From: griffinb@unix1.tcd.ie (brendan james griffin)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf
Subject: About the Masters
Date: 8 Apr 92 13:55:55 GMT
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin


We're at that time of year again where our attention is centred on
Augusta. I thought I'd remind you of some things most of you already
know about the Masters. Either way, they give me a buzz!

1. The past champions ( or as many as I can remember! ):
1934: Horton Smith, 1935: Gene Sarazen, 1936: Horton Smith, 1937: Byron
Nelson, 1938: ?, 1939: ?, 1940: ?, 1941: ?, 1942: Byron Nelson, 1943:
war?, 1944: war?, 1945: ?, 1946: Sam Snead, 1947: ?, 1948: Claude Harmonn, 1949:
?, 1950: ?, 1951: Ben Hogan, 1952: ?, 1953: Ben Hogan, 1954: ?, 1955: ?,
1956: ?, 1957: ?, 1958: Arnold Palmer, 1959: Art Wall, 1960: Arnold Palmer, 
1961: Gary Player, 1962: Arnold Palmer, 1963: Jack Nicklaus, 1964: Arnold
Palmer, 1965: Jack Nicklaus, 1966: Jack Nicklaus, 1967: Gay Brewer,
1968: Bob Goalby, 1969: George Archer, 1970: Billy Casper, 1971: Charles
Coody, 1972: Jack Nicklaus, 1973: Tommy Aaron, 1974: Gary Player, 1975:
Jack Nicklaus, 1976: Ray Floyd, 1977: Tom Watson, 1978: Gary Player,
1979: Fuzzy Zeoller, 1980: Severiano Ballesteros, 1981: Tom Watson,
1982: Craig Stadler, 1983: Severiano Ballesteros, 1984: Ben Crenshaw,
1985: Bernhard Langer, 1986: Jack Nicklaus, 1987: Larry Mize, 1988:
Sandy Lyle, 1989: Nick Faldo, 1990: Nick Faldo, 1991: Ian Woosnam, 1992:
?.

2. Superlatives etc.:
Gene Sarazen won the Masters in 1935, so becoming the first man to win
all four Majors at least once. He was helped by the first (and only ? )
albetross (double eagle) in the Masters.
Youngest Masters champion is Severiano Ballesteros, who won in 1980 aged
22 years and about 9 months. Oldest champion Jack Nicklaus, who won in
1986 aged 46 years and about 3 months.
Most wins by Jack Nicklaus. Champion in 1963, 65, 66, 72, 75 and 86. He
has won two more than Arnold Palmer and he could easily have won in 71,
73, 74, 77, 79, 81 and 90, which would have made 13 wins!
Most money won in the Masters by Jack Nicklaus. It stands at just under
$600,000.
Course record at Augusta is 63, achieved by Nick Price in 1986? 
Gary Player, if I'm correct, birdied the last seven holes in 1978 to win
by a shot. Jack Nicklaus in 1986 finished something like birdie, birdie,
par, par, bogey, birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie, par over the
last eleven holes to win by a shot.
Lowest four round total is 271 (17 under par) achieved by Jack Nicklaus
in 1965 and Ray Floyd in 1976.
Biggest winning margain is 9 shots achieved by guess who in 1965.
Perhaps the closest finish was in 1975 where Nicklaus took the lead on
the 16th with that famous 40 footer, came in with a one shot lead and
watched Tom Weiskoph and Johnny Miller both miss holeable putts to tie.
Only players to win back to back Masters are Niclaus and Faldo.
Last first time winner was Fuzzy Zeoller in 1979.

3. Some other points of interest:
Some of the greatest players never to win the Masters include Lee
Trevino, Tom Kite( who has never won a major and won't win at Augusta
this year) and Greg Norman.
Those who won the Masters and came close to winning the modern day Grand
Slam-
 In 1953 Hogan won the Masters, US Open at Oakmont and the British Open
at Carnoustie. Unfortunately for him, the USPGA took place the same week
as the B. Open.
 In 1960 Palmer won Masters, US Open at Cherry Hills? and almost won at
St. Andrews.
 In 1963 Nicklaus won Masters, USPGA at Dallas Athletic Club and missed
out on a playoff in the British Open by a shot.
 In 1972 Jack came even closer. He won the Masters, Us Open at Pebble
Beach, came from six shots back of Trevino to take the lead in the
British Open (Muirfield) late in the fourth round and, although he
bogeyed the 16th and parred the par5 17th, he had to watched Trevino
chip in from off the green for the fourth time in the tournament for a
par five. Trevino beat him by a shot.
 In 1975 Nicklaus won the Masters, USPGA, bogeyed the last three holes
at Medinah to finish two shots out of a playoff in the US Open and
missed out by one shot of a playoff place in the British Open.
 In 1990 Faldo missed a put that would have got him into the playoff in
the US Open. 

Finally, this year the winner of the Masters should be one of:
Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Joseph Mary Olazabal, Fred
Couples, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus, Craig Parry, Chip Beck or Mark
Calcavekia.

Brendan.

P.S. I would appreciate it if you correct any mistakes.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf