Masters keeps getting younger

When Tommy Jacobs played in the 1952 Masters Tour­na­ment, the 17-year-old traveled from Calif­ornia to Au­gusta alone.

He stayed in a small trailer outside Augusta National’s clubhouse. The Crow’s Nest, the lodging for amateurs, was already filled with some of the 18 amateurs playing that year.

Jacobs tied 54-hole co-leader Ben Hogan’s score in the final round. Ordinarily that would be something to brag about, but Hogan skied to 7-over-par 79 in the final round as chief rival Sam Snead brought home his second green jacket.

Jacobs, now 78, has fond memories of his trips to the Masters. His record as the tournament’s youngest competitor stood for 58 years until Matteo Manassero of Italy competed as a 16-year-old in 2010.

This year, Manassero’s record will be shattered by 14-year-old Tianlang Guan of China. He won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Cham­pion­ship last fall to earn his Masters invitation.

Jacobs was 16 in Sept­em­ber 1951 when he qual­ified for the U.S. Amateur at Saucon Valley in Penn­sylvania. He qualified for match play, then knocked off five golfers to reach the semifinals. Among the golfers he defeated were budding star Ken Venturi and Billy Picard, son of 1938 Masters champion Henry Picard.

“At that time they took quarterfinalists at Augusta,” said Jacobs, who lost to Joseph Gagliardi in the semifinals. “Augusta was really kind of partial to amateurs back then, more so than today.”

Jacobs’ father managed a municipal course in Monte­bello, Calif., and finances were tight.

“I was lucky enough to afford to get there myself,” Ja­cobs said. “Amateur golf wasn’t the same as it is today. We passed the hat.”

He roomed with John­ny Dawson when space in the Crow’s Nest ran out. “It must not have been too much of a comedown, because Dawson was a drinking buddy of Bobby Jones,” Jacobs said.

One of the highlights for Jacobs was meeting Jones, who co-founded the club and tournament.

“I certainly had the pleasure of meeting him and shaking his hand,” he said. “He was quite a gentleman.”

Jacobs doesn’t remember much about the practice rounds, but he was paired with Gene Sarazen for the first round. Sarazen had hit the “shot heard ’round the world” in 1935 with his double eagle on the 15th, but his best playing days were behind him.

“I said, ‘Mr. Sarazen, would you do me a favor and go ahead and putt out?’” Jacobs recalled. “He was on go all the time. When it was my turn to putt, he was fidgeting so much.”

Jacobs shot 79 in the first round and followed up with 81. Because the Masters hadn’t instituted a 36-hole cut, the teen played on the weekend.

He scored 77 and 79 in the final two rounds, and he finished in next-to-last place at 60th. Nine golfers, including Sarazen, withdrew.

Jacobs played in the Mast­ers seven times as a pro, and his highlight came in 1966. He tied for first with Jack Nicklaus and Gay Brewer Jr., and the three met in an 18-hole playoff. With Brewer on his way to 78, Jacobs battled the defending champion tooth and nail.

“I remember that I played very well,” Jacobs said. “I felt that I had a chance to win it right down to the end. Nicklaus kept missing greens but made some phenomenal recoveries.”

The two were tied at the turn, but Jacobs fell behind early on the final nine when Nicklaus saved par at No. 10 and rolled in a birdie putt at No. 11 to gain two shots on Jacobs. They matched scores the rest of the way.

“At 15 I’m on the green in two, and he’s down the hill and nearly in the water at 16 and makes birdie,” Jacobs said. “Then on 17, he knocks it over and makes par. At 18, he is left and gets it up and down. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

Jacobs’ other best finish in a major came at the 1964 U.S. Open. In sweltering heat at Congressional Country Club, Jacobs entered the final 18 with a two-shot lead over Venturi.

That was the last year the U.S. Open played the final two rounds on the same day. A dehydrated Venturi risked heat stroke but played on, and shot 70 to win by four shots.

Jacobs turned professional in 1956 and won four times. He now lives in Leland, N.C., just outside of Wilmington, and is part of a group that owns and operates Magnolia Greens Golf Course.

In 2002, on the 50th anniversary of his Masters debut, Jacobs went back to Augusta. He took his wife, his two sons and their wives.

“That was really fun. It was probably equally fun for my two boys as well as for me and my wife,” he said. “I got to see a lot of friends I hadn’t seen in a while. It was quite a treat.”

Jacobs won’t be on hand this year when Guan sets a record, but he does have some advice.

“Just go out and play and enjoy himself,” Jacobs said. “Don’t try to do anything spec­tacular. Just take it all in and enjoy.”

When told the 19-year-old Manassero will be there, Jacobs said, “That will give people something to watch, the 14-year-old against (Man­as­sero). He’s an oldster.”