Clifford Roberts

Clifford Roberts (March 6, 1894 – September 29, 1977) was an American investment dealer and golf administrator.

Roberts was born in Morning Sun, Iowa. Roberts had a financially troubled family life as a boy. He and older brother, John Darious Roberts, left school before graduation after beating up the school's principal.

He worked as a successful, traveling clothing salesman, then as a promoter of speculative oil and gas leases and production. A large commission in the oil and gas industry, made in 1921, provided the financial means to become a Wall Street stock broker. He became a partner at Reynolds & Company in the late 1920s, a position he held for the remainder of his life.

In 1932, Roberts and Bobby Jones co-founded the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Roberts served as chairman of the club from 1931 through 1976.

Two years after its foundation, in 1934, Roberts and Jones started the Masters Tournament (played annually at Augusta National), personally extending invitations to the tournament. Roberts served as Chairman of the Masters Tournament from 1934 through 1976. He was succeeded by William H. Lane.

Roberts was named "Chairman in Memoriam" after his death.

Roberts' friendship with President Dwight Eisenhower led to the Eisenhowers making Augusta National their retreat during the 1950s.

Roberts was sometimes described as a "benevolent dictator" and during his tenure he did not hesitate to take swift, stern action against anyone whose words or deeds he believed could tarnish the club's image, no matter how slight. An example of this occurred at the end of the Monday playoff in 1966 when CBS commentator Jack Whitaker referred to the energetic crowd on the 18th fairway following the three players as a "mob" – Whitaker was subsequently banned by Roberts until 1972.