stringtranslate.com

1955 Masters Tournament

The 1955 Masters Tournament was the 19th Masters Tournament, held April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It was the last one before CBS began televising the tournament the following year.

Cary Middlecoff shot a 65 in the second round, including a then-record 31 on the first nine, to win his only Masters, seven strokes ahead of runner-up Ben Hogan,[2][3] and the second of his three major championships.

After a third round at even-par 72, Middlecoff entered the final round with a four shot lead over Hogan, the champion in 1951 and 1953.[4][5] The victory margin of seven strokes was a tournament record for ten years, until Jack Nicklaus won by nine strokes over Arnold Palmer and Gary Player in 1965, later increased to twelve in 1997 by Tiger Woods. The previous record was five strokes, set in 1948 by Claude Harmon and tied by Hogan in 1953. The runner-up finish was Hogan's fourth at the Masters.

Arnold Palmer, a professional for less than a year, finished tied for tenth in his first Masters.[6]

The Sarazen Bridge, approaching the left side of the 15th green, was dedicated on Wednesday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Gene Sarazen's double eagle in 1935.[7][8][9] Included was a contest to duplicate the 232-yard (212 m) shot, with the closest by Fred Haas at 4 feet 1 inch (1.24 m) away.[10]

Course

^ Holes 1, 2, 4, 11, and 14 were later renamed.

Field

1. Masters champions

Claude Harmon (10), Ben Hogan (2,4,6,9,10), Herman Keiser, Byron Nelson (2,6,9), Henry Picard (6), Gene Sarazen (2,4,6), Horton Smith, Sam Snead (4,6,9,10,12), Craig Wood (2)

2. U.S. Open champions

Julius Boros (9,10), Billy Burke, Johnny Farrell, Ed Furgol (10), Lawson Little (3,5), Tony Manero, Lloyd Mangrum (9,10), Fred McLeod, Cary Middlecoff (9,10,12), Sam Parks Jr., Lew Worsham (9,10)

3. U.S. Amateur champions

Ted Bishop (a), Dick Chapman (5,9,10,a), Charles Coe (9,a), Gene Littler (9,10), Billy Maxwell, Arnold Palmer (11), Skee Riegel (9), Jess Sweetser (5,a), Bud Ward

4. British Open champions

Jock Hutchison (6), Denny Shute (6)

5. British Amateur champions

Frank Stranahan, Robert Sweeny Jr. (11,a), Harvie Ward (8,9,a)

6. PGA champions

Walter Burkemo (9,12), Vic Ghezzi, Chick Harbert (9,12), Chandler Harper, Johnny Revolta, Jim Turnesa

7. Members of the U.S. 1955 Ryder Cup team
8. Members of the U.S. 1955 Walker Cup team

Rex Baxter (a), William C. Campbell (10,a), Don Cherry (11,a), Joe Conrad (a), Bruce Cudd (a), Jimmy Jackson (a), Ed Meister (11,a), Dale Morey (11,a), Billy Joe Patton (9,10,a), Hillman Robbins (a)

9. Top 24 players and ties from the 1954 Masters Tournament

Jerry Barber (12), Al Besselink, Tommy Bolt (10,12), Jack Burke Jr. (10), Pete Cooper, Marty Furgol (10), Jay Hebert (10), Ed Oliver, Bob Rosburg, Earl Stewart, Bob Toski (10)

10. Top 24 players and ties from the 1954 U.S. Open

Max Evans, Leland Gibson, Fred Haas, Dick Mayer, Shelley Mayfield (12), Al Mengert, Johnny Weitzel

11. 1954 U.S. Amateur quarter-finalists

Ted Lenczyk (a), Davis Love Jr. (a)

12. 1954 PGA Championship quarter-finalists
13. One amateur, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Amateur champions

Bill Goodloe (a)

14. One professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Open champions

Johnny Palmer

15. Two players, not already qualified, from a points list based on finishes in the winter part of the 1955 PGA Tour

Mike Souchak, Bo Wininger[11]

16. Foreign invitations

Pat Fletcher, Rudy Horvath (10), Stan Leonard, Peter Thomson (4,9)

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, April 7, 1955

Source:[12]

Second round

Friday, April 8, 1955

Source:[13]

Third round

Saturday, April 9, 1955

Source:[4][5]

Final round

Sunday, April 10, 1955

Final leaderboard

Sources:[14][15]

Scorecard

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

References

  1. ^ a b Wind, Herbert Warren (April 4, 1955). "The Augusta National: a hole by hole study". Sports Illustrated. p. 20.
  2. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 11, 1955). "Middlecoff's 279 wins Masters golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 4.
  3. ^ Wind, Herbert Warren (April 18, 1955). "The Doc shows the Masters how". Sports Illustrated. p. 58.
  4. ^ a b Bartlett, Charles (April 10, 1955). "Middlecoff's 209 holds Masters lead; 18 to go". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  5. ^ a b Fullerton, Hugh Jr. (April 10, 1955). "Careful Cary's 72 holds Ben 4 back". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. p. 1, sports.
  6. ^ "Middlecoff wins Masters with 279". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 11, 1955. p. 22.
  7. ^ "Special day for golfdom's Squire". Chicago Daily Tribune. United Press photo. April 7, 1955. p. 1, sec. 6.
  8. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 7, 1955). "That historic double eagle". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, sec. 6.
  9. ^ "The Sarazen Bridge". masters.com. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  10. ^ "Haas closest to Sarazen's double eagle". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 7, 1955. p. 18.
  11. ^ "Wininger closes Masters field". The Pittsburgh Press. April 4, 1955. p. 23.
  12. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 8, 1955). "Burke's 67 leads Masters; Snead has 72". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 4.
  13. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 9, 1955). "Middlecoff's 137 takes lead in Masters". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
  14. ^ "Masters – Past Winners & Results". Augusta National Inc. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  15. ^ "Past results – Masters tournament". PGA Tour. Retrieved April 20, 2021.

External links