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11: Masters Winners by Country

Often referred to as US Masters, qualifying golfers from all over the world are invited every year, not just Americans.

While it may be true that most competing players – and winners – have been American, there are 11 countries in total who have won the major at one point or another in its 87 year history. 

The Masters is becoming more diverse than ever. In 2021, players representing 23 different countries have been invited to compete.

Of the 87 players, 46 are international players while just 41 are US nationals. 

Carlos Oritz of Mexico and Englishman Joe Long are among a handful of players making their Masters debut this year. 

Ahead of the 2021 event, here’s how the winners’ nationalities have been divided up so far: 

United States – 62 wins

South Africa – 5 wins

Spain – 5 wins

England – 4 wins

Germany – 2 wins

Scotland – 1 win

Wales – 1 win

Fiji – 1 win

Canada – 1 win

Argentina – 1 win

Australia – 1 win

Gary Player became the first non-American player to win the Masters in 1961. 

Player won over 160 professional tournaments on six continents over seven decades and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. 

Honorary starters and Masters champions Gary Player of South Africa (left) and Jack Nicklaus (right) stand on the first tee during the First Tee ceremony to start the first round of the 2019 Masters. (Image: Getty)

More from the countdown series: the highest score in Masters history

Nick Faldo became the first non-American to successfully defend his title and win the tournament two years in a row in 1989 and 1990.

The Englishman shares the record for most consecutive wins with two of golf’s biggest legends, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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12: Where did the Green Jacket Tradition Come From?

Anyone who wins the Masters is allowed to keep the famous green jacket for 12 months, until the next event is played.

After that, the jackets are kept in Augusta in their very own special-purpose cloakroom.

This tradition, like everything else, was interrupted in 2020 when the 2020 Masters was postponed until November due to the coronavirus outbreak. This means that last year’s winner, Dustin Johnson, will have only had his jacket for 6 months before he has to hand it back in to Augusta National.

2020 aside for a moment, let’s take a look back at the story behind the green jacket in honour of the 12-month tradition.

It was never meant to be part of the award ceremony…

The iconic Masters green jacket was not always given to those who win the tournament in the way it is today. In fact, it was first introduced in 1937 as a uniform for members of the club to wear so that they could be recognised by visitors. 

The first time it was presented to the winner at the award ceremony was in 1949, to Sam Snead.

Snead, who that year didn’t get off to the best start in the first two rounds after posting a 73 and 75 in the first rounds, won by three strokes after posting two consecutive rounds of 67 at the weekend.

Sam Snead (R) stands with Byron Nelson (L) and Gene Sarazen (C) at the 1999 Masters at Augusta National, fifty years after being awarded his first of three green jackets.

Not to be left out of the fun, the jacket was also awarded retrospectively to the previous 12 winners up until then. 

Since then, the previous year’s winner presents that year’s winner with the jacket.

World number 1 Dustin Johnson was awarded the Green Jacket by 2019 Masters champion Tiger Woods during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the 2020 Masters. (image: Getty)

Gary Player was famously the only Masters winner who didn’t bring back his jacket the next year after winning his first Masters title in 1961. At the time, he claimed to have accidentally left it at home in South Africa. 

Green jackets for sale, anyone?

Short of winning the Masters itself, the only way you can get your hands on a green jacket of your own is if you have a few hundred thousand dollars to spare.

Horton Smith, the winner of the very first Augusta National Invitation Tournament in 1934, had his jacket sold at auction for $682,229 in 2013. It’s said that no other piece of golf memorabilia has ever sold for such a high price.

Pantone 342 is the official colour of the jacket. However, due to various changes in manufacturers over the years, the tone can differ slightly from year to year. 

It’s just over 2 weeks until we find out who Dustin Johnson will present the next green jacket to.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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Unlucky 13: the record high at the Masters

History is made on the golf course when a player does something that no other player has ever done before.

The best remembered records are usually for players who have – in a good way – outperformed all others in their field.

Unfortunately for Tom Weiskopf, Tommy Nakajima and Sergio Garcia this is not always the case. 

As far as records go, one you probably don’t want on your repertoire is the record for the highest record score above par on a single hole at the Masters – 13.

Last November, many thought that Tiger Woods’ 7 above par on the 12th hole at Augusta might have been the highest on Masters record. It wasn’t, but we’ll get back to that later in the series. 

Tommy Nakajima of Japan, was the first to reach unlucky number 13 at the Masters in 1978 – on the 13th hole, no less. Next came American Tom Weiskopf in 1980 on hole 12 and then, after a long wait, Spaniard Sergio Garcia in 2018 on the 15th. 

More from the countdown series: Apollo 14 and the first golfer in space

“I don’t like to be one of the three that is always going to be mentioned as making the highest score on any hole. But it sure doesn’t haunt me,” Weiskopf said, reflecting on the shot.

Tom Weiskopf reacts to the crowd after sinking an 80-foot putt on the second hole during second round play in the US Open 1996 (Image: Getty)

And neither it should. Weiskopf has had an otherwise successful career, picking up 16 PGA Tour titles and winning the British Open in 1973 in Troon, Scotland. 

It’s Garcia, however, whose 13 on the 15th in 2018 contributed to the single worst round in Masters history: 169, or 97 over par. With that, the previous year’s green jacket winner made history two year in a row.

Sergio Garcia accepts the Green Jacket from Danny Willett after winning in a playoff during the final round of the 2017 Masters Tournament on April 9, 2017 in Augusta, Georgia. (Image: Getty)

No other player can recount such highs and lows at the Masters in such a short space of time.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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14: to Augusta and Beyond

Next up in our countdown series we’re asking: what’s the furthest golf has ever been played from Augusta?

Technically speaking, it’s the moon. Astronauts hit a few golf balls on the moon’s surface during the Apollo 14 mission.

A bit too far to go to get some swing practice?

Apollo 14 was the third manned lunar landing mission. Between January 31 to February 9th 1971, it was commanded by Alan B. Shepard, Jr, who had been the first man in space.

1971: Astronaut Alan B Shepard holds the pole of a US flag on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 14 mission. (Image: Getty)

Of the three astronauts aboard, Edgar D. Mitchell was the youngest at age 40 and lived until 2016.

November 1970: Apollo 14 Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell. (Image: Getty)

Commander Shepard hit two golf balls with a six-iron head strapped to the handle of a tool used for sample collection.

He also holds the record for the first (and only) extra-terrestrial hole in one after they found one of the golf balls in a crater.

Apollo 14 commander Alan B. Shepard Jr. is seen playing golf using tools he had smuggled in during the mission’s second moonwalk activity on February 6, 1971. (Image: Getty)

The only other sport to be played on the moon is javelin. In the same Apollo 14 mission, Shepard threw a javelin that landed just a few meters ahead of his golf ball.

While there might not be an official course on the moon (yet), there are still plenty of golf courses in extreme locations here on Earth: 

Davis Golf Links in Antarctica: golfers have to play with brightly coloured balls so they don’t get lost in the snow-covered landscape.

Arctic Links in Finland’s Arctic Circle region: in the summer, this course is open all day long due to the 24-hour daylight.

Himalayan Golf Course in Pokhara, Nepal: visiting golfers can play among the clouds, right in front of the worlds largest mountain range.

None of these courses are more extreme than the single par 3 hole at the UN Joint Security Area between North and South Korea. You’d better be confident with your short game as the green is surrounded entirely by land mines!

Maybe it won’t be long until there’s a golf course in space, who knows. Until then, there’s plenty to look forward to down here on Earth with less than two weeks until this year’s first tee time at Augusta.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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Rory McIlroy: “He’s been knocking on the door for so long”

Photo: Getty

Question: If you could wave a magic wand, what area of your game would you improve overnight?
RORY McILROY: My iron play. Yeah, my iron play hasn’t been great since coming back from the lockdown. It sort of goes right through the bag. It goes from wedges all the way through to the long irons. I had two 5 irons from the fairway on 10 and 11 today, for example, and just didn’t hit great shots. It’s something to there’s always stuff to work on, but definitely something to work on going into the off season that we have here, and try to come out a little better in 2021.

Q: As you’ve had a little more time to reflect on what happened Thursday, what went wrong?
RORY McILROY: Again, I said yesterday, I just got a little careful, a little tentative, a little guidey, just didn’t trust my swing, didn’t commit to what I was doing, and again, this course more
than any other can make you do that at times. That was really what it was.
The first day I actually did okay. I was even par. It wasn’t even par through 9 here is not that bad, and then just that second morning I just didn’t quite have it. I guess I need to take the
positives, and played the last 54 really well and only made two bogeys in that 54 hole stretch, which is probably the best run of golf I’ve played here.

Rory McIlroy: “I miss the fans a lot”

Q: What did you miss the most this week, just the difference of playing in November?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, the atmosphere, the crowds, the patrons, the feelings that you normally have here that you didn’t quite have. More than any other week of the year I feel like you’re nervous a little more often, and it didn’t quite have that. Not saying it’s a bad thing; I loved the feeling of being relaxed out there and it’s something I probably need to try to adopt
going into five months’ time.

Q: Do you think there’s any advantage to coming right back here in April?
RORY McILROY: Yeah I mean, look, I hope the course is much different in April than it is now. It’s very soft. It’s very I feel like there’s a lot of shots I hit this week where I hit my number and
it would spin back off a green or it just wouldn’t do what you expect it to do, so I’d love to get another shot at it in April and have the course play maybe more what we’re accustomed to.

Q: You’re obviously a multiple major champion. What do you think this is going to mean to Dustin?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, he’s been knocking on the door so long, and I think, again, since coming back out of sort of back in June, the lockdown, he has been by far the best player in the world. He’s won a few times, won a FedExCup, had a chance at Harding Park. And I think, yeah, it validates what he did at Oakmont a few years ago and he’s had so many chances and hasn’t quite been able to close the deal, but his resume speaks for itself, how many times he’s won on the PGA TOUR, how consistent he’s been. I played with him the first two days here. He’s got the ball on a string. It was really impressive.

Q: What are you going to do this off season to kind of get away from golf and reboot? Any TV shows you’re going to catch up on?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, not particularly. I don’t know. I’m just going to be a man of leisure for a couple months. It’s going to be nice. Lie by the pool a little bit, get back on the bike, get back
on the Peloton. I’ve sort of given that a bit of a miss over the last few months. Yeah, just some stuff. Obviously watch my daughter grow up a little bit and have fun with that. But yeah, I’ll try
to get away from it, but yeah, as I said before, there’s certainly some stuff in my golf game that I want to work on before next year.

Q: Is there anything in DJ’s personality from your close interaction with him or traveling with him that you’ve seen of him that maybe we don’t that maybe you could share?
RORY McILROY: He’s smarter than you think.

Q: How so?
RORY McILROY: He’s switched on, more so than he lets on, more so than everyone in the media thinks. I’ll just put it that way.

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Dustin Johnson: “As a kid I always dreamed about being a Masters-Champion”

Photo: Getty

Question: Why is this so meaningful to you?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, just growing up so close to here, it’s always been a tournament that since I’ve been on Tour, since I played my first Masters, it’s been the tournament I wanted to win the most. You know, being close the last couple years, finishing second last year to Tiger, this one was just something that I really wanted to do.
Obviously starting today with a four shot lead, you know, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I knew I was going to have to play well if I wanted to win, and you know, still, played probably better than especially from really 7 into the clubhouse, I played really, really solid. Hit a lot of great shots.
But it was still hard. I mean, I was nervous all day, but I felt like I controlled myself very well. Controlled the golf ball very well in difficult conditions. I felt like the wind was really tricky. The
course, the greens were a little bit faster. Felt like you really had to be careful around here today.

Q: On 7, did you do what you were trying to do? Were you trying to hit into that front bunker?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I was. I didn’t have a shot. I was just in the right first cut, the tree limbs there. I was trying to run it up in between the bunkers, but if I was going to favor one side, it
was the left bunker. Hit a really good shot right in the front bunker where I wanted to and made a really easy 4.

Brother support given

Q. Austin said that on 18, as you’re walking up, he asked you where you stood. Did you not know?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I did not. Not exactly. I mean, I assumed I had the lead, but I didn’t know by how many. I mean, that was kind of my goal. I kind of looked at the leaderboard a little bit early, and after that, I just, you know, told myself, don’t worry about what anybody’s doing. Just play as good as you can.
You know, so I didn’t look at the leaderboard at all from probably 7, 7 on. I tried not to. I just tried to play my game. When I felt comfortable with the wind and the number that I had, I would
play aggressive. If not, I would try to play just to the fatter side of the green, and pars are a good score on a lot of these holes, especially when you’re 9, 10, 11, 12, take par all day on those holes, especially with the wind, the way it was blowing today.

Q. Did you have that attitude because you knew if you played well, a 68 would get it done today no matter what anybody else did?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I did. I knew if I played well, especially from 8 to the house, that I was going to put myself in a good position and have a chance to win. I just didn’t want that to affect the way that I played. I just didn’t look at it. I played I took what the course gave me and hit the shots I felt I could hit.

Q. Could you speak to your growing relationship with your brother and what it means to win when he’s by your side?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It’s unbelievable having my brother on my bag. You know, but he’s a big help, too. He does he reads the greens a lot for me. He does a great job reading them. I read them, too, myself, but I like to he definitely helps. He’s really good at it. I just love experiencing all these moments with him. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Q. What’s the sleeve size?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Jacket size? 42 long.

Photo: Getty

Q. And was there any extra special meaning, the fact that Tiger put that jacket on you?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes. But I mean yeah, obviously having Tiger put it on was awesome and unbelievable and, you know, you couldn’t you wouldn’t want it any other way.
But any guy could put it on me and I’d be just fine (laughter).

Q. You won THE TOUR Championship in September and now you’ve won the year’s last major in November. It’s been a strange season. Can you compare how that moment and this moment, maybe each felt like the end of a season?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, for me, we don’t really have an end of the season because there’s just so many golf tournaments and we play pretty much all year long.
But you know, winning the FedExCup was huge. It was something that I really wanted to do in my career. And then obviously coming here and winning Augusta was probably is on the very top of the list for sure.
I know 2020 has been a really strange year, but it’s been good to me. I’ve played some good golf. You know, I can’t thank Augusta enough for just having the Masters. Obviously when it canceled in April, none of us knew if we were going to be able to play in it.
I was just happy to be here playing, and it worked out okay for me.

Q. The emotion you showed in those interviews right after winning, is that more of the man the public has not seen over the years? You’re so calm and even keel out on the course.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Absolutely. On the golf course, I’m pretty good at controlling my emotions, you know, because I’m out playing golf.
But yeah, I had a tough time there speaking with Amanda on the putting green. Just because it like I said, it means so much to me. It means so much to my family, Paulina, the kids. They know it’s something that I’ve always been dreaming about and it’s why I work so hard. You know, I put in a lot of work off the golf course, on the golf course, and I think it’s just you know, it’s something that you push yourself for. That’s why I work so hard is to be in this position. And you know, to finally have the dream come true, I think that’s why you see all that emotion.

Q. First, sitting in that hotel room in Vegas a month ago or so, you had a lot of time to think. Did you ever think that maybe this chance was slipping away a little bit while you were in quarantine?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I didn’t. That never I knew I was going to play the Masters for sure, so that was a bonus, because I had already, you know, had gotten COVID and had to quarantine. So I knew there was no chance of me missing the Masters, so that kind of gave me a little bit more of a drive to practice.
I knew I was playing well. Granted, you sit in the hotel room for two weeks, it doesn’t do a lot for the golf game. But I put a lot of work in last week at Houston, and this week. Fortunate that I
was able to keep the game in good form, and played well last week in Houston, even though I didn’t if you had asked me on Wednesday what was going to happen, I probably would have
told you I was going to miss the cut and I would be here at Augusta practicing because I really had not played much, and even through my first few days of practice, things weren’t going very well.
But ended up working out okay for me there. And then coming into this week, I had had some rounds, and that was the reason I was playing there was just to get some more reps in tournament conditions it. Really helped out this week.

Dustin Johnson: “I wanna win a lot of Majors”

Q. You talked about dreaming of winning the Masters. Do you also dream of winning seven, eight, nine majors?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I do. I do.

Q. Do you have a specific number?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I want to get to No. 3 first, but I do. I dream of winning a lot of majors.
Just hadn’t quite happened yet. Hopefully this one will help, though, give me a little spring.

Q. The weekend seemed pretty laid back on the course. Did you feel like not having Patrons helped you or did it hurt you as you were playing the last two rounds?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, I like the Patrons. I think they bring a lot of excitement and a lot of, you know it just they make the Masters, really.
But I would say if I had to say one way or the other, probably made it a little easier to get it done today without having all the fans or however many thousands that are here. But for me, all the tournaments we’ve played this year and the ones that I’ve won, looking back to before when we had fans, I mean, I feel the same way, whether the fans are here or not. I like having them here. They bring excitement, especially when they are cheering for you, they can pull you along. I miss them, and hopefully we get to see them in April.

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Justin Thomas: “I’m very confident I’m going to win around this place at some point”

Photo: Getty

Question: Not having a crowd out there, you mentioned it, there was no way you could tell what was happening.
JUSTIN THOMAS: No. I mean, I had no idea. Yeah, that’s the weird part is you know what the guys are doing in front of you from whenever you see your watch. If you happen to turn around and see what the guy’s shots are, but with no crowd, yeah, you have no idea what’s going on.


Q: How would you assess your week as a whole?
JUSTIN THOMAS: I mean, it was far from my best stuff. So to finish fourth, it looks like it’s going to be, with that is a positive. I mean, I keep getting better. I’m very confident I’m going to win around this place at some point. I just don’t know when or if it will happen. I’m very comfortable. I just need to execute a little bit better. This week with the conditions being softer, the course knowledge didn’t come in play as much. You still had to leave it in the right spots, but not near as much when it was this soft. So I wish the tournament in April started tomorrow. I’ll just say that.


Q: A little bit of a slow start today.
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, a little bit of a slow start is an understatement. Yeah, I hit four great golf shots on 1 and made par. Yeah, I mean, you just can’t bogey two in the scenario I was in. No, I didn’t hit the ball very well to start, and any time I had a birdie chance, I didn’t hit a very good iron shot. Then I found a little bit of rhythm on the back nine. It’s just one of those weeks. Stuff didn’t go my way. Kind of ended the week, my ball landed on the fairway, and it’s my first ever mud ball in a fairway bunker on 18. So it was just one of those weeks.

Justin Thomas :”I hit it really solid”


Q: Ball striking‐wise, it seems like you had a very, very good week. Are you going to take that from this week as far as going forward?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, sure. I did a little bit of everything. I didn’t hole anything the last three days, but I hit the ball beautifully yesterday. Like I hit it really solid. I didn’t hit it really close to the hole a lot, but the shots that didn’t go where I wanted, they still were hit really well, and I felt like they were good shots. But it was just the fact of the matter today, I had so many bull pins and so many pins that I needed and I should have hit close to, that I hit to 30 feet. I guess the long way to answer your question, yes, I did hit it well this week.


Q: After a week of seeing it this soft, would you like to see it firm and fast in April?
JUSTIN THOMAS: 100 percent. I’ll take firm and fast over soft any day.


Q: You see D.J. at 20. What do you think? Pretty incredible?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, it is. I don’t think it will ever happen in April, but if we have another pandemic and it plays in April, I think it’s in play.

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Tiger Woods after the US Masters 2020: “There’s no one more suited to that than DJ”

Tiger, a second nine like we’ve never seen from you, starting with that 10 on the 12th but
then you birdie five of your last six. Take me through what was going through your mind on the 12th hole
and how mentally tough you had to be to finish the way that you did.
TIGER WOODS: Well, I committed to the wrong wind. The wind was off the right for the first two guys, and then
when I stepped up there, it switched to howling off the left, which ‐‐ and the flag on 11 was howling off the left. I
didn’t commit to the wind, and I also got ahead of it and pushed it, too, because I thought the wind would come
more off the right and it was off the left, and that just started the problem from there.
From there I hit a lot more shots and had a lot more experiences there in Rae’s Creek, and then as you said, this is
unlike any other sport in which you’re so alone out there and you have to figure it out and you have to fight and no
one is going to pull you off the bump and you just have to figure it out, and I did coming in.


Question: You said the conditions are getting tougher out there, winds coming from all over the
place. As our leaders start coming down this stretch, what do you think we can expect to see in terms of
the most challenging spots?
TIGER WOODS: Depends on timing. You just have to time it up. You have to commit and time it up with the right
wind. Hopefully the guys, they’ll be talking to their caddies and try to get a beat on it because it just started coming
up now, and it is all over the place. It’s going to be a bit of a challenge for the guys there on the back.


Q: Interesting round out there today?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, to say the least. I’ve hit a few too many shots than I wanted to today, and I will not have
the chairman be putting the Green Jacket on me. I’ll be passing it on.

Tiger Woods: “That’s what makes this game so unique and so difficult mentally”


Q: How much pride do you take in the fight back after 12?
TIGER WOODS: That’s part of our sport. As I was saying in there earlier, this sport is awfully lonely sometimes.
You have to fight it. No one is going to bring you off the mound or call in a sub. You have to fight through it. That’s what makes this game so unique and so difficult mentally. We’ve all been there, unfortunately. Unfortunately I’ve been there and you just have to turn around and figure out the next shot, and I was able to do that coming home.


Q: How would you sum up the year?
TIGER WOODS: Well, starting out the year, it was like any other year, but we all quickly realized that this year is
unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. We’re lucky to have the opportunity to have our sport continue to go.
Unlike any other sport, our sport is actually growing right now. We never ‐‐ we’ve been struggling with participation
and the growth of the game for a number of years, and unfortunately this is an event and circumstances that’s
allowed our game to grow and flourish. Yeah, but at the beginning of the year normally we would have this tournament in April. We didn’t have that opportunity, but there have been so many people that have put the work into giving us this opportunity to have this event here in November, and all of us who have been a part of it who have been here and been on these grounds participating or just being involved were so very lucky.


Q: How would you sum up your year?
TIGER WOODS: My year? As I said earlier, the year didn’t start off ‐‐ it started off like any other year. I had a busy December and then the normal ramp‐up to the West Coast Swing and then all of a sudden it came to a halt.


Q: Is it any better knowing that this tournament is actually close the next time? It’s less than five months away. It’s normally such a long way for the Masters.
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it is normally nine months, and trust me, I know because I’ve had to deal with it, trying to go for four in a row and all the media and dealing with all the different circumstances leading into it. Hopefully if everything continues the way it is going right now, then we’re able to have this event in April.


Q: Given what you go through to get ready to play, obviously it’s the back and just the prep, working out, do you fear the motivation not being there to do this, to keep going, to try to push? Do you expect it to still be there?
TIGER WOODS: Well, there are days when mentally I just ‐‐ it’s harder to push than others just because
physically it’s just ‐‐ my body just has moments where it just doesn’t work like it used to. No matter how hard I try,
things just don’t work the way they used to, and no matter how much I push and ask of this body, it just doesn’t
work at times. Yes, it is more difficult than others to be motivated at times. Yes, because things just ache and have to deal with things that I’ve never had to deal with before.

Photo: Getty


Q: DJ looks like he’s in good shape to win the Green Jacket. You’ve spent a lot of time with him. What impresses you most about him from the time you’ve spent with him?
TIGER WOODS: Well, as we’ve all seen, he’s an amazing athlete. He’s one of the first guys to ever bring
athleticism to our sport. DJ has just an amazing ability to stay calm in tough moments, and in order to win this
event, and we all know as past champions how hard it is, the emotions we have to deal with out there. There’s no one more suited to that, I think, than DJ.

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US Masters 2020: Tiger Woods: “I expect to contend!”

Tiger Woods talks about his high expectations before The Masters. (Photo: getty)
Tiger Woods talks about his high expectations before The Masters. (Photo: getty)

THE MODERATOR:  Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, it is always such a great pleasure to welcome back to the media center, our now five time green jacket winner and defending Masters Champion, Mr. Tiger Woods.  Tiger, thank you for spending the time with us for a few minutes here in the media. 

TIGER WOODS:  Yeah, thanks, Rob.  

THE MODERATOR:  19 months ago, Tiger Woods decisively showed the world what determination and grit and resiliency can accomplish with winning his fifth green jacket.  

And the scene on 18 that Sunday, with you embracing your children, and the thousands of Patrons chanting your name was seen by many, if not most, that this was probably one of the most remarkable, exceptional comeback victories in all of sport.  Would you take us back to Sunday, April 14th, as you’re getting ready to tee up    

TIGER WOODS:  Yeah, I’m getting chills about it, yeah. 

THE MODERATOR: On Round 4, two back, what was the range of emotion during that round? 

TIGER WOODS:  Well, it was just a fight and a grind, and just trying to hang in there, trying to make a dent in the lead.  Frankie basically had control of it, and then No. 12 happened and everything flipped.  And you know, a few guys hit the ball in the water there.  I didn’t.  Made par there.  Birdied 13.  Birdied 15, 16.  

I’m still getting chills just thinking about it  feelings, coming up 18, and knowing that all I have to do is just two putt that little 15 footer and to see my family there and my mom and my kids and all of the people that helped support me or were there for me in the tough times, and I was walking up there trying not to lose it, and still saying, hey, I’ve still got to two putt this.  

Then I walked off the back of the green, to see Charlie there, just opened up our arms, it meant a lot to me and still does.  It just reminded me so much of me and my dad, and to come full circle like that, it stills gives me, you know, a little teary.  

THE MODERATOR:  This year marks the 25th anniversary of your first appearance in the Masters. Any thoughts or memories you’d like to share about that first visit?  

TIGER WOODS:  I got a chance to play on Wednesday with Jack and Arnold, and you know, at the time, I was a little punk college student, and we’re playing for some skins, and I didn’t have any cash in my pocket, and you know, Arnold makes a putt on 18.  Takes all the skins away from us.  And Jack and Arnold asked me, “Hey, do you want to go play the Par 3 Contest?”  

I said, “Well, I’m scheduled to go later.” They responded, “Hey, just follow us.”    

Went over with them, went to the Par 3 Contest, and we played together, and that was awesome.  You know, that was one of the most incredible memories I think that I’ve ever had, and the story that I always tell all the amateurs I’ve ever played with, on No. 1, I putted off the green on my first hole.  Putted right in the gallery.  Played with Ollie and chipped it back up and made the putt there, made a hell of a bogey.  Then just pumped it right over the top of the bunker on 2 to start my Masters.  

Q. Because of the unique circumstances in the world, you’ve been the reigning Masters Champion for an unprecedented 19 months.  What’s that experience been like? 

TIGER WOODS:  It’s not how I wanted to retain the jacket for this long.  Obviously this has been an unprecedented circumstance we’re all dealing with.  It’s been incredible to have the jacket and to have it around the house and to share with people, but to have it this long, it’s not the way I want to have it.  I wanted to earn it back in April, but obviously we didn’t have that.  

But we had an opportunity to play this week, which, you know, early in the year, we didn’t think we would have this opportunity.  We are all very fortunate to be able to compete, and tonight, and, well, this whole day, is awfully special.  

I may never have the opportunity to take the jacket off property again, and so this means a lot to me today, and to have this opportunity to have the Champions Dinner and to be able to host it tonight with all the guys that are here, it’s going to be awfully special for me.  

Q. Six events since the restart.  I’m guessing you’re probably not happy with your results. Can you pinpoint what’s been missing?  What’s kept you from contending?

TIGER WOODS:  Well, you know, it’s been either    I haven’t put all the pieces together at the same time, whether it’s I’ve driven well or hit my irons poorly.  Or I’ve put the ball striking together, and I haven’t putted well.  And then I’ve had it where I’ve putted well and I’ve hit it poorly.  

It’s just been, I haven’t put together at the same time.  I haven’t played a lot, obviously.  You mentioned I only played six events.  

But it’s been gearing up for the major championships and trying to understand what we have to deal with, you know, this year with COVID and trying to be safe, and I was hesitant to come back and start playing, and that’s why I waited as long as I did and came back at Memorial.  From there, I really haven’t    as I said, I haven’t put all the pieces together, and hopefully that will be this week. 

Q. Statistically, you look over your career, the first round has not really been yours. Your numbers are pretty pedestrian, when you look at all your big rounds, a second, third and clearly the fourth.  You’ve broken 70 once I think in the first round.  Do you have a mindset here?  Do you just ease yourself into the tournament?   

TIGER WOODS:  You know, Jim, I wish I could pinpoint it and tell you what it is, but I have not historically started off well here.  

I think the times I have shot 70 in that first round, I’ve gone on to win a few of them (smiling).  It’s just one of those weird things I haven’t put together, and the second and thirds round were usually where I made my hay and got myself back into the event or taken the lead in the event.  

Hopefully this year will be a little different and I can shoot a little better score and get off to a better start.  

Q. A lot of talk about Honorary Starters this week. 30 years from now, it’s probably going to be you and Phil.  How does that make you feel thinking about that? 

TIGER WOODS:  You said 30 years from now?  That’s a long time.  You know, the fact that I had an opportunity to watch Byron Nelson and Sam Snead tee off there, and to see even Jack and Arnold and Gary, and now to have Lee start next year, whether it’s Phil and I down the road or whatever it may be, it’s up to the Chairman, and it’s an honor; you start off the Masters.  Hopefully that will be us one day, and I’ll be hitting bombs past him.  

Q. You’re able to talk about two decades of experience and pull stories like playing with Jack and Arnie back then, but you’re also the defending champion.  Where do you feel like you are on that continuum, certainly not a ceremonial player, but do you expect to contend here for this week and years to come, or are you past that point where it’s annual possible?  

TIGER WOODS:  Do I expect to contend?  Yes, I do.  I mean, you look at Freddie and Bernhard, they are in their 60s and they seem to contend.  Jack contended here when he was, what, 58, or 56, 58, whatever it was.  

It can be done.  This is a golf course in which having an understanding how to play and where to miss it and how to hit the shots around here, it helps.  The golf course keeps getting longer.  It gets a little bit more difficult as I’ve gotten older and I don’t quite hit it as far.  

Q. I know this is hypothetical, but do you think you    you’re playing this year without them.  Could you have won it without them?  Is it going to be very strange for you this year not having them?  Did they help you last year? 

TIGER WOODS:  Absolutely they did.  They helped me win.  The support that I had, the energy that was around the property, it was electric that day.  

We all miss the energy of the crowds.  And yes, this year is going to be very different.  It’s going to be stark in what we see, our sights into the greens, the energy that you hear from different roars, from different parts of the golf course.  I mean, you’re on the putting green up on 1 and you can hear eagles down on 13.  That’s what this tournament is all about, and we’re not going to have that this year.  It’s going to be very different.  

It’s one that none of us have ever experienced.  So we’re all going to go through it together at the same time and it’s going to be a very different experience, and you know, hopefully one that I can figure it out and be able to replicate what I did last year. 

Q. Just with regard to Bryson, I’m wondering how much you see what’s going on with him as a flashback to when you came on the scene in ’97, with all the length and everyone is trying to catch up to you, and what your fascination is about what he’s done to transform himself where he’s at right now? 

TIGER WOODS:  Well, back then, there wasn’t the technology to optimize our tee shots and optimize the driver yet.  We were just coming out of basically the persimmon days and coming into metal.  More guys were switching over to graphite instead of steel.  The wound ball was very spinny, and heads were very small, so it was important to hit the ball in the middle of the face.  

Well, I happened to have speed and I happened to hit the ball in the middle of the face and was able to have a little bit of an advantage over the guys.  But now you have the ability to optimize one club, and to be able to use that driver as a weapon, to hit it basically as for as you possibly can, we just didn’t have the technology to be able to optimize that.  

And Bryson has put in the time.  He’s put in the work.  What he’s done in the gym has been incredible and what he’s done on the range and what he’s done with his entire team to be able to optimize that one club and transform his game and the ability to hit the ball as far as he has and in as short a span as he has, it’s never been done before. 

You know, I had speed, and as you say, in ’97, I hit it far.  As I got bigger and I filled out and tried to get stronger, it was to not hit the ball further.  It was to be more consistent and to be able to practice longer.  Actually I got a little bit shorter as I got into my mid 20s and late 20s.  Probably the most speed I ever had, I was 20 years old.  So 21, I still had a little bit more speed, but as I got a little bit bigger, I didn’t hit it as far, but I got better.  

What Bryson has done has been absolutely incredible, and we have all been amazed at what he’s been able to do in such a short span of time; it’s never been done before.  

Q. You referenced the Champions Dinner tonight.  What is your favorite memory from all the past Champions Dinners?

TIGER WOODS:  To see Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead, and drinking milkshakes, that was awesome.  Just to hear the stories of all the guys over the years.  The stuff that we say in the dinners stays between us, and that’s the most awesome part about it is we keep it in house and keep it within the family.  

They are awesome stories and a lot of things I can’t say here that have been said, but they are awesome.  

THE MODERATOR:  Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you, Tiger, very much.  We wish you the very best of luck this week.

Categories
Highlights Tours

The Masters of the universe

The tournament of the tournaments is coming. For the first time, owed to the stranglehold of the virus, it‘s happening in autumn and not during the most beautiful azalea bloom in April as we‘re used to it. It’s gonna be autumnal in southern Georgia and in the last few weeks there have been countless photos of the brown fairways of the course which are supposed to glow in lush green for the tournament. What the season and greenkeeping isn‘t able to manage will be enhanced with artificially colored lawn (standard), artificial flowers (probably) and various camera filters so everything is looking smooth and shiny as always. And let‘s be honest: even if overly pittoresque places that look like straight out of Walt Disney films aren‘t contemporary anymore, you also want to see the icons of the sport in a painterly exaggerated framework. For those who can‘t get enough of the Masters, the patrons in front of the TVs, everyone who has been feverish for weeks, we dug a little deeper into the fan material box and found some nice things.

Cayce – DURA+ State Outline Headcover

The iconic Masters logo, which probably every golf nerd around the globe is able to draw with closed eyes or, depending on your talent, maybe at least imagine it perfectly, is available from Cayce for all 50 US states, which are made for you on demand. Nice idea, unfortunately not available in the versions of Scotland, Italy, Australia or Germany. As being an owner of a Cayce head cover myself, I can say firsthand: they do some good stuff. $ 59.99 via caycegolf.com

BNKR – Green Jacket Tee

”Excuse me! May I point out that you still have to wear a collared shirt!?“

”Ok, but may I point out that I am wearing the Green Jacket?!“

The club, which wouldn’t smile and let him play in his T-shirt must be the most humorless, stuffy club on earth. I‘d like to give the boys from BNKR a kiss for this charming, smirking idea. Available for $ 25 from bnkrgolfclub.com

Johnston Gray Designs – 1.50 Sammy Full Mesh

”One Pimento Cheese Sandwich please!“ – the price of the Augusta Patrons‘ most essential snack, a sandwich with the „caviar of the southern states“, has been constant for years at an almost socialist bargain price of $ 1.50. Insiders immediately see the message in this cap, everyone else is reminded of the hygiene safety distance in the pandemic-determined year 2020 of at least 1,50 meters, which is also not wrong. The cap costs a little more than the snack, but is still a reasonable $ 30 via johnstongraydesigns.com

Out Of Bounds Candle Company – Augusta

Out Of Bounds – you can hardly believe it – make candles whose smell is supposed to remind you of the great courses of the world. Pinehurst, St. Andrews, Merion, Pine Valley etc. I was in Augusta for a few days myself some decades ago, but back then I wasn‘t infected with the golf virus, so I didn‘t take a deep breath of legend aroma and azalea. Magnolia, Georgia Peach, Azalea in the top note, Fresh Air, Chardonnay, Barn Wood and others underneath, according to the manufacturer‘s description. Light a candle during the Masters broadcast, I‘d say. Available in three sizes starting at $ 9.99 via outofboundscandles.com

Hazard Golf – Green Jackets Champions Poster

Actually a young clothing brand with smart designs on t-shirts, sweaters and caps, Hazard Golf also has this pretty Masters poster with all previous winners in their respective winner outfits or  THE striking poses with which Nicklaus, Lefty, Tiger and co. burned themselves into the collective golf brain. Nice graphic work for the office, the hallway or the living room – next to the television. There‘s three different formats for 25,-, 30,- or 40,- $ or with a frame from 45,- $ on  hazardgolf.co

Golfdrawn – Augusta Magnet

Another small company for beautifully made graphics on the subject of golf. Golfdrawn offers the most famous courses as posters, T-shirts or, as in this case, as fridge magnets. Hang your personal “bucket list” on your walls with Kingbarns, Cape Kidnappers, Spyglass, Pebble Beach, etc. or use this Augusta magnet to get amped while getting a beer during the tournament commercials. $ 5.99 at golfdrawn.com

Fade Golf n‘ Stuff – Azalea Dreaming Tee

The dream of the azalea bloom has drawn on quite a bit this year and it will be interesting to see whether the organizers will somehow manage to let them bloom at Augusta National in November. It wouldn‘t be surprising if they had them come fresh from the nursery in dozens so everything looks like as if it was April in November. We don‘t know yet, so we keep on dreaming… The shirt is available for $ 30 via fadegolfnstuff.com

Coobs Golf – Holes of Augusta Headcover

With this beautiful head cover from Coobs your flight partners can show whether or not they‘ve done their homework. What are the 18 holes of Augusta National named after? Who of your friends puts them in the right order? Which were the decisive shots? At which of these holes you better don‘t grab the driver? Fine leather, embroidered in green, comes as driver or wood head cover for 100,- or 90,- $ from coobsgolf.com

Baker Golf – Augusta National Illustration

Similar to Golfdrawn, Baker Golf has beautiful wall hanging goodies. Pinehurst, Sheep Ranch, Sweetens Cove, Tobacco Road, Whistling Straits and many more in vector graphic retro style. Here we got – what else? – the Hogan Bridge, probably the most iconic piece of the Masters sitting right in the middle of the Amen Corner crossing Rae‘s Creek to the 12th green. Printed on Kodak Endura glossy paper, this poster (unframed) is also available in three different sizes from $ 30 to $ 60 on bakergolfco.com

Sendit – Masters Nylon

Sendit, the small, lovely label from San Diego, also got two Masters themed items: The Augusta Snapback Cap with the Course Map as a subtle print on the visor and this nylon cap with fast drying fabrics – ideal for fall golfing. We also really like the paper plane design in the Masters look. Well, send it! Available for $ 28 via senditgolf.com

Patch Producer – Masters Golf Tournament Patch

Not a golf brand, but for your battle vest (or your bag) this is some nice little merch for the true lover. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find out if the articles in the shop are actually all licensed. Seen on etsy.com/de/shop/PatchProducer for $ 3,99.

McEwan Golf – Patrons Only Sticker Pack

Finally, a sticker pack to customize your car, laptop, trolley or front door and show the world that you‘re a Patron in mind. The set is consisting of the above-mentioned Pimento Cheese Sandwich and the typical Patrons camping chair. Available for $ 8 on mcewangolf.com