Masters winners who repeated within 3 years

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Masters winners who repeated within 3 years

Bubba Watson joined an elite group of golfers by winning his second Masters Tournament. In the 78-year history of the tournament at Augusta National Golf Club only 17 players have repeated as champions, and only nine have done so within a three-year span. Here are some of the greats linked at Augusta:

Bubba Watson joined an elite group of golfers by winning his second Masters Tournament. In the 78-year history of the tournament at Augusta National Golf Club only 17 players have repeated as champions, and only nine have done so within a three-year span. Here are some of the greats linked at Augusta:

Horton Smith won the first Masters Invitation Golf Tournament in Augusta, on March 26, 1934. Augusta's first champion repeated in 1936. Smith's green jacket from 1934 sold at auction last September for $682,000 - the highest price ever paid for a piece of golf memorabilia.

Ben Hogan won his first Masters in 1953 and became just the second player, after Gene Sarazen, to win all four of the modern major championships. Hogan's 1953 win at 14-under par set a Tournament record that stood for more than a decade. He followed up with his second Masters win in 1955.

Sam Snead won his first Masters in 1949. He would repeat as champion in 1954 and 1956. His final Masters win came in a playoff against another Masters great - Ben Hogan.

Arnold Palmer won his first Masters in 1958, repeating in 1960. He repeated as champion yet again in 1962 and 1964. Palmer is just one of three golfers in Masters history to claim two victories within their first six Masters appearances.

In 1963, Jack Nicklaus became the youngest golfer to win the Masters. He had a top-12 finish the following year, and reclaimed the green jacket in 19565. He followed with a third win in 1966, becoming the first golfer to win back-to-back tournaments at Augusta National. Nicklaus has a record six Masters championships, including his final in 1986.

Nick Faldo became the Masters' first back-to-back winner since Jack Nicklaus in 1966. Faldo's 1989 win was only his second major championship. He won both tournament wins in a playoff after comebacks. Faldo won a third Masters in 1996.

Tiger Woods' win in 2001 made him the first player to hold all four major professional titles at the same time (though no in the same calendar year). He followed with a repeat performance in 2002. Woods' first major win, the 1997 Masters in a record-breaking performance. Woods won a fourth championship in 2005.

Phil Mickelson was his first Masters Tournament in 2004 - his first major championship. Mickelson is one of four golfers with a left-handed swing to win a major - Watson, included.

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Bubba Watson joined an elite group of golfers by winning his second Masters Tournament. In the 78-year history of the tournament at Augusta National Golf Club only 17 players have repeated as champions, and only nine have done so within a three-year span. Here are some of the greats linked at Augusta:

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