The Masters: We delve into the archives

9 years ago

Zach bucks the trend
In 2007 the talk was all of a super-long Augusta National suiting the bombers. Then along came the modest-hitting Zach Johnson, who didn’t attack a par 5 in two all week.

Instead, he laid up on all the long holes and relied on his wedge and putter to make the all-important birdies.

The man from Iowa, who thanked God for his win as Tiger played the last, posted a winning score of 289, the joint-highest in Masters history, to beat Retief Goosen, Rory Sabbatini and Tiger Woods by two.
He came back in 30 and had hit the front by the halfway stage. Nine clear going into the last round, Tiger eventually proceeded to win by a record 12 strokes from Tom Kite.

14 years ago

Tiger sets up Grand Slam tilt
By winning his second Green Jacket 12 months earlier, the Tiger Slam had been completed – Woods held all four Major titles.

And after winning in 2002, the talk was that he was underway in pursuit of the Grand Slam – winning all four in a calendar year.

It didn’t come to pass, the infamous Saturday storm at Muirfield saw to that, but at Augusta he held off Retief Goosen, who laboured on Sunday, to win by three shots and cruise to victory.

19 years ago

Tiger’s first Major
Playing in his first Major as a professional, Tiger Woods blitzed the field at Augusta, despite opening up with a front nine of 40.

He came back in 30 and had hit the front by the halfway stage. Nine clear going into the last round, he eventually proceeded to win by a record 12 strokes from Tom Kite.

His total of 270 remains the lowest in Masters history and it was entirely appropriate he received his Green Jacket from Nick Faldo as the baton was metaphorically passed from the leader of one generation to the king of another.