The most celebrated sporting moment in Australian history remains a yacht race 30 years ago, when a boat skippered, built and even paid for by Australians beat the shifty Americans for the first time in 132 years, prompting Bob Hawke to declare a national holiday of sorts. ''Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum,'' said the enraptured prime minister.
Julia Gillard, the first of our treble of prime ministers in 2013, was more circumspect when Adam Scott sank a four-metre putt on the 10th hole at Augusta National, thereby winning the US Masters in April. ''By any measure, this a historic day for Australian sport,'' said Gillard, as we all trotted off to work.
Hitherto, the Masters had been a cursed event, in which Aussies contrived ways to lose from winning positions. Scott and Jason Day had been joint runners-up in 2011, when either could have worn the garish green jacket. Australian golfers had been either outright or equal second eight times at Augusta. Day, as it happens, led the 2013 Masters by two shots at the 16th on the final day and then bogeyed twice.
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