1958 Masters Tournament

Recap

Arnold Palmer, age 28, was the third round co-leader and eagled the 13th hole on Sunday to propel him to victory, as he three-putted on the final green. Three-time champion Sam Snead, age 45, was the other co-leader after 54 holes, but shot a 79 (+7) on Sunday to fall to 13th place. One stroke back entering the final round was 1955 champion Cary Middlecoff, who carded a 75 in the final round and tied for 6th.

Palmer's first Masters victory was not without some controversy. On the 12th hole of the final round, Palmer thought his tee ball was embedded behind the green but the on-site rules official would not give him relief. Playing that ball as it lay, Palmer made a double-bogey. Upset over the questionable ruling and the double-bogey, Palmer then played a second ball from behind the green and, after taking relief, made a par. Several holes later word came from the tournament officials that Palmer was entitled to relief and his par score on 12 would stand.

Prior to the tournament, two stone arch bridges crossing Rae's Creek were dedicated, honoring two-time champions Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson. Hogan's is at the par-3 12th hole, and commemorated his record 72-hole score in 1953, his second win at Augusta and first of three consecutive majors that year. The other bridge departs the 13th tee; Nelson went birdie-eagle at these two holes in the final round in 1937, gained six strokes on the leader, and won the first of his five majors.

Sports Illustrated writer Herbert Warren Wind first used the term "Amen Corner" in a story to describe where the critical final day's action had occurred.

This was the first major to have a five-figure winner's share; six figures arrived at the 1983 PGA Championship and seven at the 2001 Masters.

Field

;1. Masters champions Jack Burke Jr. (4,8,11), Jimmy Demaret (8,9), Doug Ford (4,8,11), Claude Harmon (10), Ben Hogan (2,3,4), Herman Keiser, Cary Middlecoff (2,9), Byron Nelson (2,4,8), Henry Picard (4), Gene Sarazen (2,3,4), Horton Smith, Sam Snead (3,4,8,9), Craig Wood (2)

• Ralph Guldahl (2) did not play.

;The following categories only apply to Americans

;2. U.S. Open champions Julius Boros (9), Billy Burke, Jack Fleck, Ed Furgol (8,11), Tony Manero, Lloyd Mangrum, Dick Mayer (9,10,11), Fred McLeod, Sam Parks Jr., Lew Worsham

;3. The Open champions Jock Hutchison (4), Denny Shute (4)

;4. PGA champions Walter Burkemo (9,10), Vic Ghezzi, Chick Harbert (9), Chandler Harper, Lionel Hebert (10,11), Johnny Revolta, Paul Runyan, Jim Turnesa

;5. U.S. Amateur and Amateur champions Dick Chapman (7,a), Charles Coe (a), Hillman Robbins (7,a), Harvie Ward (8,a)

;6. Members of the 1957 U.S. Walker Cup team Rex Baxter (7,a), Arnold Blum (a), Joe Campbell (a), William C. Campbell (a), Bill Hyndman (9,a), Chuck Kocsis (a), Dale Morey (a), Billy Joe Patton (9,a), Mason Rudolph (7,a), Bud Taylor (7,8,a)

• Morey was a reserve for the team.

;7. 1957 U.S. Amateur quarter-finalists Gene Andrews (a), Phil Rodgers (a)

• Dick Yost did not play.

;8. Top 24 players and ties from the 1957 Masters Tournament Billy Casper, Mike Fetchick (9), Dow Finsterwald (9,10,11), Marty Furgol, Fred Hawkins (9,11), Jay Hebert (10), Al Mengert, Arnold Palmer, Henry Ransom, Ken Venturi (9)

• Johnny Palmer's wife was having a baby and he did not play.

;9. Top 16 players and ties from the 1957 U.S. Open Billy Maxwell, Frank Stranahan

;10. 1957 PGA Championship quarter-finalists Charles Sheppard, Don Whitt

;11. Members of the U.S. 1957 Ryder Cup team Tommy Bolt, Ted Kroll, Art Wall Jr.

;12. One player, either amateur or professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-Masters champions Mike Souchak

;13. One professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Open champions Gene Littler

;14. One amateur, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Amateur champions Don Cherry (a)

;15. Two players, not already qualified, from a points list based on finishes in the winter part of the 1958 PGA Tour Dave Ragan, Bo Wininger

;16. Winner of the 1957 Canadian Open George Bayer

;17. Foreign invitations Al Balding (8), Bob Charles (a), Bruce Crampton (8), Henri de Lamaze (a), Roberto De Vicenzo (9), Stan Leonard (8), Torakichi Nakamura, Koichi Ono, Frank Phillips, Gary Player (8), Peter Thomson (3,8), Flory Van Donck, Norman Von Nida, Nick Weslock (a)

• Numbers in brackets indicate categories that the player would have qualified under had they been American.

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, April 3, 1958

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Second round

Friday, April 4, 1958

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Third round

Saturday, April 5, 1958

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Final round

Sunday, April 6, 1958

Final leaderboard

Sources:

Scorecard

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par :{|class="wikitable" span = 50 style="font-size:85%; |- |Eagle |Birdie |Bogey |Double bogey |Triple bogey+ -- |} Source:--

References

References

1. (April 7, 1958). "Palmer snatches Masters victory". Spokesman-Review.
2. Gendelfinger, Phil. (April 7, 1958). "Arnie Palmer wins Masters by one stroke". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
3. Bartlett, Charles. (April 6, 1958). "Snead, Palmer lead Masters with 211". Chicago Sunday Tribune.
4. Bartlett, Charles. (April 7, 1958). "Official ruling gives Palmer Masters". Chicago Daily Tribune.
5. Harig, Bob. (April 5, 2008). "50 years later, Palmer's first Masters win still remains controversial". ESPN.
6. (April 3, 1958). "Augusta club honors Nelson and Hogan". Daytona Beach Morning Journal.
7. Wind, Herbert Warren. (April 21, 1958). "The fateful corner".
8. Bartlett, Charles. (April 4, 1958). "Venturi's 68 leads Masters by stroke". Chicago Daily Tribune.
9. Bartlett, Charles. (April 5, 1958). "Venturi rally retains Masters lead". Chicago Daily Tribune.
10. (April 5, 1958). "Masters golf scores". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
11. "Masters – Past Winners & Results". Augusta National Inc..
12. "Past results – Masters tournament". PGA Tour.