Tour News
Masters Moments
By Pete Pappas
GolfWRX Staff Writer
“We want to make the bogies easy if frankly sought, pars readily obtainable by standard good play, and birdies, except on the Par 5s, dearly bought.”
— Bobby Jones, Augusta National Golf Club and The Masters co-founder
2010
Phil Mickelson won the 74th Masters for the third time in his career in 2010 (only Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Tiger Woods have more victories).
Lefty pulls away from Lee Westwood on Championship Sunday with a bogey-free 67. But it’s his dramatic eagle-eagle-birdie streak on moving day at No. 13, No. 14, and No. 15 that ultimately puts him in contention for a third green jacket.
Westwood finished runner-up, three strokes behind Mickelson, continuing his heartbreaking chase for that elusive first major championship.
Mark Zuckerberg is Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” and Prince Charles admits to being baffled by modern technology, saying, “I am not part of the PlayStation generation.”
2005
The 2005 Masters saw Woods defeat Chris DiMarco with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. The win was the (then) 29 year-old Woods’ fourth Masters victory (tying him for second all-time with “The King” Arnold Palmer).
Tiger wins despite “coughing up” a four-stroke final round lead (which he later describes as “thowing up” on himself).
The 69th Masters preserves for posterity one of sports’ all-time greatest broadcasting moments, when CBS commentator Verne Lundquist’s makes his famous call on Tiger’s chip in at No. 16, “In your life! Have you ever seen anything like that?”
Ted Koppel retires from “Nightline” after 25 years, the Chicago White Sox win their third World Series title, and Tom Cruise punches his own express ticket on the crazy train with a lighthearted stroll through Oprah Winfrey’s couch.
1997
A 155-pound 21-year-old “Urkel” (as he’s known to his Stanford teammates) wasn’t yet a household name in 1997. But Eldrick “Tiger” Woods changed golf completely and forever with his performance in the 61st Masters.
“Tigermania” flips the game on its head as Woods becomes the youngest player ever to win at Augusta. He demoralizes the field and steamrolls runner-up Tom Kite by 12 strokes (a winning margin three strokes better than the previous record held by five-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus).
Hitting ridiculous shots from ridiculous angles, with even more ridiculous touch and precision, Woods makes everything look easy and establishes the new tournament record for lowest winning score (270) and lowest 72-hole score (18-under).
Tiger becomes the first Asian-African player to win The Masters (his victory comes seven years after Augusta National finally admits its first black member in 1990). The significance of this historical moment isn’t lost on Woods’ father Earl, overheard telling Tiger as he slips on his first prestigious green jacket, “Green and black go well together don’t they?”
Tiger’s victory triggers the beginning of “Tiger-Proofing” (lengthening courses so Woods’ dominating distance is neutralized). The PGA Tour hasn’t seen “wedge into par 5” before and decides lengthening the courses will nullify Tiger’s power (ironically this decision plays into Woods favor and gives him an even greater comparative advantage over his already shorter hitting competitors).
By the end of the 1997 season Woods owns the single-season record for earnings with more than $2 million.
Disgraced NBC sportscaster Marv Albert goes on trial for felony charges which involve the alleged repeated biting of an unnamed female sex partner, Michael Jordan wins his fifth NBA Championship ring with the Chicago Bulls, and the merry minds at Comedy Central debut the socially animated (gratuitously offensive) satire “South Park”. “Oh my God! They killed Kenny!”
1986
In what’s widely considered the greatest Masters of all time, Nicklaus won his fabled and final green jacket at Augusta National in 1986.
Entering the tournament, Jack hadn’t triumphed on Tour since 1984, and supposedly his spirit was broken from Tom Watson’s birdie chip on No. 17 at Pebble Beach in 1982 (which snatched away what would have been Nicklaus’ fifth U.S. Open title).
Jack’s drought without a major is six years and running, and after opening the 50th Masters with a first-day 74 followed by a second round 71, it appears the 46-year-old Nicklaus’ run as the greatest golfer in history will quietly come to an end.
But like the enduring tradition of spring Jack finds new life on Sunday when he birdies No. 9, No. 10, and No. 11. And his eagle-birdie-birdie streak on No. 15, No. 16 and No. 17 (which leads to a back nine record low score of 30) ultimately gives “The Golden Bear” a one stroke victory over runner-up Tom Kite (and his 18th and final major championship).
Few images in golf are as memorable as Jack’s “golden” moment at Augusta in 1986, left arm raised triumphantly with putter in hand, watching his putt drop for birdie on No. 17, tongue out, and of course wearing his Sunday “Yellow Shirt.”
The Space Shuttle Challenger blows up one minute and thirteen seconds after take-off killing all seven crew members, the Soviet Union Chernobyl disaster is the worlds worst nuclear power accident in history, and “Platoon” wins the Academy Award for best film.
1975
It’s sometimes said that The Masters doesn’t begin until the back nine on Sunday. And that was never more true than during the final spellbinding round of the 39th Masters.
Jack won his fifth green jacket and 13th major championship in 1975, outlasting the pestering pursuers Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf in one of the most exciting final days in Augusta National’s storied history.
Nicklaus was paired with rising star and imminent rival Tom Watson on this Sunday, and right behind them were Miller and Weiskopf. Only two shots separated Nicklaus, Weiskopf, and Miller heading into the howling demon winds at “Amen Corner.”
The players traded strokes to start the back nine, but it was at the amphitheatre par-5, 530 yard 15th hole and par-3, 170 yard 16th hole where Nicklaus delivers two of the most famous shots in Masters’ history (and ultimately secures his fourth Masters victory in an 11-year span).
On No. 15 Nicklaus sent a blistering 240-foot one iron screaming over the “Firethorn” water and onto the green. A stroll across Sarazen Bridge gave Jack an easy two-putt birdie.
Nicklaus’ iron shot on No. 16 wasn’t nearly as good, leaving a considerably longer putt for birdie. But with Miller and Weiskopf watching from the tee, Jack curled in a 40-foot birdie bomb, leaped in the air, and bear charged “right” into the history books.
Nicklaus said afterwards, “To be out there in the middle of something like that, is fun.”
The Ford F-150 truck is introduced, sex symbol Farrah Fawcett is discovered in a 1975 Mercury Cougar commercial (a few months later her iconic red bathing suit poster begins to chaperon hordes of hormonal young men through their bumbling rite of passage into manhood), and Mick Jagger (age 33) says, “I’d rather be dead than still be singing “Satisfaction”when I’m 45.”
1962
In the first three-way playoff in Masters history Palmer wins the 26th Masters (avenging his double-bogey final hole meltdown which cost him the title in 1961).
Arnie defeats his arch-rival from South Africa, “The Black Knight” Gary Player (1961 Masters defending champion) and 1958 PGA Championship winner Dow Finsterwald in an 18-hole playoff shooting (4-under) 68, while Player shot (one-under) 71, and Finsterwald (six-over) 78.
Palmer earns $20,000 for his third career Masters victory, but it’s far from easy money.
It took two late birdies at No. 16 and No. 17 on Sunday to sneak Palmer into a playoff after it appeared he’d again throw away The Masters (like he did in 1961) to Player. And when the playoffs began on Monday his struggles continued. He fell three-shots behind Player with a (one-over) 37.
But to the delight of 40,000 spectators looking on (many of whom are “Arnie’s Army”), “The King” showed he had a charge left in him, and fired back with a five-under 31 on the back 9, including a 30-foot putt on No. 10, where Player missed his short putt for par.
Palmer birdied the last two legs of “Amen Corner” before also carding birdies on the par 4, No. 14, and par 3, No. 16. And when all was said and done, in the span of five holes, Arnie went from three strokes down to four strokes up.
When asked about arguably playing both the best and worst golf of the tournament, “The King” replied, “You always think you’re getting smarter at this game, but every now and then you have a relapse and realize you’re not as smart as you thought you were.”
Marilyn Monroe’s death is caused by an overdose of sleeping pills (conspiracy theories involve the mob, President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy), and the first James Bond film is released, “Dr. No” (starring Sean Connery). “Bond, James Bond.”
1953
Ben Hogan wins the 17th Masters in 1953 (his second and final Masters victory) by five strokes over runner-up Ed “Porky” Oliver.
Hogan’s 274 (14-under) is a record that stands for 12 years.
1953 is a bittersweet year for Hogan. He plays in seven tour events and wins five of them, including the first three legs of the “Grand Slam” (The Masters, the U.S. Open, and the British Open). But after 1952 Hogan never again wins another major.
“I Love Lucy” is the most popular show on television, the Wiffle Ball is invented, and the Montreal Canadians are Stanley Cup champions.
The 76th Masters Broadcast Coverage
Television Coverage
Thursday and Friday: ESPN 3:00-7:30 pm ET
Saturday: CBS 3:30-7:00 pm ET
Sunday: CBS 2:00-7:00 pm ET
Radio Coverage
Thursday through Sunday: SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel 12:00 -7:00 pm ET
Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum.
Follow Pete on twitter @TheGreekGrind
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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