2016 Masters Tournament

{{main|Augusta National Golf Club}}

The course was formerly a plant nursery and each hole on the course is named after the tree or shrub with which it has become associated.{{cite news |url=http://www.augusta.com/stories/2006/04/03/mas_75606.shtml |newspaper=Augusta Chronicle |last=Boyette |first=John |title=Augusta National's natural beauty was born in nursery |date=April 3, 2006 |access-date=August 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821062129/http://www.augusta.com/stories/2006/04/03/mas_75606.shtml |archive-date=August 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

The Masters has the smallest field of the four major championships. Officially, the Masters remains an invitation event, but there is a set of qualifying criteria that determines who is included in the field. Each player is classified according to the first category by which he qualified, with other categories in which he qualified shown in parentheses.

Golfers who qualify based solely on their performance in amateur tournaments (categories 6–10) must remain amateurs on the starting day of the tournament to be eligible to play.

1. Past Masters Champions

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• Ángel Cabrera
• Trevor Immelman
• Zach Johnson (3,11,13,16,17,18)
• Bernhard Langer
• Sandy Lyle
• Phil Mickelson (3,11,17,18)
• Larry Mize
• Mark O'Meara
• Charl Schwartzel (15,17,18)
• Adam Scott (12,15,17,18)
• Vijay Singh
• Jordan Spieth (2,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18)
• Bubba Watson (15,16,17,18)
• Tom Watson
• Mike Weir
• Ian Woosnam

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• Fred Couples, José María Olazábal, and Tiger Woods (5) did not play due to injuries.{{cite news |url=https://www.sbnation.com/golf/2016/4/2/11352372/masters-field-list-2016-qualifiers-entrants |title=2016 Masters field: Tiger Woods' withdrawal decreases Augusta qualifiers list to just 89 |work=SB Nation |agency=Vox Media |date=April 2, 2016}}
• The following past champions did not enter: Tommy Aaron, Jack Burke Jr., Charles Coody, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Faldo, Raymond Floyd, Doug Ford, Bob Goalby, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Craig Stadler, Fuzzy Zoeller. Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player served as "honorary starters", though only Nicklaus and Player teed off on the first day at the first hole to kick off the tournament.

2. Last five U.S. Open Champions

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• Martin Kaymer (5,17,18)
• Rory McIlroy (3,4,11,15,16,17,18)
• Justin Rose (11,14,15,16,17,18)
• Webb Simpson

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3. Last five British Open Champions

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• Darren Clarke
• Ernie Els

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4. Last five PGA Champions

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• Keegan Bradley
• Jason Day (13,14,15,16,17,18)
• Jason Dufner (15)

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5. Last three winners of The Players Championship

• Rickie Fowler (11,15,16,17,18)

6. Top two finishers in the 2015 U.S. Amateur

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• Derek Bard (a)
• Bryson DeChambeau (a)

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7. Winner of the 2015 Amateur Championship

• Romain Langasque (a)

8. Winner of the 2015 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

• Jin Cheng (a)

9. Winner of the 2016 Latin America Amateur Championship

• Paul Chaplet (a)

10. Winner of the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur

• Sammy Schmitz (a)

11. The top 12 finishers and ties in the 2015 Masters Tournament

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• Paul Casey (16,17,18)
• Bill Haas (16,17,18)
• Charley Hoffman (16)
• Dustin Johnson (12,16,17,18)
• Hunter Mahan
• Hideki Matsuyama (15,16,17,18)
• Ryan Moore (18)
• Kevin Na (16,17,18)
• Ian Poulter
• Kevin Streelman

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12. Top 4 finishers and ties in the 2015 U.S. Open

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• Branden Grace (14,17,18)
• Louis Oosthuizen (13,16,17,18)
• Cameron Smith

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13. Top 4 finishers and ties in the 2015 British Open Championship

• Marc Leishman (17,18)

14. Top 4 finishers and ties in the 2015 PGA Championship

15. Winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the FedEx Cup, between the 2015 Masters Tournament and the 2016 Masters Tournament

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• Steven Bowditch (16)
• Fabián Gómez
• Emiliano Grillo (17,18)
• Jim Herman
• Smylie Kaufman
• Chris Kirk
• Kevin Kisner (16,17,18)
• Russell Knox (17,18)
• Danny Lee (16,17,18)
• David Lingmerth (18)
• Davis Love III
• Shane Lowry (17,18)
• Graeme McDowell
• Troy Merritt
• Brandt Snedeker (16,17,18)
• Vaughn Taylor
• Justin Thomas (17,18)

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• Jim Furyk (16,17,18) was unable to compete due to wrist surgery.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2016/02/02/jim-furyk-opts-for-wrist-surgery-will-miss-3-months/79696216/ |title=Furyk opts for wrist surgery, will miss 3 months and Masters |work=USA Today |agency=Associated Press |date=February 2, 2016}}

16. All players qualifying for the 2015 edition of The Tour Championship

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• Daniel Berger
• Harris English
• J. B. Holmes (17,18)
• Brooks Koepka (17,18)
• Matt Kuchar (17,18)
• Scott Piercy (17,18)
• Patrick Reed (17,18)
• Henrik Stenson (17,18)
• Robert Streb (17)
• Jimmy Walker (17,18)

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• Bae Sang-moon was unable to compete due to a military obligation in South Korea.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbssports.com/golf/eye-on-golf/25379597/sangmoon-bae-starts-military-service-eyes-2017-return-to-golf |title=Sangmoon Bae starts military service, eyes 2017 return to golf |work=CBS Sports |agency=GolfWeb |date=November 18, 2015}}

17. Top 50 on the final 2015 Official World Golf Ranking list

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• An Byeong-hun (18)
• Kiradech Aphibarnrat (18)
• Jamie Donaldson
• Victor Dubuisson (18)
• Matt Fitzpatrick (18)
• Sergio García (18)
• Billy Horschel (18)
• Thongchai Jaidee (18)
• Søren Kjeldsen (18)
• Anirban Lahiri (18)
• Andy Sullivan (18)
• Lee Westwood
• Bernd Wiesberger (18)
• Danny Willett (18)
• Chris Wood (18)

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18. Top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking list on March 28, 2016

• Rafa Cabrera-Bello

19. International invitees

• None

Appearing in their first Masters were Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Daniel Berger, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Fabián Gómez, Emiliano Grillo, Jim Herman, Smylie Kaufman, Kevin Kisner, Russell Knox, David Lingmerth, Troy Merritt, Cameron Smith, Andy Sullivan, Justin Thomas, and all six amateurs. Four of the amateurs (Bard, Chaplet, Cheng and Schmitz) were appearing in their first major. In addition, An Byeong-hun, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Danny Lee appeared in their first Masters as professionals. Tom Watson was playing in his final Masters event.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Jimmy Walker won the par 3 contest with a score of 19 (−8), a new tournament record. Nine holes-in-one were made, surpassing the previous record of five set in 2002 and 2015. The players to record an ace were: Rickie Fowler, Zach Johnson, Smylie Kaufman, David Lingmerth, Gary Player, Webb Simpson, Andy Sullivan, Justin Thomas, and Walker.{{cite magazine |last=Beall |first=Joel| title=Jimmy Walker breaks Masters Par-3 Contest scoring record |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/story/jimmy-walker-breaks-masters-par-3-contest-scoring-record |magazine=Golf Digest |date=April 6, 2016 |access-date=April 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Kerr-Dineen |first=Luke |title=Watch every hole-in-one from this year's Masters par-3 contest |url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/04/2016-masters-par-3-hole-one-one-contest-video-highlights |newspaper=USA Today |date=April 6, 2016 |access-date=April 6, 2016}}

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Defending champion Jordan Spieth shot a 6-under-par 66 to take a two-shot lead over Danny Lee and Shane Lowry. His bogey-free round was his ninth consecutive Masters round of par or better. World number one Jason Day was 5-under-par through the front nine but shot 5-over-par on the back nine, including a triple-bogey on the 16th hole, to end at even-par. Ernie Els scored a record-worst nine on the first hole after taking six putts from within three feet and ended his round at 8-over-par. The course played difficult due to windy conditions and the scoring average for the field was 74.16.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/15158349/jordan-spieth-leads-2-masters-1st-round |title=Defending champ Jordan Spieth goes bogey-free to lead Masters |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=April 7, 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/masters16/story/_/id/15155410/ernie-els-6-putts-first-hole-record-nine-masters |title=Ernie Els 6-putts from within 3 feet for a record 9 on first hole at Masters |work=ESPN |first=Bob |last=Harig |date=April 7, 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2016/04/07/diabolical-wind-augusta-giving-even-veteran-golfers-fits/82773796/ |title=Diabolical wind at Augusta giving even veteran golfers fits |newspaper=USA Today |first=Steve |last=DiMeglio |date=April 8, 2016}}

Friday, April 8, 2016

Jordan Spieth led by as many as five shots but then carded four bogeys and a double bogey and needed a 14-foot par save at the 18th to preserve a one-shot advantage over Rory McIlroy. This was Spieth's sixth consecutive round with the lead at the Masters, tying the record set by Arnold Palmer in 1960–61. Amateur Bryson DeChambeau got to within a shot of the lead but suffered a triple bogey at the last to finish at even-par. Gusting winds led to difficult scoring conditions, with only four players (Daniel Berger, Dustin Johnson, McIlroy, and Troy Merritt) shooting under par, each shooting 71. The scoring average for the round was 75.02, the highest since 2007 and only seven golfers were under par after two rounds.{{cite news |title=Jordan Spieth has 1-shot lead at Masters despite 'hard golf course' |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/masters16/story/_/id/15166346/jordan-spieth-one-shot-lead-rory-mcilroy-masters |work=ESPN |date=April 8, 2016 |access-date=April 9, 2016}} Tom Watson missed the cut in his 43rd and final Masters.

Amateurs: DeChambeau (E), Langasque (+3), Bard (+9), Schmitz (+12), Cheng (+13), Chaplet (+21)

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Jordan Spieth held the lead at the Masters for the seventh consecutive round, a new tournament record, and the third straight year after 54 holes. After a double bogey at the 11th, Spieth rebounded with birdies on three of his next four holes to take a four-shot lead, but then bogeyed the 17th and carded another double bogey on the 18th to post 73 (+1) and drop the lead to one. Smylie Kaufman recorded the lowest score of the round with 69 (−3) and moved into second place. Two-time champion Bernhard Langer, at age 58 attempting to become the oldest major champion, shot a round of 70 and tied Hideki Matsuyama for third, two shots back of Spieth. Rory McIlroy entered the round a shot out of the lead but failed to make a birdie and carded 77 (+5).{{cite news |title=Jordan Spieth maintains 1-shot Masters lead despite messy finish |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/masters16/story/_/id/15172359/jordan-spieth-leads-masters-1-3rd-round |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=April 9, 2016 |access-date=April 9, 2016}}

Sunday, April 10, 2016

File:Danny Willet.JPG won his first Masters title]]

{{external media|video1={{YouTube|bMf0JpfpZu8|Full final round coverage on CBS}}}}

Danny Willett came back from five shots down at the start of the back nine to win his first major title.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/golf/2016/04/10/danny-willett-all-you-need-to-know-about-masters-2016-winner/ |title=Danny Willett wins Masters 2016: All you need to know about England's Augusta champion |date=April 11, 2016 |work=Daily Telegraph |access-date=May 5, 2016}} Jordan Spieth birdied his final four holes of the front-nine to open up a five-shot advantage. After bogeys at the 10th and 11th, Spieth put two balls in the water on the par-3 12th and made quadruple bogey, dropping him to a tie for fourth. Willett, meanwhile, made birdie at 13 and 14 to take the lead. Lee Westwood chipped in for eagle at the 15th to get within one of Willett, but then made bogey on 16 while Willett made birdie. Willett made par on the last two holes to post a round of 67 and five-under for the tournament.{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/apr/11/danny-willett-masterrs-2016-jordan-spieth-lee-westood |title=Masters 2016: Danny Willett wins after Jordan Spieth's disaster at the 12th |date=April 11, 2016 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=May 5, 2016}}

After rebounding with birdies on 13 and 15, Spieth needed to birdie two of his last three holes to tie but missed an {{convert|8|ft|adj=on}} birdie at 16 then bogeyed 17 to fall out of contention. Spieth's downfall in the final round capped one of the biggest collapses in Masters history, with many comparing it to the meltdown of Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters.{{#tag:ref|See.{{cite news |last=Greenstein |first=Teddy |title=A Norman-esque collapse leaves Jordan Spieth reeling |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/sc-masters-greenstein-jordan-spieth-collapses-spt-0411-20160410-column.html |access-date=April 11, 2016 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=April 10, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Brennan |first=Christine |title=Brennan: Jordan Spieth's collapse is one we won't soon forge |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2016/04/10/brennan-jordan-spieths-collapse-one-we-wont-soon-forget/82879038/ |access-date=April 13, 2016 |newspaper=USA Today |date=April 11, 2016}}{{cite magazine |last=Strege |first=John |title=Jordan Spieth's 12th-hole collapse: 'Nothing…harder on the eyes' in golf history |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/story/jordan-spieths-12th-hole-collapse-nothingharder-on-the-eyes-in-golf-history |access-date=April 13, 2016 |magazine=Golf Digest |date=April 11, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Plaschke |first=Bill |title=Trying to play it safe, Jordan Spieth plays his way into a historic collapse at the Masters |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-masters-plaschke-20160411-column.html |access-date=April 13, 2016 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=April 10, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Weinreb |first=Michael |title=The Agony of Jordan Spieth: Can He Recover From His Masters Collapse? |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/sports/features/the-agony-of-jordan-spieth-can-he-recover-from-his-masters-collapse-20160411 |access-date=April 13, 2016 |newspaper=Rolling Stone |date=April 11, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Bort |first=Ryan |title=Where Does Jordan Spieth's Masters Collapse Rank? |url=http://www.newsweek.com/jordan-spieth-masters-collapse-446315 |access-date=April 13, 2016| agency=USA Today Sports via Reuters |newspaper=Newsweek |date=April 11, 2016}}|group=lower-alpha}} Dustin Johnson also made birdie on 13 and 15 to get within two of Willett, but made double bogey on the 17th. Smylie Kaufman began the round a shot out of the lead but shot 81 (+9) and finished in 29th.{{cite news |title=Danny Willett wins Masters after Jordan Spieth's collapse |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/15178583/danny-willett-wins-masters-jordan-spieth-collapse |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=April 10, 2016 |access-date=April 10, 2016}} For the first time in Masters history, three players (Shane Lowry, Davis Love III, and Louis Oosthuizen) made a hole-in-one on the par-3 16th.{{cite news |title=Shane Lowry, Davis Love III and Louis Oosthuizen ace 16th hole at Augusta |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/15177725/masters-history-made-shane-lowry-davis-love-iii-louis-oosthuizen-ace-16th-hole |work=ESPN |date=April 10, 2016 |access-date=April 10, 2016}}

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

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• {{official website|http://www.masters.com/}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130328084325/http://www.majorschampionships.com/masters.html Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site]
• [http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016026/index.html Coverage on the European Tour's official site]
• [http://www.pga.com/masters/ Coverage from the PGA of America]

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2016

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