1948 Masters Tournament Winner and Scores

The 1948 Masters Tournament was the 12th time the event was played, and it was claimed by a club pro whose last name has become synonymous with "golf instructor." He even matched the tournament scoring record that stood for another five years.

Winner: Claude Harmon, 279

Where it was played: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia

Tournament dates: April 8-11, 1948

Leader after first round: Lloyd Mangrum, 69

Leader after second round: Harry Todd, 139

Leader after third round: Claude Harmon, 209

What Happened at the 1948 Masters Tournament

Club professional Claude Harmon was the winner of the 1948 Masters, shooting four rounds of 70 or lower. Harmon's margin of victory was five strokes over Cary Middlecoff, so not only did a club pro win, he won going away.

Harmon was no ordinary club pro, however. He was the club pro at Winged Foot for many years, and he played in many majors, posting one other Top 10 finish in The Masters, and two Top 10 finishes in the U.S. Open. He was the father of teaching pros Butch Harmon, Billy Harmon, Craig Harmon and Dick Harmon, all famous in their profession; and grandfather of Claude Harmon III, another famous golf instructor.

Harmon's 279 total tied the then-tournament scoring record, originally established by Ralph Guldahl in 1939. That record stood until Ben Hogan lowered it at the 1953 Masters. The 5-stroke winning margin was also a tournament record, and, like the stroke total, one broken by Hogan in 1953.

The 1948 Masters is also remembered for being the last time tournament co-founder Bobby Jones played in the event. Jones, age 46, finished in 48th place. Jones played in The Masters 12 times, with a best finish of a tie for 13th in 1934, the inaugural tournament.

English great Henry Cotton played The Masters for the first time this year (the first of only three times he entered) and tied for 25th. Future PGA Championship winner and television broadcaster Bob Rosburg, still an amateur, played in his first major here and was 52nd.

1948 Masters Final Scores

Claude Harmon 70-70-69-70—279
Cary Middlecoff 74-71-69-70—284
Chick Harbert 71-70-70-76—287
Jim Ferrier 71-71-75-71—288
Lloyd Mangrum 69-73-75-71—288
Ed Furgol 70-72-73-74—289
Ben Hogan 70-71-77-71—289
Byron Nelson 71-73-72-74—290
Harry Todd 72-67-80-71—290
Herman Keiser 70-72-76-73—291
Bobby Locke 71-71-74-75—291
Dick Metz 71-72-75-73—291
Johnny Bulla 74-72-76-71—293
Dutch Harrison 73-77-73-70—293
a-Skee Riegel 71-74-73-75—293
Al Smith 73-73-74-74—294
Sam Snead 74-75-72-73—294
Jimmy Demaret 73-72-78-72—295
Ed Dudley 73-76-75-71—295
Vic Ghezzi 75-73-73-74—295
Fred Haas Jr. 75-75-76-69—295
Bob Hamilton 72-72-76-75—295
Art Bell 71-74-74-77—296
Gene Sarazen 77-74-73-72—296
Herman Barron 73-77-71-76—297
Henry Cotton 72-73-75-77—297
Henry Picard 73-73-74-77—297
Johnny Palmer 75-73-76-74—298
Ellsworth Vines 76-71-77-74—298
a-Bud Ward 74-74-77-74—299
Lew Worsham 74-78-71-76—299
Denny Shute 74-73-76-77—300
Harold "Jug" McSpaden 77-75-76-73—301
Horton Smith 78-73-76-75—302
Skip Alexander 77-73-77-76—303
Ralph Guldahl 75-78-75-75—303
Ky Laffoon 74-75-76-78—303
a-Jimmy McHale 78-73-77-75—303
Felice Torza 75-73-76-79—303
a-Dick Chapman 74-76-77-77—304
Chick Harper 76-76-77-75—304
Lawson Little 73-77-76-78—304
Billy Burke 75-75-76-79—305
Leland Gibson 72-77-79-77—305
Craig Wood 77-80-77-71—305
Toney Penna 77-78-75-77—307
Sam Byrd 84-75-75-76—310
Johnny Farrell 74-80-78-79—311
Bill Nary 74-79-86-74—313
Bobby Jones 76-81-79-79—315
a-Fred Kammer 78-75-77-86—316
a-Harvie Ward Jr. 78-78-81-79—316
a-Bob Rosburg 79-81-80-78—318
a-Jack Selby 81-76-84-80—321

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