Zach Johnson Wins Masters: Iowa Time Machine April 8, 2007

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On April 8, 2007, Zach Johnson, a precise player from Cedar Rapids, etched his name into Masters history by besting the field. The unheralded golfer from Iowa defied ferocious winds and a field stacked with legends to claim his first green jacket at Augusta National.

Born February 24, 1976, in Iowa City and raised in Cedar Rapids, Johnson honed his game at Elmcrest Country Club amid baseball fields and family life as the son of a chiropractor. He starred at Drake University in Des Moines, leading the Bulldogs to three NCAA regionals and two Missouri Valley titles as the number-two player before turning pro in 1998. By 2004, he broke through with a PGA Tour win at the BellSouth Classic; two years later, strong finishes propelled him into the 2006 Ryder Cup, setting the stage against Tiger Woods' dominance and a global field of 97 at the 71st Masters.

Johnson opened steadily with a 71 in round one, joined the leaders after a 73 in round two, then grinded through Saturday's brutal winds for a 76 that left him tied for fourth at +4. On Sunday, April 8, he fired the low round of three-under 69, birdieing three of his last six holes without reaching a par-five green in two all week. That total of +1 edged Retief Goosen, Rory Sabbatini, and Woods by two strokes, matching the highest winning score in Masters history alongside Sam Snead's 1954 and Jack Burke Jr.'s 1956 triumphs.

Johnson built on that breakthrough with 10 more PGA Tour victories, including the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews in a playoff, joining an elite club with wins at both venues. He captained the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2023 and, at age 50, won his PGA Tour Champions debut in March 2026 at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational by four strokes. His Zach Johnson Foundation supports Cedar Rapids youth, while Iowa celebrates its golf hero through halls of fame and local pride. #Iowa #OTD #History #Golf #Masters