1939 Masters Tournament Winner and Scores
Winner: Ralph Guldahl, 279
Where it was played: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Tournament dates: March 30-April 2, 1939
Leader after first round: Billy Burke, 69
Leader after second round: Gene Sarazen, 139
Leader after third round: Ralph Guldahl, 210
What Happened at the 1939 Masters Tournament
Ralph Guldahl shot a final-round 69 to edge Sam Snead — who closed with a 68 — by one stroke. It was a victory two years in the making for Guldahl. In the previous two seasons he had won the U.S. Open both years, but finished second in The Masters both years.Guldahl was tied for sixth place after an opening 72 and tied for second, one stroke behind Gene Sarazen, with a second-round 68. He took the lead in the third round with a 70, and began the final round one stroke in front. Snead, two behind Guldahl when the final round began, posted 8-under 280 and waited to see if anyone could beat it.
Guldahl did on the strength of a 33 over the final nine holes that included two birdies and an eagle. He finished at 9-under 279, a tournament record at the time. That scoring record wasn't lowered until the 1953 Masters.
Snead went on to win The Masters three times. The first golfer to notch three wins in The Masters was Jimmy Demaret, and he made his tournament debut this year. For Guldahl, it was his third overall victory in a major championship, and turned out to be his last.
While this tournament had, from its first year in 1934, been informally called The Masters, its official name prior to 1939 was Augusta National Invitational. Co-founder Bobby Jones had thought "The Masters" too presumptuous a name. But this year, he gave in: the 1939 Masters was the first to officially be named The Masters Tournament.
1939 Masters Final Scores
| Ralph Guldahl | 72-68-70-69—279 |
| Sam Snead | 70-70-72-68—280 |
| Billy Burke | 69-72-71-70—282 |
| Lawson Little | 72-72-68-70—282 |
| Gene Sarazen | 73-66-72-72—283 |
| Craig Wood | 72-73-71-68—284 |
| Byron Nelson | 71-69-72-75—287 |
| Henry Picard | 71-71-76-71—289 |
| Ben Hogan | 75-71-72-72—290 |
| Ed Dudley | 75-75-69-72—291 |
| Toney Penna | 72-75-72-72—291 |
| Tommy Armour | 71-74-76-72—293 |
| Vic Ghezzi | 73-76-72-72—293 |
| Harold "Jug" McSpaden | 75-72-74-72—293 |
| Denny Shute | 78-71-73-72—294 |
| Paul Runyan | 73-71-75-76—295 |
| Felix Serafin | 74-76-73-72—295 |
| a-Chick Harbert | 74-73-75-74—296 |
| Jimmy Thomson | 75-71-73-77—296 |
| a-Charlies Yates | 74-73-74-75—296 |
| a-Tommy Tailer | 78-75-73-71—297 |
| Jimmy Hines | 76-73-74-75—298 |
| Ky Laffoon | 72-75-73-78—298 |
| Frank Moore | 75-74-75-74—298 |
| Al Watrous | 75-75-74-75—299 |
| Tony Manero | 76-73-77-74—300 |
| Horton Smith | 75-79-74-72—300 |
| a-Willie Turnesa | 78-70-79-73—300 |
| a-Jess Sweetser | 75-75-75-77—302 |
| Frank Walsh | 76-76-72-78—302 |
| Dick Metz | 72-80-77-74—303 |
| Johnny Revolta | 77-74-76-76—303 |
| Harry Cooper | 76-77-73-78—304 |
| Jimmy Demaret | 72-81-77-74—304 |
| Walter Hagen | 76-76-76-76—304 |
| Bobby Jones | 76-77-78-73—304 |
| a-Dick Chapman | 78-77-77-77—309 |
| Jim Foulis | 80-76-77-76—309 |
| Johnny Farrell | 81-75-79-77—312 |
| a-Ted Adams | 78-77-83-76—314 |
| a-Ray Billows | 75-84-78-80—317 |
| Joe Belfore | 83-79-78-78—318 |
| Joe Thompson | 81-84-79-78—322 |
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1938 Masters - 1940 Masters
