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As a farewell to the Masters it was not quite what Billy Casper had in mind - 14 on one hole and a round of 106 - but he was far from unhappy.

The 73-year-old, winner of the 1970 tournament, ran up his 14 on the 170-yard 16th yesterday, hitting five balls into the lake before finally making it over. And then three-putting.

It beat by one the record score for any hole in Masters history - the 13s of Tommy Nakajima at the 13th in 1978 and Tom Weiskopf at the 12th in 1980 - and his round was 11 worse than the previous highest by Charles Kunkle in 1956.

It may well never figure in the record books, however, because the former Ryder Cup captain did not hand the scorecard in afterwards and quit the event.

"I have the card in my pocket - I'm going to frame it," he said. "I have kids and grandchildren here and I had to finish for them."

Casper did not play in the last three Masters, but urged on by his offspring he decided to make one more appearance.

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