The golfer who once shot 34-over-par at the 2005 Masters but refused to sign his scorecard 

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Augusta National is one of the toughest challenges any golfer will face throughout their career.

Windy conditions wreaked havoc during the 2024 edition; Bryson DeChambeau claimed it was one of the hardest golfing tests he’d ever faced.

Furthermore, during the 2011 tournament, Rory McIlroy famously crumbled whilst leading during the final round.

Clearly, it takes a lot to win at Augusta, which ultimately makes Tiger Woods’ 2019 victory all the more special. Another of Woods’ green jackets came during the 2005 edition, where his infamous chip-in on the 16th occurred.

Interestingly, earlier that week, one participant didn’t enjoy the same sort of luck on the iconic par-three. In fact, the player in question carded one of the worst scores in the history of golf – except he didn’t.

Billy Casper’s nightmare 106 at 2005 Masters

Billy Casper, who sadly passed away in 2015, won The Masters in 1970, earning him a lifetime invitation to golf’s most prestigious event.

Before the 2005 edition, Casper revealed that he would be teeing it one last time at Augusta. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go as planned.

Playing the 16th – his 7th hole – Casper found the water five times before eventually hitting the putting surface. After three-putting, the 1970 champ walked off with a score of 14, which is the single-worse score in Masters history.

Casper dropped two shots on 17 and 18 and would play the first nine in a record-breaking 57. As he began his back nine (Augusta’s front), it became increasingly clear that a three-figure total was on the cards. The American would eventually card a score of 106 (34-over-par).

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Why Billy Casper’s 34-over at Augusta National is unofficial

After finishing his record-breaking round – not for the right reasons – Casper refused to hand in his card and was subsequently disqualified. As a result, the 34-over total cannot be classed as an official round.

Nevertheless, Casper’s first round at the 2005 Masters will go down as one of the worst rounds of golf ever witnessed, and not just at Augusta National.

Speaking after the event, Casper revealed he never intended to hand in his card and that he only wanted to play 18 holes to “get it out” of his system.

“I was only going to play 18 holes – I just had to get it out of my system,” he said. “I wanted to do it again. A lot of my grandchildren were here.”

The American’s performance came after a debate had emerged about Augusta’s lifetime participation policy. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer petitioned for the exemption to remain, which allowed Nicklaus and Casper to compete.