1977 Masters: Watson Holds Off Nicklaus
Tom Watson won the 1977 Masters, holding off Jack Nicklaus. It was a preview of their more-famous duel later in the year at the British Open. This was the 41st Masters played.
Winner: Tom Watson, 276
Where it was played: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Tournament dates: April 7-10, 1977
Leader after first round: Hubert Green, 67
Leader after second round: Tom Watson and Rod Funseth, 139
Leader after third round: Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw, 209
Notable Notes: Tom Watson held off Jack Nicklaus in a final-round duel to win the first of his two Masters titles.
Nicklaus trailed Watson by three entering the final round, then shot 66. But Watson made a birdie on the 17th en route to his own 67, and Nicklaus bogied the 18th to create the final 2-stroke margin of victory.
It was Watson's second win in a major. Third-round co-leader Ben Crenshaw stumbled to a final-round 76.
Final Scores
Tom Watson | 70-69-70-67—276 |
Jack Nicklaus | 72-70-70-66—278 |
Tom Kite | 70-73-70-67—280 |
Rik Massengale | 70-73-67-70—280 |
Hale Irwin | 70-74-70-68—282 |
David Graham | 75-67-73-69—284 |
Lou Graham | 75-71-69-69—284 |
Ben Crenshaw | 71-69-69-76—285 |
Raymond Floyd | 71-72-71-71—285 |
Hubert Green | 67-74-72-72—285 |
Don January | 69-76-71-69—285 |
Gene Littler | 71-72-73-69—285 |
John Schlee | 75-73-69-68—285 |
Billy Casper | 72-72-73-69—286 |
Jim Colbert | 72-71-69-74—286 |
Rod Funseth | 72-67-74-73—286 |
Jerry Pate | 70-72-74-70—286 |
Tom Weiskopf | 73-71-71-71—286 |
George Archer | 74-74-69-70—287 |
Andy Bean | 74-70-71-72—287 |
Danny Edwards | 72-74-68-73—287 |
Lee Elder | 76-68-72-71—287 |
Gary Player | 71-70-72-74—287 |
Billy Kratzert | 69-71-78-70—288 |
Andy North | 74-74-71-69—288 |
Arnold Palmer | 76-71-71-70—288 |
Bob Wynn | 75-73-70-70—288 |
Isao Aoki | 73-76-70-70—289 |
Bruce Lietzke | 73-71-72-73—289 |
Jerry McGee | 73-73-72-71—289 |
Graham Marsh | 77-72-72-69—290 |
Bob Murphy | 74-72-71-73—290 |
Seve Ballesteros | 74-75-70-72—291 |
Mark Hayes | 71-72-72-76—291 |
Tommy Aaron | 73-72-73-74—292 |
Johnny Miller | 78-71-69-74—292 |
B. Shearer | 74-67-75-76—292 |
Art Wall Jr. | 75-74-71-72—292 |
Dave Hill | 71-72-76-74—293 |
J.C. Snead | 72-76-73-72—293 |
Dave Stockton | 73-72-75-73—293 |
Bud Allin | 71-74-75-74—294 |
Bruce Devlin | 75-69-77-73—294 |
Gary Koch | 78-71-72-73—294 |
Mac McLendon | 72-70-78-75—295 |
Lyn Lott | 76-72-77-71—296 |
Peter Oosterhuis | 73-75-76-72—296 |
Mike Morley | 75-73-73-76—297 |
a-Bill Sander | 80-69-78-72—299 |
a-John Fought | 73-74-78-78—303 |