Location: Augusta National GC, Augusta, GA
Par: 36-36—72 Yards: 7,290
2004 Champion: Phil Mickelson (279, 9-under)
Margin: One stroke over Ernie Els
Purse: $6,500,000* Winner: $1,170,000* (2004 Amounts)
Tournament Record: 270, Tiger Woods (1997, Augusta National GC)
Television:

TOUR Players Remain in Georgia for Masters Tournament

After playing in the BellSouth Classic near Atlanta last week, PGA TOUR players remain in Georgia for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.

It was at Augusta in 2004 where Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els held a back-nine duel that Mickelson eventually won when he birdied the 72nd hole to give him a one-stroke win over Els.

The two will be back at Augusta National this week, with Els looking for his first green jacket. Meanwhile, two past champions also figure to have a say in this limitedfield event. Vijay Singh, the No. 1-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking, won the Masters in 2000, while Tiger Woods, ranked No. 2, has put on the green jacket three times—in 1997, 2001 and 2002.

Masters Win Changed Mickelson’s Profile

The week before the Masters last year, Phil Mickelson was still a world-class player. He’d won a tournament early in the season (Bob Hope Chrysler Classic) and was ranked eighth in the Official World Golf Ranking. He was even atop the PGA TOUR’s money list, having taken home $2,318,600 leading into last year’s tournament.

Yet Mickelson wasn’t necessarily being talked about in the same breath as Tiger Woods, the No. 1 player at the time, fast-charging Vijay Singh, who was quickly closing the gap on Woods in the World Ranking, and Ernie Els, a two-time U.S. Open champ. Then everything changed for Mickelson when his birdie putt on the 18th hole Sunday at Augusta National earned him the win and catapulted him into worldwide stardom. Although Mickelson didn’t win again after the Masters, he finished third on the money list and steadily crept up the Official World Golf Ranking. When he steps on the tee Thursday to begin defense of his 2004 Masters title, Mickelson is the fourth-ranked player in the world, having just won the BellSouth Classic on Monday, his third title of 2005.

Masters Tournament Notes

• Phil Mickelson’s 5-under 31 on the back nine was the lowest final-round back-nine by a winner since Jack Nicklaus’ 30 in 1986. Gary Player also had a 30 in 1978.
• Last year, Phil Mickelson became the second left-hander to win in Augusta, joining 2003 champion Mike Weir. Mickelson was also the third southpaw to win a major championship, along with Weir and Bob Charles (1963 British Open).
• Competing in his 43rd professional major last year, Phil Mickelson collected his eighth top-10 in 12 appearances in Augusta, including his sixth consecutive.
• The $1,170,000 paycheck Phil Mickelson won in 2004 moved him to second on the all-time earnings list at the Masters with a total of $2,927,892. Tiger Woods retained his No. 1 spot with his $70,200 check taking him to $2,990,960.
• With his tie for sixth in 2004, Paul Casey had the tournament’s best finish by a first-time player. Next in line was 2003 U.S Amateur runner-up Casey Wittenberg, who finished tied for 13th for the best finish by an amateur since Charles Coe tied for ninth in 1960.
• Bernhard Langer, at the age of 46, tied for fourth last year, his best finish at the Masters since he last won in Augusta in 1993.
• There have been a total of 16 aces in Masters Tournament history— and three of them came last year. Chris DiMarco recorded the first one of the week on the sixth hole during round one. Padraig Harrington turned in the second hole-in-one of the tournament when he aced the par-3 16th hole Sunday, and Kirk Triplett followed that in the subsequent group with his own on No. 16. It was the first time in Masters history that three aces were been recorded in the same tournament.
• Tiger Woods’ tie for 22nd last year was his worst finish at the Masters since he missed the cut as an amateur in 1996. As a professional, he had never finished worse than tied for 18th (1999).
• The 6-under 30 posted by K.J. Choi on the front nine during the second round of play tied the record for the low first nine set by Johnny Miller in 1975 and matched by Greg Norman in 1988.
• Fred Couples extended his unblemished Masters cut streak to 20 straight last year, the longest current streak at the Masters. The 1992 Masters champion tied for sixth for his ninth top-10 at the event.

2005 Masters Tournament Field
(As of noon, April 4; subject to change)

Last Year’s Lows At the Masters

18 Holes - 66, Sergio Garcia, fourth round

Low 9 Holes (Front) - 30, K.J.Choi, second round

Low 9 Holes (Back)

31, K.J.Choi, fourth round
31, Sergio Garcia, fourth round
31, Phil Mickelson, fourth round
31, Casey Wittenberg, fourth round

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