In the build-up to the 83rd Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club we asked three legends of Australian golf of their memories of playing The Masters. Today, Peter Senior reveals how he earned an invitation to play the 1990 tournament, and his regret at never being invited back.

Back then The Masters was purely by invitation. If the top-50 in the world had automatically received an invitation I would have played for perhaps 10 or 12 years but unfortunately I only got to play The Masters once.

The only reason I received a special invitation to play in 1990 was because I had won the Australian Open, Australian PGA and Johnnie Walker Classic at the end of 1989 which moved me up to 26 in the world by the end of the year.

Funnily enough, it was the Australian Golf Union who was notified of the invite, even though it was an invite to a professional tournament. It was AGU executive director Colin Phillips who rang me and told me that I was in the field for The Masters. That was it.

The invitation from Augusta National did come in the mail after that and that’s a very special memento. I put it in a glass case and it’s up in the trophy cabinet.

As it was the first time I had played The Masters I had a lot of friends and family who wanted to go. I actually took one of my best mates, Bob Aldons, who used to own Torque Ford at Redcliffe. He’d always wanted to go to The Masters so we got there early on the Saturday, went for nine holes on Saturday afternoon and he caddied for me on the back nine. That was probably the biggest thrill he’s ever had, caddying the back nine at Augusta.

There was nobody on the course on the Saturday but I turned up on the Monday to play a practice round with Wayne Grady, Ian Baker-Finch and Craig Parry and there were 60,000 people on the golf course at 8 o’clock in the morning.

‘Grades’ was trying to tell me on the practice fairway that the first tee shot at Augusta is the scariest tee shot you’ll ever hit. I kind of laughed it off thinking, how could it be any different but it was so scary we hit the worst tee shots you’ve ever seen.

This was the first time I had ever been there – prior to that I’d only ever seen it on television – and I can tell you that being there is 10 times better than watching it on TV.

It’s a tournament that you always want to play, I’m glad I got the opportunity, but it’s definitely a course that you need to play a few times in tournaments to get to know where to hit it and where not to hit it.

Being the first time you’re always a little apprehensive. I started off all right, I shot 72 the first day.

I played with Fuzzy Zoeller the first two days and we watched the guys in front of us play the 12th, probably the most famous par-3 in all of golf.

We’re all basically hitting the same club into that hole, well one guy hit it into the water and the next one hit it in the back of the hill.

It felt like the wind was into us. Fuzzy hit a 7-iron and didn’t get it over the water; I hit a 7-iron and landed in the back of the hill.

That’s a 25-yard difference but that’s the way the wind swirls on that hole in that back corner. That’s why that hole is so difficult.

On the second day I actually made eagle at 15 and that got me under par for the tournament and onto the bottom of the leaders board. That was the thing that really bugged me because I went downhill from there.

They actually give you a couple of crystal goblets whenever you make an eagle on the course so I’ve got those at home as well, but I don’t think we’ve ever used them.

I had met Fuzzy before and he’s an easy guy to play with so the first two days were not a problem but then I teed it up with Tom Watson on Saturday and that was a bit different.

I shot 73 and he shot 67 and it was the easiest 67 that you’ve ever seen in your life.

And then I played with Raymond Floyd on Sunday, so I had some really good players in my group.

A week isn’t long enough to get to know where you can and can’t miss it at Augusta.

There is so much slope to those greens and that’s where the speed comes from, the slope on the greens.

There are certain areas where you know that if you hit it in there you’re not going to two-putt unless you hole a good second putt.

The pin front right at 16 up on the top, if you miss it right of the bunker you can’t even stop it on the green half the time. You’re better off going a little bit left and going downhill and having a 40-footer back up the hill and making three.

But you never learn until you hit it in those places.

I would have dearly loved to have played it again, knowing what I know now. I hung around the 30th position in the rankings for quite some time but they never brought in top-50 as a qualifying measure until much later.

I was certainly hoping that my first Masters wasn’t going to be my last. Unfortunately it was but I’ll always cherish the memory. I think about it all the time.

I can’t wait to watch it again when it starts on Friday.

Peter Senior Masters Record
1990      T42        +9           72-75-73-77—297            $4,867

The Yarrawonga Mulwala Resort Victorian Senior Open has been won by Peter Senior after two days of golf action at the picturesque Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort.

The star studded field included Senior, Peter O’Malley, the preceding Ladbrokes Legends Tour event winner Mike Harwood and Peter Fowler who battled over 36 holes on the Lakes and Murray Golf Courses.

Day one saw 78 Professionals and 10 elite amateurs compete in a pro-am format, where O’Malley and Senior mastered breezy conditions to tie for the lead on 5-under 67.

Terry Price and Paul Powell sat two shots back on 3-under 69.

Day two was played in improved conditions, with a seeded draw of players taking to the Murray Course.

Peter Fowler made the most of the immaculately presented layout, charging early to card a 7-under 65 on day two to be named clubhouse leader.

Senior’s form continued from the previous round, moving to 9-under with three holes left to play.

Remaining solid, Senior recorded a birdie-2 on the 17^th and a two-putt par on the 18^th to win the tournament at 10-under 134, holding a two-shot lead over O’Malley.

The Ladbrokes Legends Tour travels to New Zealand for the upcoming Newshub Legends Pro-Am at Gulf Harbour Country Club, Whangaparaoa from 7 – 8 February, 2019.

Australian professional golfer Mike Harwood continued his great form with a win in the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa Pro am.

Harwood has won four of the five events played on the Ladbrokes 2019 Legends ( over 50 years of age) Tour.

The Hanmer Springs course was in excellent condition and the temperature was in the high 20’s.

Harwood was cruising to a seemingly easy victory when he hit out of bounds at the short par three seventeenth and carded a double bogey five, however he recovered with a birdie at the last to record a three under par 65 and a one stroke margin from Harewood professional Craig Mitchell and Australian John Onions on 66.

One of Australia’s most recognised golfers Peter Senior will join the field at the upcoming Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship presented by Toowoomba Regional Council at City Golf Club.

Senior, who has recently recorded a string of strong results in the Ladbrokes Legends Tour, will be joined by defending champion Daniel Fox with the pair set to tee off against a host of in-form Australian golfers.

2018 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year Matt Millar, PGA TOUR winners Peter Lonard and Mark Hensby also join the entry list, ensuring the competition at the 2018 Queensland PGA Championship will be hotter than ever.

The tournament also welcomes back previous winners including Daniel Pearce (2017), Gareth Paddison (2011), Darren Beck (2008), Andrew Bonhomme (2007), Kurt Barnes (2004), Andre Stolz (2002), Nathan Green (2000), and two-time winner Terry Price (1988, 1990) who will tee it up in 2019.

“It’s great to be welcoming eight of our past champions back to the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship presented by Toowoomba Regional Council, especially on the event’s 10^th staging at City Golf Club,” said General Manager – Tournaments for the PGA of Australia, Simon Butterly.

“The field is looking absolutely fantastic this year and the course is in great condition.”

Former NRL Player and Fox Sports presenter Ben Ikin also bolsters the 2019 list after reducing his handicap to 1.7 and receiving an invitation to play earlier this year.

“Ben Ikin was very driven to compete in an ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament so it was excellent to see him achieve his goals through working with Matt Guyatt, a PGA Pro,” added Butterly.

“His addition to the field certainly adds a different element of interest to the tournament which will be shown live on PGA TV on the weekend.”

To mark the 10^th year anniversary of the event being staged at City Golf Club, a Champions Dinner will be hosted on Wednesday 20 February at City Golf Club.

Past winners playing in this year’s tournament will be joined by former QLD PGA Champions including Peter Barry, Randall Vines, Robbie Gibson and Alan Cooper as well as video messages from Ian Baker-Finch, Cameron Percy, Ossie Moore, Lucas Parsons and many more.