US MASTERS

Following Trevor Immelman’s victory in the 2008 US Masters, Angel Cabrera’s play-off victory in the US Masters 2009 edition came as a great shock, despite being a stalwart of the European Tour and a US Open to his name Cabrera’s combination of superb driving and a cultured short game ensured he was victorious against Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell and won his first Green Jacket. The US Masters 2010 looks set to become one of the best events in recent years with the likes of Rory McIIroy and Lee Westwood set to do battle against Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in their attempt to become the first European winner since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999. The US Masters 2010 event will take place in April with the opening days practice starting on Monday 5th April 2010, the final putts will be holed on Sunday 11th April 2010 where we’ll hopefully be enjoying another fantastic final back nine at Augusta National.

The Masters was started by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones, who designed Augusta National with legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie, but at first one of the world's most famous and beautiful golf courses was nothing more than 365 acres of simple farming land. Due to the foresight of Bob Jones and Clifford Roberts, Fruitlands Nurseries purchased the land for $70,000 in 1931 and it is now home to the revered Augusta National Golf Course.

After the course was completed, its creators came up with the idea of organizing an annual tournament drawing all the best players from across the world. For the first five years of the tournament, it was called the Augusta National International Tournament but in 1939, its name changed to The Masters.

In line with the other majors, winning the Masters gives a golfer several privileges which make his career more secure. Masters champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship) for the next five years, and earn a lifetime invitation to the Masters. They also receive membership on the PGA Tour for the following five seasons and invitations to The Players Championship for five years. In 2006 the prize fund was US$7 million.

European players collected eleven victories in twenty years in the 1980s and 1990s, by far the strongest streak they have had in any of the three majors played in the United States since the early days of the U.S Open. Jack Nicklaus became the oldest player to win the Masters in 1986 when he won for the sixth time at age 46. In 1997, headlines were made around the world when Tiger Woods won the Masters by twelve shots at age twenty-one. Jose Maria Olazabal was the last European to win the Masters in 1999.

Like many other courses, Augusta National's championship set-up has been lengthened in recent years. In 1998, it measured approximately 6,925 yards from the Masters tees but in 2006 it was almost 500 yards longer at 7,445 yards. As well as the course being extended, the teeing positions have been altered. Some experts predict that Augusta may now play as many as three shots more following the changes, which would be approved by Jones and Roberts, whose vision was to challenge the best players in the game of golf.