The Masters Golf Tournament 2009 - Thurs 9th April - Sun 12th April

[Jonesy Knows]

The Masters Golf Tournament Bountiful, blooming azaleas. Endless green-hued vistas. Yep, it's that time of year again, golf fans. Masters week is upon us and, as always, there are numerous story lines entering the sport's biggest event. Major plotlines abound at Augusta National Golf Club, where the golf world will converge for this week's Masters Tournament. The preceding sentence could be written prior to this event any year, but it rings especially true entering this week's festivities. Greg Norman is making his return here after seven years of exile. Fred Couples is attempting to build on a strong week in Houston. Trevor Immelman is trying to become just the fourth back-to-back champion. Three teenagers are competing in the same Masters for the first time. Padraig Harrington is seeking his third straight major title in search of the Paddy Slam. Phil Mickelson is trying to win his third green jacket since 2004. And there's always the course, of course, with lingering questions about whether the roars will return to the back nine on Sunday. I'll get to each one of those in different areas here in the W18, but the No. 1 story entering the week -- as it's been in so many other tourneys before this -- revolves around Tiger Woods. As you might recall, the last stroke he took in competition occurred two weeks ago at Bay Hill, when he drained a 15-foot, 11-inch birdie putt on the final hole to prevail by a single shot. And so Woods enters this week on a high note, searching for his fifth career green jacket in his fourth appearance since returning from last year's season-ending knee surgery. "Tiger obviously made his splash at Bay Hill," Luke Donald said Sunday. "It's not his first event back, but ... Tiger's always the biggest story." Donald then thought about it for a second before suggesting, "If Harrington had a chance to win, that would be a pretty cool story." Yes, it would. Same goes for Norman. And Couples. And Mickelson, too. For now, though, it's Tiger's world and everyone else is just living it. Need further proof? Ratings for the recent Arnold Palmer Invitational were higher than any tourney since last year's U.S. Open -- and yes, that includes the British Open and PGA Championship. Another Masters title would tie Woods with The King, just one behind Jack Nicklaus' all-time record. And it would only ensure that TigerMania would continue to grow even bigger. The Masters Golf Tournament is unlike any other golf event in the world. Every second weekend in April (the 2009 Masters will take place the 9th-12th), the golf world comes calling focusing its attention on the first of the four major golf championships played at the historic Augusta National Golf Club. Since 1934, The Masters has become an annual 'right of spring'. For millions of golf fans, it marks the real beginning of the professional golf season. Some of the most famous shots in golf history have been made on this historic course (Gene Sarazen's 1935 double eagle on 15 comes to mind) as well as some of the game's most notable blunders. For example, in 1968 Roberto DeVicenzo lost the Masters Tournament when he signed an incorrect final round scorecard allowing Bob Goalby to win the title. Actually, Goalby tied DeVicenzo at the end of regulation play and there would have been an 18-hole playoff on Monday had there not been a mistake on DeVicenzo's scorecard. On the final round, playing partner Tommy Aaron marked a 4 on the No. 17 hole when DeVicenzo had in fact made a 3. DeVicenzo failed to catch the mistake and signed the scorecard. PGA rules are very clear that the higher written score signed by a golfer on his card must stand. As such, the error gave Goalby the championship. The finest golfers in the world convene at this course that the legendary Bobby Jones built. Each golfer arrives with visions of wearing the Green Jacket symbolic of being the Masters Champion on Sunday evening following the final round as well as pocketing over a million dollars in prize money. There have been some great champions in Masters history that have adorned the Green Jacket. Past champions include the likes of Horton Smith, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and defending champion Zach Johnson to name a notable few. Four times in the illustrious history of the Masters has the Champion made birdie on the 18th hole while making the final putt of the tournament to capture the title -- Phil Mickelson (2004), Mark O'Meara (1998), Sandy Lyle (1988), and Arnold Palmer (1960). Walk-off birdies, so to speak. The Masters has evolved from it's inception in those early days to become a Major Championship title and the Green Jacket is one of the most treasured and coveted trophies in the world of sports. The tradition of the Green Jacket at Augusta National Golf Club dates to 1937. That year, members of the club wore green jackets during the tournament so that fans in attendance could easily spot them if they needed to ask questions. Slipping a jacket onto the winner of The Masters is a tradition that began when Sam Snead put on the Green Jacket after his 1949 victory. (Source -http://www.squidoo.com/the-masters) Past Winners of the Masters

Year	Winner
2008	Trevor Immelman
2007	Zach Johnson
2006	Phil Mickelson
2005	Tiger Woods
2004	Phil Mickelson
2003	Mike Weir
2002	Tiger Woods
2001	Tiger Woods
2000	Vijay Singh
1999	Jose Maria Olazabal
1998	Mark O'Meara
1997	Tiger Woods
1996	Nick Faldo
1995	Ben Crenshaw
1994	Jose Maria Olazabal
1993	Bernhard Langer
1992	Fred Couples
1991	Ian Woosnam
1990	Nick Faldo
1989	Nick Faldo
1988	Sandy Lyle
1987	Larry Mize
1986	Jack Nicklaus
1985	Bernhard Langer
1984	Ben Crenshaw
1983	Seve Ballesteros
1982	Craig Stadler
1981	Tom Watson
1980	Seve Ballesteros
1979	Fuzzy Zoeller
1978	Gary Player
1977	Tom Watson
1976	Raymond Floyd
1975	Jack Nicklaus
1974	Gary Player
1973	Tommy Aaron
1972	Jack Nicklaus
1971	Charles Coody
1970	Billy Casper
1969	George Archer
1968	Bob Goalby
1967	Gay Brewer, Jr.
1966	Jack Nicklaus
1965	Jack Nicklaus
1964	Arnold Palmer
1963	Jack Nicklaus
1962	Arnold Palmer
1961	Gary Player
1960	Arnold Palmer
1959	Art Wall, Jr.
1958	Arnold Palmer
1957	Doug Ford
1956	Jack Burke, Jr.
1955	Cary Middlecoff
1954	Sam Snead
1953	Ben Hogan
1952	Sam Snead
1951	Ben Hogan
1950	Jimmy Demaret
1949	Sam Snead
1948	Claude Harmon
1947	Jimmy Demaret
1946	Herman Keiser
1945	Not played
1944	Not played
1943	Not played
1942	Byron Nelson
1941	Craig Wood
1940	Jimmy Demaret
1939	Ralph Guldahl
1938	Henry Picard
1937	Byron Nelson
1936	Horton Smith
1935	Gene Sarazen
1934	Horton Smith

[bowles10]

Re: The Masters Golf Tournament 2009 - Thurs 9th April - Sun 12th April cant wait, was thinking i'd have to get the stats out soon!! One of the most eagerly awaited tourneys for me. :ok