Up until winning his first important title in 1984, Crenshaw had acquired a reputation for being a major championship bridesmaid. Five times he'd been a runner-up and on two other occasions had finished third. Two particular moments must have hurt him badly. At the 1975 US Open he missed out on a play-off by one stroke, after hitting his tee shot into a lake at the 71st hole, which he double-bogied. Four years later at the USPGA Championships he did contest a play-off only to lose to David Graham

After many years of disappointment, Crenshaw claimed his first major title at Augusta in 1984, beating Tom Watson into second place by two strokes. Crenshaw had started the final round two strokes behind leader Tom Kite, in third place. But Kite blew-up with a 75 to finish in a share for sixth, five strokes behind Crenshaw who'd closed with a four under par 68. The key moment of Crenshaw's final round came on the 10th green where he holed a monster 60-foot putt for a birdie three. It was his third birdie in a row.

US Masters victory number two came 11 years later. Once again he carded a final round 68, but this time his winning margin was just one stroke. He birdied both the 16th (par 3) and 17th (par 4) in round four to take a two-shot lead up the last. Crenshaw could afford to bogey the final hole and after his winning putt had been sunk he broke down in tears. Seven days earlier, his mentor, teacher and close friend, Harvey Penick, had died at the age of 90. Crenshaw flew back to Austin, Texas, during Masters week to attend the funeral, where he was a pall-bearer.

Ben Crenshaw the 2 time Masters champion.