Augusta, Georgia –
Let’s take a look at some of the anniversaries at this year’s Masters.
75 years ago (1948)
The first 11 winners of the Masters were all Tour pros. Things changed when Claude Harmon, who had qualified for his tie for 19th place at the US Open the previous year, arrived in his 1948. Harmon played club professional in the summer with the Winged Foot and in the winter with the Seminoles. He started with a pair of his 70s, trailing one by one, and took the lead with 69 over 54 holes. Harmon turned into a rout on Sunday with a stretch of birdie, birdie and eagle in the second half of his nine up front. He led seven shots for most of the back nine to win five shots over Carey Middlekoff, tying Ben Hogan’s winning margin record. This was the last year the winner did not receive a green jacket when he won, a tradition that began in his 1949 with previous winners being presented with a jacket. It was also the last appearance of co-founder Bobby Jones.
50 years ago (1973)
Tommy Aaron went from a first round lead (68) to four shots ahead of Peter Oosterhuis going into the final round. And he changed Masters history by opening with his three consecutive birdies, and he finished with 68 when Oosterhuis weakened. Aaron beat JC Snead by one shot. Until then Aaron was best known at his National in Augusta for holding Roberto Devicenzo’s card in 1968. Aaron checked his cards on Sunday and discovered that Johnny Miller beat him with 5 on the 13th instead of 4 with birdie. We would have been in the playoffs.
25 years ago (1998)
At age 41, Mark O’Meara won his first major in the most unlikely way. He joined Arnold Palmer in his 1960 and became the only player to ever win by one shot, taking birdies on his two holes in Augusta’s final National. That is, after Fred Couples led by two strokes behind him, David Duvall led by three on him, and O’Meara came into the race over the line with three birdies on his last four holes. That’s a great back rounded out his nines. 67 and one-shot victory over Duvall and Couple. Sunday’s other star was none other than 58-year-old Jack Nicklaus. He had four birdies on seven holes that had hair on the necks of spectators.Nicklaus finished tied for sixth. O’Meara won with 15 appearances, a then-Masters record.
20 years ago (2003)
The Masters finally had a left-hander as champion, but no one expected it. Mike Weir became the first Canadian to win his jacket from the green, scoring his 68 in one go on his putt with guts, and Ren he won over Matthias in the playoffs. Martha Burke and her National Council of Women have concluded nine months of protesting against all male members of Augusta National. The club maintained its position. Augusta National fired four corporate partners to keep them out of controversy, leading to a commercial-free Masters. Burke held a protest down Washington Road on Saturday, which was largely unattended, and back on the course, Matthias hit the 10th hole, though she hit a 65 to advance to the playoffs. The first extra hit her bogey double on her hole.
10 years ago (2013)
Adam Scott has done what Greg Norman couldn’t. He delivered his first green his jacket to Australia. But it wasn’t easy. Scott thought he had a 20-foot birdie on the 18th hole and he won with a 69, but in the final group Angel he thought Cabrera was his 7-iron and he had a 3-foot birdie and his 18th hole. Loud cheers were heard as they hit 70 and were forced into the playoffs. Scott won his second extra on the 10th hole when he birdied 12 feet. The controversy involved Tiger Woods, who had an improper drop on his 15th hole in the second round. With a two-stroke penalty, he signed the wrong score. The Masters did not disqualify him, initially saying nothing was wrong and not asking Woods about it before he signed the card. It eventually gave way to winning the Masters. Woods tied for fourth place with a four RBI lead.
5 years ago (2018)
Patrick Reed turned back an early challenge from Rory McIlroy and won the Masters in his only major with a superb rally from Jordan Spieth and a final surge from Rickie Fowler. McIlroy started the final round three strokes behind him in the lead and was eyeing the final leg, his fourth of his career Grand Slam. McIlroy was within one shot before fading away. Spieth was nine shots back to start the final round. He scored his nine birdies in his 16 holes to briefly take the lead, but hit a tree on the 18th tee to close out with a bogey and 64. a 67. Reed stabilized on his saves big par. He shot 71 and defeated Fowler with one shot.
