He is the golfer who went from leading The Masters to withdrawing after posting an 83 and never playing in another major

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With the season winding down, plenty of golf fans will already be turning their attention to The Masters in 2026, with Augusta National the unofficial start of the season in the eyes of many.

Of course, The Masters is arguably the most iconic event in the game. While The Open Championship has more history, every blade of perfectly-manicured grass at Augusta National has probably been the site of an incredible moment down the years.

It is almost strange to think that there was a time when the event – founded by Bobby Jones, and initially known officially as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament – needed to earn credibility. It did not take too long, of course. By 1939, it was known officially as The Masters.

The first event was played in 1934, with Horton Smith emerging victorious. It would, however, prove to be the final major for one of the two men who joined Smith at the top of the leaderboard after the first round.

The player who led after the first round at The Masters before withdrawing at the halfway stage

No player managed to break 70 on Thursday in Georgia. Smith – who also went on to win in 1936 – found himself alongside Jimmy Hines and Emmet French.

The high point of French’s career had come 12 years earlier when he lost 4&3 in the final of the PGA Championship to Gene Sarazen. He had won a handful of events during his career. But clearly, winning the inaugural edition of the event which would become The Masters would have been the highlight.

Unfortunately, while Smith was able to hold onto top spot after a round of 72 on Friday, French had a nightmare. His 83 left him 11 shots off the lead at the halfway stage.

And it appears that his second round performance prompted the then 47-year-old to withdraw. It would prove to be the final round that he would play in the four events now recognised as the majors.

How Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen fared at The Masters

Smith would go on to finish one shot clear of Craig Wood. Meanwhile, Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones finished two shots outside the top 10.

Jones would continue to play in his event until 1948. However, he never managed to improve upon his 13th place finish 14 years earlier.

Hagen – an 11 time major winner – would finish in the top 15 in the first three events without ever cracking the top 10.

He last played in The Masters in 1941. Like French, he said goodbye to the event by withdrawing, having shot an 87 in the opening round.