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 summary
Claude Harmon shot a record-tying 279 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.
Field
;1. Masters championsJimmy Demaret, Ralph Guldahl, Herman Keiser, Byron Nelson, Henry Picard, Gene Sarazen, Horton Smith, Craig Wood
;2. U.S. Open champions
Billy Burke, Johnny Farrell, Bobby Jones, Lawson Little, Lloyd Mangrum, Lew Worsham
;3. U.S. Amateur champions
Dick Chapman, Skee Riegel
;4. British Open champions
Denny Shute, Sam Snead
;5. British Amateur champions
;6. PGA champions
Jim Ferrier, Vic Ghezzi, Bob Hamilton, Ben Hogan
;7. Members of the U.S. 1947 Ryder Cup team
Herman Barron, Dutch Harrison
- Ed Oliver did not play.
George Hamer, Fred Kammer, Bud Ward
- Ted Bishop, Smiley Quick, Frank Stranahan and Willie Turnesa did not play.
Johnny Bulla, Fred Haas, Chandler Harper, Jug McSpaden, Dick Metz, Johnny Palmer, Toney Penna, Ellsworth Vines
;10. Top 24 players and ties from the 1947 U.S. Open
Sammy Byrd, Ed Furgol, Leland Gibson, Chick Harbert, Claude Harmon, Joe Kirkwood Sr., Gene Kunes, Jim McHale Jr., Bill Nary, Al Smith, Harry Todd
- George Payton and Paul Runyan did not play.
Bob Rosburg, Jack Selby, Felice Torza, Harvie Ward
- Johnny Dawson and Frank Strafaci did not play.
Art Bell, Ky Laffoon
;13. One amateur, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Amateur champions
- Chuck Kocsis did not play
Skip Alexander
;15. Two players, not already qualified, with the best scoring average in the winter part of the 1948 PGA Tour
Cary Middlecoff
- Clayton Heafner did not play.
- Played after the Masters, the winner receiving entry to the 1949 event.
Ed Dudley
;18. Foreign invitations
Henry Cotton, Bobby Locke
Round summaries
First round
Thursday, April 8, 1948| Place | Player | Score | To par | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 |  |1912Second roundFriday, April 9, 1948
|