Iyini iThe Masters?
Context:I-Masters Tournament (ivame ukubizwa ngokuthi i-Masters, noma i-U.S. Masters ngaphandle kweNyakatho Melika) ingenye yezingqungquthela ezine ezinkulu zegalofu. Ehlelelwe isonto lokuqala eliphelele lika-April, i-Masters iwumqhudelwano wokuqala omkhulu wonyaka, futhi ngokungafani neminye, ihlale ibanjelwe endaweni efanayo, i-Augusta National Golf Club, inkundla yangasese edolobheni lase-Augusta, eGeorgia, eningizimu-mpumalanga ye-United States.
IMasters yaqala ngompetha ongeyena umpetha uBobby Jones kanye nomgcini wezimali uClifford Roberts. Ngemva kokushaya kwakhe i-grand slam ngo-1930, uJones wathola indawo yokukhulisa izitshalo yangaphambili futhi wakha i-Augusta National nomakhi wezakhiwo u-Alister MacKenzie. Lo mqhudelwano owaqala ukudlalwa eminyakeni engu-89 edlule ngo-1934, uyisenzakalo esisemthethweni semali ku-PGA Tour, i-European Tour, ne-Japan Golf Tour. Inkambu yabadlali incane kunaleyo yezinye izingqungquthela ezinkulu ngoba ngumcimbi wokumenywa, obanjwe yi-Augusta National Golf Club.  Umqhudelwano unamasiko amaningi. Kusukela ngo-1949, ijakhethi eluhlaza iye yanikezwa umpetha, okumelwe ayibuyisele e-clubhouse ngemva konyaka enqobile, nakuba ihlala iyimpahla yakhe siqu futhi igcinwe namanye amajakhethi ompetha egumbini lokugcina izingubo elikhethwe ngokukhethekile. Ezimweni eziningi, yiqhawe lokuqala kuphela elikhona manje elingakhipha ijazi lalo emagcekeni ekilabhu. Umdlali wegalofu onqoba lo mcimbi izikhathi eziningana usebenzisa ijazi elifanayo eliluhlaza elinikezwe ekunqobeni kwakhe kokuqala (ngaphandle kokuthi badinga ukufakwa kabusha ngejazi elisha). I-Champions Dinner, eyethulwa nguBen Hogan ngo-1952, ibanjwa ngoLwesibili ngaphambi komqhudelwano ngamunye, futhi ivulekele kuphela onqobayo bangaphambilini kanye namalungu athile ebhodi le-Augusta National Golf Club. Kusukela ngo-1963, abadlali begalofu abayizinganekwane, ngokuvamile ababengamakhosi, baye bashaya i-tee shot yokuhlonipha ekuseni emzuliswaneni wokuqala ukuze baqale ukudlala. Laba baye bahlanganisa uFred McLeod, uJock Hutchinson, uGene Sarazen, uSam Snead, uByron Nelson, u-Arnold Palmer, uJack Nicklaus, uGary Player, uLee Elder, noTom Watson. Kusukela ngo-1960, umncintiswano we-semi-social enkundleni ye-par-3 ubulokhu udlalwa ngoLwesithathu, ngosuku olungaphambi komzuliswano wokuqala.  UNicklaus unenani eliphakeme kakhulu lamaMasters awine, ayisithupha phakathi kuka-1963 no-1986. UTiger Woods wanqoba amahlanu phakathi kuka-1997 no-2019. UPalmer wanqoba izikhathi ezine phakathi kuka-1958 no-1964. Abahlanu baye banqoba iziqu ezintathu e-Augusta: uJimmy Demaret, uSam Snead, uGary Player, uNick Faldo, noPhil Mickelson. Umdlali waseNingizimu Afrika, waba ngumdlali wokuqala ongeyena owaseMelika ukunqoba lo mqhudelwano, ngo-1961; owesibili kwakunguSeve Ballesteros waseSpain, owaba ngumpetha ngo-1980 nango-1983.  I-Augusta National yaqala ukuvuleka eminyakeni engu-90 edlule ngo-1933 futhi iye yashintshwa izikhathi eziningi abaklami abahlukahlukene. Phakathi kwezinguquko: ama-green ashintshiwe futhi, ngezinye izikhathi, aklanywe kabusha ngokuphelele, kuye kwanezelwa ama-bunker, izithiyo zamanzi ziye zanwetshwa, kuye kwakhiwa ama-tee box amasha, kuye kwatshalwa amakhulu ezihlahla, futhi kuye kwafakwa iziqongo eziningana.