Augusta’s king of caddies: how Willie Lee Stokes set the tone for an era | Ewan Murray

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Augusta's king of caddies: how Willie Lee Stokes set the tone for an era | Ewan Murray

The legendary bagman helped four different players to win five Masters titles and knew Augusta’s greens better than anyone

Who connects the 1938 Masters to that of 1948, 1951, 1953 and 1956? The answer lies in the kind of story Augusta National should celebrate, just as it did this week with the belated recognition afforded to Lee Elder for his pioneer status among black golfers. Willie Lee Stokes, only 17 when Henry Picard triumphed a year before the onset of the second world war, was the caddie during five different Masters wins for four players. The record looks even more astonishing decades later. The late Willie Petersen also caddied for five champions; all of whom were named Jack Nicklaus.

Related: Augusta National names Lee Elder an honorary starter for Masters 2021

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