Masters to distribute $9M in prize money
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The Masters will distribute a record $9 million in prize money.
The tournament announced the disbursement Sunday, a few hours before the final round ended at Augusta National.
The winner will get $1.62 million, up from $1.44 million in 2013. Second place will pay $972,000, up from $864,000 a year ago.
The Masters doled out $8.102 million in 2013. Ten years ago, the total payout was a little more than $6.28 million.
— Mark Long, https://twitter.com/@APMarkLong
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LOW AMATEUR: Oliver Goss is the first Australian to finish as the low amateur at the Masters.
Goss, who turned 20 on Saturday, will be awarded with the Silver Cup. The low amateur must make the 36-hole cut to be eligible for the award, which began in 1952.
"I can't believe it," Goss said after a 3-over 75 that left him plus 10 for the tournament. "To be the first (Australian) is really quite unbelievable. ... I've just got to step back now and have a look at the entire week and just learn as much as I can from the whole week."
Goss plans to play the U.S. Open as an amateur in June and then decide whether to turn pro.
— Mark Long
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LEGALLY BLONDE: Caroline Wozniacki is back to blonde.
The Danish tennis star, who is engaged to golfer Roy McIlroy, showed up for the final round of the Masters on Sunday with her hair dyed to its typical blonde color.
Surely by coincidence, McIlory's game improved, too. The two-time major winner shot a 3-under 69 — his best score in four rounds at Augusta National.
The 15th-ranked singles player in the world, Wozniacki spent the earlier part of the week with her hair dyed bright pink. Her colorful locks were all the talk during the Par 3 tournament Wednesday, when McIlroy said he wanted her hair to "match the azaleas."
Oddly enough, McIlroy spent some time in the azaleas looking for his ball during the first three rounds.
— Mark Long
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MIZE'S MOMENT: Larry Mize, the 1987 Masters champion, was the first one off the tee Sunday, and just like Rory McIlroy a day earlier, he played with amateur marker Jeff Knox.
The 55-year-old Mize shot a 7-over 79 for the second straight day and finished at 16 over for the tournament. It wasn't the final score Mize was looking for after playing the first two rounds at 2 over.
"It wasn't the weekend I wanted," said Mize, who was playing the weekend at the Masters for the first time since 2009. "I just struggled. As good as I putted the first two days, especially Friday, that's as bad as I've putted on the weekend. ... tough weekend."
Knox beat McIlroy by one stroke, prompting McIlroy to say, "He obviously knows this place."
And though Mize struggled, he used some of the time during the round to talk about Augusta National with Knox, who owns the course record for members with a 61.
"I gave him some comments on the golf course that I heard," Mize said. "I thought it might be good for him. I don't know how involved he is, but he is involved."
— Mark Long
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Masters Watch follows golf's first major of the year and all the activities surrounding the big event in Augusta, Ga., as seen by journalists from The Associated Press. It will be updated throughout the day.
