Billy Casper arrived at The Masters in 1970 with some painful memories to banish having led after three rounds 12 months earlier before falling away on Sunday at Augusta National.
Billy Casper’s hopes of winning the Green Jacket in 1969 were dashed when he made five bogeys in his first 10 holes during the final round. Despite then making birdies on 11, 13 and 15, Casper finished one shot back of George Archer.
Heading into The Masters in 1970, it had been more than three years since Casper had won his second US Open title in a playoff with Arnold Palmer.
He would need another playoff to triumph at Augusta National.
What Billy Casper became the last player to do at The Masters
The 38-year-old made a reasonable start to the first major of the year. He posted a level par round of 72 on Thursday in Georgia. Casper found himself one shot off the top 10 and four shots back of Tommy Aaron.
However, two rounds of 68 saw Casper put himself in front with 18 holes to play for the second year running.
The par five eighth had been one of the only holes Casper had managed to make a par on during his nightmare front nine in the last round in 1969. However, it proved to be something of a disaster for him one year later as he made a double bogey.
It led to a three shot swing with Gene Littler, who had been one shot behind on the tee. But, thankfully for Casper, they would be level again on nine under par after the ninth.
Elsewhere, Gary Player also found himself at nine under par as he teed off on the final hole. Unfortunately for the South African, his second Masters title would have to wait as he made a five up the last to miss out on making the playoff by one shot.
It would be Casper and Littler who would have to come back on Monday to play another 18 holes.
Ultimately, the playoff was something of an anticlimax, with Casper taking a four shot lead after just four holes. The gap would extend to seven after Casper made a birdie on the 11th hole.
And while that advantage would be reduced to three at one stage, Casper steadied any nerves with birdies on the 16th and 17th. He would end up winning by five.
The change Augusta National made several years later
It would prove to be the final major title of Casper’s career. But it would also prove to be the final time that The Masters was decided in an 18 hole playoff.
Augusta National decided to make a change to the format in 1976, with a sudden-death playoff set to be used in the event that there was a tie at the top.
Fuzzy Zoeller was the first player to win The Masters in a sudden-death playoff after the change, with the American winning on his first visit to Augusta National in 1979.
Casper meanwhile, made his last appearance at The Masters in 2005 – the same year which saw Jack Nicklaus also tee it up in the event for the final time.