Maybe it was the fact that the Masters fell on Easter weekend this year. Maybe it was the three-man play-off to end the tournament, or maybe it was the one-on-one battle between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson on the final nine. Whatever it was, viewers watched in numbers not seen since 2001.

CBS reports that more than 35.2 million viewers watched all or part of the third and fourth rounds of the Masters. That’s up 7% from last year. In fact, the broadcast garnered more viewers than any of last year’s major golf tournaments. Such interest …read more

Tiger may have finished the 2009 Masters Tournament tied for sixth place, but there was plenty of drama on the final round at Augusta. Kenny Perry, who led starting the day, completed regulation play tied with Chad Campbell and Angel Cabrera, forcing a three-man, sudden-death playoff. It was the first ever three-man playoff in Masters history.

It was Cabrera who prevailed, making him (at #69) the lowest-ranked player to ever win at Augusta. He is also the first Argentine to ever win the Masters.
Cabrera, 39, who plays regularly on the European Tour has just two PGA wins, but they are …read more

Once again this year, four-time Masters champion, Arnold Palmer drove the first, ceremonial tee shot down the first fairway at the Augusta National course to start the competition at the 2009 Masters Tournament.

This is the third year that Palmer has played the role of starter, a tradition that dates back to 1963. Three-time champion, Gary Player announced this week that this year’s tournament would be his last time and there is talk of having him share the starting duties with Palmer in coming years. Palmer said he would welcome sharing the role.
Palmer won the tournament in 1958, 1960, 1962, and …read more

The field is set and the pairings for the first two rounds of the Masters Tournament in Augusta have been drawn. The most interesting groupings include:

1. Tiger Woods (the number one ranked player in the world and four-time Masters champion), American Stewart Cink, and Indian Jeev Milka Singh at 152pm
2. Phil Mickelson (a two-time champion), American Jim Furyk, and Spaniard Camilo Villegas at 1045am
3. Vijay Singh (the 2000 champion), #4-ranked Geoff Ogilvy, and perennial crowd favorite, Ernie Els at 1023am
4. British Open champion Padraig Harrington, Canadian Mike Weir (the 2003 champion), and Japan’s Ryuji Imada at …read more

Next week is the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Course, a spring rite for golf fans. Get ready for the action by taking a quick tour of the course–hole by hole.