1946 Masters Tournament
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| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 4–7, 1946 |
| Location | Augusta, Georgia 33°30′11″N 82°01′12″W / 33.503°N 82.020°W |
| Course | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Organized by | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Tour | PGA Tour |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,800 yards (6,218 m) [1] |
| Field | 51 players |
| Cut | None |
| Prize fund | $10,000 |
| Winner's share | $2,500 |
| Champion | |
 Herman Keiser | |
| 282 (−6) | |
| Location map | |
  Augusta National Location in the United States  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.
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
- Jimmy Demaret (7), Ralph Guldahl (2,7), Byron Nelson (2,6,7,8), Henry Picard (6,7), Horton Smith (7), Craig Wood (2,7)
- Gene Sarazen (2,4,6,7) did not play.
- 2. U.S. Open champions
- Billy Burke (7), Bobby Jones (3,4,5,7), Lawson Little (3,5,7)
- 3. U.S. Amateur champions
- Dick Chapman (a)
- 4. British Open champions
- Denny Shute (6,8)
- 5. British Amateur champions
- Charlie Yates (7,a)
- 6. PGA champions
- Vic Ghezzi (8), Bob Hamilton, Sam Snead (7)
- 7. Top 30 players and ties from the 1942 Masters Tournament
- Sammy Byrd (8), Jim Ferrier, Jim Foulis, Chick Harbert, Chandler Harper, Dutch Harrison, Ben Hogan, Herman Keiser, Gene Kunes, Jug McSpaden, Johnny Palmer, Toney Penna, Felix Serafin, Jimmy Thomson
- Tommy Armour (2,4,6), Harry Cooper, Bobby Cruickshank, Willie Goggin, Paul Runyan (6) and Bud Ward (3,a) did not play.
- 8. 1945 PGA Championship quarter-finalists
- Clarence Doser did not play.
- 9. Selected amateurs, not already qualified
- Bob Cochran (a), Fred Haas, Cary Middlecoff (a), Frank Stranahan (a)
- 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
- Herman Barron, Johnny Bulla, Ed Dudley, Jimmy Hines, Lloyd Mangrum, Dick Metz, Ed Oliver, Jim Turnesa
- 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
- 14. Additional invitations