Andrew Yoshioka

April 6, 2022

SAN JOSE, CALIF – On the weekend of April 7, 2022, professional golfers hit the tee at the 2022 Masters in Augusta, GA. The annual golf tournament is the 86th of its kind, and it’s the first men’s golf competition of the year. The 18-hole course is a tough one, combined they make up 7,510 whole yards. 

A strict course makes sense; a strict course requires very strict entry: which holds true due to the Masters tournaments only allowing admission via invitation. There is a system to this; only winners of previous Masters tournaments are admitted, as well as winners of other recent major tournaments, such as the U.S. Open or the PGA Championship, and leading players in major tours such as the PGA Tours. Out of all major tournaments, Masters has the smallest field of players, this year sitting at around 91.

There’s many surprises when it comes to competitors this time around. Many eyes have opened at the sight of Tiger Woods returning to the game after not participating in any major tournaments for the past year. There are also many other major players, such as Scottie Scheffler, winner of major tournaments recently such as the WM Phoenix Open and Bay Invitational, or Brooks Koepka, a competitor with plentiful experience and a high ranking in numerous competitions. 

Ultimately, 51 of the 91 contestants were able to complete the course: which includes the previously mentioned Woods, ending in 47 place with 13 from par. The winner ended up being the previously mentioned Scheffler, finishing with a -10 from par. 3 points ahead of 2nd placer Rory Mcllroy’s -10. Scheffler managed to maintain a current position as Number 1 in the world by breaking par in all four rounds of the tournament, after a strong lead starting on the tournament’s Friday. Due to his win, he earned his first green jacket from the Masters Golf Tournaments, a compliment to show how much competence he has at the sport.

Some students have found themselves very excited by the events. Sophomore Timothy Nguyen mentions “As someone who’s always been interested in golf as a sport, I’ve always enjoyed watching these competitions.”