Nearly four decades before the first of Greg Norman’s close calls or collapses at Augusta National, Australian golf suffered its first Masters near miss.
In 1950, Jim Ferrier looked almost certain to become the first Australian to win the Masters. Born in Sydney in 1915, Ferrier was taught how to play by his father, John, who was a low-handicapped player and descended from a line of Carnoustie golfers in Scotland. By the age of five, Ferrier junior was swinging a club around the course at Manly Golf Club, where his father was the secretary.
Ferrier won his first big amateur event, the NSW
