Majority of Easter winners have never won green jacket

If tradition holds true, the winner of today’s Masters Tournament will likely be someone who has never won a green jacket.

This year is the 17th time the tournament has fallen on Easter Sunday. Of those 17 winners, 12 have been first-time champions.

Some players in contention for their first Masters win don’t put much stock on that trend, however.

“I don’t think about all that,” said Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, who shot 69 Saturday to go into today’s final round two shots behind Peter Hanson at 7-under.

Oosthuizen said he’s only counting on playing the best he possibly can.

Matt Kuchar said he’s not the superstitious type but that spending Easter playing at Augusta National Golf Club is a good experience in itself.

“I think for everybody out here it will have a signifigance...it will be a special Sunday tomorrow,” said Kuchar, who is three shots behind at 5-under.

Late Saturday, Sean O’Hair (2-under) said his strategy going into today would be similar to what he was doing the last few days. His goal is to focus on ball placement and staying “as patient as I can.”

He too doesn’t buy into the Easter Sunday luck for first-timers, but might if he’s wearing the green jacket at day’s end.

“I don’t really believe too much in superstition, but I’d believe in that if it works,” O’Hair said.

No matter how things play out, patron Chris McCullough of Las Vegas said spending Easter at the Masters is a wonderful thing. .

“If Easter is a day of God’s greatness, I think this is about the best example of God’s beauty you’d every find,” McCullough said looking out at the course. “I can’t think of a better place you could be.”

MASTERS EASTER SUNDAYS

Year - Winner

1947 - Jimmy Demaret*

1950 - Jimmy Demaret

1955 - Cary Middlecoff*

1958 - Arnold Palmer*

1966 - Jack Nicklaus

1968 - Bob Goalby*

1971 - Charles Coody*

1974 - Gary Player

1977 - Tom Watson*

1979 - Fuzzy Zoeller*