1948 Masters Tournament
The 1948 Masters Tournament was the 12th Masters Tournament, held April 8–11 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 8–11, 1948 |
| Location | Augusta, Georgia 33.503°N 82.020°W |
| Course(s) | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Organized by | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,800 yards (6,220 m) |
| Field | 57 players |
| Cut | none |
| Prize fund | $10,000 |
| Winner's share | $2,500 |
| Champion | |
| Claude Harmon | |
| 279 (−9) | |
| Location map | |
Augusta National Location in the United States Augusta National Location in Georgia | |
Claude Harmon shot a record-tying 279 (−9) and finished five strokes ahead of runner-up Cary Middlecoff, a future champion in 1955. The Sunday gallery in 1948 was estimated at 10,000 spectators, and the tournament purse was $10,000. Harmon won $2,500 and his four-round score tied the record set by Ralph Guldahl in 1939. Primarily a club professional, it was Harmon's first tour victory.
This was the final appearance as a player in the Masters for host Bobby Jones, then age 46. It was also the last Masters that did not immediately present the iconic green jacket to the winner. The nine winners of the first twelve tournaments received their green jackets in 1949.
The five-stroke victory margin was matched by Ben Hogan in 1953; the record was raised to seven in 1955 by Cary Middlecoff, nine in 1965 by Jack Nicklaus, and twelve by Tiger Woods in 1997.