Countdown to The Masters 2011
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Welcome to the Today’s Golfer Countdown to The Masters 2011. Every day from February 17th until the big day when the season’s first Major tees off, April 7th, we will be bringing you some of our favourite memorable moments from The Masters since the tournament started in 1934.
The 50-day countdown will feature moments from all aspects of the legendary competition, including the first ever Masters, fantastic shots and incredible results.
What are your favourite Masters moments? Do you agree with ours or do you have some of your own favourites? Let us know by sending an e-mail to editorial@todaysgolfer.co.uk with the Subject Line ‘Masters Moments’.
Keep checking this page every day for more of our favourite Masters moments.
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50 DAYS TO GO The inaugural Masters – or Augusta National Invitational as it was officially called – was held on March 22 1934… |
49 DAYS TO GO Holes-in-one are hard to come by in the Masters Tournament, but something amazing happened in the final round in 2004… |
48 DAYS TO GO There is no question which is the toughest par 3 to conquer on the Augusta layout; it took 58 years before anyone aced the fourth hole… |
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47 DAYS TO GO Phil Mickelson is loved for his swashbuckling style and that was perfectly demonstrated by his second shot to the par-5 13th… |
46 DAYS TO GO Frank Stranahan was a successful amateur golfer who became one of only two amateurs to ever finish as high as second… |
45 DAYS TO GO By 1998 Mark O’Meara was 41 and had 20 tournament wins under his belt, but had not yet won a Major… |
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44 DAYS TO GO For years Phil Mickelson was known as the best player never to win a Major Championship, until he triumphed at Augusta National in 2004… |
43 DAYS TO GO Masters history is littered with stunning and career-defining shots, but one that doesn’t get the credit it deserves is this. |
42 DAYS TO GO Fred Couples must have felt pretty tense as his ball fell short of the par-3 12th green and trickled down the bank towards the water… |
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41 DAYS TO GO Zach Johnson tied for the highest ever winning score when he posted four rounds of 71-73-76-69 for a 289 total (+1) in 2007. |
40 DAYS TO GO After losing a two-shot lead to Cary Middlecoff at the 15th, Art Wall could have been forgiven for settling for a play-off… |
39 DAYS TO GO Prior to 1941 Craig Wood had acquired something of a Major jinx. The Masters was where his luck seemed to be the worst. |
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38 DAYS TO GO In 1998 The Augusta National committee made a presentation before play started to mark the 58-year-old Jack Nicklaus’ 40th Masters. |
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36 DAYS TO GO Tom Weiskopf will probably best be remembered at Augusta for taking 13 shots at the par-3 12th hole. |
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35 DAYS TO GO Arnold Palmer is undoubtedly a Masters legend but the first of his four victories came in controversial fashion. |
34 DAYS TO GO Billy Casper had an illustrious record at Augusta, claiming the Green Jacket in 1970, a total of seven top 10s and making 21 of 22 cuts prior to 1977. |
33 DAYS TO GO The word ‘legend’ gets thrown around very easily these days, but Arnold Palmer is a man undoubtedly worthy of that superlative. |
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32 DAYS TO GO Scott Hoch has won 11 PGA Tour events, but he will forever be remember for missing a two-foot putt to win the 1989 Masters. |
31 DAYS TO GO You’ve probably never heard of Dan Pohl. But don’t feel bad – neither had most of the people watching the 1982 Masters. |
30 DAYS TO GO Sandy Lyle’s victory ended that unfortunate record and he celebrated with a typically Scottish dance on the 18th green. |
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29 DAYS TO GO No golfer has played more in more Masters tournaments than Gary Player. This fact is a testament to his ability. |
28 DAYS TO GO Not only was Mike Weir the first Canadian to win a Major in 2003 but he was also the first left-hander to win the Masters. |
27 DAYS TO GO Most people remember Greg Norman’s 1996 Masters for the final round collapse that allowed Nick Faldo to win his third Green Jacket… |
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26 DAYS TO GO In an era of European domination at the Masters, Welshman Ian Woosnam followed the lead of Scotsman Sandy Lyle and Englishman Nick Faldo to win the Green Jacket in 1991.
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25 DAYS TO GO In 1960, a tradition was started which still continues today, whereby a Par-3 contest takes place on the Wednesday before the Tournament proper. |
24 DAYS TO GO As Palmer came to the 13th tee in the final round, he was a shot behind Ken Venturi, who was just finishing with a par on the 18th.
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23 DAYS TO GO Very seldom do several of the world’s top players get involved in a dog-fight down the stretch. The 1963 Masters was one such occasion… |
22 DAYS TO GO When Nicholas Price shot a remarkable 63 on the Saturday of the 1986 Masters, he wasn’t really aware of what he had just achieved… |
21 DAYS TO GO Only three men in the history of the Masters have won back-to-back Green Jackets… |
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20 DAYS TO GO This was the year that another Augusta tradition was started; a dinner hosted by the defending champion… |
19 DAYS TO GO Twelve months after winning his first Green Jacket at the second hole, Nick Faldo won his second Green Jacket at the very same hole… |
18 DAYS TO GO It goes without saying that Tiger Woods has played a bucket-load of miracle shots during his amazing career… |
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17 DAYS TO GO Up until 1955, the Masters Tournament had usually been a close affair, with only a shot or two separating first from second… |
16 DAYS TO GO Seve, the Open champion at the time, shot a first round 66 to be joint leader… |
15 DAYS TO GO This was the moment Nicklaus set himself apart from other human beings. |
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14 DAYS TO GO With 24 hours to go, no one in their right mind thought Gary Player had a hope in hell of victory and of claiming his third Green Jacket. |
13 DAYS TO GO Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan both grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. They first met as young kids, while they were both working as caddies at the Glen Garden Country Club. |
12 DAYS TO GO Fuzzy Zoeller arrived for his first Masters and announced “I am just an average player who has been a professional for four years and haven’t done much.” |
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11 DAYS TO GO He won more than 230 tournaments worldwide but it was the troubles he encountered during the 1968 Masters which he will always be remembered for. |
10 DAYS TO GO Ben Hogan had won the Masters two years earlier in 1951, when he shot a bogeyless final round of 68 for a two-shot victory. |
9 DAYS TO GO Faldo played the first 27 holes of the Tournament in 8-under par; and the next 27 in 8-over, before finishing with a round of 65, 7-under. |
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8 DAYS TO GO Over the years, Greg Norman has found many ways to lose major championships, but the final denouement in 1987 was a bitter pill for him to swallow. |
7 DAYS TO GO Tiger had finished 2000 by winning the last three majors of the year, and expectation was huge when he arrived at Augusta a year later. |
6 DAYS TO GO Ben Crenshaw arrived at Augusta having missed three cuts in his last four tournaments. He hadn’t scored under 70 in eight weeks. |
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5 DAYS TO GO Jack Nicklaus, with his son Jackie on the bag won his final, and 18th major championship, amidst some of the most emotional scenes ever witnessed at Augusta National. |
4 DAYS TO GO For pure, raw drama this was tough to beat and was arguably the most astonishing final round of any major championship in history. |
3 DAYS TO GO Everyone wanted to know how this green, young pro would play in his first ever major championship as a pro. |
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