With last year’s champion Rory McIlroy eyeing repeat success at Augusta, we look at how many back-to-back Masters winners there have been throughout golf history.
It’s fair to say that retaining the Green Jacket and winning the Masters in consecutive years is no mean feat.
Rory McIlroy Eyes Repeat Masters Victory At Augusta National
After completing the coveted career Grand Slam last year at Augusta National after a dramatic final round, Rory McIlroy aims to create further golf history by retaining the Green Jacket and winning consecutive Masters titles.
The Northern Irishman defeated Ryder Cup teammate and good friend Justin Rose in a thrilling play-off after both players finished on -11 par after 72 holes. McIlroy birdied the first play-off hole to clinch his fifth major championship and complete the career Grand Slam in the process.
This year, McIlroy will drive up Magnolia Lane aiming to retain his title with back-to-back Masters victories. Should he do so, he would join an elite list of just three players who have won the coveted major championship in consecutive years.
Tiger Woods Was The Last Back-To-Back Masters Winner In 2001 and 2002
Winning a major championship in golf is an incredibly difficult feat to achieve. Winning the Masters is perhaps even tougher, while winning multiple majors is certainly no mean feat. But how about winning back-to-back times at Augusta National Golf Club in consecutive years?
Over the years golf fans have been spoiled by the sheer brilliance of elite golfers, particularly at the Masters. There have been several multiple Masters winners in fact, 18 to be precise, with Rory McIlroy aiming to become the 19th this year.
He is also aiming to become a back-to-back champion, which has been done just three times in golf history at Augusta. You have to go back over 20 years to find the latest of the back-to-back Masters winners – Tiger Woods.
The golfing great won his second Green Jacket in 2001 after first winning around the hallowed Augusta turf in 1997. His third victory at the major tournament came just 12 months later, winning the 2002 Masters on a score of -12 par.
This meant that Woods became the third player in history to achieve the feat. Since then, the 15-time major champion has also won the Masters a further two times, taking his overall tally in this specific major to five.
Before Woods completed back-to-back wins in 2001 and 2002, the previous player to achieve the same feat was Nick Faldo, who won consecutively in 1989 and 1990. Prior to that, Jack Nicklaus managed it in 1965 and 1966.
Faldo went on to win the Masters three times overall, while Nicklaus still holds the record with six titles between 1963 and 1986. In total, only three players since the tournament began in 1934 have successfully defended their title.
So although Rory McIlroy is amongst the betting favourites and tipped by many to retain the Green Jacket, history tells us that winning the Masters in repeat years isn’t an easy task.
Every Back-To-Back Masters Winner In History
- Tiger Woods (2001 & 2002)
- Nick Faldo (1989 & 1990)
- Jack Nicklaus (1965 & 1966)
Every Multiple Masters Winner
- Jack Nicklaus (6) – 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986
- Tiger Woods (5) – 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019
- Arnold Palmer (4) – 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
- Jimmy Demaret (3) – 1940, 1947, 1950
- Sam Snead (3) – 1949, 1952, 1954
- Gary Player (3) – 1961, 1974, 1978
- Nick Faldo (3) – 1989, 1990, 1996
- Phil Mickelson (3) – 2004, 2006, 2010
- Horton Smith (2) – 1934, 1936
- Byron Nelson (2) – 1937, 1942
- Ben Hogan (2) – 1951, 1953
- Tom Watson (2) – 1977, 1981
- Seve Ballesteros (2) – 1980, 1983
- Bernhard Langer (2) – 1985, 1993
- Ben Crenshaw (2) – 1984, 1995
- José María Olazábal (2) – 1994, 1999
- Bubba Watson (2) – 2012, 2014
- Scottie Scheffler (2) – 2022, 2024
All Masters Champions Since 2000
- 2025 – Rory McIlroy (-11)
- 2024 – Scottie Scheffler (-11)
- 2023 – Jon Rahm (-12)
- 2022 – Scottie Scheffler (-10)
- 2021 – Hideki Matsuyama (-10)
- 2020 – Dustin Johnson (-20)
- 2019 – Tiger Woods (-13)
- 2018 – Patrick Reed (-15)
- 2017 – Sergio Garcia (-9)
- 2016 – Danny Willett (-5)
- 2015 – Jordan Spieth (-18)
- 2014 – Bubba Watson (-8)
- 2013 – Adam Scott (-9)
- 2012 – Bubba Watson (-10)
- 2011 – Charl Schwartzel (-14)
- 2010 – Phil Mickelson (-16)
- 2009 – Angel Cabrera (-12)
- 2008 – Trevor Immelman (-8)
- 2007 – Zach Johnson (+1)
- 2006 – Phil Mickelson (-7)
- 2005 – Tiger Woods (-12)
- 2004 – Phil Mickelson (-9)
- 2003 – Mike Weir (-7)
- 2002 – Tiger Woods (-12)
- 2001 – Tiger Woods (-16)
- 2000 – Vijay Singh (-10)
