O'Meara Calls Time On Glittering Masters Career

O'Meara calls time on glittering Masters career
Mark O'Meara won The Masters in 1998
(Image credit: Augusta National/Getty Images)

American Mark O'Meara has decided to end his Masters career 20 years after landing the Green Jacket at Augusta National

O'Meara Calls Time On Glittering Masters Career

Mark O’Meara has called time on his Augusta National career 20 years after landing his first and only Green Jacket.

O’Meara, who holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd green in 1998 to finish one clear of David Duval and Fred Couples, shot rounds of 78 and 81 to miss the cut by ten – his third consecutive US Masters missed cut.

In commentary, Sky’s Butch Harmon suggested O’Meara would call it a day after his second round. The pair had spoken the week before in Houston, with O’Meara questioning whether he could be competitive anymore.

“That was it for me – I’m done,” the American said shortly after his round.

“It’s a tough golf course when you’re 61. I hit it OK. Today I struggled a little bit. Didn’t hit a lot of greens in regulation. Didn’t putt well. Didn’t make a birdie.

“I knew coming into the week this was likely going to be my last Masters.”

The 16-time PGA Tour champion said he’ll continue to tee it up on the Champions Tour.

O’Meara played in 34 Masters Tournaments, but one stands head and shoulders above the other 33.

“I count my blessings that 20 years ago I got fortunate to make a putt on the 18th hole to win The Masters,” he said.

“I’ve been very blessed to have been a very small, small part of the unbelievable tradition here at the Masters Tournament. To have Tiger Woods put the Green Jacket on me in 1998… I couldn’t have asked for any more than that.

“I don’t want to come out if I don’t feel like I have a chance to play on the weekend. It’s time to move aside.”

O’Meara will remain an important strand of the fabric of the tournament, and will no doubt return next year to attend the Champions’ Dinner and participate in the Par 3 Content.

It also remains to be seen if any other past champions decide to call it a day before next year’s event. Ian Woosnam, for example, has missed ten consecutive cuts and hasn’t finished inside the top 40 this millennium.

Nick Bonfield
Content Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, commissioning and feature writing. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x