 TheMasters.com
and Masters.org
point to the official site of The Masters Tournament.
TheMasters.com -
The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters or The U.S.
Masters (outside of the United States), is one of four major championships
in men's professional golf. The Masters
is an "official money event" on the PGA Tour, the PGA European Tour and the
Japan Golf Tour.
The Masters, scheduled for the first
full week of April, is the first of the majors to be played each year.
Unlike the other major championships, the Masters is held every year at the
same location, Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf club in the city
of Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Immelman’s Steely Nerves Win Masters
Trevor Immelman's swing has been compared to Ben Hogan by one of
golf's great players, Gary Player, a three-time Masters Champion.
The Masters was started by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones, who designed
Augusta National with course architect Alister MacKenzie.
The 2008 champion is Trevor Immelman, who won a prize of US$1.35 million.
In accordance with typical golf tournament formatting, the Masters
Tournament is a 72-hole tournament held over four days. It is held under the
rules of golf, as defined by the United States Golf Association and is also
subject to special rulings and regulations set by the Masters Tournament
Committee. The Masters is usually the first major championship of the year,
played so that the final round is always on the second Sunday of April.
Because the Masters has a relatively smaller field compared to other golf
tournaments, groups are set to a size of three players for the first 36
holes (typically Thursday and Friday). After 36 holes have been played by
all players, a cut is made. Players who 'make the cut' are in one or both of
the following two categories: (1) Lowest 44 scores plus ties, or (2) Within
10 strokes of the lowest 36-hole score (set by the leader). From 1957 to
1960, it was the low 40 plus ties and those within 10 strokes of the leader.
Before 1957, there was no 36-hole cut.
Green jacket
In addition to a cash award, the winner of the tournament is presented with
a distinctive green jacket, awarded since 1949. The green sport coat is
actually the official attire worn by members of Augusta National while on
the club grounds; each Masters winner becomes an honorary member of the
club. Winners keep their jacket for the first year after their first
victory, then return it to the club to wear whenever they visit. The
tradition began in 1949, when Sam Snead won his first of three Masters
titles. The green jacket is only allowed to be removed from Augusta National
by the reigning champion, after which it must remain at the club. (The only
exception to this rule is Gary Player, who refused to return his jacket
after his 1961 victory, although he arguably followed the spirit of the
rule, as he has stated that he has never worn the jacket.)
By tradition, the winner of the previous year's Masters Tournament puts the
jacket on the current winner at the end of the tournament. In 1966, Jack
Nicklaus became the first player to win in consecutive years and he donned
the jacket himself. When Nick Faldo (in 1990) and Tiger Woods (in 2002)
repeated as champions, the chairman of Augusta National put the jacket on
them.
Source: TheMasters.com and Wikipedia |
