70 Masters Moments
The Masters Tournament turns 70 this year. Take a look back, in chronological order, at the 70 most significant moments in Masters and Augusta National Golf Club history.
1
1931 - Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts complete the purchase of Fruitland Nurseries, the site for Augusta National Golf Club. Dr. Alister Mackenzie is selected as architect, and course construction begins.
2
1932 - Augusta National Golf Club opens for play in December. Its formal opening is held in January 1933.
3
1934 - Club and tournament co-founder Bobby Jones makes his first tournament appearance since winning the Grand Slam in 1930 and finishes 13th.
4
1934 - Horton Smith wins the first Augusta National Invitational Tournament with a 284 total.
5
1935 - Golf course nines are reversed because frost on the first hole (then No. 10) delayed play.
6
1935 - Gene Sarazen makes double eagle on No. 15 to force a playoff with Craig Wood. Sarazen prevails in a 36-hole playoff by five strokes for his only Masters win.
7
1937 - Byron Nelson scores 2-3 on Nos. 12 and 13 to make up six strokes on Ralph Guldahl for his first Masters win.
8
1939 - The tournament name is officially changed to Masters Tournament.
9
1940 - Lloyd Mangrum shoots a course-record 64. It will stand for 25 years.
10
1942 - Gallery control and roping are used for the first time.
11
1942 - Byron Nelson defeats Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff for his second Masters victory. It is the last Masters before World War II interrupts play for three years.
12
1948 - Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (above right, with Bobby Jones, left), who would become president of the United States, joins Augusta National.
13
1949 - Sam Snead wins the Masters and is the first champion to receive a green jacket.
14
1950 - Jimmy Demaret becomes the tournament's first three-time champion.
15
1952 - Defending champion Ben Hogan begins the tradition of the Masters Club, a pre-tournament dinner for past champions.
16
1953 - Ben Hogan smashes the 72-hole scoring record by five strokes with a total of 14-under-par 274. The record will stand for 12 years.
17
1954 - Amateur Billy Joe Patton fails to become the first nonprofessional champion after finding water on Nos. 13 and 15 in the final round. Patton made an ace on the par-3 sixth hole earlier in the final round.
18
1954 - Sam Snead edges Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff for his third win.
19
1955 - The Sarazen Bridge is dedicated at the 15th hole in remembrance of the 20th anniversary of his double eagle.
20
1956 - The first television broad-cast of tournament, with holes 15-18 shown.
21
1956 - Amateur Ken Venturi's collapse on the final day paves the way for Jack Burke Jr.'s victory.
22
1958 - The Hogan Bridge at the 12th green and the Nelson Bridge at the 13th tee are dedicated April 2.
23
1958 - Arnold Palmer, after getting a favorable ruling on No. 12 to save two shots, wins his first Masters.
24
1958 - Writer Herbert Warren Wind comes up with the name "Amen Corner" to describe holes 11-13 in his story on that year's tournament.
25
1959 - Art Wall Jr. birdies five of the final six holes to win.
26
1960 - The Par-3 Contest is held for first time; Sam Snead wins the event.
27
1960 - The overpar and underpar scoring method for leaderboards is introduced.
28
1960 - Arnold Palmer birdies Nos. 17 and 18 in the final round to win by a shot.
29
1961 - Gary Player becomes the tournament's first international champion.
30
1962 - The first observation stand is erected for improved spectator viewing.
31
1962 - Arnold Palmer wins the first three-man playoff in tournament history, defeating Gary Player and Dow Finsterwald.
32
1963 - Jock Hutchinson and Fred McLeod serve as honorary starters.
33
1963 - Jack Nicklaus becomes the youngest champion and wins his first of six Masters.
34
1965 - Jack Nicklaus matches the course record with 64 en route to setting the 72-hole scoring record, 17-under 271.
35
1966 - Jack Nicklaus becomes the first back-to-back champion, winning a three-way playoff against Gay Brewer Jr. and Tommy Jacobs.
36
1966 - First golf broadcast in color.
37
1967 - Bruce Devlin makes double eagle on the par-5 eighth, the first player to make a 2 on a par 5 since Gene Sarazen in 1935.
38
1967 - Ben Hogan electrifies the crowd with 66 in the third round.
39
1968 - Roberto De Vicenzo signs an incorrect scorecard, denying himself a chance at a playoff with Bob Goalby.
40
1971 - On Dec. 18, Bobby Jones dies at age 69 after suffering from spinal disease syringomyelia.
41
1972 - The patron badge list is closed and waiting list is established.
42
1975 - Jack Nicklaus sinks a 40-foot putt on the 16th hole en route to his fifth win, a Masters record.
43
1975 - Lee Elder becomes the first black golfer to compete in the Masters. He misses the cut with rounds of 74 and 78.
44
1976 - Ray Floyd matches the 72-hole scoring record with a total of 271 and an eight-shot victory.
45
1977 - Clifford Roberts dies at age 83 on Sept. 29. He is named chairman in memoriam after his death.
46
1977 - Founders Circle is dedicated to founding members Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts.
47
1978 - Tommy Nakajima has the highest score on an individual hole in tournament history, taking 13 on the par-5 13th.
48
1978 - Gary Player wins for a third time, thanks to his final-round 64.
49
1979 - Masters rookie Fuzzy Zoeller wins the first sudden-death playoff in tournament history, defeating Ed Sneed and Tom Watson on the second playoff hole (No. 11).
50
1980 - Tom Weiskopf scores 13 on the par-3 12th, matching the highest score on an individual hole.
51
1980 - Spain's Seve Ballesteros becomes the youngest champion and the second foreign winner.
52
1981 - The first Masters played on bentgrass greens.
53
1981 - Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead become honorary starters.
54
1982 - The first and second rounds are televised for the first time.
55
1984 - Ben Crenshaw holes a 60-foot putt on the 10th hole in the final round en route to victory.
56
1986 - Nick Price establishes a new course record with 63 in the third round.
57
1986 - Jack Nicklaus becomes the oldest champion with his sixth victory, firing a final-round 65 to win by one.
58
1987 - Augusta native Larry Mize holes his miraculous chip shot to win in sudden death over Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros.
59
1989 - Scott Hoch misses a short putt on the first sudden-death hole, allowing Nick Faldo to win.
60
1992 - Fred Couples gets a lucky break when his ball stays on the bank at No. 12 as he wins his first major.
61
1994 - Jeff Maggert scores a double eagle on the 13th hole. It is the third double eagle in tournament history.
62
1995 - Practice-round tickets are limited and sold in advance for the first time.
63
1995 - A plaque commemorating Arnold Palmer's career is placed on the drinking fountain at No. 16.
64
1997 - Tiger Woods establishes new 72-hole scoring record of 270 to become the youngest player and first minority golfer to win the Masters.
65
1998 - Jack Nicklaus' achievements are honored with a new fountain between Nos. 16 and 17. He makes a Sunday charge before falling short.
66
2001 - Tiger Woods wins the Masters for his fourth major victory in a row.
67
2001 - Chairman Hootie Johnson announces significant changes to Augusta National that will alter nine holes and lengthen the course by almost 300 yards to strengthen it.
68
2003 - Mike Weir wins a sudden-death playoff against Len Mattiace to become the first left-handed player to win the Masters.
69
2004 - Phil Mickelson birdies five of his final seven holes, including No. 18, to win his first major.
70
2005 - Tiger Woods holes an improbable chip shot on No. 16, then defeats Chris DiMarco in the first sudden-death playoff to begin on No. 18.
