Advertisement

Meet the only surviving member of the first-ever Masters tournament

103-year-old Errie Ball is our last remaining connection to Bobby Jones' inaugural event

In 1934, Bobby Jones invited a field of golfers to his new course in Georgia. He called the tournament the Augusta National Invitational and 72 players participated in the event that would eventually be won by Horton Smith. One of those participants was Errie Ball, a 23-year-old from Wales.

Ball, now 103 years old, is the last surviving member of that inaugural field at Augusta and his account of the tournament is incredible considering the current state of the Masters. He says that the combination of Jones' involvement and a flawless course made it clear that the first event was "something big," but Ball "never thought it would get as big as it is today."

While Ball is now remembered as the final existing connection to that initial tournament at Augusta, he remains the longest-tenured PGA of America professional in history, having held the title for the last 82 years.