Masters 2023: Sandy Lyle expects Augusta farewell to be emotional

Sandy Lyle getting ready to do his victory jig on the 18th green at Augusta in 1988

Sandy Lyle says there will be "a lump in my throat" when he walks up the 18th for a final time at Augusta this week.

The 65-year-old Scot, who was Britain's first Masters champion in 1988, is retiring after this tournament.

"It'll be emotional. Hopefully I don't burst into tears coming up the 18th in the second round," he told BBC Sport.

"Hopefully it's a good enough score to play the weekend. The last few years it's not worked out that way but you always live in hope."

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Lyle, who famously won the Green Jacket by holing a downhill birdie putt on the 18th after a sensational seven-iron from a fairway bunker, has not made the halfway cut at the Masters since finishing joint 44th in 2014.

His victory is the only time he has finished in the top 10.

"I've had some good years, but the time has come," he said. "I'll return if the health stays good to watch and eat with past winners of the tournament," said the Shrewsbury-born Scot, who gets his 42nd appearance at the Masters under way on Thursday at 13:24 BST.

"Winning the Masters is always a great achievement. It's the pinnacle. Like an athlete winning a gold medal at the Olympics. It's something you'll cherish all your life.

"I've had The Open, I've had the Masters and the Players," he added, referring to his victories at Royal St George's in 1985 and at Sawgrass in 1987, where he became the first non-American to win the PGA Tour's flagship event.

"So, golf's been pretty good in that respect."

The two-time major champion won 18 times on the European Tour and claimed six PGA Tour titles, including winning the week before his Masters triumph.

"Nobody ever speaks about Greensboro, which I won in a play-off," he said.

"And then I had all the press interest during the week of the tournament, it takes a bit out of you. So I was exhausted going up the final few holes and I was really happy when that final putt went in - I wasn't going down the 10th hole in the play-off."

Lyle, who held the lead after the second and third rounds, opened a three-stroke advantage after a birdie on the ninth in the final round.

However, he bogeyed the par-four 11th and dropped two more shots on the par-three 12th to move level with Mark Calcavecchia, who then birdied the par-five 13th to move one clear.

Lyle said: "I should have made birdie at 13 after a good drive but I didn't. I should have made birdie at 14 from eight feet but I didn't. I should have made birdie, almost eagle, on 15, which I didn't.

"So it was like 'you're not going to win and you've had the best chance ever'. Little did I know I was going to play the last three holes in two under."

A birdie on the short 16th drew him level with Calcavecchia and his memorable birdie on the last, and the jig that followed, will forever be remembered.

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