A Brief History of the Masters Tournament
The game of golf was introduced in the United States more than a century ago. Like any sport, there are competitions to determine the best of the best. Thus, more than eight decades ago, the Masters Tournament was born.
About the Masters Tournament
The competition is considered the top golf contest and is played in April annually. Of the four golf tournaments hosted in the United States, the Masters is the only one played at the same location each year, which is the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. The course at Augusta National Golf Club is a par 72, and has over 7,000 yards for the Masters.
The competition spans over the course of four days. However, broadcasters commonly offer three days of programming before the actual event begins. Through the decades, the tournament has seen many changes to include the prize money awarded to the top golfer. After the first Masters Tournament in 1934, the prize was $1,500. In 2018, the monetary reward was $11 million.
The Tournament Starts with the Golf Club
In 1931, retired golfer Bobby Jones decided to build the Augusta National Golf Club in order to celebrate his comeback to the game. The land on which the club would be built was then known as the Fruitland Nurseries. Jones and associate Clifford Roberts purchased the property for $70,000. With the completion of the course two years later, the first Masters Tournament was played on March 22, 1934.
Tournament Winners
Since the Masters Tournament was created, there have been a number of winners. The following is just a few of winners who truly stood out:
1935– Gene Sarazen became champion golfer of the year. A double eagle shot on the 15th hole put him back in the game.
1936– Horton Smith became the first two-time tournament winner.
1956-Jack Burke Jr. This was also the year that the Masters Tournament was televised for the first time.
1958-Arnold Palmer would later become the first player to win the title four times.
1963-Jack Nicklaus became the youngest golfer to win the Masters. He would go on to win four more and became the oldest golfer to win the title.
1997-Tiger Woods was the youngest player to win the tournament and the first non-white player in tournament history.
2001-Tiger Woods took another win in 2001. In 2001, he became the first golfer to win the championship in all four tournaments that year.