The 2006 Masters Tournament was the 70th Masters Tournament, played April 6–9 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Prior to the tournament, the course was lengthened by 155 yards (142 m)[2] to 7,445 yards (6,808 m), up from 7,290 yards (6,666 m) in 2005. Phil Mickelson won the second of his three Masters and second consecutive major with a 281 (−7), two strokes ahead of runner-up Tim Clark.[3][2] The purse was $7 million and the winner's share was $1.26 million.
This was the final Masters appearance for three-time champion Nick Faldo.
Eighteen players broke par on the lengthened Augusta National. Vijay Singh, the 2000 champion, shot a five-under 67 to take the first round lead by one stroke over Rocco Mediate. Arron Oberholser was next with a 69 for solo third place. Four others were at 70, including 2004 champion Phil Mickelson and two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen. Defending champion Tiger Woods shot an even-par 72, despite a pair of three-putt bogeys and a double bogey on the par-5 15th hole.[4]
Chad Campbell, with just one top ten result at a major (runner-up at 2003 PGA Championship), led at the halfway point by three strokes at 138 (−6). His 67 (−5) on Friday was one of only three scores in the 60s. In a tie for second at 141 (−3) was Singh, Mediate, and 1992 champion Fred Couples. Mickelson shot even par for the round and was among a group tied for fifth at 142 (−2). The cut came at 148 (+4); among the notables to miss the cut was Chris DiMarco, the playoff runner-up to Woods in 2005.[5] This was 1971 champ Charles Coody's final entry as a competitor; after struggling in his opening round to an 89, he played very well (at age 68) in round 2, carding a 2-over par 74 for his last competitive round at Augusta.
Thunderstorms postponed a good chunk of action in the third round, forcing it to be completed on Sunday morning.[6] Mickelson moved to the top of the leaderboard with a two-under 70 to 212 (−4). Second round leader Campbell shot 75 (+3) to fall into a tie for second with Couples, who shot even par for the round. Woods shot 71 for 214, two strokes back in a six-way tie for fourth, along with Singh and four others.
Mickelson won his second consecutive major (2005 PGA Championship) and his second green jacket with a final round 69 for a two-stroke victory over Tim Clark. Mickelson's lone bogey was at the final hole, when he had victory all but assured. The win also gave him his third major in the last nine. Clark finished in solo second by holing-out from a green side bunker at the 72nd hole. Woods shot a two-under 70 to finish three strokes behind Mickelson in a five-way tie for third. Others finishing in third place were Couples, Goosen, Campbell, and José María Olazábal, the 1994 and 1999 champion, who shot the round of the tournament, a six-under 66.[2][3] Sadly, Mediate fell out of contention after hitting three balls into the water and making a ten at the par-3 12th.[7]
Ben Crane won the annual Par 3 contest, which took place on Wednesday, April 5, with a four-under 23. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, made a curtain call at the event; Nicklaus was one-under and was in contention throughout the day. Pádraig Harrington, Clark, and Oberholser all aced the 135-yard (123 m) ninth hole.
