The Masters

April 5 - 8, 2007
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta, Georgia
Par: 72 / Yardage: 7,445
Purse: will be announced during Masters week,last year Mickelson received $1,260,000
Defending Champions: Phil Mickelson
List of Champions & Scores

Results & Scores 2006 Masters

Box Score of 2006 Masters

Tournament facts:

Tournament information:

The Masters was conceived by Bobby Jones who had always dream of having a U.S. Open played on Augusta National. But with the hot summers in June, Jones approached the USGA with the idea of playing the Open on Augusta in April, but the USGA turned him down. So Jones and Roberts decided to hold there own annual event beginning in 1934. Roberts proposed the event be called the Masters Tournament, but Jones objected thinking it too presumptuous. The name Augusta National Invitation Tournament was adopted and the title was used for five years until 1939 when Jones relented and the name was officially changed.

Course information:

Photo: © American Golfer ABobby Jones hitting some shots at what would be the 8th hole at Augusta National.

Also helping Jones and Roberts on there search was Thomas Barrett Jr. and he knew of a piece of property in Augusta that he thought would be perfect for Jones dream course. He recommended a piece of property called Fruitlands Nursery. The land consisted of 365 acres that was once a indigo plantation that was family bought it in 1857. The man was Louis Mathieu Edouard Berckmans who was a horticulturist by hobby. Along with his son Julius Alphonse, an agronomist and horticulturist by profession they formed a business in 1858 to import trees and plants from various countries. It would be the first commercial nursery in the south and they called it, Fruitlands Nursery. Even though Berchmans died in 1883 the business did good. A great variety of flowering plants and trees, including a long double row of magnolias were planted before the Civil War which today serves as the clubs entrance were on the property. But Prosper's claim to fame was that he was the one that popularized a plant called the azalea.

Upon Prosper's death in 1910 the business stop operation and the heirs looked for a buyer. That buyer came around in late 1930 when Tom Barrett first showed Jones Berchman's nursery. Upon seeing the property from what is now the practice putting green, Jones knew he had the perfect land for a perfect golf course. He told Roberts and Barrett that he thought the ground had been lying there all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course on it.

Photo: © American Golfer Alister Mackenzie and Bobby Jones walking the land that would be Augusta National

Jones and Mackenzie completed the plans and the construction started in July of 1931. Unfortunately Mackenzie died after the construction work was completed but before Augusta National was fully covered with grass. The course was finished and opened in December 1932 with a limited amount of member play. Formal opening took place in January 1933.

The average green size at Augusta is 6,150 square feet, which is about the average on the PGA Tour. Course has water that comes into play on 5 holes on the back side and only 43 bunkers

For a more comprehensive look at the course, look at this Course Overview done by Masters.Org

The Buzz:

Another big thing that will be on the radar scoop is how Phil Mickelson will play. Of all the majors this is the perfect course for him, he has won two of the last three and you have to think that he is a favorite. He has a good support staff working for him with his swing guru Rick Smith and short game guru Dave Pelz. Lately he has been working privately with Butch Harmon who if he listen's to can help him a lot in beating Tiger. There is no too ways about it if I was a good player I would try to work with Butch not as much for his thoughts on the swing but in the knowledge he has to help in making you a better overall player. Yes Butch at times could be difficult but I have also seen the side of him in which he has more knowledge to pass on than any other teacher.

Now the buzz that could come out of Augusta this week is how the course plays. Since 1999 Augusta has seen many changes to the course to toughen it up. The most drastic came in 2002 when nine holes were changed, but overall since '99 every hole has been worked on with the exception of the 3rd, 6th, 12th and 16th holes. In 1999 the course played at 6,985 and this week it will be 7,445. That is a serious boost but with all of the changes, we haven't really seen the true bite of Augusta National.

That is because of the weather. We haven't had four perfect days of non-rain since 1997. The rain has taken of serious bite on making the course play the way the organizers would like, firm and fast. This year they may get there wish. In the last two weeks it's rain once, a small shower on Sunday. There may be a small shower come through on Wednesday but nothing during the four days of Championship play. On top of that a cold front is going to pass Augusta on Thursday which will bring lower temperatures plus breezy conditions. This could make Augusta show a lot of bite to the point that a winning score of even par is a big possibility. It's been 40 years since the winning score wasn't under par at Augusta (Jack Nicklaus won with even par in 1966) so look for this to become a survival of the fittest so look for this to play into Tiger's hand.

No matter what it seems every change these days to "Tiger-proof" a course just gives Woods more of an advantage. Oh, one thing that will be nice is Arnold Palmer hitting the ceremonial first shot on Thursday. Hopefully this will be the beginning of not only getting him but Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, hopefully Augusta will honor all of the great champions by possibly having a nine-hole match for all past champions on the Thursday morning of the championship.

Here are some things to look for this week:

Photo: © Steve Munday/ALLSPORT The 10th green at Augusta National.

• Key stat for the winner:
  As the chart below shows in looking at the winners of past Masters shows us you can see why they won. First it's precise ball hitting like a Ben Hogan, length and power like Tiger Woods, deft touch with a putter on the steeply contoured greens like a Ben Crenshaw and the mind and wisdom of a Jack Nicklaus. All of these are what it takes to win the Masters.
• Precise ball hitting is a must, with steeply contoured greens that you have to position a shot to the green in a area that you will have a easy putt. That's why players like Nick Faldo and Ben Hogan have five titles. If you look at the champions of the Masters, a poor putter usually doesn't win.. Being able not to three putt is important.
• Now of course Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods in 2001 has put a dent in our theory about no three putts. Both Tiger and Vijay had more in the year they won than the previous seven champions of the 90s put together. That doesn't mean that where going to have a new trend, I will still bet that the winner this year has the least three putts of anyone else in the field.
• To show you how theories don't work all of the time, look at the theory that says you have to hit it long to win at Augusta. Yes, Tiger and Vijay hit the ball long, but past champions like Mike Weir, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O'Meara and Ben Crenshaw could be the shortest hitters on the PGA Tour. No matter what length is very important, just look at Tiger Woods victory in 1997. Being able to reach par-5s with wedges is a big advantage over players hitting into the greens with long irons and woods.
• Now stats are great but in reality they really don't mean much when it comes to picking a winner at the Masters. You see since 1993 the only true favorite to win the Masters was Tiger Woods who won it in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005 and Phil Mickelson in 2004, last year. Yes it was a bit of a surprise that Mike Weir won in 2003 and Vijay Singh won in 2000 but even bigger surprise winners have been Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O'Meara, Bernhard Langer and Ben Crenshaw, who came from out of the blue to win. Even Nick Faldo surprised all in 1996. So does that mean that this trend is going to continue, absolutely not. Matter of fact I feel strongly in saying that this years Masters is going to be a three horse race between Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh. I can even say that I will be highly disappointed if these guys don't finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd this year. Both Woods and Singh are playing the best coming into this week and all three have primed their games with this week in mind.
• One other very important factor will come into effect this year, Mother Nature. In the past nine years the Masters have been plagued with some really poor weather which have put a damper on the way Augusta should play, firm and fast like a links course. But this year it looks like Augusta may have four really solid days of dry conditions with Sun and most important wind between 10 and 20 MPH. If this happens, look for nobody to break par.
• Last but not least experience and wisdom is important, that's why Jack Nicklaus has six titles and the last player to win the Masters in his first start is Fuzzy Zoeller, who did it back in 1979.

In looking at who should win the Masters, it's important to see who has won it and why:

Here is a look at the winners and their stats:
Year	Winner	Driving Distance	Fairways Hit	Greens Hit	Putts	# of 3 putt greens
2006	Phil Mickelson	299.3 (1st)	35 of 56 (T36th)	50 of 72 (T4th)	116 (T16th)	2
2005	Tiger Woods	292.4 (4th)	32 of 56 (T49th)	54 of 72 (2nd)	115 (T10th)	3 & one four putt
2004	Phil Mickelson	290.4 (T9th)	41 of 56 (T9th)	53 of 72 (1st)	117 (T23rd)	2
2003	Mike Weir	271.2 (T39th)	42 of 56 (T11th)	38 of 72 (T37th)	104 (4th)	1
2002	Tiger Woods	293.8 (6th)	39 of 56 (T22nd)	54 of 72 (1st)	115 (T21st)	1
2001	Tiger Woods	305.5 (1st)	40 of 56 (T19th)	59 of 72 (1st)	121 (T37th)	4
2000	Vijay Singh	273.0 (12th)	41 of 56 (T9th)	58 of 72 (1st)	124 (T45th)	4
1999	Jose Maria Olazabal	239.8 (55th)	37 of 56 (T39th)	44 of 72 (T18th)	109 (T7th)	0
1998	Mark O'Meara	266.6 (31st)	47 of 56 (T27th)	40 of 72 (T38th)	105 (1st)	1
1997	Tiger Woods	323.1 (1st)	4047 of 56 (T24th)	55 of 72 (1st)	116 (T8th)	1

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