The Masters is the first major golf tournament held each year. It has been an annual event since its inception in 1934 when the golfing star of the day, Bobby Jones, teamed with Clifford Roberts of the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Together, along with golf course architect Alister MacKenzie, they designed and built Augusta National Golf Course, where the Masters became a staple.
Smith
Horton Smith became the first winner of the Masters in March 1934. Smith dropped a 20-foot birdie putt on Augusta's 17th hole to help him edge Craig Wood by a single stroke.
Sarazen
One of the most famous shots in Masters history occurred in the tournament's second year. Gene Sarazen holed out a 220-yard shot for an incredible double eagle on the 15th hole, allowing him to get into an eventual playoff with Wood. Sarazen won.
Harmon
In 1948, Claude Harmon had the distinction of shooting four rounds under par. No one had ever accomplished this feat, and Harmon won the tournament.
1962
The first playoff involving three golfers came in 1962 when Arnold Palmer defeated Dow Finsterwald and South Africa's Gary Player for the title. The year before, Player became the first foreign-born player to win the Masters.
Lee Elder
The Masters had never had an African-American participant until Lee Elder qualified in 1975. Elder was present to witness Tiger Woods, whose father was an African-American, score a stunning 12-stroke victory over the field in 1997
Larry Mize
Larry Mize, who was from Augusta, defeated Greg Norman with an extraordinary chip shot that holed out on the second playoff hole in 1987.
About The Author
John has written thousands of articles for Demand Studios, Associated Content and The Greyhound Review. A Connecticut native, John has written extensively about sports, fishing, and nature.
