Facts and Figures of The Masters

Don’t ask how I got it, but I received a copy of The Masters Media Guide for 2021. It’s 472 pages long. Seriously.

I read through it so you don’t have to. Here are some of the random and interesting tidbits I found. You can keep track of this years Masters to see if any new records are broken or set.

• The yellow flowers that comprise the US map in the Masters logo in front of the clubhouse are Chrysanthemums.
• Alister MacKenzie, the renowned course architect of Cypress Point and Augusta, died in 1934 – two months before the first Masters. He never got to see his masterpiece in tournament play.
• Ben Hogan suggested and hosted the first Champions dinner in 1952.
• The course this year is playing at 7,475 yards.
• Dating back to 1942, the 10th and 11th holes are tied for the highest scoring average. Both are Par 4 holes with an average scores of 4.30.
• Sarazen Bridge was dedicated in 1955. Nelson Bridge and Hogan Bridge were both dedicated in 1958.
• Sportswriter Herbert Warren Wind coined the term “Amen Corner”. He initially described the stretch as “the second half of hole No. 11, hole No. 12, and the first half of hole No. 13.”
• Though we associate Augusta with Georgia Pines, there are actually a few palm tree on the property, too.
• The current Olympic Gold Medalist was recently added to the exemptions (one year).
• Members at Augusta adopted the Green Jacket in 1937. The first tournament winner to receive one was Sam Snead in 1949.
• Jack Nicklaus, as a repeat winner in 1966, slipped on his own Green Jacket – an honor normally afforded to the previous winner. Since then, the Chairman of Augusta does the honors for repeat winners (Faldo and Woods).
• This year Lee Elder became an Honorary Starter with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. The only other men to serve in that capacity are: Jock Hutchison 1963–1973, Fred McLeod 1963–1976, Byron Nelson 1981–2001 (Non-consecutive), Gene Sarazen 1981–1999, Ken Venturi 1983, Sam Snead 1984–2002, Arnold Palmer 2007–2016.
• The winner gets a replica of the clubhouse trophy and a gold medal, Runner-up gets a silver medal and silver salver.
• There are daily awards given at the Masters. They include a crystal vase for the day’s low score, a crystal bowl for a hole-in-one, a pair of crystal glasses for an eagle, and a large crystal bowl for a double eagle.

• Significant anniversaries this year:

  • 85 years ago Horton Smith became the first two-time winner.

  • 70 years ago Ben Hogan won his first Masters.

  • 60 years ago Gary Player became the first international winner.

  • 50 years ago Booby Jones passed away.

  • 35 years ago, Nicklaus won his 6th Masters at the age of 46.

  • 25 years ago was the epic collapse of Greg Norman, allowing Nick Faldo to claim the title.

• The building which was to become the clubhouse was built in 1854.
• Magnolia Lane is the length of a short Par 4, about 330 yards. The trees are over 150 years old.
• The Par 3 Contest started in 1960. Sam Snead won that year.
• There have been exactly 100 holes-in-one at the Par 3 Contest.
• Nick Price and Greg Norman share the lowest 18-hole score at 63.
• Three players have 10-year streaks of completing the Tournament under par: Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Tom Kite.
• Stuart Appleby holds the record for most consecutive holes played at par or better with 50 in 2001 (45 pars and five birdies).
• Tiger Woods had five tournaments where he shot subpar every round (1997, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2019)
• Of players with 100 rounds or more at The Masters, Phil Mickelson has the lowest scoring average at 71.32. Tiger has played 90 rounds at The Masters and averages 70.87. Of players with at least 25 rounds, Jordan Speith beats them both with an average score of 70.46.
•  Anthony Kim had a record 11 birdies in one round in 2009.
• Steve Pate in 1999 and Tiger woods in 2005 both had a record seven birdies in a row, both starting on the 7th hole.
• Dustin Johnson is the only player to have three eagles in a round.
• There have been four double-eagles at the Masters, each on a separate hole.
  • Hole No. 2, Louis Oosthuizen, 2012, fourth round (4-iron, 253 yards)
  • Hole No. 8, Bruce Devlin, 1967, first round (4-wood, 248 yards)
  • Hole No. 13, Jeff Maggert, 1994, fourth round (3-iron, 222 yards)
  • Hole No. 15, Gene Sarazen, 1935, fourth round (4-wood, 235 yards)
• There’s only been one hole-in-one on the 4th hole – Jeff Sluman in 1992.
• Gary player (52) and Arnold Palmer (50) are the only players with more than 50 starts at The Masters.
• Tiger has won the most money at The Masters, a whopping $9.5 million.
• Fred Couples and Gary Player share the most consecutive cuts made at 23 in-a-row.
• Jack Nicklaus has the most cuts made ever with 37.
• Three players have carded a 13 on a single hole. Tom Weiskopf in 1980 on the 12th hole, Tommy Nakajima in 1978 on the 13th hole, and Sergio Garcia in 2018 on the 15th hole.
• Gary Player has hit a record 12,061 shots at Augusta in tournament play.
• Player from 39 countries outside the US have competed at The Maters over the years.
• There have only been five wire-to-wire winners at The Masters: Craig Wood, 1941, Arnold Palmer, 1960, Jack Nicklaus, 1972, Raymond Floyd,1976, Jordan Spieth, 2015.
• The average age of all 84 winners of The Masters is 32.64 years old.
• The state of Texas has had the most winners at Augusta, 14 in all.
• Nicklaus, Hogan, and Weiskopf each had four Runner-up finishes, the most in Masters history.
• There have been 17 Masters determined by a playoff. Hogan lost two playoffs and Nick Faldo won two in playoffs.
• Only one father and son have competed in the same Masters, Craig and Kevin Stadler in 2014.
• Three left-handed players have won The Masters: Mike Weir, Phil Mickelson, and Bubba Watson.
• Jimmy Walker holds the Par 3 Contest low score record at 19.
• Gary Player shot under par at the Par 3 Contest at the age of 82. Player also has the most holes-in-one at the Par 3 Contest with four.

And I’m really just scratching the surface. I hope this little trivia session gets you in the mood for Masters week. Now go impress your friends with all the new stats you know about the greatest tournament in golf.