AUGUSTA National’s trademark back-nine drama in
the final round of the Masters could reach epic heights on Sunday with a
field that offers no clear favorite and several rising young stars.
Rory McIlroy and defending champion Adam Scott squandered late leads last month to lose, while reigning British Open champion Phil Mickelson and Australian star Jason Day are coming off injuries.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods will miss the Masters for the first time after back surgery to fix a pinched nerve.
Mix in a record 24 first-time Masters starters, including recent three-time winners Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed, and one of golf’s grandest stages is set for a showdown to decide the green jacket like few seen in recent times.
“To feel that energy and to hear the roars and be a part of what’s happening that final nine holes, it’s the greatest experience for a professional golfer,” said three-time Masters winner Mickelson.
While the absence of 14-time major champion Woods could dim the mystique for some, it’s unlikely to steal the spotlight come Sunday afternoon.
“Having Tiger in a tournament definitely creates more buzz, more of an atmosphere,” McIlroy said. “But no matter who is in contention or who is going to win, the Masters always provides a great finish.”
Scott said that as the era dominated by Woods has faded, his last major title having come in 2008, a wider set of champions has emerged.
“It has been easy to look at who is the guy to beat. I think that scope has kind of broadened now,” Scott said. “There are a lot of guys with the talent and the form that aren’t necessarily standing out above others, but on their week, they are going to be tough to beat.”
Masters Champions And Runners- Up
-Culled from Sports Network
Rory McIlroy and defending champion Adam Scott squandered late leads last month to lose, while reigning British Open champion Phil Mickelson and Australian star Jason Day are coming off injuries.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods will miss the Masters for the first time after back surgery to fix a pinched nerve.
Mix in a record 24 first-time Masters starters, including recent three-time winners Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed, and one of golf’s grandest stages is set for a showdown to decide the green jacket like few seen in recent times.
“To feel that energy and to hear the roars and be a part of what’s happening that final nine holes, it’s the greatest experience for a professional golfer,” said three-time Masters winner Mickelson.
While the absence of 14-time major champion Woods could dim the mystique for some, it’s unlikely to steal the spotlight come Sunday afternoon.
“Having Tiger in a tournament definitely creates more buzz, more of an atmosphere,” McIlroy said. “But no matter who is in contention or who is going to win, the Masters always provides a great finish.”
Scott said that as the era dominated by Woods has faded, his last major title having come in 2008, a wider set of champions has emerged.
“It has been easy to look at who is the guy to beat. I think that scope has kind of broadened now,” Scott said. “There are a lot of guys with the talent and the form that aren’t necessarily standing out above others, but on their week, they are going to be tough to beat.”
Masters Champions And Runners- Up
| Year | Winner (Score) | Runners-Up | |||
| 2013 | *Adam Scott (279) | Angel Cabrera | |||
| 2012 | *Bubba Watson (278) | Louis Oosthuizen | |||
| 2011 | Charl Schwartzel (274) | Adam Scott, Jason Day | |||
| 2010 | Phil Mickelson (272) | Lee Westwood | |||
| 2009 | *Angel Cabrera (276) | Chad Campbell, Kenny Perry | |||
| 2008 | Trevor Immelman (280) | Tiger Woods | |||
| 2007 | Zach Johnson (289) | Rory Sabbatini, Retief Goosen, Tiger Woods | |||
| 2006 | Phil Mickelson (281) | Tim Clark | |||
| 2005 | *Tiger Woods (276) | Chris DiMarco | |||
| 2004 | Phil Mickelson (279) | Ernie Els | |||
| 2003 | *Mike Weir (281) | Len Mattiace | |||
| 2002 | Tiger Woods (276) | Retief Goosen | |||
| 2001 | Tiger Woods (272) | David Duval | |||
| 2000 | Vijay Singh (278) | Ernie Els | |||
| 1999 | Jose Maria Olazabal (280) | Davis Love III | |||
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara (279) | Fred Couples, David Duval | |||
| 1997 | Tiger Woods (270) | Tom Kite | |||
| 1996 | Nick Faldo (276) | Greg Norman | |||
| 1995 | Ben Crenshaw (274) | Davis Love III | |||
| 1994 | Jose Maria Olazabal (279) | Tom Lehman | |||
| 1993 | Bernhard Langer (277) | Chip Beck | |||
| 1992 | Fred Couples (275) | Ray Floyd | |||
| 1991 | Ian Woosnam (277) | Jose Maria Olazabal | |||
| 1990 | *Nick Faldo (278) | Ray Floyd | |||
| 1989 | *Nick Faldo (283) | Scott Hoch | |||
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle (281) | Mark Calcavecchia | |||
| 1987 | *Larry Mize (285) | Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman | |||
| 1986 | Jack Nicklaus (279) | Greg Norman, Tom Kite | |||
| 1985 | Bernhard Langer (282) | Curtis Strange, Ray Floyd, Seve Ballesteros | |||
| 1984 | Ben Crenshaw (277) | Tom Watson | |||
| 1983 | Seve Ballesteros (280) | Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite | |||
| 1982 | *Craig Stadler (284) | Dan Pohl | |||
| 1981 | Tom Watson (280) | Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus | |||
| 1980 | Seve Ballesteros (275) | Gibby Gilbert, Jack Newton | |||
| 1979 | *Fuzzy Zoeller (280) | Ed Sneed, Tom Watson | |||
| 1978 | Gary Player (277) | Hubert Green, Rod Funseth, Tom Watson | |||
| 1977 | Tom Watson (276) | Jack Nicklaus | |||
| 1976 | Ray Floyd (271) | Ben Crenshaw | |||
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus (276) | Johnny Miller, Tom Weiskopf | |||
| 1974 | Gary Player (278) | Tom Weiskopf, Dave Stockton | |||
| 1973 | Tommy Aaron (283) | J.C. Snead | |||
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus (286) | Bruce Crampton, Bobby Mitchell, Tom Weiskop | |||
| 1971 | Charles Coody (279) | Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus | |||
| 1970 | *Billy Casper (279) | Gene Littler | |||
| 1969 | George Archer (281) | Billy Casper, George Knudson, Tom Weiskopf | |||
| 1968 | Bob Goalby (277) | Roberto DeVicenzo | |||
| 1967 | Gay Brewer (280) | Bobby Nichols | |||
| 1966 | *Jack Nicklaus (288) | Tommy Jacobs, Gay Brewer | |||
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus (271) | Arnold Palmer, Gary Player | |||
| 1964 | Arnold Palmer (276) | Jack Nicklaus, Dave Marr | |||
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus (286) | Tony Lema | |||
| 1962 | *Arnold Palmer (280) | Dow Finsterwald, Gary Player | |||
| 1961 | Gary Player (280) | Arnold Palmer, Charles Coe | |||
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer (282) | Ken Venturi | |||
| 1959 | Art Wall, Jr. (284) | Cary Middlecoff | |||
| 1958 | Arnold Palmer (284) | Doug Ford, Fred Hawkins | |||
| 1957 | Doug Ford (282) | Sam Snead | |||
| 1956 | Jack Burke, Jr. (289) | Ken Venturi | |||
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff (279) | Ben Hogan | |||
| 1954 | *Sam Snead (289) | Ben Hogan | |||
| 1953 | Ben Hogan (274) | Ed Oliver, Jr. | |||
| 1952 | Sam Snead (286) | Jack Burke, Jr. | |||
| 1951 | Ben Hogan (280) | Skee Riegel | |||
| 1950 | Jimmy Demaret (283) | Jim Ferrier | |||
| 1949 | Sam Snead (282) | Johnny Bulla, Lloyd Mangrum | |||
| 1948 | Claude Harmon (279) | Cary Middlecoff | |||
| 1947 | Jimmy Demaret (281) | Byron Nelson, Frank Stranahan | |||
| 1946 | Herman Keiser (282) | Ben Hogan | |||
| 1945 | Not Held due to World War II | ||||
| 1944 | Not Held due to World War II | ||||
| 1943 | Not Held due to World War II | ||||
| 1942 | *Byron Nelson (280) | Ben Hogan | |||
| 1941 | Craig Wood (280) | Byron Nelson | |||
| 1940 | Jimmy Demaret (280) | Lloyd Mangrum | |||
| 1939 | Ralph Guldahl (279) | Sam Snead | |||
| 1938 | Henry Picard (285) | Ralph Guldahl, Harry Cooper | |||
| 1937 | Byron Nelson (283) | Ralph Guldahl | |||
| 1936 | Horton Smith (285) | Harry Cooper | |||
| 1935 | *Gene Sarazen (282) | Craig Wood | |||
| 1934 | Horton Smith (284) | Craig Wood | |||
| * - Won in Playoff | |||||
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