When is the last time a Masters rookie went on to win the green jacket in their first appearance?

Within the historical past of the Masters Event, relationship again to 1934, there have solely ever been three gamers to win the Masters of their first strive.

The primary was within the first-ever Masters Event, identified then because the Augusta Nationwide Invitation Event. Horton Smith gained that yr in a playoff on 4-under 284. Naturally he was a first-time participant as there had by no means been a Masters beforehand. He wound up profitable a second Masters title in 1936.

Gene Sarazen additionally gained in his first look in 1935. Within the remaining spherical, Sarazen holed a 235-yard second shot for an albatross on the par-5 fifteenth — known as the “shot heard around the globe” — to finally tie Craig Wooden and pressure a 36-hole playoff. Sarazen gained the playoff by 5 photographs on even-par 144. This was the primary yr that Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership performed within the order we all know at this time. Within the prior yr, the nines have been flipped.

The one different Masters rookie to win the event was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. He completed regulation tied with Tom Watson and Ed Sneed on 8-under 280. Sneed carried a five-shot lead into the ultimate spherical at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, however he shot 76 within the remaining spherical, whereas Zoeller shot 70 and Watson shot 71 to pressure a playoff. The sudden-death playoff went two holes, with Zoeller beating Watson and Sneed with a birdie on the second playoff gap to turn into the primary Masters rookie to win the inexperienced jacket (they did not have them but for winners when Smith gained his two titles).

It’s exceptionally uncommon for a first-time Masters contestant to win of their preliminary look. Augusta Nationwide requires an incredible quantity of ability and native information to play properly. There are breaks and undulations that first-timers do not perceive, and plenty of be taught the place they need to and should not hit the ball by trial and error. Nonetheless, within the trendy period {of professional} golf, when younger professionals appear to come back out rapidly of their profession and win majors at an earlier age, we’re in all probability due for a Masters rookie to lastly finish the drought and win the inexperienced jacket.