The Splendor, The Tradition.....The Masters

It began with a dream in 1931.

After his career ended, the legendary Bobby Jones, one of the greatest golfers the game has ever seen, began looking for land to develop a course that would truly highlight the ultimate golf experience. He found that available plot in Augusta, Georgia in 1931.

Teamed up with one of the great golf architects of the time, Dr. Alister Mackenzie, Jones designed and completed what would become the Augusta National Golf Club in 1933. A year later, the first Augusta National Invitation Tournament was held - later to become known as The Masters, despite protests by Mr. Jones.

One of the PGA TOUR's four annual Major championships, The Masters is the only tournament to be held at the same club each year. (The PGA Championship, The British Open and the U.S. Open all change venues from year to year.)

Being one of the most revered and tradition-filled tournaments in all of sports, The Masters embodies numerous annual traditions that players and past champions take part in.

The first, and most notable of these traditions, is the coveted Green Jacket. Members of the ultra-exclusive Augusta National have worn green jackets to the tournament since 1937, purchasing their jackets from the Brooks Uniform Company in New York. Starting with Sam Snead in 1949, winners of The Masters are awarded with a Green Jacket, and signifies membership to the club for one year. Although the jackets must be returned to Augusta after a year, they are made available to players when they visit the club.

Another tradition of The Masters is the Champions Dinner, started by Ben Hogan in 1952. Usually held on the Tuesday preceding each year's Masters tourney, the previous year's winner hosts a dinner for past champions. The winner chooses the meal, and pays for it.

Then there's the Par-3 Contest, held the Wednesday of Masters week each year. Started in 1960 and played on a smaller version of Augusta, which contains only par-3's, it is a fun and relaxing day for the players involved, who often bring their young children out on the course to caddy for them and even take some of their putts. Thought to be a curse if you win the Par-3 Contest - no one in the 48-year history of the event has ever won that year's Masters - players often spoil their rounds purposely to avoid becoming part of the curse.

Since it's impossible to talk about golf without mentioning Tiger Woods, he's on the hunt this year for his fifth Masters victory, having won the Green Jacket previously in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005. Tiger set a barrage of records when he first won the tournament in 1997, including youngest player ever to win (21 years, 104 days), widest winning margin (12 strokes) and lowest total score with a 270 (18-under par).

As of Friday at 2:50 p.m. the leaderboard is as follows:
1 T. Immelman -8 (68, 68)
2 B. Snedeker -7 (69, 68)
3 S. Flesch -5 (72, 67)
T4 S. Ames -4 (70, 70)
T4 P. Mickelson -4 (71, 3-under through 14)
T4 J. Rose -4 (68, even through 2)

Notables:
T20 T. Woods E (72, even through 3)
T31 E. Els +2 (74, even through 14)