The History of The Masters
The Masters is one of the largest golf tournaments in the country. It has made Augusta Georgia famous and is held during the first week of April each year. The best part is that Augusta happens to be only a short hour and a half drive from Newton County. The first Masters tournament happened in 1934 and has held onto its prestigious name ever since.It was in the early 1930s that golf professional Bobby Jones purchased the old Fruitland property and built his dream course, the Augusta National Golf Club. It was here that the first ever Masters Tournament was played and has taken place every year since then. It was in 1935 that a golf professional named Gene Sarazen helped make the tournament become famous. Sarazen accomplished a playoff win that year and shot a double eagle, gaining national attention with a shot known as the “shot heard ‘round the world.”
Since 1935, golf professionals have fought to win the coveted Masters title and have played through many different weather conditions to do so. In 1938, such severe weather occurred that the start of the tournament was pushed back to Saturday; this resulted in the competitors having to play 36 holes on Sunday.
The Masters has only taken one hiatus during its existence between the years of 1943 and 1945 due to World War II. In 1946, the tournament came back in full swing and has not stopped since. The Masters sees the best of the best golfers every year and is the tournament to watch. Be sure to watch The Masters for a full week of golf and an unforgettable tournament, beginning April 6th.
