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Ahead of the 89th Masters, Sportshandle has analyzed all of the past winners of the Masters Golf Tournament since its inception in 1934 to determine what are the typical traits of the Masters winner – from average age, nationality, height, place of birth, and name to dress code and education.
Before we dive into the data on previous winners, check out our section on Best Betting Apps.
| Year Of Victory | Champion | Place of birth | Date of birth | Astrological Sign | City of Birth |
First Name Initial
|
| 2024 | Scottie Scheffler | United States | 21 June 1996 | Cancer | Ridgewood | S |
| 2023 | Jon Rahm | Spain | 10 November 1994 | Scorpio | Barrika | J |
| 2022 | Scottie Scheffler | United States | 21 June 1996 | Cancer | Ridgewood | S |
| 2021 | Hideki Matsuyama | Japan | 25 February 1992 | Pisces | Matsuyama | H |
| 2020 | Dustin Johnson | United States | 22 June 1984 | Cancer | Columbia | D |
| 2018 | Patrick Reed | United States | 5 August 1990 | Leo | San Antonio | P |
| 2017 | Sergio García | Spain | 9 January 1980 | Capricorn | Borriol | S |
| 2016 | Danny Willett | England | 3 October 1987 | Libra | Sheffield | D |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth | United States | 27 July 1993 | Leo | Dallas | J |
| 2013 | Adam Scott | Australia | 16 July 1980 | Cancer | Adelaide | A |
| 2012 | Bubba Watson | United States | 5 November 1978 | Scorpio | Bagdad | B |
| 2011 | Charl Schwartzel | South Africa | 31 August 1984 | Virgo | Johannesburg | C |
| 2009 | Ángel Cabrera | Argentina | 12 September 1969 | Virgo | Córdoba | Á |
| 2008 | Trevor Immelman | South Africa | 16 December 1979 | Sagittarius | Cape Town | T |
| 2007 | Zach Johnson | United States | 24 February 1976 | Pisces | Iowa City | Z |
| 2004 | Phil Mickelson | United States | 16 June 1970 | Gemini | San Diego | P |
| 2003 | Mike Weir | Canada | 12 May 1970 | Taurus | Sarnia | M |
| 2000 | Vijay Singh | Fiji | 22 February 1963 | Pisces | Lautoka | V |
| 1998 | Mark O’Meara | United States | 13 January 1957 | Capricorn | Goldsboro | M |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | United States | 30 December 1975 | Capricorn | Cypress | T |
| 1994 | José María Olazábal | Spain | 5 February 1966 | Aquarius | Fuenterrabía | J |
| 1992 | Fred Couples | United States | 3 October 1959 | Libra | Seattle | F |
| 1991 | Ian Woosnam | Wales | 2 March 1958 | Pisces | Oswestry | I |
| 1989 | Nick Faldo | England | 18 July 1957 | Cancer | Welwyn Garden City | N |
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle | Scotland | 9 February 1958 | Aquarius | Shrewsbury | S |
| 1987 | Larry Mize | United States | 23 September 1958 | Libra | Augusta | L |
| 1985 | Bernhard Langer | West | 27 August 1957 | Virgo | Anhausen | B |
| 1984 | Ben Crenshaw | United States | 11 January 1952 | Capricorn | Austin | B |
| 1982 | Craig Stadler | United States | 2 June 1953 | Gemini | San Diego | C |
| 1981 | Tom Watson | United States | 4 September 1949 | Virgo | Kansas City | T |
| 1980 | Seve Ballesteros | Spain | 9 April 1957 | Aries | Pedreña | S |
| 1979 | Fuzzy Zoeller | United States | 11 November 1951 | Scorpio | New Albany | F |
| 1976 | Raymond Floyd | United States | 4 September 1942 | Virgo | Fort Bragg | R |
| 1973 | Tommy Aaron | United States | 22 February 1937 | Pisces | Gainesville | T |
| 1971 | Charles Coody | United States | 13 July 1937 | Cancer | Stamford | C |
| 1970 | Billy Casper | United States | 24 June 1931 | Cancer | San Diego | B |
| 1969 | George Archer | United States | 1 October 1939 | Libra | San Francisco | G |
| 1968 | Bob Goalby | United States | 14 March 1929 | Pisces | Belleville | B |
| 1967 | Gay Brewer | United States | 19 March 1932 | Pisces | Middletown | G |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | United States | 21 January 1940 | Aquarius | Columbus | J |
| 1961 | Gary Player | South Africa | 1 November 1935 | Scorpio | Johannesburg | G |
| 1959 | Art Wall Jr. | United States | 25 November 1923 | Sagittarius | Honesdale | A |
| 1958 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 10 September 1929 | Virgo | Latrobe | A |
| 1957 | Doug Ford | United States | 6 August 1922 | Leo | West Haven | D |
| 1956 | Jack Burke Jr. | United States | 29 January 1923 | Aquarius | Fort Worth | J |
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff | United States | 6 January 1921 | Capricorn | Halls | C |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan | United States | 13 August 1912 | Leo | Stephenville | B |
| 1949 | Sam Snead | United States | 27 May 1912 | Gemini | Ashwood | S |
| 1948 | Claude Harmon | United States | 14 July 1916 | Cancer | Savannah | C |
| 1946 | Herman Keiser | United States | 7 October 1914 | Libra | Springfield | H |
| 1941 | Craig Wood | United States | 18 November 1901 | Scorpio | Lake Placid | C |
| 1940 | Jimmy Demaret | United States | 24 May 1910 | Gemini | Houston | J |
| 1939 | Ralph Guldahl | United States | 22 November 1911 | Sagittarius | Dallas | R |
| 1938 | Henry Picard | United States | 28 November 1906 | Sagittarius | Plymouth | H |
| 1937 | Byron Nelson | United States | 4 February 1912 | Aquarius | Waxahachie | B |
| 1935 | Gene Sarazen | United States | 27 February 1902 | Pisces | Harrison | G |
| 1934 | Horton Smith | United States | 22 May 1908 | Gemini | Springfield | H |
Age 42176v
The average age of the winner is 32 years old, the same value – 32 – is the median age of the winner.
Tiger Woods is the youngest winner of the tournament – when he won his first Masters in 1997, he was 21 years, 3 months and 14 days old.
Jack Nicklaus is the oldest winner of the tournament – when he won his 6th Masters in 1986, he was 46 years, 2 months and 23 days old.
21 is the average age when the players turn professional, and 21 is also the median age of turning professional.
Nationality 42c4
73% of the wins were secured by Americans. The United States has won 64 times. Spain and South Africa are in second and third place, respectively, with Spain winning 6 times and South Africa 5 times.
Considering the fact that some players have won multiple times, Americans also hold the record for most individual wins – 39 players from the United States have won since 1934 (69.6%). Spain and South Africa are once again in second and third place, respectively, with 4 individual winners from Spain and 3 winners from South Africa.
First Name Initial 6p6y2x
If winners who won multiple times are counted only once each, “B” is the most common letter of the winners’ first name – 7 individual winners had a name starting with “B”, which amounts to 12.5%. Namely, they are Ben Crenshaw, Ben Hogan, Bernhard Langer, Billy Casper, Bob Goalby, Bubba Watson and Byron Nelson. Byron, Bubba, and Bob could be considered nicknames, but for the purpose of the analysis, the names that the players used in their golf careers were analyzed.
“C” and “J” are tied for the second most popular first name initials – 6 past winners’ names started with a C and 6 with J, amounting to 10.7%: Cary Middlecoff, Claude Harmon, Craig Stadler, Craig Wood, Charles Coody, and Charl Schwartzel. For J, they are Jon Rahm, Jose Olazabal, Jordan Spieth, Jack Nicklaus, Jimmy Demaret & Jack Burke.
Month of Birth 2x3bs
Amongst all of the individual winners, February and November are tied for the most common birth month of a Masters winner – 14.3% of the Masters champions (8 in total) were born in February and 14.3% in November.
The three most successful astrological signs are: Pisces (14.3% – 8 individual winners), Cancer (12.5% – 7 individual winners), and Virgo (10.7% – 6 individual winners).
Repeated Wins 3l278
18 players won 2 or more times, 8 players won 3 or more times, 3 players won 4 or more times, 2 players won 5 times, and 1 player won 6 times.
Cities and States p3h1q
San Diego is the only city that has produced three separate Masters champions – Billy Casper, Craig Stadler & Phil Mickelson were all born in San Diego, California.
If only the American winners are considered (and their respective states of birth), Texas has produced the most Masters champions – 9. California is the state that produced the second highest number of Masters champions – 5.
Height and Weight 293q4j
The average weight of the Masters champion is 83.02 kg (=183 pounds), and the median weight is 84kg (= 185.18 pounds).
The average height of the Masters champion is 181.58 cm (=5.957 ft) The median height is 183 cm (=6 ft)
Ian Woosnam who won in 1991 is the shortest Masters winner – he is 5ft 4.5 inches tall (164 cm).
George Archer who won in 1969 is the tallest Masters winner – he was 6ft 5.5 inches tall (197 cm).
Education 2r543p
57.1% of the winners have gone to university – 32 in total.
Dress Code 4w661o
Due to the lack of photographs in color, unlike the rest of the analysis which goes all the way back to 1934, the dress code of the players was analyzed only from 1963. According to the results of the analysis:
77% of the winners (47) wore short-sleeved golf polo shirts on the day of the final tournament.
60.7% of the winners (37) wore plain one-color shirts / T-shirts (no motives) on the day of their final Masters win. 26.2% of the winners (16) wore shirts / T-shirts with stripes.
Sponsorships and brand deals have become much more prevalent in the late 20th century, however, since 1963, Nike has been the most popular brand worn by the Masters champions – 15.3% of the winners (10 in total, 5 individuals) wore Nike on the day of their win. However, it has to be kept in mind that Tiger Woods who won 5 times wore Nike every time he won (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019). The other winners who wore Nike on their winning day are Scottie Scheffler (2022 and 2024), Patrick Reed (2018), Charl Swartzel (2011) & Trevor Immelman (2008).
Even though it has not been worn by any of the winners in the 21st century, Lacoste was a popular choice in the second half of the 20th century and it is the second most popular brand to be worn on the winning day – 8.5% of the winners (5 in total, 4 individuals) wore Lacoste. Namely, José Maríja Olazábal (1999, 1994), Seve Ballestersos (1983), Raymond Floyd (1976) & Gay Brewer (1967)
When it comes to hats worn during the final tournament, 39.3% of the winners (24) wore white hats, 27.9% of the winners (17) wore no hats for most of the tournament and 24.6% of the winners (15) wore black hats. 54.1% of the winners (33) wore baseball caps, while 16.4% of the winners (10) wore visor hats.
Methodology 4j42b
- Winners (from 1934 to 2024) of the Masters tournament were collected from the official Masters website and amended with missing information from their respective Wikipedia pages
- The dress code of the winners was analyzed only from 1963 due to the lack of photographs in colour from the 1st half of the 20th century
- The main source of the dress code analysis were the official videos of the Masters tournament on its official YouTube channel as well as Google Images
- If a given metric was not available for a player (less than 5% from the total players), that player was omitted from the analysis in that specific category and is not part of the % results
