Looking to provide a service to golf by hosting an invitational golf tournament, Augusta National founders, thirteen-time major golf champion, Bobby Jones, and businessman,
Clifford Roberts decided to hold an annual event inviting the world’s best golfers, beginning in 1934. The final decision was made at a meeting in New York at the office of member W. Alton Jones. Roberts proposed the event be called the Masters Tournament, but Bobby Jones objected thinking it too presumptuous. The name Augusta National Invitation Tournament was adopted, and the title was used for five years until 1939 when Jones relented, and the name was officially changed. An early decision was whether Jones would play or serve as an official. Jones preferred not to compete but was persuaded by the Club’s members to join the field. In the 12 Tournaments that Jones played, his best finish was 13th in 1934.
Many decisions made in the early days of the Tournament remain today. Among these are the four-day stroke playing of 18 holes each day instead of the then customary 36 holes on the third day, eliminating qualifying rounds.
The first Tournament was held March 22, 1934 and beginning in 1940; the Masters was scheduled each year during the first full week in April. That first Tournament was won by Horton Smith, and in the Fall of 1934, the nines were reversed. In 1935 Gene Sarazen hit “the shot heard ’round the world” scoring a double eagle on the par-five 15th hole, tying Craig Wood and forcing a playoff. Sarazen won the 36-hole playoff the following day by five strokes. In 1942 Byron Nelson defeated Ben Hogan 69-70 in an 18-hole playoff, and the Tournament was not played the following three years, 1943, 1944 and 1945, during the world war. Augusta National assisted the war effort, by allowing cattle, turkeys and sheep to roam on the Augusta National grounds.
The 1950’s included two victories by Ben Hogan and the first of four for Arnold Palmer. Palmer’s 1958 win began the tradition of Amen Corner. In 1960 the Par 3 Contest was launched, and in 1965-1966 Jack Nicklaus became the first Masters champion to defend his title successfully. During the decade of the 1970’s the two founders of the Masters Tournament passed away. Both Jones and Roberts left indelible impressions on the Masters and the world of golf. The following decade Spaniard Seve Ballesteros won twice, and Tom Watson captured his second title. In 1986 at age 46, Nicklaus donned his sixth Green Jacket. And in 1997, Tiger Woods broke the Tournament four-day scoring record that had stood for 32 years. A record Dustin Johnson broke in 2020.
At the 2001 Masters, Woods won his fourth consecutive professional major, and in 2002 became only the third player to win consecutive Masters titles. In 2005, Tiger became the third person to win at least four Masters Tournaments.
Dustin Johnson won the Covid-19 postponed 2020 Tournament held in November of last year breaking Tiger’s scoring record on the rain-softened Augusta National.
Between the years of 1980 and 2000, non-American golfers took eleven victories in those twenty years. This winning run was the longest streak for non-American golfers in any major U.S. tournament since the early U.S. Open years. In 1986, Jack Nicklaus became the oldest player to win the Masters, winning for a sixth time at the age of 46. In 1997, Tiger Woods won the Masters by twelve shots at the age of 21, breaking the long-standing scoring record and breaking the record for youngest player to win the Masters.
The Augusta National Golf Club course has been adjusted several times over the years. In 1998, the course measured 6925 yards from tee to pin on all holes. The course was lengthened to 7270 yards for 2002 and 7445 yards in 2006. These adjustments have brought several criticisms, but most competitive players have defended the course as freshly challenging.
Tickets for the Masters tournament expensive and very difficult to secure. Even the practice rounds are difficult to get into, as applications for practice round tickets must be made almost a year in advance just to get your name in a national lottery that in 2017 included 1.2 million people hoping to “draw out” for tickets. Tickets to the tournament are only sold to members of a patrons list, which is closed. A waiting list for patrons has opened and closed periodically since 1972. As of 2008, The Masters has not accepted any ticket applications for the four-day Tournament Proper.
This year’s tournament has received increased attention because four-time winner, Tiger Woods will not attend as he is recovering from a horrific car accident that puts in jeopardy his continued involvement as a touring professional.
Jeff Waters is a PGA Master Professional and a member of the Golf Writers of America
For more on the Masters tournament and the Augusta National Golf Course, please read my blog post on: “How Green is the Masters?’ at: http://www.jeffgolfguy.com/how-green-is-the-masters/
