Golf: The Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) Facts and figures for the Masters:
Tournament: The 82nd Masters.
Dates: April 5-8.
Site: Augusta National Golf Club.
Length: 7,435 yards.
Par: 36-36 72.
Purse: To be determined ($11 million in 2017).
Field: 86 players (80 professional, 6 amateurs).
Cut: Top 50 and ties, and anyone within 10 shots of the lead.
Defending champion: Sergio Garcia.
Last year: Sergio Garcia won his first major in his 70th attempt as a pro, rallying from a two-shot deficit with six holes to play to beat Justin Rose on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. The turning point came at the par-5 13th when Garcia had to take a penalty drop from the bushes left of the tee. He saved par, went birdie-eagle to tie Rose and won with a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in sudden death after Rose made bogey.
Eye on Tiger: Tiger Woods returns after missing the Masters three of the last four years with a back injury.
The odds: The West-gate Las Vegas Super-book had odds at 50-1 for Woods winning the Masters before he returned to competition in the Bahamas the first week in December. Six tournaments later, he is a co-favorite.
Grand Slam: Rory McIlroy will try for the fourth time to win the Masters and become the sixth player to complete the Grand Slam.
New chairman: Fred Ridley takes over as chairman of Augusta National, succeeding the retired Billy Payne.
