1949 Masters Tournament 1949 Masters Tournament The 1949 Masters Tournament was the 13th Masters Tournament, held April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. This was the first year that the famous Green Jacket was awarded to the tournament winner, and previous champions were awarded theirs retroactively. Sam Snead shot consecutive rounds of 67 on the weekend to win by three strokes over runners-up Johnny Bulla and Lloyd Mangrum. This was the first of his three Masters victories and the third of his seven major championships. Snead also won the next major, the PGA Championship in May, and became the first
Open golf tournament Open golf tournament The descriptor "open" is used in a number of sports, and especially in golf, to describe a tournament that is "open" — in theory to all — rather than being closed, "i.e.", one that is restricted to a particular group. Thus, an amateur tournament, "e.g.", the U.S. Amateur, is not open, because it is, by definition, closed to professional golfers. The first precise usage of the adjective “open” in golf was in 1861 when the Prestwick Golf Club opened its Medal competition (launched the previous year for professionals only) to amateurs as well; ever since, The Open