The Masters: Record Firsts

It’s less than 24 hours until we watch the first group tee off at Augusta for this year’s masters.

With just one day left to wait we’re closing our masters countdown series with the all time Masters firsts. Get ready for some quick-fire trivia.

First Winner.

Horton Smith won the very first Masters tournament (then Augusta Invitational) in 1934. At twenty five he was much younger than today’s average winner’s age of 32. Not wasting any time, Smith doubled his record, so to speak, and became the first person to win the tournament twice in 1936. 

First Ace.

The first Masters hole in one was played by then amateur Ross Sommerville in 1934 on the sixteenth hole. The hole has since become known, among other things, for having yielded by far the highest number of aces in masters history with 21 of 30. 

First Green Jacket.

Sam Snead was the first winner to be presented with a green jacket upon winning the Masters in 1949. In the same year, green jackets were awarded retroactively to the previous 12 winners. Previously the jackets had been worn as more of a practicality so that guests could identify members of the club. 

First Non-American.

Gary Player became the first non-American to win the tournament in 1961. The South African’s win came after 23 years in which no foreigner had won a green jacket. 

First European to win.

Almost another 20 had to go by before a European would win the event. Spaniard Seve Ballesteros’ 1980 win sparked a wave of European wins in that decade.

German golfing legend Bernhard Langer’s 1985 win was quickly followed by Scotsman Sandy Lyle in 1988 before Englishman Nick Faldo won twice in a row in ‘89 and ‘90.

First Person To Defend Title.

Faldo however, was not the first person to defend his title. That honour goes to Jack Nicklaus, who in 1966 won in a playoff and became the first person to win a the Masters twice in a row. 

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.