The Masters Tournament is the most famous and most watched golf tournament in the world, and it is the first men's major of the year played in a traditional April timeslot.
The Masters Tournament was born in 1934 as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, who started Augusta National Golf Club, the tournament was meant to bring notoriety to the club and bring together the best players from around the world into an annual event.
From there, the Masters has grown in stature and has been an April tradition -- with the exception of 2020 -- since 1940.
In recent memory, the host course has been significantly lengthened and modified to accommodate for the modern power game. The winners have represented the global nature of the modern sport.
Jack Nicklaus has the most Masters wins in history with six. Tiger Woods has five Masters titles, including the 2019 win that is his last major championship.
Masters Tournament format
The Masters Tournament is played over four days, and there is a cut for the qualifying field.
The invitation-only field is reduced to the top 50 players and ties for the final two rounds of the event. There was once the 10-Shot Rule, which meant any player within 10 strokes of the lead after two rounds would make the cut, but that's no longer the case.
The qualifying field is based on published criteria set forth by Augusta National Golf Club. There is no minimum or maximum field size, though Augusta National prefers to keep the field below 100 players.
At the end of the 72-hole event, the lowest score wins. In the event of a tie, there is a sudden-death playoff that begins typically on No. 10.
Masters Tournament host courses
- Augusta National Golf Club: 1934-present
Masters Tournament past names
The Masters Tournament has had two names over the years:
- Augusta National Invitation Tournament: 1934-1938
- Masters Tournament: 1939-present
Masters Tournament history & results
| YEAR | WINNER | TOT | TO PAR | BY | MONEY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jon Rahm | 276 | −12 | 4 | $3,240,000 |
| 2022 | Scottie Scheffler | 278 | −10 | 3 | $2,700,000 |
| 2021 | Hideki Matsuyama | 278 | −10 | 1 | $2,070,000 |
| 2020 | Dustin Johnson | 268 | −20 | 5 | $2,070,000 |
| 2019 | Tiger Woods (5) | 275 | −13 | 1 | $2,070,000 |
| 2018 | Patrick Reed | 273 | −15 | 1 | $1,980,000 |
| 2017 | Sergio García | 279 | −9 | PO | $1,980,000 |
| 2016 | Danny Willett | 283 | −5 | 3 | $1,800,000 |
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| 2015 | Jordan Spieth | 270 | −18 | 4 | $1,800,000 |
| 2014 | Bubba Watson (2) | 280 | −8 | 3 | $1,620,000 |
| 2013 | Adam Scott | 279 | −9 | PO | $1,440,000 |
| 2012 | Bubba Watson | 278 | −10 | PO | $1,440,000 |
| 2011 | Charl Schwartzel | 274 | −14 | 2 | $1,440,000 |
| 2010 | Phil Mickelson (3) | 272 | −16 | 3 | $1,350,000 |
| 2009 | Ángel Cabrera | 276 | −12 | PO | $1,350,000 |
| 2008 | Trevor Immelman | 280 | −8 | 3 | $1,350,000 |
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| 2007 | Zach Johnson | 289 | 1 | 2 | $1,305,000 |
| 2006 | Phil Mickelson (2) | 281 | −7 | 2 | $1,260,000 |
| 2005 | Tiger Woods (4) | 276 | −12 | PO | $1,260,000 |
| 2004 | Phil Mickelson | 279 | −9 | 1 | $1,117,000 |
| 2003 | Mike Weir | 281 | −7 | PO | $1,080,000 |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods (3) | 276 | −12 | 3 | $1,008,000 |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods (2) | 272 | −16 | 2 | $1,008,000 |
| 2000 | Vijay Singh | 278 | −10 | 3 | $828,000 |
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| 1999 | José María Olazábal (2) | 280 | −8 | 2 | $720,000 |
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara | 279 | −9 | 1 | $576,000 |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | 270 | −18 | 12 | $486,000 |
| 1996 | Nick Faldo (3) | 276 | −12 | 5 | $450,000 |
| 1995 | Ben Crenshaw (2) | 274 | −14 | 1 | $396,000 |
| 1994 | José María Olazábal | 279 | −9 | 2 | $360,000 |
| 1993 | Bernhard Langer (2) | 277 | −11 | 4 | $306,000 |
| 1992 | Fred Couples | 275 | −13 | 2 | $270,000 |
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| 1991 | Ian Woosnam | 277 | −11 | 1 | $243,000 |
| 1990 | Nick Faldo (2) | 278 | −10 | PO | $225,000 |
| 1989 | Nick Faldo | 283 | −5 | PO | $200,000 |
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle | 281 | −7 | 1 | $183,800 |
| 1987 | Larry Mize | 285 | −3 | PO | $162,000 |
| 1986 | Jack Nicklaus (6) | 279 | −9 | 1 | $144,000 |
| 1985 | Bernhard Langer | 282 | −6 | 2 | $126,000 |
| 1984 | Ben Crenshaw | 277 | −11 | 2 | $108,000 |
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| 1983 | Seve Ballesteros (2) | 280 | −8 | 4 | $90,000 |
| 1982 | Craig Stadler | 284 | −4 | PO | $64,000 |
| 1981 | Tom Watson (2) | 280 | −8 | 2 | $60,000 |
| 1980 | Seve Ballesteros | 275 | −13 | 4 | $55,000 |
| 1979 | Fuzzy Zoeller | 280 | −8 | PO | $50,000 |
| 1978 | Gary Player (3) | 277 | −11 | 1 | $45,000 |
| 1977 | Tom Watson | 276 | −12 | 2 | $40,000 |
| 1976 | Raymond Floyd | 271 | −17 | 8 | $40,000 |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus (5) | 276 | −12 | 1 | $40,000 |
| 1974 | Gary Player (2) | 278 | −10 | 2 | $35,000 |
| 1973 | Tommy Aaron | 283 | −5 | 1 | $30,000 |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus (4) | 286 | −2 | 3 | $25,000 |
| 1971 | Charles Coody | 279 | −9 | 2 | $25,000 |
| 1970 | Billy Casper | 279 | −9 | PO | $25,000 |
| 1969 | George Archer | 281 | −7 | 1 | $20,000 |
| 1968 | Bob Goalby | 277 | −11 | 1 | $20,000 |
| 1967 | Gay Brewer | 280 | −8 | 1 | $20,000 |
| 1966 | Jack Nicklaus (3) | 288 | E | PO | $20,000 |
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus (2) | 271 | −17 | 9 | $20,000 |
| 1964 | Arnold Palmer (4) | 276 | −12 | 6 | $20,000 |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | 286 | −2 | 1 | $20,000 |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer (3) | 280 | −8 | PO | $20,000 |
| 1961 | Gary Player | 280 | −8 | 1 | $20,000 |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer (2) | 282 | −6 | 1 | $17,500 |
| 1959 | Art Wall Jr. | 284 | −4 | 1 | $15,000 |
| 1958 | Arnold Palmer | 284 | −4 | 1 | $11,250 |
| 1957 | Doug Ford | 283 | −5 | 3 | $8,750 |
| 1956 | Jack Burke Jr. | 289 | 1 | 1 | $6,000 |
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff | 279 | −9 | 7 | $5,000 |
| 1954 | Sam Snead (3) | 289 | 1 | PO | $5,000 |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan (2) | 274 | −14 | 5 | $4,000 |
| 1952 | Sam Snead (2) | 286 | −2 | 4 | $4,000 |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan | 280 | −8 | 2 | $3,000 |
| 1950 | Jimmy Demaret (3) | 283 | −5 | 2 | $2,400 |
| 1949 | Sam Snead | 282 | −6 | 3 | $2,750 |
| 1948 | Claude Harmon | 279 | −9 | 5 | $2,500 |
| 1947 | Jimmy Demaret (2) | 281 | −7 | 2 | $2,500 |
| 1946 | Herman Keiser | 282 | −6 | 1 | $2,500 |
| 1945 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1944 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1943 | Not Played | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1942 | Byron Nelson (2) | 280 | −8 | PO | $1,500 |
| 1941 | Craig Wood | 280 | −8 | 3 | $1,500 |
| 1940 | Jimmy Demaret | 280 | −8 | 4 | $1,500 |
| 1939 | Ralph Guldahl | 279 | −9 | 1 | $1,500 |
| 1938 | Henry Picard | 285 | −3 | 2 | $1,500 |
| 1937 | Byron Nelson | 283 | −5 | 2 | $1,500 |
| 1936 | Horton Smith (2) | 285 | −3 | 1 | $1,500 |
| 1935 | Gene Sarazen | 282 | −6 | PO | $1,500 |
| 1934 | Horton Smith | 284 | −4 | 2 | $1,500 |
