was a non-factor. He was tied for ninth place, trailing by six strokes. The spotlight was firmly on Greg Norman, Nick Price—who had posted a course-record 63 on Saturday—Seve Ballesteros, and Bernhard Langer. At 46, and without a major victory in six years, Nicklaus appeared to be a passenger in his own tournament.
The momentum shifted violently as Nicklaus began a charge that stunned the gallery and the broadcast team. A string of birdies at the ninth, 10th, and 11th holes signaled a resurgence. After an eagle on the 15th, Nicklaus suddenly found himself only two shots behind Ballesteros. As he approached the 16th, Nantz provided the historical context, reminding viewers of Nicklaus’s pivotal 1963 birdie and his legendary 40-footer in 1975.
Then came the shot that defined the day. As Nicklaus addressed the ball with a 6-iron, Nantz entered a state of “laying out”—the broadcaster’s term for absolute silence. He recalled a warning from Chirkinian earlier that morning: if Nantz talked over a moment as significant as a hole-in-one, he would be personally thrown out of the tower. As the ball tracked toward the cup, Nantz uttered only three words: “right at it.”
The ball settled just three feet from the hole. Nantz responded with a simple, “Oh, my!” After the birdie putt was center-cut, Nantz delivered the line that would encapsulate the comeback: “There is no doubt about it, the Bear has come out of hibernation.”
The Anatomy of the 1986 Comeback
| Hole | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 9, 10, 11 | Three Consecutive Birdies | Initiated the charge from 6 back |
| 15 | Eagle | Closed gap to 2 shots behind leader |
| 16 | Near Ace / Birdie | The psychological turning point |
| 18 | Final Putt | Secured 6th Masters Title |
The Legacy of a Single Day
After the broadcast ended, Nantz was approached by lead analyst Ken Venturi, who was visibly giddy. Venturi offered a prediction that would haunt and inspire Nantz for the next four decades: “Jimmy, you may be lucky enough to one day broadcast 50 Masters tournaments, but I can promise you this, you will never see a day greater than this around Augusta National.”
Throughout his subsequent career, Nantz would call some of the most significant moments in sports history—including Tiger Woods’ dominant 1997 victory and his 2019 return to glory. Yet, the 1986 tournament remains a singular event. It was the day a rookie announcer and a veteran champion both defied expectations in the same afternoon.
The 40th anniversary of this triumph serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the Masters. As the tournament continues to evolve with new generations of players, the 1986 victory remains the gold standard for the “golf fairy tale.”
The sporting world now looks forward to the next Masters championship at Augusta National, where the tradition of the green jacket will once again provide a backdrop for the next generation of legends and the voices that chronicle them.
Do you have a favorite memory of the 1986 Masters or a legendary Nicklaus moment? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
