PGA: The Greatest Masters Champions in History

Jack Nicklaus Wins His 6th Masters in 1986

Jack Nicklaus has won the most Masters in history.  He’s got an amazing six green jackets.

Tiger Woods is really the only person within striking distance.  He needs two to tie Jack, but time is running out.

Phil Mickelson has three.  Can he catch a tiger by the tail?

Here are the greatest Masters champions – 16 golfers with more than one green jacket.  I’ve included the runners-up and margin of victory in strokes for a taste of the circumstances.

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	WINNER	#	YEAR	RUNNER(S)-UP	MARGIN
1.	Jack Nicklaus	6	1963	Tony Lema	1
			1965	Arnold Palmer, Gary Player	9
			1966	Tommy Jacobs, Gay Brewer	2, 8*
			1972	Bruce Crampton, Bobby Mitchell, Tom Weiskopf	3
			1975	Johnny Miller, Rom Weiskopf	1
			1986	Tom Kite, Greg Norman	1
2.	Arnold Palmer	4	1958	Doug Ford, Fred Hawkins	1
			1960	Ken Venturi	1
			1962	Gary Player, Don Finsterwald	3, 9*
			1964	Dave Marr, Jack Nicklaus	6
2.	Tiger Woods	4	1997	Tom Kite	12
			2001	David Duval	2
			2002	Retief Goosen	3
			2005	Chris DiMarco	1*
4.	Jimmy Demaret	3	1940	Lloyd Mangrum	4
			1947	Byron Nelson, Frank Stranahan	2
			1950	Jim Ferrier	2
4.	Sam Snead	3	1949	Johnny Bulla, Lloyd Mangrum	3
			1952	Jack Burke, Jr.	4
			1954	Ben Hogan	1*
4.	Gary Player	3	1961	Charles Coe, Arnold Palmer	1
			1974	Dave Stockton, Tom Weiskopf	2
			1978	Rod Funseth, Hubert Green, Ton Watson	1
4.	Nick Faldo	3	1989	Scott Hoch	1*
			1990	Raymond Floyd	1*
			1996	Phil Mickelson	2
4.	Phil Mickelson	3	2004	Ernie Els	1
			2006	Tim Clark	2
			2010	Lee Westwood	3
9.	Horton Smith	2	1934	Craig Wood	1
			1936	Harry Cooper	1
9.	Byron Nelson	2	1937	Ralph Guldahl	2
			1942	Ben Hogan	1*
9.	Ben Hogan	2	1951	Skee Riegel	2
			1953	Ed Oliver	5
9.	Tom Watson	2	1977	Jack Nicklaus	2
			1981	Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus	2
9.	Seve Ballesteros	2	1980	Gibby Gilbert, Jack Newton	4
			1983	Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite	4
9.	Bernhard Langer	2	1985	Seve Ballesteros, Raymond Floyd, Curtis Strange	2
			1993	Chip Beck	4
9.	Ben Crenshaw	2	1984	Tom Watson	2
			1995	Davis Love III	1
9.	José María Olazábal	2	1994	Tom Lehman	2
			1999	Davis Love III	2

* The 1966 Masters was tied after four rounds. Back then, they played a full 18-hole tiebreaker. Nicklaus won by the margins indicated, respectively

* Same as above for Arnold Palmer’s 1962 Masters win

* In 2005, Woods beat DiMarco on the first playoff hole (sudden death)

* Sam Snead won his third green jacket in 1954 by beating Ben Hogan in an 18-hole tiebreaker

* In 1989 and 1990, Nick Faldo won in two playoff holes both times (sudden death)

* Byron Nelson defeated Ben Hogan in 13 playoff holes in 1942

Photo: al.com