As a true golf lovers, the Masters is golf’s equivalent to the football fans’ World Cup or the American football Superbowl.
Since 1934, the Masters Tournament has been home to some of golf’s greatest moments. Over four days in the middle of blooming azaleas, towering pines and flowering dogwoods the best of the best compete for a chance to win the Green Jacket and a place in Masters history.
For instance, did you know that Augusta National was opened back in December 1932? Or did you know that Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods are the only ones to defend their title at the Masters by winning back to back?
16 What is the Masters?
The Masters is a four-round, 72-hole, stroke-play golf tournament. The Masters Tournament is one of the four major championships in professional golf.
The others are the U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. The first masters was played back in 1934 and was won by Horton Smith
15. Where is it played?
Each year the Masters is played at the famous Augusta National Golf Club, referred to as Augusta or the National. Located in Georgia.
It is one of the most famous golf courses in the world. Next years, event will run from Monday April 4th to Sunday April 10th.
The course was founded back in 1932 by Bobby Jones, a legendary golfer and Clifford Roberts. However the official opening was in January 1933.
And is a par 72 course stretching 7,475 yards designed by Jones and Alister MacKenzie The golf course is a favorite among the best players.
And known for its beautifully manicured fairways, greens, its azaleas and dogwoods.
14. Did you know all the Holes are Named after Flowers that line the Course?
The reason for this is that Augusta National was formerly a plant nursery containing thousands of flowering plants and trees imported from various countries.
Do you know all the names of the holes? Some of Augusta’s most famous holes are: Hole 1: Tea Olive – named after the Asian Tea Olive plant.
Hole 5: Magnolia – inspired by the Road Hole at the Old Course at St. Andrews and named after the native trees planted here. Hole 6: Juniper – named after the aromatic wood.
This is one of the holes with the most slopes making it truly challenging. Hole 13: Azalea – named after the beautiful flowers that Augusta National is famous for.
Hole 18: Holly – One of the most recognized final holes in golf, Named after several varieties of the plants. At this hole you either win the Famous Green Jacket or lose the match.
13. How do you get to play the Masters?
The Masters tournament operates based on invites only. And in order to get an invitation you must meet certain criteria.
In fact, there are multiple ways through which a golfer can get an invitation to play. To be precise, there are 19 different ways. There are the following was you can quality.
12. Why is it called the Masters?
When the tournament first began it was called the Augusta National Invitational Tournament. However, Clifford Roberts, the co-founder, suggested it should be called the Masters, referring to the “masters of golf” who played in the tournament.
Bobby Jones was not a fan of this name because he thought it was too presumptuous. But Clifford got his way and since 1939 it was re-named to the Masters.
11. Can you play at Augusta National?
Yes, but only if you are a member or know a member. To become a member you need an invitation and then have to pay an invitation fee of around $40,000 excluding yearly payment of a couple of thousand dollars.
Augusta prefers not to reveal the identities of its members However, some of the well-known members are former quarterback Peyton Manning, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Condoleezza Rice and Jack Nicklaus.
10. What Happens when there is a Tie?
The Masters is the only Major that employs a sudden-death playoff. When after 72 holes the players are tied the playoff begins on the 18th hole and then moves to the 10th if a second hole is necessary.
If needed, they will keep alternating between these holes until there is a winner. In the masters history there have been 11 sudden-death playoffs, and none of them have ever advanced past two holes.
9. Why does the Winner get a Green Jacket?
The famous green jacket was previously only for members of Augusta. This was because they could be recognized by fans if they had questions about the tournament.
However, since 1949 they expended this tradition to winners of the event. And Sam Snead was the winner of the first green jacket.
In case you are wondering, the colour of the jacket is Pantone 342. The winner of the Masters will be presented the green jacket by the previous year’s champion.
8. Did you know there is Par 3 Contest?
The day before the Masters a contest is played on the Par 3 course. It’s a relaxed event with players’ wives, girlfriends or children often acting as caddies and sometime they even hit some shots.
7 What is Magnolia Lane?
Magnolia Lane is the main driveway leading up to the clubhouse. And got its name because it is flanked on either side with 60 Magnolia.
6. What is the Champions Dinner?
The Champions Dinner is a tradition held during the Masters week. Ben Hogan founded the Champions Dinner, which is officially called the Masters Club in 1952.
This dinner menu is set by the defending champion and is attended by past champions. And since then, it became a tradition.
5. Who is the Youngest Player to win the Masters?
Tiger Wood is still the youngest player to ever win the Masters. He won his first Masters at the age of 21 back in 1997.
Since he has won the tournament five times, making him the second-highest winner in the tournament.
4. Who has the Most Wins?
Jack Nicklaus nicknamed “The Golden Bear”, holds the most wins in Masters Tournament by winning it six times.
Followed by Tiger Woods with 5 wins and then legendary Arnold Palmer holds the third-highest by winning it three times.
3. Who Holds the Scoring Record?
Dustin Johnson holds the 72 holes record with 20-under 268 at the 2020 Masters. However, the lowest score achieved on 18-holes is shared by Greg Norman and Nick Price with 9-under 63.
2. What is Amen Corner?
The three-hole stretch of the course, beginning with the par-4 11th hole, and including the par-3 12th and par-5 13th, is known as Amen Corner.
It is one of the most exciting stretches of the back nine and was coined by Herbert Warren Wind in Sports Illustrated in 1958.
He said he took the name from a jazz record he had heard, “Shouting in That Amen Corner.”
1. Who was this Year’s Winner?
Hideki Matsuyama is the winner of this year’s Masters Tournament (2021) and he is the first-ever Japanese professional golfer to win the tournament.
He has 16 worldwide wins, eight career top, 10 finishes in major championships, and four Presidents Cup appearances.
Hideki is a two-timer winner of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, eight-time Japan Golf Tour winner and two-timer winner of the Asian Amateur Championship.
He won seven times on the PGA Tour, making him the most successful Japanese member of the PGA Tour in history.
