Oldest Winners of The Masters Tournament

In the history of The Masters Tournament, only one golfer older than 45 has won the Green Jacket. We bet you already know who that is. And seven golfers over the age of 40 have won the tournament.

See also: Youngest winners of The Masters

Oldest Masters Champ: Jack Nicklaus, Age 46

Jack Nicklaus — the Golden Bear as a golden oldie — won the 1986 Masters at the age of 46. And in 1986, 46 was old for a PGA Tour golfer. Wins of any tournament by a golfer that age were rarities.

For Nicklaus, it was his first major championship victory in six years, his first PGA Tour victory in two years. It was also the last of his Masters wins, the last of his 18 major championship wins, and the last of his 73 PGA Tour wins.

The List of Oldest Masters Winners

• Jack Nicklaus won the 1986 Masters at age 46 years, 2 months, 23 days
• Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters at age 43 years, 3 months, 15 days
• Ben Crenshaw won the 1995 Masters at age 43 years, 2 months, 29 days
• Gary Player won the 1978 Masters at age 42 years, 5 months, 8 days
• Sam Snead won the 1954 Masters at age 41 years, 10 months, 16 days
• Mark O'Meara won the 1998 Masters at age 41 years, 2 months, 3 days
• Ben Hogan won the 1953 Masters at age 40 years, 7 months, 30 days

Hogan was the first 40-and-over golfer to win The Masters in 1953, but just a year later Snead took the record away from him by beating Hogan in an 18-hole playoff.

In 1978, Player became the oldest Masters winner by staging an 8-stroke comeback in the final round. Then, in 1986, Nicklaus took the record and has held it since.