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SPECIAL FEATURE20 21 ASIAN GOLF2015 U.S. Masters PreviewI had to putt better on thosegreens, and just as importantly,I had to figure out where to hit my secondshots into the greens. I learnedthat lesson the hard way,” reflectsLanger, who putted with a conventionalblade in 1985, with regular lengthshaft, but with a cross-handed grip.The combination cracked Augusta’scode. “Just one three-puttwas a huge improvement. Iholed out well from six feetand in and that was key.”three-putt was a huge improvement. I holed out wellfrom six feet and in and that was key.”The Masters is famed for its exciting finishes, as theplayers navigate around the most famous back nine ingolf, with Amen Corner its beating heart. Another finalflourish was duly enacted in 1985.“As I came off the ninth I saw that Curtis wasfour shots ahead,” recalls Langer, who partneredBallesteros, with Floyd and Strange behind in thefinal pairing. “I had played the front nine in evenpar but I had lost ground by two shots. So I approachedthe 10th tee thinking I did not care ifit meant I finished 30th, I was going to play asaggressively as possible and go for every flag.”While Strange stalled, Langer accelerated.He targeted the back-right pin position on 12,knocked his ball close and marched off with atwo. More birdies flew in at the 13th, 15th and17th, while Strange found water with his secondshots at both 13 and 15.“I was five under par from the 10th to the17th, but then I bogeyed the last to comeback in 32,” says Langer, 27 years old at thetime, and now 57. “I went from four behind at theturn to two in front in the space of eight holes.”A pair of 68s was the lowest weekend returnin the field, and saw Langer – dressed from top tobottom in pillar-box red – slip his arms into theGreen Jacket. “Someone quipped that I looked like aChristmas tree,” adds Langer. They never?Another statistic you might not know: in 31Masters appearances Langer has played 108 tournamentrounds; more than any other European everto tee up there, and 14th among all Masters golfers(he skipped over Byron Nelson’s 106 last year). Atthe age of 56 last year, he finished 8th. Win or lose,Langer continues to make his mark.Bernhard Langer’s Tour Around Amen CornerAmen Corner’ incorporates holes 11, 12, and13 at Augusta National, which loop theirway around the southernmost end of thecourse. American writer Herbert WarrenWind coined the nickname ‘Amen Corner’in reporting on the 1958 Masters for SportsIllustrated magazine. They became the mostfamous two words he ever wrote.“Amen Corner is a very special place,” saysLanger. “The difficulty is that water comesinto play on every hole. It is a crucial part ofthe golf course, where you could come outone or two under par, but you could alsoblow up and go three or four over.”11 ‘White Dogwood’, par 4,505 yards“The 11th has become such a hard hole,”starts Langer. “Augusta has planted manytrees to the right so it is much more narrow,and lengthened it to 505 yards.“You are also faced with water to theleft of the green and behind it,” continuesLanger. “I have to come into that green witha very long club, and there is often gustingwind to contend with. The wind seems toswitch very often down there.Often you see the flag on 11 blowingfrom left to right, yet 80 yards away you cansee the flag on 12 blowing in the oppositedirection. Then you throw some grass intothe air and it comes back straight into you.There is something weird about the wind atAmen Corner.”12 ‘Golden Bell’, par 3, 155 yards“It is the way the green is angled on the 12ththat makes it such a hard hole,” explainsLanger. “If the green ran straight across fromone side to the other it would not be anissue, but the green is angled from front-leftto back-right, and so is Rae’s Creek. If you pullyour tee shot your ball flies over the green onthe left or if you push the tee shot it will dropinto the water on the right.“Having made both of those mistakesover the years, I started to think JackNicklaus’s advice is the safest strategy: toplay over the bunker [in front of the centralsection of the green], even though that isthe narrowest part of the green. With theswirling winds that is a tough tee shot.”13 ‘Azalea’, par 5, 510 yards“The 13th may be my favourite hole inISSUE 175 APRIL 2015the world,” declares Langer. “It is a risk andreward hole. Ideally you want to hook thetee shot, to hug the left-hand side of thefairway, along by the creek, because thatshortens the hole and gives you a flatterlie. No matter what, the second shot willbe played from a hanging lie [above theright-hander’s feet], which means the ballshould naturally hook. This means the linefor the approach is to the right of the greenand into the creek, and then you must waitfor the ball to turn left into the green. That issomething a lot of players don’t like to do –we don’t like aiming into a hazard – in casethe ball does not hook. If you over-hookthe approach there is more trouble waiting- maybe even an unplayable lie among theazaleas.”Amen Corner is a very special place,”says Langer. “The difficulty is that watercomes into play on every hole. It is a crucialpart of the golf course, where you couldcome out one or two under par, but you couldalso blow up and go three or four over.”