US Masters

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Viewed by many as the most important golf tournament in the world, The Masters is held in early April with the final day of the four-day event scheduled on the second Sunday of that month. It was first held in 1935 but the name, The Masters Tournament, wasn’t adopted until 1939.

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Unlike the other three major golf championships – The U.S. Open, The (British) Open Championship and the PGA Championship – The Masters is held every year at Augusta National Golf Club, a private club in Augusta, Georgia.

The Masters is a 72-hole tournament and is governed by the rules of golf as defined by the United States Golf Association (USGA). It is also subject to certain rules and regulations set by the Masters Tournament Committee. After 36 holes are completed by all players, a cut is made with the lowest 44 scores plus ties and players within 10 strokes of the lowest 36-hole score playing the final 36 holes.

Winning The Masters, which is an official money event on the PGA Tour, the European Tour and the Japan Golf Tour, secures the champion’s career. The win guarantees the champion five-year exemptions to play in the other three majors, a membership on the PGA Tour and to The Players Championship. In addition, the champion receives a lifetime invitation to The Masters.

An invitation tournament, The Masters has the smallest field of the major championships with about 90 players. Today invitations are mainly issued to players meeting certain criteria, such as placing in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

In addition to a green jacket, which is highly coveted by professional golfers, the Masters winner receives a cash prize (the 2006 purse was $7 million), a gold medal, and their name engraved on the silver Masters trophy, which remains at Augusta National.

Phil Mickelson of the United States has won two of the last three Masters – 2004 and 2006. Tiger Woods, also of the U.S., has won three times in the past six years, 2001, 2002 and 2005. The most recent foreign golfer to win was Canada’s Mike Weir in 2003.

Sixteen golfers have won The Masters more than once. Jack Nicklaus, U.S., has six wins, the most recent in 1986. Arnold Palmer, U.S., and Woods, each have four green jackets.

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