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 |
