The US Masters was first played in 1934 and since then has almost always been the first major of the calendar year. Typically held in April, as soon as spring arrives, the thoughts of many a golf fan turn to the iconic venue of Augusta National and the Masters.
Augusta presents a very specific challenge due to the extremely challenging greens, wide open fairways and the strategic placement of obstacles. The Masters is also unique in being the only one of the four majors to be played at the same venue every year. Both of these factors mean, in theory at least, that the tournament is very much a “horses for courses” one, with course form a big factor.
And it should therefore also mean that those who take to the challenge are able to come back year after year and do well. So, has the Masters seen many repeat champions over the decades? And indeed, who has won the US Masters the most times?
GOAT Jack Nicklaus Leads the Way
There are those that will argue about who is the greatest golfer to have ever played the game but given the fact that Jack Nicklaus has won the most majors, we feel he has to be viewed as the best of the best. He has 18 to his name and whilst Tiger Woods might add to his current tally of 15, it now seems unlikely.
Arguments can be made about the strength in depth in the modern game but Nicklaus competed against other all-time greats such as Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson. Those rivals have 30 majors between them! What’s more, as well as winning 18 majors, the Golden Bear was runner-up (including ties) a further 19 times, so could easily have ended up with far more victories.
Returning to the Masters, Nicklaus won six of his 18 at Augusta and that is more than any other player in history. Below we can see a brief summary of each of his six triumphs.
Win Number 1 – 1963
Nicklaus first played the US Masters in 1959 and missed the cut. He returned the following year and finished as the low amateur in tied 13th, before decent finishes in 1961 and 1962. However, in 1963 he finally landed his first Masters title.
An opening 74 left him in a spot of bother but a stunning 66 in the second round put him right in the mix. However, another 74 might have ruled him out in other years but in tough conditions was enough to see him enter the final round with a one-shot lead. A very steady Sunday saw him card 72 to finish on 286, two under par. It was enough though, as Nicklaus claimed his second major by a single stroke, fellow American Tony Lema coming in second.
Short Wait for Title Two in 1965
Although still aged just 23, Nicklaus was starting to dominate the sport and he was tied second at the 1964 US Masters. A year on he would not be denied though, claiming his second Green Jacket and fourth major in total. Arnold Palmer and Gary Player had to settle for second but in truth, they never stood a chance.
The Golden Bear pulverised the field, taking a five-shot lead into the Sunday after rounds of 67, 71 and a scintillating 64. A closing 69 left him on a massive 17 under and he won by a huge nine shots from his high-class rivals.
Hat-trick in 1966
Before Geoff Hurst hit his somewhat more famous Wembley hat-trick in the World Cup final, Nicklaus made it three wins in the Masters by defending his title. Things were far closer this time around, and scoring much more difficult, as Nicklaus managed to shoot a level par 288 over the four days before edging a play-off.
1972 Sees Masters No. 4
By now Nicklaus had won nine majors in total and with those quite evenly split, he had a double career Grand Slam to his name. He claimed title 10 at Augusta with a strong display which saw him lead by one going into the final round and then extend that advantage to three despite a closing 74.
Nicklaus Surpasses Palmer in 1975
Nicklaus moved to the top of the all-time Masters-winners list in 1975 by claiming title five with a superb four-round tally of 12 under par. It was enough for a win by a single shot, ahead of compatriots Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller.
1986 Sees Bear Roll Back the Years
Six years after his last major and 11 after his most recent Masters, Nicklaus claimed an emotional sixth win at Augusta. Aged 46, he produced a stunning display to see off Tom Kite and Greg Norman by one shot. An opening 74 was poor and a 71 not much better but at the weekend he came alive and denied age, shooting rounds of 69 and 65 to finish on nine under par. He remains the oldest player to win the US Masters.
Woods a Worthy Rival
Tiger Woods is second to Jack in both overall majors and those landed at Augusta. He may yet surprise us all and land a sixth win at the Masters but for now, he must be content with his five Green Jackets. That leaves him one ahead of Arnold Palmer and two ahead of the likes of Sam Snead, Gary Player, Phil Mickelson (Woods’ main modern rival), the lesser-known Jimmy Demaret, and Nick Faldo.
Tiger won his first major at the Masters at the age of just 21, destroying the field with a stunning display. He added a second title in 2001, meaning he held all four majors simultaneously, and a third in 2002, at the peak of his dominance. Win number four came in 2005 but perhaps his greatest achievement was to claim a fifth Green Jacket in 2019, aged 43, after countless injuries, not to mention personal issues away from the course.
Other Players with Multiple Masters Titles
Over the years several players have won more than once at the US Masters. We have mentioned a number of those but the table below shows all players with at least two wins in this iconic tournament (correct prior to the 2024 US Masters).
| Player | Masters Wins |
|---|---|
| Jack Nicklaus | 6 |
| Tiger Woods | 5 |
| Arnold Palmer | 4 |
| Jimmy Demaret | 3 |
| Sam Snead | 3 |
| Gary Player | 3 |
| Nick Faldo | 3 |
| Phil Mickelson | 3 |
| Horton Smith | 2 |
| Byron Nelson | 2 |
| Ben Hogan | 2 |
| Tom Watson | 2 |
| Ben Crenshaw | 2 |
| Seve Ballesteros | 2 |
| Bernhard Langer | 2 |
| Jose-Maria Olazabal | 2 |
| Bubba Watson | 2 |