[administrator]

History:

The Masters Tournament, which is commonly referred to as The Masters or The US Masters (outside the United States), is one of four major championships in men's professional golf and the first to occur every year. It is considered by many to be the most prestigious golf tounament in the world. The final round of the Masters each year is scheduled the second Sunday in April. Unlike the other major championships, the Masters is held every year at the same location, Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf club in Augusta, Georgia, USA. The Masters was started by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones, who designed Augusta National with legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie.

The Masters is an official money event on the PGA Tour, the European Tour and the Japan Golf Tour. In line with the other majors, winning the Masters gives a golfer several privileges which make his career more secure. Masters champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship) for the next five years, and earn a lifetime invitation to the Masters. They also receive membership on the PGA Tour for the following five seasons and invitations to The Players Championship for five years. In 2006 the prize fund was US$7 million.

Winners:

2006 Phil Mickelson
2005 Tiger Woods
2004 Phil Mickelson
2003 Mike Weir
2002 Tiger Woods
2001 Tiger Woods
2000 Vijay Singh
1999 José María Olazábal
1998 Mark O'Meara
1997 Tiger Woods
1996 Nick Faldo
1995 Ben Crenshaw
1994 José María Olazábal
1993 Bernhard Langer
1992 Fred Couples
1991 Ian Woosnam
1990 Nick Faldo
1989 Nick Faldo
1988 Sandy Lyle
1987 Larry Mize
1986 Jack Nicklaus
1985 Bernhard Langer
1984 Ben Crenshaw
1983 Seve Ballesteros
1982 Craig Stadler
1981 Tom Watson
1980 Seve Ballesteros
1979 Fuzzy Zoeller
1978 Gary Player
1977 Tom Watson
1976 Raymond Floyd
1975 Jack Nicklaus
1974 Gary Player
1973 Tommy Aaron
1972 Jack Nicklaus
1971 Charles Coody
1970 Billy Casper
1969 George Archer
1968 Bob Goalby
1967 Gay Brewer
1966 Jack Nicklaus
1965 Jack Nicklaus
1964 Arnold Palmer
1963 Jack Nicklaus
1962 Arnold Palmer
1961 Gary Player
1960 Arnold Palmer
1959 Art Wall, Jr.
1958 Arnold Palmer
1957 Doug Ford
1956 Jack Burke, Jr.
1955 Cary Middlecoff
1954 Sam Snead
1953 Ben Hogan
1952 Sam Snead
1951 Ben Hogan
1950 Jimmy Demaret
1949 Sam Snead
1948 Claude Harmon
1947 Jimmy Demaret
1946 Herman Keiser
1945 Cancelled due to World War II
1944
1943
1942 Byron Nelson
1941 Craig Wood
1940 Jimmy Demaret
1939 Ralph Guldahl
1938 Henry Picard
1937 Byron Nelson
1936 Horton Smith
1935 Gene Sarazen
1934 Horton Smith


Multiple Winners
Sixteen men have won the Masters Tournament more than once through 2006.

* 6 wins
o Jack Nicklaus: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986

* 4 wins
o Arnold Palmer: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
o Tiger Woods: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005

* 3 wins
o Jimmy Demaret: 1940, 1947, 1950
o Sam Snead: 1949, 1952, 1954
o Gary Player: 1961, 1974, 1978
o Nick Faldo: 1989, 1990, 1996

* 2 wins
o Horton Smith: 1934, 1936
o Byron Nelson: 1937, 1942
o Ben Hogan: 1951, 1953
o Tom Watson: 1977, 1981
o Seve Ballesteros: 1980, 1983
o Bernhard Langer: 1985, 1993
o Ben Crenshaw: 1984, 1995
o José María Olazábal: 1994, 1999
o Phil Mickelson: 2004, 2006



Records:


Key records through the 2006 Masters:

* Youngest winner: Tiger Woods (1997) at 21 years 104 days.
* Oldest winner: Jack Nicklaus (1986) at 46 years 82 days.
* Widest margin of victory: 12 strokes by Tiger Woods in 1997.
* Most under par, second nine: 16, (30-32-33-33), Tiger Woods, 1997.
* Low middle 36 Holes: 131 (66-65), Tiger Woods, 1997; 131 (66-65), Tiger Woods, 2005.
* Highest winning score: 289, Sam Snead, 1954; 289, Jack Burke, 1956.
* Most cuts made: 37 by Jack Nicklaus. (The cut was introduced in 1957.)
* Most consecutive cuts made: 23 by Gary Player from 1959-1982 (he did not compete in 1973).
* Most appearances: 50 by Arnold Palmer from 1955-2004. (Gary Player plans to beat this record, but his appearances will not all be consecutive.)
* Most top tens: Jack Nicklaus, 22
* Lowest individual round: 63, Nick Price (1986), Greg Norman (1996)
* Most birdies in a tournament: 25, Phil Mickelson (2001)

[Tamaj13]

I'm going to be the first to go out on a limb and say that if Tiger gets his putter under control and his mind back in shape, he will win the Masters . I personally don't think Tiger is as mentally tough as he was a few years ago. He frequently makes mistakes coming down the stretch, especially if it's close. The tiger of 3 - 4 years didn't make errors from 16-18 to give guys a chance.
Blaming the green for that missed putt showed little class. Tiger's throwing clubs, skipping press sessions, etc. He's not acting like the guy Earl raised at all. What a shame. As great a talent as Tiger is, I'm losing a bit of respect for him as an individual. As much as Michelson was hounded for years by the press, he still showed up after every bonehead loss (except Winged Foot I believe) and took his medicine. Blaming greens, throwing clubs, and refusing to talk to the press do not say, "Class Act."

[memorex88]

The Masters is bad for my health! I end up sitting in front of the TV the whole time it's on.
Love everything about this tournament. The Masters is a class act!

[Tamaj13]

In my earlier post I mentioned that i thought Tiger had been showing some signs of cracking. In watching his meltdown on the back side of Arnie's tourney at Bay Hill, I'm even more convinced that the Tiger Woods of today is nothing like the Woods of some years back. Johnny Miller just asked when was the last time you saw Tiger go plus 6 on the last 3 holes? He just triple bogeyed the 18th. A different animal is this Tiger. It'll be interesting to see if he can get it together by the Masters.

[jump15vc]

He'll get it together I'm sure, watch Adam Scott play a big role in the Masters this year, i would pick him to win it if Tiger wern't playing

[Golfbum]

My prediction for The Masters?
Not necessarily in this order
Phil
Ernie
or Vijay

I really feel that Big Ernie is due and apparently he is loving his new equipment. He has the length to conquer the course.

Phil might have something to prove after his U.S. Open Meltdown. Beware.

Vijay, what can you say, the second most wins on the tour for the past 10 years, right behind Woods. Vijay can win anywhere. His ball striking is up there at the top all the time. If he gets hot with that long wand, look out.

[jump15vc]

that sounds like a list from three years ago, i don't think any of those three will be in contention for the following reasons. I still don't think Phil has recovered from his US Open choke job, something to prove or not he hasn't won a tournament under pressure on sunday, the last tournament was a runaway victory, until he shows that he can make the right decisions under pressure on 18 i don't think he's winning any majors anytime soon. Ernie is not the same player he was three years ago, he hasn't consistantly played well and his ball striking has been too erratic to win at augusta. Vijay is also not the same as a couple years ago, he is no longer in contention for the number one ranking and has fallen out of the top three. he doesn't putt well enough to win at augusta.

[Golfbum]

Originally Posted by jump15vc

that sounds like a list from three years ago, i don't think any of those three will be in contention for the following reasons. I still don't think Phil has recovered from his US Open choke job, something to prove or not he hasn't won a tournament under pressure on sunday, the last tournament was a runaway victory, until he shows that he can make the right decisions under pressure on 18 i don't think he's winning any majors anytime soon. Ernie is not the same player he was three years ago, he hasn't consistantly played well and his ball striking has been too erratic to win at augusta. Vijay is also not the same as a couple years ago, he is no longer in contention for the number one ranking and has fallen out of the top three. he doesn't putt well enough to win at augusta.

So you shot down my picks but did not go out on the limb and tell us yours? Or you going to wait until the back 9 on Masters Sunday to make your prediction?

All three of the above have the game, the skills and the balls to win at Augusta.

[jump15vc]

You want the picks you got 'em.

1. Tiger Woods- regardless of how he's played the past few weeks he's always a threat to win and always elevates his game at Augusta. This will be his first Masters since Earl passed away and Tiger is very aware of that.

2. Henrik Stenson- He's been on fire this year and has proved that he's one of the top 5 players in the world. He doesn't back down under pressure and has won big tournaments and played great under pressure at the Ryder Cup.

3. Geoff Ogilvy- He has the game to play well at Augusta, long and controlled. He's won a major so he knows what the pressure will be like on sunday.

Wildcard Adam Scott- He hasn't played particularly well this year but his game is perfect for Augusta he hits it a mile and is a grest ball striker. If he gets the putter going he'll be a force

[Golfbum]

Good picks, of course everyone picks Woods.
Stenson. not sure about that one, has never won a Major.
Geoff, one Major, bascially backed into that one.
Scott? You think Vijay can not putt those greens? Vijay has proven he can win there. So has Phil and Ernie won two US Opens, on fast hard greens.
So let them tee it up and we'll see who comes out on top.