Spring is Here!

“The course is perfection, and it asks for perfection.” -- Nick Faldo, who won The Masters three times -- 1989, 1990, 1996

Spring is here. Well, almost here. Maybe we don't have the weather on our side yet, but as every golfer knows, Spring officially began on April 5, which is the first day of the Masters. 

And, as we all know, it is a Tradition Like No Other with its rich history and beautiful setting – 1930 Grand Slam winner Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts founded the club in 1933; Jones and Alister MacKenzie designed the course; it is the only Major that is played on the same course every year; Magnolia lane and the clubhouse; “The Masters doesn’t start until the back 9 on Sunday.”; Amen Corner (Holes 11, 12 & 13), the Sarazen Bridge, the Eisenhower Pine.

And, of course, there are the golfers, their shots and the green jackets.

Currently, Jordan Spieth, the 2015 winner, and Tiger Woods, who has won the Masters four times, but whose last Major victory was the 2008 U.S. Open, are co-favorites.  

 Out of the current Top 10 players in the World Rankings (1. Dustin Johnson 2. Justin Thomas 3. Jon Rahm 4. Jordan Spieth 5. Justin Rose 6. Hideki Matsuyama 7. Rory McIlroy 8. Rickie Fowler 9.Sergio Garcia 10. Brooks Koepka), only two have won the Masters – Sergio last year and Spieth in 2015.

Experience and putting matter at Augusta, which is why I am picking Spieth to win.  Now that you know my opinion about who the winner is going to be, I thought you might be interested in a few tournament facts:   

• The first Augusta National Invitation Golf Tournament was held in 1934.  Horton Smith won and took home $1,500.   
• The youngest winner of the Masters is Tiger Woods, who was 21 years, 104 days old when he won in 1997.  In that year, Woods also broke the records for the widest winning margin (12 strokes), and the lowest winning score, with 270 (−18).  Jordan Spieth tied his score record in 2015.  Spieth’s victory was the first wire-to-wire Masters win since Raymond Floyd's in 1976.
• The list of multiple Masters champions is a remarkable collection of talent:6 Titles – Jack Nicklaus; 4 Titles – Arnold Palmer & Tiger Woods; 3 Titles -- Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Nick Faldo & Phil Mickelson; 2 Titles --  Horton Smith, Bryon Nelson, Ben Hogan, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer & Bubba Watson.
• Three players have won consecutive Masters titles: Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1966), Nick Faldo (1989, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2002).
• These men have the Most Top 10 Finishes in Masters history:22 - Jack Nicklaus; 17 - Ben Hogan; 15 - Gary Player; 15 - Sam Snead; 15 - Tom Watson; 15 - Phil Mickelson; 14 - Byron Nelson
• Five men -- Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods – have won all four Majors.  If Rory McIlroy (odds 12/1) should win, that list would go to six.
• The Masters has had 13 different players put on the green jacket since 2000, with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson being the only competitors to win more than once.

Even if the weather doesn’t permit you to play this weekend, don’t despair!  With the Masters on TV, you won’t be golf deprived!!!

Watch Away!
Allan (10.4 Index; Home course handicap 12)

Photo Credits:
1. 13^th hole at Augusta National GC by Dan Perry/Flickr
2. Augusta National GC clubhouse/Boston Public Library
3. Dean Shareski/Creative Commons-Flickr