2003 Masters Tournament

Infobox_Individual_Golf_Tournament
tournament_name = 2003 Masters Tournament


dates = April 10 - 13, 2003
location = Augusta, Georgia
course = Augusta National Golf Club
tour = PGA Tour
PGA European Tour
Japan Golf Tour
par = 72
yardage=7,290
field = 93 players, 49 after cut
cut = 149 (+5)
purse =$6,000,000
winners_share =$1,080,000
Champion = Mike Weir
Score = 281 (-7), playoff

The 2003 Masters Tournament was the 67th Masters Tournament held from April 10-13, 2003 at Augusta National Golf Club. Mike Weir won his first title in a one-hole playoff over Len Mattiace. He was the first Canadian to win any of the four major championships, and he was also the first left-handed player to win the Masters.

Round-by-round results

First Round (Friday morning)

With play suspended due to rain on Thursday, the first round started at 7am Friday morning with players teeing off at the 1st and 10th holes. The round was dominated by Darren Clarke, who posted a six-under 66 on the day. The score was even more impressive considering only seven golfers shot under par for the round. Sergio García shot a three-under 69 to leave him in a second place tie with 2002 U.S. Amateur Champion Ricky Barnes. Three-time major champion, Nick Price, shot a two-under 70 to leave him in a fourth place tie with Canadian Mike Weir. Two-time defending champ and three-time Masters champion, Tiger Woods shot a disappointing four-over 76 to leave him ten strokes back after just one round.

Final Round (Sunday)

Despite one of the largest major championship final round comebacks by Len Mattiace, Mike Weir bested him in a sudden death playoff to take home his first major championship. Weir became the first Canadian ever to win one of golf's four major championships, and he also became the first left-handed player to win the Masters. The sudden death playoff at the par 4 10th proved to be the only extra hole needed as Weir's bogey was good enough as Mattiace double-bogeyed the hole. Weir recovered from his awful third round with his second 68 of the weekend to force the playoff. However, before going to the sudden death playoff, Weir needed to make a 7-foot par putt on the 18th hole to force the extra hole. Mattiace's only bogey (besides the playoff hole) of his tournament low seven-under 65 was at the 18th hole a few groups earlier. Because Mattiace was so far behind the lead coming into the final round, he had to wait around about an hour before the playing the playoff hole as his group finished well before Weir's, who was in the final pairing. Had Mattiace won, it would have been the third greatest final round comeback ever.

Third round leader Jeff Maggert shot a disappointing three-over 75 to give him a fifth place finish by his lonesome. Phil Mickelson's four-under 68 might have seemed like it could be enough going into the day, but he finished third two strokes behind Weir and Mattiace. It marked Mickelson's third straight third place finish at the Masters. Jim Furyk also shot a four-under 68 giving him a fourth place finish which equaled his best Masters finish at -4. Ernie Els and Vijay Singh rounded out the rest under par at -1 and a tie for sixth. Tiger Woods, who was bidding for his third straight Masters victory, shot a disappointing three-over 75 after putting himself back in contention with a strong third round. Amateur Ricky Barnes took home the low-amateur honors after being near the top of the leaderboard the first two rounds.

"*Weir defeated Mattiace on first playoff hole (Par 4 10th: Weir 5, Mattiace 6)"

External links

* [http://www.masters.org/en_US/history/results/2003.html Full results]