Despite storied history, maybe best is yet to come
Seventy-five years ago, a golf tournament came of age with one simple swing of the club and a fortuitous bounce.
The Augusta National Invitation Tournament was already a hit because it was at Bobby Jones' new course, and it was the only event the amateur legend played in.
Gene Sarazen's double eagle April 7, 1935, though, gave it a memorable shot and a publicity boost in one fell swoop.
"I suppose that stroke was a spectacular piece of luck, both for the tournament and Sarazen," two-time Masters winner Ben Crenshaw said. "From then on people looked at the Masters in a different light."
It's remarkable that only a handful of folks was on hand to see it.
No more than a couple of dozen folks were there, but Jones was one. I wonder if the cheers from Sarazen's double eagle made their way back to the clubhouse?
For all of the talk about Augusta National Golf Club's beauty, it's the sounds and the roars that set the Masters apart.
"I don't think you could ever talk to a tournament participant who would say the acoustics are like anything in the world," Crenshaw said. "You know who it is. You know what it is. It's very interesting."
Crenshaw is right. After Sarazen's shot, excitement and drama were expected when the world's top golfers gathered each spring in Augusta. And the players produced.
Byron Nelson's 2-3 at the 12th and 13th spurred him to victory in 1937.
A young amateur named Billy Joe Patton almost stole thunder from Sam Snead and Ben Hogan in 1954.
That got us to the golden age of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
In the 1980s, spectacular finishes became the norm. The trifecta of Nicklaus' charge in 1986, Larry Mize's chip-in in 1987 and Sandy Lyle's final-hole birdie might just be the best three Masters in a row.
The Tiger era has continued to produce excitement, even if not all of his wins were nip-and-tuck affairs.
Phil Mickelson's first Masters win in 2004, with a birdie on the final hole, certainly ranks among the best.
Then, after Woods' win in 2005, the Masters hit a lull. Critics cried that it was too boring, too routine, too much like a U.S. Open.
The reality was that bad weather, not the golfers or the course, kept excitement at bay in 2007 and 2008.
The roars returned with a vengeance in 2009, and the noise was off the charts this year.
My first Masters as a writer was 1986, and I thought I would never hear such roars again.
The last two days have proved me wrong. From Saturday's flock of eagles to Sunday's excitement -- two holes-in-one, plus Tiger's eagles and Mickelson's shot at 13 -- there is no doubt which tournament produces excitement unlike any other.
Perhaps writer David Owen said it best when he summed up the tournament: "It's something I look forward to all year long, and it's not disappointing. Not a lot of sporting events that you can say the same thing about."
Looking forward, the Masters reaches a significant milestone next year when the tournament is held for the 75th time. We'll celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gary Player's win in 1961 that made him the tournament's first international winner. We'll celebrate the 25th anniversary of Nicklaus' improbable victory in 1986 at age 46.
Augusta National doesn't like to single out any one year, but expect the club and tournament to produce some keepsakes that will celebrate all of the great moments.
For now, we'll just have to savor the first 74 and see what 2011 brings.
Reach John Boyette at (706) 823-3337 or john.boyette@augustachronicle.com.
