Customer Reviews

The Lost Masters: Grace and Disgrace in '68

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book contains a fascinating report of two gentlemen that were the victims of two unfair events: Roberto De Vicenzo was the victim of an unfair (and recently modified) rule and Goalby was the victim of an unfair treatment by the media and some golf fans. The two of them had a very gentle reaction after the incident and remained close friends. The book is a refreshing story about excellence in sports.

THE LOST MASTERS, the story of the controversial 1968 Masters championship. MASTERS is a slanted but colorful and enjoyable piece of work. Also read SUMMER, Sampson's best work, in my opinion.

This work covers the 68' Masters incident in thorough detail and with a fine style. I wonder why the book has not been translated to Spanish so far, since the Argentine public would be very interested in this complete and documented version of a half known story.

Curt Sampson takes us back to the historic 1968 Masters in this solid, but unspectacular, book. He does a fine job of setting the cultural context for the event (MLK having just been buried, Vietnam, etc) and of introducing the main players (Roberto De Vicenzo and Bob Goalby). He also does a good job of giving us all the facts involved in the scorecard dispute. So the pieces are all there. So why 4 stars instead of 5?

For one, Sampson tries a little too hard to be picturesque with his language. He also spends a little too much time on stories outside of the main topic in an effort to fill the title's 238 pages.

Still, I ripped through this in no time and enjoyed it.

I haven't read this book, though I'd like to. There is a serious error in the review by Stanley Hudy, which is why I am writing.

He says Goalby bogeyed the last hole, and appeared to lose the Masters by a stroke. That is not what happened. Goalby made a brilliant par on the last hole, and appeared set for a playoff the next day with DiVicenzo. Instead, DiVicenzo signed the wrong scorecard, and Goalby was declared the outright winner.

Both golfers played incredible golf that last day. A miscarriage of justice, IMO, that the outcome was decided the way it was, instead of on the course.

Golf author Curt Sampson pulls the reader back in time to the age of the 1960's when the nation was torn apart about the Vietnam War, coping with the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy as well as the bitter fight for the White House between Hubert Humphrey, Richard Nixon and George Wallace.
In the beginning of the spring, a tournament was played at a small, private club in Augusta, Georgia called The Masters.
It is here that once again history was made, but not in a positive manner as one golfer was elevated from virtually unknown to historic and another was declared a winner, but vilified by the media in one fell swoop, or the lack of it.
In the 1968 Masters, South American professional golfer Robert De Vicenzo appeared to be tied in a two-way tie with American Robert Goalby, forcing an 18-hole playoff.
For DeVicenzo, he was so disgusted with his won bogey late in the round, forcing the tie with Goalby that he broke USGA rule 38. He wrote down the wrong score on his scorecard, one stroke higher than he actually finished his round.
The mistake was made by playing partner Tommy Aaron on the 17th hole, giving De Vicenzo a par four, when he actually made a birdie three. Not only had the South American done so in front of a touring professional, but also in front of a nationwide audience.
As players typically keep the score of their opponents in tournaments, it was not uncommon for Aaron to keep De Vicenzo's card, but it was the British Open winner's right and duty to review his card before signing on the final, attesting line.
With De Vicenzo disgusted with a bogey on the 18th hole, opening the door for Goalby to win the championship, the South American failed to review his own scorecard, simply signed it and left it on the table before being whisked away for a green jacket ceremony.
Unbeknownst to De Vicenzo, Goalby bogeyed the same 18th hole, appeared to lose the tournament by a single stroke and gave up his shot at a green jacket.
"The Lost Masters' reviews the events that led up to that fatal moment and the triple-standards that applied to the USGA rules in previous high profile events.
Sampson reveals that the rules were bent on at least two previous occasions, but with the possibility of a foreign competitor winning the Masters, the rules should be applied correctly, strictly and without fail.
Adding to the rules infraction is Sampson's revelation of the power that the ailing Bobby Jones still held at Augusta. The once-great golfer, ravaged by a car accident resided on the grounds and was consulted by the Masters staff.
It was Jones' own ruling that decided De Vincenzo's fate.
In a single instant, De Vincenzo lost the Masters, Goalby won it, and life changed forever for both golfers.
The ever-lovable South American became renown throughout the world as the golfer who had a major championship stolen from him, the USGA became a laughingstock by comedians and sportswriters and Goalby became one of the most hated golfer's in the world.
For younger golfers who are learning the game or one who has played for years, "The Lost Masters' is a requirement for any duffer as a reminder of how important the rules are and how they are applied in the game of golf as well as the way of life.