Who is the greatest ever Masters champion?

Nicklaus holes a clutch birdie putt on 17th

When Jack Nicklaus stood on the 10th tee during his final round at the 1986 Masters, just one under for the day and four shots adrift of leader Seve Ballesteros, very few people thought they were on the verge of witnessing one of the greatest sporting moments in history. Yet fast forward two hours, nine holes and 30 shots later, and Nicklaus was slipping on the famous green jacket for a sixth time.

Twenty five years may have passed since Nicklaus became the oldest Masters winner at 46 years old, but the Golden Bear's epic back-nine charge that rumbled through Augusta's pine trees, rippled Rae's Creek and brought everyday life to a standstill on the evening of Sunday April 13 1986, continues to echo through the Georgia air today. And why? Because he is the greatest champion to have graced this hallowed turf.

Jack hits Augusta for six

Nicklaus got the ball rolling in 1963 with a one-shot victory over Tony Lema to become the then-youngest Masters champion at 23, before Tiger Woods announced his name on the world stage as a 21-year-old in 1997. He then won by nine shots in 1965 over Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, before becoming the first consecutive champion a year later with a playoff victory against Tommy Jacobs and Gay Brewer.

The Golden Bear waited six years before equalling Palmer's four Masters titles in 1972, and then took over the Masters mantle with a fifth victory in 1975; Nicklaus was locked in a three-man battle over the closing holes but holed a treacherous 40-foot downhill birdie putt at the 16th to move one ahead of the watching Weiskopf and Johnny Miller back on the tee.

Yet the one we will always remember is the 1986 Masters, a tournament which capped off his 18th career Major. Lee Trevino once mused he could not begin to fathom how many flights were missed that day by people refusing to leave the gripping theatre, while Nick Price, who was in the final-pairing with Greg Norman, wondered why there were only 30 fans following his group. It seemed as though the strict Augusta policy of no running was thrown out the window, when something of a Boston marathon looked to have broken out - as the birdies poured and the crowd roared, fairways were being lined with spectators eight deep.

Nicklaus began the final day well in front of the leaders at two under par, tied for ninth place and four behind leader Norman - and after a slow start to the front nine, he had done little to raise any eyebrows, unless Carlo Ancelotti was watching. But Nicklaus, who had not won a Major championship in nearly six years, ranked 160th on the PGA Tour money list and dubbed a spent force by Atlanta journalist Tom McCollister on the eve of the tournament, took inspiration from having his eldest son Jackie on the bag and mother in the crowd. The Golden Bear raced around Augusta's back nine in six under with a birdie, eagle, birdie, par finish, for a nine under par total and one-shot victory over Norman and Tom Kite.

Keep an eye on the Tiger

Someone who will be looking to take an Augusta leaf out of Nicklaus' book this week is four-time Masters winner Woods. Much has been documented about the former five-year world number one's recent problems on and off the course, with a 16-month winless drought - the longest in his professional career spanning over 19 events. But for Tiger to truly pen his name alongside the Golden Bear, he too must defy the odds when people have written him off, and use the new-found feeling of ‘love-to-hate-Tiger’ as motivation - and let's not forget Woods is still only 35.

Yes, he has lost numerous fans around the world and a superman-like status that was usually enough to scare his opponents from getting anywhere near him on a Sunday leaderboard, but when push comes to shove Woods knows he is still the best golfer on the planet. And judging by his Masters record down the years, it would be no surprise to see him bounce back with a fifth green jacket.

Faldo presents Woods with green jacket in 1997

Few can forget Woods' relationship with Augusta; he re-wrote the record books when breaking his Major duck in 1997 with the lowest Masters total of 18 under par for a 12-shot victory, as the youngest ever winner at 21 years and 104 days. Tiger produced another great score of 16 under par to win the Masters for the second time in 2001, and then recorded consecutive wins with a three-stroke victory over Retief Goosen the following year. Woods' fourth and final win came in 2005, with perhaps the most memorable shot we will ever see in Masters history - a stunning chip on the 16th which famously paused for Nike promotion before falling into the cup.

Other contenders to the crown

American legend Palmer is arguably golf's most popular icon. The man known as 'The King' attracted many fans in his career, an affirmation of his personality and winning mentality. Nicklaus has even stated that Arnie is the reason why golf enjoys its popularity today. He was the first golfer to win the Masters four times with victories in 1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964, and made a string of 50 consecutive playing appearances until 2004. In keeping with Masters tradition, honorary starters Palmer and Nicklaus will each hit tee shots off the first tee to launch this week's first Major of the season.

South African Gary Player became the first international winner of the Masters in 1961. After conceding a four-shot lead to Palmer after double-bogeying the 13th, it looked as though Arnie's Army would be celebrating their hero's second straight Masters and third in four years. The Black Knight may have been one of the smallest players on the circuit at 5ft 6in, but he could certainly pack a punch – Player fought his way back over the closing holes to win by one-stroke over Palmer and Charles Coe. He then went on to record another Masters title in 1974, before overcoming a seven-shot deficit with a final-round 64 to win his third in 1978.

And last but not least, our greatest ever British golfer - Sir Nick Faldo. The three-time Masters champion, who borrowed clubs from his neighbours after watching Nicklaus play the 1971 Masters, won his first green jacket in 1989 - albeit after Scott Hoch missed a 30-inch putt to win on the first playoff hole. But a year later Faldo proved it was no fluke by defeating Raymond Floyd in a playoff, to become the third ever player to record consecutive Masters titles. Faldo then joined an elusive club of hat-trick winners in 1996 after staging a remarkable comeback against Norman to win by five shots.