There will be no emotional farewell stroll up the 18th fairway, no hole-to-hole coronation that has greeted past champions as they made their way around Augusta National for the final time.

And yet, for 40 years, Verne Lundquist has been something of a Masters legend. He has delivered with passion and exuberance two of the most iconic declarations in Masters history, moments that will forever be embedded in tournament lore like Gene Sarazen's double eagle, Jack Nicklaus' stirring victory in 1986 and the last of Tiger Woods' five green jackets.

If he were somehow allowed a walk up the 18th fairway on Sunday, it is not unrealistic to think Masters patrons might greet him with the same emotional affection heaped on Arnold Palmer when he played in his 50th and final Masters in 2005. Such are the green-jacket moments Lundquist has emblazoned in golf's consciousness for four decades.

The 88th Masters that begins Thursday will be the 40th and final broadcast assignment for Lundquist, who, at 83, leaves behind two of the most tingling, goose-pimply moments no golf fan will ever forget.

His simple yet ebullient reaction in 1986 to a Nicklaus birdie putt at No. 17 — "Yes sir!"— ranks with Al Michaels' "Do You Believe in Miracles? Yes!" as one of the great broadcast moments in sports television history.

And, he delivered another masterpiece in 2005 after witnessing one of the most incredible shots in Masters history: Tiger Woods' chip-in for birdie from behind the 16th green when he used the slope to slowly back-track his shot toward the hole, the ball dramatically pausing on the lip before dropping in the cup.

"Oh my goodness," Lundquist shouted. "In your LIFE, have you ever seen anything like that?"

Jim Nantz, who will host the Masters for the 37th consecutive season, said those Lundquist gems will forever remain part of the tournament's fabric, a slice of charm that only the Masters can provide.

"It's a week of history where voices, they come back, we hear them again, we still feel and have front of mind the legends of yesteryear," Nantz said, getting choked up the other day during a conference call. "They come back in our lives. What I'm saying here is that Verne's going to always have a home with Augusta. He's going to be a part of Augusta forever. And those calls that he's made, they're going to be played back 50, 100, 200 years from now. He has permanent residence."

Lundquist has broadcast all sports with CBS since being hired in 1982, but he began covering the Masters in 1983 (he had a brief two-year hiatus with Turner Sports when CBS lost the NFL).

To this day, no Masters moment has been replayed more times than Nicklaus' birdie at No. 17 that was the titillating height of his improbable back-nine charge to victory in 1986. And it was capped by the succinctness of Lundquist's stamp of approval, timed perfectly on cue with the Golden Bear thrusting both arms triumphantly in the air.

"I can remember thinking to myself as he walked up, 'Keep it simple and get your butt out of the way.' And I managed to do that," Lundquist said. "I boldly predicted 'maybe' when [the putt] was about that far from the hole. I reacted with what I said with a little 'yes sir,' with slightly more emphasis than that."

Indeed.

Lundquist said he "leans" toward that call being his favorite because of the magnitude of the moment and "I know Jack so much better than I know Tiger." But, if the Nicklaus putt is 1A, he said Woods' chip-in nearly 20 years later is his personal 1B.

He said he wants to say goodbye to both players when he sees them after the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night.

"Those two guys have had a terrific impact on my professional career, and I'm in deep gratitude to them both," Lundquist said.

On Tuesday, Lundquist began his final routine at the Masters. He planned to jump in a golf cart and tour the course backward "to re-invigorate myself to get emotionally ready for the week." At his age, he no longer climbs into the tower at No. 16, his vantage point for the past 25 years, but he would stop there on Wednesday as part of his ritual, perhaps like visiting an old homestead.

"It will be emotional," Lundquist said. "It's the best-run tournament in captivity, and it's on the best golf course, in my view, in America, if not the world. I've got so many wonderful memories tied up with our visits to Augusta."

Then, he added, "There's a spot on my left thigh that I'll be pinching to make sure I don't shed a tear on the air. It's been a great run. Hey, I'm 83 years old, and I've been blessed to have a sensational professional life and a wonderful personal life. I wasn't the first to say this, but thanks for the memories."

Five storylines to watch at the Masters

— Great Scott, he's hot: Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champion, is on a Tiger-like heater. The world's No. 1 player has finished 1-1-T2 in his past three starts and has separated himself as the PGA Tour's dominant player.

— Hoping to roar: Rory McIlroy is trying to become the sixth player in history to complete golf's Grand Slam, but it has been 10 years since he won a major. In that time, the four-time major champion has finished inside the top 10 seven times at Augusta National, though he has missed the cut two of the past three years.

— LIV it up: Defending champ Jon Rahm heads 13 LIV Tour players looking to rock the Masters leaderboard, just like last year when three-time Masters champ Phil Mickelson and reigning PGA champion Brooks Koepka finished second and former Masters champ Patrick Reed tied for fourth.

— Been a long time: Not since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 has a player won the Masters in his debut appearance. However, two first-timers should not be discounted from winning the green jacket — reigning U.S. Open champ Wyndham Clark and young sensation Ludvig Aberg.

— A Tiger tale: Since his incredible comeback victory at the Masters in 2019, Tiger Woods has struggled to compete — and even finish — in major tournaments. In his past 10 major starts, he has withdrawn twice, missed the cut four times, and his best finish has been a tie for 21st.

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