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He is the golfer who never won a major but led after Thursday of the 1997 Masters before an ’embarrassing’ 10

The 1997 Masters at Augusta National will forever be remembered as Tiger Woods’ debut as a professional, where the 21-year-old dominated the field with a record-setting 12-shot victory. However, the tournament’s opening day belonged to John Huston, a veteran golfer who had finished third at the same event seven years earlier.

Huston, coming off a three-year PGA Tour win drought, took the early lead with a stellar opening round of 67, highlighted by an eagle on the 18th hole from 190 yards. His strong start positioned him as the tournament favorite, with Woods trailing in fourth place after his own opening nine holes of 40.

But Huston’s momentum stalled on Friday, as a disastrous 10 on the 13th hole—after missing Rae’s Creek with two shots—sent his second round soaring to 77 and left him eight strokes behind Woods. Despite finishing tied for 21st, Huston’s brief lead underscored the unpredictable nature of Augusta, where even the most promising starts can unravel quickly.

His next top-10 major finish came three years later at the 2000 U.S. Open, though Woods’ dominance at Pebble Beach that week left little room for celebration.

Huston’s career included four PGA Tour wins, including his last in 2003, and appearances in two Presidents Cups, though his record in the event was far from stellar—winning just one of eight matches played.

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