The Masters - Stats and Facts

The first of golf's major tournaments, The Masters, is in full swing this week from Augusta National Golf Club.  This world renown tournament and venue is the only one of the four majors to be held at the same golf club every year.  With a unique structure and boat load of tradition, this is my favorite golf event of the PGA Tour season.  Here's some interesting stats and facts that make this such a great event:

• The first Masters event was held in 1934, when it was won by Horton Smith
• This years winner of the Masters will win approximately 1.5 million dollars. In 1934, the winner, Horton Smith received $1,500.
• The course was formerly a plant nursery and each hole on the course is named after the tree or shrub with which it has become associated.
• The Masters is the only of golfs major tournaments to return to the same venue every year. 
• The Masters Champions Dinner, introduced by Ben Hogan in 1952, is held on the Tuesday before the tournament, and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club.
• The Masters requires caddies to wear a uniform consisting of a white jumpsuit, a green Masters cap, and white tennis shoes.
• The course record at August National is 63, shared by Nick Price and Greg Norman.
• At 14 years 168 days old Guan Tianlang is the youngest player to ever play in the Masters.
• In 1997 at the age of 21 years, 3 months and 14 days, Tiger Woods is the youngest player to ever win the Masters 
• At age 46 years, 2 months and 23 days, Jack Nicklaus became the olderst player to win the Masters (1986)
• 19 of the 94 players in this years Masters field have already won a green jacket from the Masters.
• Any player who scores a hole-in-one or a double eagle at the Masters wins a large crystal bowl. For each eagle a player makes he receives a pair of crystal goblets.
• In Masters history, 14 of the 18 holes at Augusta National have averages over par.
• The field of players is smaller than all other major championships because it is an invitational event, held by the Augusta National Golf Club.
• In 76 years of Masters history, there have been 23 hole in ones made during official tournament action.
• Of the 23 hole in ones in Masters history, 15 of them were made on hole number 16.
• Adam Scott and Bo Van Pelt both aced No. 16 in 2012, while Nathan Green and Ryan Moore accomplished the feat in 2010. That being said, we may well see more holes-in-one in 2013.
• The winner of the Masters green jacket must return the follow year.
• A green jacket is only issued to new Masters champions.  Repeat champions are expected to wear their existing jacket.
• With 6 victories, Jack Nicklaus has won the Masters more than anyone else.
• In 1997, Tiger Woods won the masters by 12 strokes, the biggest margin in Masters history. 
• The winner of the green jacket is also awarded a gold medal.
• Masters champions earn exemptions to all three other major tournaments as well as a lifetime exemption for returning to the Masters.