1978 Masters Tournament Winner and Scores
The 1978 Masters was won by Gary Player, his third Masters victory, in a huge final-round comeback. He started that last round seemingly well out of contention, then scored 64 to win. It was the 42nd edition of the tournament.
Winner: Gary Player, 277
Where it was played: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Tournament dates: April 6-9, 1978
Leader after first round: John Schlee, 68
Leader after second round: Lee Trevino and Rod Funseth, 139
Leader after third round: Hubert Green, 206
What Happened in the 1978 Masters Tournament
The 1978 Masters revolved around one golfer who was a legend and who staged a legendary charge. The legend was Gary Player, and his victory was the third Masters championship won by Player — the ninth and final win of his career in a major. He was 42 years old, which made him, at that time, the oldest Masters winner.Those are impressive feats. But perhaps more impressive than the win itself is how Player won this tournament. He started the final round seven strokes off the lead, held by Hubert Green, but put on a back-nine run for the ages.
Player fired a 64 in the final round, which tied the record for lowest final-round score in The Masters. But Player remains today the only golfer to score 64 in the final round and win The Masters. He birdied seven of his last 10 holes, and on the back nine shot 30, which, at the time, tied the tournament's back-nine scoring record.
Player posted a final score of 11-under 277, then waited to see if anyone could beat it.
Rod Funseth was one behind with three holes remaining, but parred all three. He finished tied for second place.
Third-round leader Green bogeyed the 16th hole to drop one behind Player, but hit his approach on the 18th hole to three feet from the cup. It looked like a playoff was in the offing. But standing over his putt, Green was distracted when he heard a radio broadcaster's comments. Green backed away, then pushed the putt right. It missed.
And Player was the champ.
This was the first Masters Tournament played without Augusta National co-founder Clifford Roberts. Roberts, age 83, committed suicide on the golf course the previous September. To honor Roberts and co-founder Bobby Jones, the club dedicated Founders Circle this year in front of the clubhouse.
Tommy Nakajima made a 13 on the 13th hole in the second round. That set a record (since matched) for highest score on a single hole during The Masters.
Jack Nicklaus was the victim of a phone-in death threat during the tournament, but still finished in the Top 10.
1978 Masters Final Scores
| Gary Player | 72-72-69-64—277 |
| Rod Funseth | 73-66-70-69—278 |
| Hubert Green | 72-69-65-72—278 |
| Tom Watson | 73-68-68-69—278 |
| Wally Armstrong | 72-70-70-68—280 |
| Billy Kratzert | 70-74-67-69—280 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 72-73-69-67—281 |
| Hale Irwin | 73-67-71-71—282 |
| David Graham | 75-69-67-72—283 |
| Joe Inman | 69-73-72-69—283 |
| Don January | 72-70-72-70—284 |
| Jerry McGee | 71-73-71-69—284 |
| Tom Weiskopf | 72-71-70-71—284 |
| Peter Oosterhuis | 74-70-70-71—285 |
| Lee Trevino | 70-69-72-74—285 |
| Raymond Floyd | 76-71-71-68—286 |
| a-Lindy Miller | 74-71-70-71—286 |
| Seve Ballesteros | 74-71-68-74—287 |
| Tom Kite | 71-74-71-71—287 |
| Gil Morgan | 73-73-70-71—287 |
| Jerry Pate | 72-71-72-72—287 |
| Ed Sneed | 74-70-70-73—287 |
| Lanny Wadkins | 74-70-73-70—287 |
| Miller Barber | 75-67-73-73—288 |
| Andy Bean | 76-68-73-71—288 |
| Gene Littler | 72-68-70-78—288 |
| Leonard Thompson | 72-69-75-72—288 |
| Bobby Cole | 77-70-70-72—289 |
| Gay Brewer | 73-71-69-77—290 |
| Mac McLendon | 72-72-72-74—290 |
| Bill Rogers | 76-70-68-76—290 |
| Jim Colbert | 74-73-75-69—291 |
| Terry Diehl | 74-72-74-71—291 |
| Johnny Miller | 77-72-72-70—291 |
| Andy North | 73-76-72-70—291 |
| Tommy Aaron | 73-74-71-74—292 |
| Ben Crenshaw | 75-70-74-74—293 |
| Mike Hill | 73-75-74-71—293 |
| Arnold Palmer | 73-69-74-77—293 |
| Tom Purtzer | 78-69-74-72—293 |
| Lyn Lott | 72-76-71-75—294 |
| Lee Elder | 73-75-74-73—295 |
| Al Geiberger | 75-73-75-72—295 |
| John Schlee | 68-75-77-75—295 |
| a-Vance Heafner | 73-74-74-75—296 |
| Dave Hill | 72-76-74-74—296 |
| Jay Haas | 74-73-74-76—297 |
| a-Gary Hallberg | 73-73-78-73—297 |
| a-Dick Siderowf | 77-72-78-71—298 |
| Bob Wynn | 74-70-78-77—299 |
| Steve Melnyk | 71-78-75-76—300 |
| Bob Goalby | 73-75-78-75—301 |
| a-Peter McEvoy | 73-75-77-77—302 |
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