The Masters Tournament is one of the four major tournaments in professional golf. Always taking place during the first week in April, the Masters is the first major of the year and is always held in the same location, Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, USA. One of the best-known of the Masters Tournament is the green jacket awarded to the champion, who must return it to the clubhouse one year after their victory. With the exception of one person, everyone on this list has won the coveted green jacket more than once. Additionally, every player on this list – except for Tiger Woods, who is currently too young to be inducted – is in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
As of January 2020, this list is as accurate as possible and will be updated as needed.
10. Nick Faldo (July 18, 1957 – Present)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 38 years, 8 months, 27 days (1996)
Country of Origin: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England
Total Masters Won: 3 – 1989, 1990, 1996
Professional Career: 1976 – 2015
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
These days Nick Faldo is primarily an on-air golf analyst, but the 62-year old still plays in tournaments from time to time, just not in any of the majors. During his career, Faldo won 30 events on the European Tour and six major championships. Faldo won the Masters Tournament three times, in 1989, 1990, and for the last time in 1996 at the age of 38. Along with Gary Player (who is on this list), Faldo is one of the few non-Americans to win the Masters three times.
Did You Know?
Nick Faldo has received many honors for being a great golfer, including being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and also being knighted in 2009 during the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
9. Phil Mickelson (June 16, 1970 – Present)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 39 years, 9 months, 26 days (2010)
Country of Origin: San Diego, California, USA
Total Masters Won: 3 – 2004, 2006, 2010
Professional Career: 1992 – Present
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
At nearly 50 years old, Phil Mickelson is still going strong and has even had a recent career resurgence. During the 2019 Masters Tournament Mickelson did fairly well and placed in the Top 20. Mickelson was one the oldest players during the tournament.
Although Mickelson did not win the 2019 Masters, he did win three other times: in 2004, 2006, and 2010 at the age of 39. Mickelson is one of 12 players to win three of the four majors – he has never won the U.S. Open, but has finished as runner-up for a record six times.
Did You Know?
Phil Mickelson is known for his left-handed swing even though he is predominately right-handed in all other areas of his life.
8. Jimmy Demaret (May 24, 1910 – December 28, 1983)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 39 years, 10 months, 16 days (1950)
Country of Origin: Houston, Texas, USA
Total Masters Won: 3 – 1940, 1947, 1950
Professional Career: 1927 – 1959
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
In addition to being a skilled golfer, Demaret was known for his colorful outfits, which earned him the nickname “The Wardrobe.”
Did You Know?
Jimmy Demaret loved to entertain people and was one of the first Tour pros to become involved in golf broadcasting. Demaret also guest starred on I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show.
7. Ben Hogan (August 13, 1912 – July 25, 1997)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 40 years, 7 months, 30 days (1953)
Country of Origin: Stephenville, Texas, USA
Total Masters Won: 2 – 1951, 1953
Professional Career: 1930 – 1971
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
World Golf Hall of Fame member, Ben Hogan joins most of the other players on this list as being one of the greatest golfers in history. Hogan heavily influenced golf swing theory and is known for being one of the greatest ball strikers ever in the sport. Additionally, Hogan is one of only five players to achieve a career Grand Slam – winning all four major championships: the Masters Tournament, The Open, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship. Hogan won the Masters twice, first in 1951 and again in 1953 when he was 40.
Did You Know?
Ben Hogan’s professional career lasted for four decades and began in 1930, just six months shy of his 18th birthday.
6. Mark O’Meara (January 13, 1957 – Present)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 41 years, 3 months (1998)
Country of Origin: Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA
Total Masters Won: 1 – 1998
Professional Career: 1980 – Present
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Mark O’Meara is one of the few living golfers on this list who is still fairly active in the sport. Unlike most professional golfers, including everyone else on this list, O’Meara’s love of golf came a little later in his life. O’Meara turned to golf as a young teenager when he couldn’t make any friends. Eventually, O’Meara dedicated himself to golf and went on to become a great player. O’Meara won the Masters Tournament once, in 1998 at the age of 41.
Did You Know?
In 2019, Mark O’Meara won the Cologuard Classic, ending an eight year win drought on the PGA Tour Champions.
5. Sam Snead (May 27, 1912 – May 23, 2002)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 41 years, 10 months, 17 days (1954)
Country of Origin: Ashwood, Virginia, USA
Total Masters Won: 3 – 1949, 1952, 1954
Professional Career: 1934 – 1987
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Sam Snead was one of the greatest golfers in history and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Snead’s career spanned several decades and he was one of the top players during this time. During his career, Snead won 82 PGA Tour events, seven majors, and three Masters Tournaments. Snead won in 1949, 1952, and a final time in 1954 when he was 41 years old.
Many of the other legendary golfers on this list consider Snead’s golf swing the greatest of all time. Snead had several nicknames including The Slammer because of his powerful shots.
Did You Know?
Although Sam Snead won other tournaments, he never won a U.S. Open, but was a runner-up four times.
4. Gary Player (November 1, 1935 – Present)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 42 years, 5 months, 9 days (1978)
Country of Origin: Johannesburg, South Africa
Total Masters Won: 3 – 1961, 1974, 1978
Professional Career: 1953 – 2009
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Gary Player is one of the few non-American players to win a Masters Tournament multiple times. Player has won the Masters three times and the last time he won in 1978, he was 42 years old. In 1965, when Player was 29, he became the only non-American to win all four majors in a career, known as the career Grand Slam. At the time Player was the youngest person to achieve a Grand Slam (Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods later beat this record) and only the third person to do so after Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. Today, Player runs several golf-related businesses including Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, The Player Foundation, Gary Player Academies, and Black Knight Enterprises.
Did You Know?
Besides his golf businesses, Gary Player owns and operates The Gary Player Stud Farm, which breeds Thoroughbred race horses.
3. Ben Crenshaw (January 11, 1952 – Present)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 43 years, 2 months, 30 days (1995)
Country of Origin: Austin, Texas, USA
Total Masters Won: 2 – 1984, 1995
Professional Career: 1973 – 2015
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Like all of the golfers on this list, Ben Crenshaw has played the game his entire life and excelled from an early age. As a child, Crenshaw was coached by Harvey Penick, Hall of Fame coach and player, who also taught many other hall of famers. Although Crenshaw didn’t win as many tournaments as some of the players on this list, he did win the Masters Tournament twice, once in 1984 and again in 1995 when he was 43 years old. Crenshaw held the record for being the second oldest Masters winner until Tiger Woods beat him by one month in 2019.
Did You Know?
Ben Crenshaw, whose nickname is Gentle Ben, is regarded as one of the best putters in golf history.
2. Tiger Woods (December 30, 1975 – Present)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 43 years, 3 months, 15 days (2019)
Country of Origin: Cypress, California, USA
Total Masters Won: 5 – 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019
Professional Career: 1996 – Present
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Did You Know?
Tiger Woods holds numerous golfing records including being the number one player in the world for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total number of weeks of any golfer in history.
1. Jack Nicklaus (January 21, 1940 – Present)
Oldest Age at Time of Win: 46 years, 2 months, 24 days (1986)
Country of Origin: Columbus, Ohio, USA
Total Masters Won: 6 – 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986
Professional Career: 1961 – 2005; still plays occasionally
photo source: Flickr via Torrey Wiley
In addition to all of his Masters wins, Nicklaus 73 PGA Tour victories, the third most wins behind Sam Snead and Tiger Woods. Since retiring from professional golf, Nicklaus has gone on to become the head of one of the world’s leading golf design companies.
Did You Know?
Jack Nicklaus founded the Memorial Tournament, a PGA Tour tournament, in 1975. The tournament takes place at Muirfield Village Golf Club on a course that Nicklaus designed.
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