1946 Masters Tournament

1946 Masters Tournament
Tournament information
DatesApril 4–7, 1946
LocationAugusta, Georgia
33°30′11″N 82°01′12″W / 33.503°N 82.020°W / 33.503; -82.020
CourseAugusta National Golf Club
Organized byAugusta National Golf Club
TourPGA Tour
Statistics
Par72
Length6,800 yards (6,218 m) [1]
Field51 players
CutNone
Prize fund$10,000
Winner's share$2,500
Champion
United States Herman Keiser
282 (−6)
Augusta National is located in the United States
Augusta National
Augusta National
Location in the United States
Augusta National is located in Georgia
Augusta National
Augusta National
Location in Georgia

The 1946 Masters Tournament was the tenth Masters Tournament, held April 4–7 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It was the first in four years because of World War II. The purse was $10,000, double that of the previous Masters in 1942, with a winner's share of $2,500.

Herman Keiser won his only major title, one stroke ahead of runner-up Ben Hogan, the tour's money leader.[2] Keiser and Hogan both three-putted the slick 18th green on Sunday;[3] Keiser from 20 feet (6 m), and a half-hour later Hogan from 15 feet (4.6 m).[4][5]

Hogan won the PGA Championship four months later in August for his first major title at age 34. He later won the Masters in 1951 and 1953 and finished his career with nine wins in majors.

Field

With only one major championship played in 1945, the invitation criteria were modified. Eight amateurs and eight professionals were selected by a committee in February and four further professionals were invited just before the event.

1. Masters champions
2. U.S. Open champions
3. U.S. Amateur champions
4. British Open champions
5. British Amateur champions
6. PGA champions
7. Top 30 players and ties from the 1942 Masters Tournament
8. 1945 PGA Championship quarter-finalists
  • Clarence Doser did not play.
9. Selected amateurs, not already qualified
  • Ray Billows (a), Harry Givan (a), Chuck Kocsis (a), Jim McHale Jr. (a) did not play. Haas turned professional before the event.
10. Selected professionals, not already qualified
11. One amateur, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Amateur champions
  • Tommy Suffern Tailer (a) did not play
12. One professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Open champions
13. Two players, not already qualified, with the best scoring average in the winter part of the 1946 PGA Tour
  • Leland Gibson, George Schneiter
14. Additional invitations

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, April 4, 1946

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1United States Chick Harbert69−3
United States Herman Keiser
T3United States Vic Ghezzi71−1
United States Fred Haas
United States Toney Penna
T6United States Johnny Bulla72E
United States Cary Middlecoff
United States Byron Nelson
United States Jimmy Thomson
T10United States George Schneiter73+1
United States Clayton Heafner

Source:[6]

Second round

Friday, April 5, 1946

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States Herman Keiser69-68=137−7
2United States Jimmy Thomson72-70=142−2
3United States Clayton Heafner74-69=143−1
T4United States Bob Hamilton75-69=144E
United States Chick Harbert69-75=144
United States Ben Hogan74-70=144
United States Toney Penna71-73=144
T8United States Jimmy Demaret75-70=145+1
United States Jim Foulis70-75=145
United States Byron Nelson72-73=145

Source:[7]

Third round

Saturday, April 6, 1946

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States Herman Keiser69-68-71=208−8
2United States Ben Hogan74-70-69=213−3
T3United States Jim Ferrier74-72-68=214−2
United States Fred Haas71-75-68=214
United States Clayton Heafner74-69-71=214
6United States Bob Hamilton75-69-71=215−1
T7United States Jimmy Demaret75-70-71=216E
United States Byron Nelson72-73-71=216
T9United States Jim Foulis75-70-72=217+1
United States Vic Ghezzi71-79-67=217
United States Ky Laffoon74-73-70=217

Source:[8]

Final round

Sunday, April 7, 1946

Final leaderboard

Champion
Silver Cup winner (low amateur)
(a) = amateur
(c) = past champion
Top 10
PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (US$)
1United States Herman Keiser69-68-71-74=282−62,500
2United States Ben Hogan74-70-69-70=283−51,500
3United States Bob Hamilton75-69-71-72=287−11,000
T4United States Jimmy Demaret (c)75-70-71-73=289+1683
United States Jim Ferrier74-72-68-75=289
United States Ky Laffoon74-73-70-72=289
T7United States Chick Harbert69-75-76-70=290+2356
United States Clayton Heafner74-69-71-76=290
United States Byron Nelson (c)72-73-71-74=290
United States Sam Snead74-75-70-71=290

Sources:[9][10]

Scorecard

Hole123456789101112131415161718
Par454343454443545344
United States Keiser−7−8−8−8−7−8−7−8−7−7−7−7−7−7−7−7−7−6
United States Hogan−2−3−3−3−3−3−3−4−4−4−4−5−6−5−6−6−6−5

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

References

  1. ↑ "Keiser shaky, retains lead". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. April 7, 1946. p. 1, sports.
  2. ↑ "Hogan far ahead in winter earnings". Miami News. United Press. April 8, 1946. p. 4B.
  3. ↑ "Keiser wins Masters tourney as Hogan misses short putt". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. April 8, 1946. p. 4-part 2.
  4. ↑ Keeler, O.B. (April 8, 1946). "Hogan 3-putts final hole giving Keiser Masters' title". Miami News. p. 2B.
  5. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (April 8, 1946). "Keiser wins Masters golf meet with 282". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 25.
  6. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (April 5, 1946). "War vets lead first round of Masters golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 27.
  7. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (April 6, 1946). "Keiser leads Master golf thru 2d round". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 19.
  8. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (April 7, 1946). "Keiser holds 5-shot Masters golf lead". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  9. ↑ "Masters – Past Winners & Results". Augusta National Inc. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Past results – Masters tournament". PGA Tour. Retrieved April 20, 2021.