The Masters Tournament

Bobby Jones didn't set out to start the world's most prestigious golf tournament.

It just happened that way.

Jones, considered the greatest amateur golfer of all time, was fresh off his Grand Slam feat of 1930 when he decided to build his dream course.

He settled on a 365-acre tract of land in Augusta, and Augusta National Golf Club was born. When he was shown the property known as Fruitland Nurseries, he knew he had found the right place.

"Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course on it," he said after viewing the property from the area where the practice putting green is now located.

After some prodding by friends, Jones started a tournament that began as a small gathering for friends but grew into one of the most coveted tournaments in all of golf: the Masters. It quickly was considered one of golf's four majors, joining the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship as the top events in the game.

Under the guidance of Jones and co-founder Clifford Roberts, Augusta National would become an important player in the golf world. Tournament administration, architecture and TV coverage are just a few of the standards set by the Masters.

Roberts and other club members persuaded Jones to play in the first Augusta National Invitation Tournament, and his presence made the 1934 event a success.

By the end of the 1930s, the Masters name was accepted and the tournament was a fixture on golf's schedule.

Every great player - from Gene Sarazen to Ben Hogan to Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods - has won the Masters.

Today, the Masters badge remains the toughest ticket in all of sports; series badges and practice-round tickets for this year's tournament have sold out.

No tickets are sold at the gate, and the tournament has sold out in advance every year since 1966.

The patron list was closed in 1972, and a waiting list, created to give those who weren't subscribers a chance to get tickets, was closed in 1978.

The waiting list was reopened in the summer of 2000, and individuals were added by random selection. The new list was then closed.

Practice-round tickets have been limited since 1995. To receive an application for practice-round tickets, send your name, address, daytime phone number and Social Security number to: Masters Tournament, Practice Rounds, P.O. Box 2047, Augusta, GA 30903.

- From staff reports