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Posted March 23, 2012, 7:17 pm |

1973: Tommy Aaron wins first major at Masters

  • Article Photos
    1973: Tommy Aaron wins first major at Masters
    Photos description
    Aaron
  • Article Photos
    1973: Tommy Aaron wins first major at Masters
    Photos description
    Aaron
  • Article Photos
    1973: Tommy Aaron wins first major at Masters
    Photos description
    Front Page of The Augusta Chronicle after the 1973 Masters Tournament

 

Growing up in Gainesville, Ga., Tommy Aaron often dreamed of playing in the Mas­ters. Amateur legend Bob­by Jones, a Georgia native, had started Augusta Na­tional and the Masters after his playing career was over.
 
Claude Harmon had become the first native Geor­gian to win the Masters in 1948, but the state had not produced any other Masters champions since.
 
Aaron changed that in 1973. A 68 in the first round gave him the outright lead, and he backed it up with 73 to enter a four-way tie for first. Saturday’s third round was washed out by rain, which meant the golfers would have to finish on Monday.
 
Aaron struggled to 74 in the third round, and English­man Peter Oosterhuis seized the lead with a fine 68.
 
Aaron trailed Oosterhuis by four shots going into the final round, but he finished with 68 to nip J.C. Snead by a stroke and claim his only major victory.
 
Aaron had been involved in the Roberto De Vicenzo scorecard incident in 1968 when he marked down an incorrect score for his playing partner. De Vicenzo signed the incorrect scorecard and was forced to take the higher score, which left him one shot behind winner Bob Goalby.
 
Ironically, Aaron caught a mistake on his scorecard at the 1973 Masters. Playing partner Johnny Miller had marked down a 5 on No. 13 for Aaron, but he had made birdie 4.
 
“Winning the Masters for me was a dream come true,” Aaron wrote in 2012. “From the time I started playing in Gaines­ville, Ga., northeast of Atlan­ta, I thought the Masters was the only golf tournament in the world.”

1973 Masters

 PlayerFR1R2R3R4 Earn.
1Tommy Aaron-568737468 $30,000
2J.C. Snead-470717370 $22,500
3Jim Jamieson-373717071 $12,500
3Jack Nicklaus-369777366 $12,500
3P. Oosterhuis-373706874 $12,500
6Bob GoalbyE73707174 $6,250
6Johnny MillerE75697173 $6,250
8Bruce Devlin+173727272 $4,250
8Jumbo Ozaki+169747373 $4,250
10Gay Brewer+375667476 $3,425
10G. Dickinson+374707275 $3,425
10Don January+375717570 $3,425
10J. Rodriguez+372707376 $3,425