More than 37 years after it was played, the 1986 Masters remains arguably the most famous tournament in the history of professional golf, with 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus winning his sixth Masters and 18th major.
And something that helped Nicklaus pull off that win at Augusta will soon be in the possession of Indianapolis Colts owner, Jim Irsay.
Irsay was in the broadcast booth for a portion of Saturday’s preseason game between the Colts and Chicago Bears. Irsay announced that he is “securing the rights to the only putter Jack Nicklaus doesn’t have for his major championships. The famous ’86 putter…We’ve been able to secure that in private auction and couldn’t be more excited. It’s the only one that Jack doesn’t have. He gave it to a friend and the friend decided to make a little money.”
Colts owner Jim Irsay is "securing the rights" to the putter Jack Nicklaus used to win the 1986 Masters.
According to Irsay, the only putter from his 18 majors that Nicklaus does not have. pic.twitter.com/894nqXzSSY
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) August 20, 2023
Nicklaus holds the record for most Masters championships with six and professional majors with 18. The 1986 Masters was his last of both. Given his history, his final major triumph was always going to be a big deal and any possible keepsakes from it would be potentially valuable.
But the 1986 Masters goes beyond that. Nicklaus fought off not only the greatest players in the world but also father time. Furthermore, he wasn’t even really considered a contender throughout the week or even when he turned onto the second nine during Sunday’s final round.
