1956 Masters: Infamous Collapse
Winner: Jack Burke Jr., 289
Where it was played: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Tournament dates: April 5-8, 1956
Leader after first round: Ken Venturi, 66
Leader after second round: Ken Venturi, 135
Leader after third round: Ken Venturi, 210
Notable Notes: Jack Burke Jr. staged the greatest final-round comeback in Masters history, coming from eight behind at the start of Round 4 to win. And he only had to shoot 71 to do it.
The final round was played in very high winds, and Burke was one of only two golfers to break par. So his 71 allowed him to make up all that ground on the third-round leader, amateur Ken Venturi. Venturi had led each of the first three rounds, but stumbled over the final nine holes with a 42, shooting 80 for the full round. He finished second, one behind Burke.
Final Scores
Jack Burke Jr. | 72-71-75-71—289 |
a-Ken Venturi | 66-69-75-80—290 |
Cary Middlecoff | 67-72-75-77—291 |
Lloyd Mangrum | 72-74-72-74—292 |
Sam Snead | 73-76-72-71—292 |
Jerry Barber | 71-72-76-75—294 |
Doug Ford | 70-72-75-77—294 |
Tommy Bolt | 68-74-78-76—296 |
Ben Hogan | 69-78-74-75—296 |
Shelley Mayfield | 68-74-80-74—296 |
Johnny Palmer | 76-74-74-73—297 |
Pete Cooper | 72-70-77-79—298 |
Gene Littler | 73-77-74-74—298 |
a-Billy Joe Patton | 70-76-79-73—298 |
Sam Urzetta | 73-75-76-74—298 |
Bob Rosburg | 70-74-81-74—299 |
Walt Burkemo | 72-74-78-76—300 |
Roberto De Vicenzo | 75-72-78-75—300 |
a-Hillman Robbins | 73-73-78-76—300 |
Mike Souchak | 73-73-74-80—300 |
Arnold Palmer | 73-75-74-79—301 |
Frank Stranahan | 72-75-79-76—302 |
Jim Turnesa | 74-74-74-80—302 |
Julius Boros | 73-78-72-80—303 |
Dow Finsterwald | 74-73-79-77—303 |
Ed Furgol | 74-75-78-76—303 |
Stan Leonard | 75-75-79-74—303 |
Al Mengert | 74-72-79-78—303 |
Al Balding | 75-78-77-74—304 |
Vic Ghezzi | 74-77-77-76—304 |
Fred Haas Jr. | 78-72-75-79—304 |
Fred Hawkins | 71-73-76-84—304 |
Walter Inman | 73-75-74-82—304 |
Jimmy Demaret | 73-75-76-81—305 |
Billy Maxwell | 75-75-81-74—305 |
Art Wall Jr. | 75-80-75-75—305 |
a-Harvie Ward Jr. | 76-70-81-78—305 |
Lew Worsham | 74-72-80-79—305 |
Byron Nelson | 73-75-78-80—306 |
Chick Harbert | 73-76-78-80—307 |
Bob Harris | 73-79-77-78—307 |
Skee Riegel | 72-79-76-80—307 |
a-Bill Campbell | 77-78-77-76—308 |
Jack Fleck | 74-77-76-81—308 |
Dick Mayer | 75-74-81-78—308 |
a-Rex Baxter Jr. | 76-79-79-75—309 |
Claude Harmon | 77-79-76-77—309 |
Henry Picard | 75-76-82-76—309 |
Bud Holscher | 73-81-80-76—310 |
Gene Sarazen | 77-75-78-80—310 |
a-James Jackson | 77-74-76-84—311 |
Ted Kroll | 75-75-79-82—311 |
a-Bruce Cudd | 78-77-84-74—313 |
Jay Hebert | 74-76-82-81—313 |
Bill Hyndman | 79-77-77-80—313 |
a-Joe Campbell | 77-80-78-79—314 |
a-Edwark Hopkins Jr. | 76-76-82-80—314 |
a-Don Bisplinghoff | 77-80-81-78—316 |
Don Fairfield | 78-75-77-86—316 |
a-Ed Meister Jr. | 78-78-84-76—316 |
a-Joe Conrad | 76-79-81-81—317 |
Lionel Hebert | 77-77-80-83—317 |
Ernie Vossler | 78-79-83-77—317 |
George Schneiter | 77-80-82-79—318 |
a-Dick Chapman | 79-82-82-76—319 |
a-Dale Morey | 83-75-83-78—319 |
Sam Parks Jr. | 80-82-76-81—319 |
Henry Cotton | 77-83-81-80—321 |
a-James McCoy | 77-81-81-82—321 |
Craig Wood | 76-80-78-88—322 |
Denny Shute | 82-79-89-74—324 |
a-Don Cherry | 79-81-81-84—325 |
Lawson Little | 77-81-85-82—325 |
a-William Boce | 82-80-87-77—326 |
Johnny Revolta | 84-81-79-84—328 |
Horton Smith | 86-84-84-82—336 |
a-Charles Kunkle | 78-82-85-95—340 |