1977 Masters Tournament
The 1977 Masters Tournament was the 41st Masters Tournament, held April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 7–10, 1977 |
| 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 | 7,030 yards (6,428 m) |
| Field | 77 players, 50 after cut |
| Cut | 149 (+5) |
| Winner's share | $40,000 |
| Champion | |
| Tom Watson | |
| 276 (−12) | |
| Location map | |
Augusta National Location in the United States Augusta National Location in Georgia | |
Tom Watson, age 27, won the first of his two green jackets, two strokes ahead of runner-up Jack Nicklaus. The two were tied after 68 holes, then Watson birdied the par-4 17th. Needing a birdie to tie, Nicklaus bogeyed the final hole, one of 19 times in his career that he was the runner-up in a major championship. It was the second of Watson's eight major championships, and he won a second Masters in 1981.
The pair again dueled for a major title in the final round in July in Scotland, at the Open Championship at Turnberry, also won by Watson.
Although he had won a major in 1975 and led the PGA Tour in season earnings entering this Masters, Watson had been labeled a "choker" early in his pro career, known for relinquishing leads in the final round of majors and regular events. Notable among these was the U.S. Open in 1974 at Winged Foot; his win here and in Scotland put that to rest.