US Masters, It’s all about the history, tradition and favourites!
How Augusta National and The Masters came about
The Augusta National Golf Club first started out as an Indigo plantation before being transformed into the oldest Nursery in Southern United States.
Golfer Bobby Jones who won the 1930 grand slam and an investment banker, Clifford Roberts decided to buy the land occupied by the nursery in 1931. Thereafter they hired Alister MacKenzie to help design the new course with Bobby Jones.
The Augusta National Golf Club officially opened in 1932. Shortly afterwards the founders decided that they needed the best golfers to experience the course. This is where the Masters came into being with the first Championships being held in March 1934. It was then called the Augusta National Invitational Tournament. The first tournament consisted of 60 professionals and 12 amateurs with Horton Smith from Missouri becoming the inaugural Champion. 5 years later the tournament was officially renamed the “US Masters” becoming the greatest golfing spectacle.
The infamous green jackets
In 1937 at the former Augusta National Invitational, members of the club wore green jackets to distinguish themselves from spectators. It was thought that it made it easier to identify members in green jackets who would be able to provide reliable sources of information to the fans.
In 1949 Sam Snead was the first Masters champion to win one of the prestigious green jackets. He was awarded the green jacket in a special ceremony where all the past champions also received their jackets. It has become a standing tradition that the previous years champion helps the new champion put on their tailored green jacket. Related traditions include the Champions dinner where all the past champions eat together, and the very strict rules that green jackets may only be worn at Augusta and not in public.
Interesting facts
- Jack Nicklaus, John Harris and the late Arnold Palmer are the only pro golfers to become Augusta National club members.
- Broadcast commentators have to refer to spectators as patrons
- Former US President Dwight Eisenhower was a club member
- Each hole is named after a plant or shrub that is located alongside it
- Every year the defending Masters champion gets to choose the menu for the Champions Dinner
- Gary Player became the first international winner of the Masters
We look at the top 3 favourites and the underdogs for the Masters in 2019
The Favourites
Rory Mcllroy
Since announcing himself on the golfing scene in 2011 by winning the US Open, Mcllroy has lived up to the hype racking up major titles including the PGA Championships and The Open Championships and will be looking to complete the grand slam at the Masters. Mcllroy is the only player to finish in the top 10 of the last 5 US Masters and has come up agonisingly short in the latter rounds in 2011 and 2018. This year he has started in spectacular form leading up to the Masters having picked up Top 6 finishes in the last 5 events including a win in The Players Championship.
Dustin Johnson
The world no. 1 has been in fine form lately having started the year on a winning note at the WGC Mexico Championships and more recently put in a respectable performance at the Players Championship ending 5th overall. Dustin has been a consistent top performer in the US Open with a 2nd place and a title in 2016 and will be hoping that his experience will help him add the US Masters to his list of 20 victories on Tour.
Justin Rose
World no. 2 Justin Rose is one of the most consistent golfers on the tour day in and day out and has started the year in top form by winning the Farmers Insurance Open in January. The former US Open Champion is always a top performer at the US Masters having achieved multiple top 10 finishes and a runners up performance in 2015 and 2017. With these stats, you would think he would have won a title by now. Will he be lucky in 2019?
The underdogs
Jordan Spieth
When you think of the 3 time major winner, he certainly does not look like a true underdog having won the Masters and US Open in 2015 and following it up by winning the Open Championships two years later. The Masters has been a good hunting ground for Spieth having finished 2nd twice to add to his one victory. This being said, Spieth has been on a downhill spiral ever since, being winless in 2018 and has started 2019 in disastrous fashion. He has missed multiple cuts and his best finish so far has been a 35th place in the Farmers Insurance Open. His form going into the Masters looks horrific however, major championships always seem to bring the best out of him and there is no better place than this year’s Masters to kick start his season.
Richie Fowler
The ever present Rickie Fowler has come agonisingly close on multiple occasions to win a major championship and most recently came up short finishing in 2nd place at last year’s Masters Championships. He just seems to be one of the most talented golfers who cannot get his hands on a major title. Fowler has had a decent start to 2019 having won the Waste Management Phoenix Open and Finished 2nd at The Honda Classic.
Jon Rahn
The 24 year old Spaniard is looking to become the 4th Spaniard to win the Masters after Seve Ballesteros, Jose Olazabal and Sergio Garcia. The former European Tour Rookie of the Year has been on the rise having reached a career high of world no. 2 last year after winning the Career Builder Challenge. He has put up solid performances at Majors over his short career so far and came within touching distance of leading the charge in last year Masters Championships. Rahn had a great 2018 season winning the Career Builder Challenge, Open de Espana and the Hero World Challenge and will be hoping that his confidence will continue into the Masters.