Has an amateur ever won the Masters? History, results and 2026 field
Has an amateur ever won the Masters Tournament? Here's what to know about the feat, including the list of six amateurs aiming for history in 2026.
Follow along as USA TODAY Sports provides live coverage and leaderboard updates from the 2026 Masters Tournament. The 2026 Masters Tournament is underway from Augusta National in Georgia, where the world's top players seek to become immortalized by winning on one of the most renowned courses in the history of golf. That includes a small group of players for whom a win would not only be a massive upset, but also a historic addition to the tournament that claims the moniker, "A Tradition Unlike Any Other.
" More: 2026 Masters Leaderboard Six players in the field hoping to make the cut line and challenge for what would be a historic first at Augusta: an amateur winning the Masters. Here's what to know about the feat, whether it has ever been achieved, top amateur finishes and what happens should an amateur claim the top of the leaderboard at Augusta. Has an amateur ever won the Masters?
No, an amateur has never won the Masters Tournament, though several golfers have come agonizingly close over the years. One notable recent example is Sam Bennett, who opened the 2023 Masters Tournament with consecutive rounds of 4-under 68 to sit in third place after 36 holes. He shot a third-round score 76, good enough to become the first amateur to enter the final round still in the top 10 since 1964.
He finished Round 4 with a score of 2-over 74 to finish 2-under-par for the tournament and tied for 16th place. It was the best finish by an amateur since Ryan Moore finished tied for 13th in 2005. Best amateur finishes at the Masters Here's a look at some of the top finishes by amateurs in the history of the Masters: 2nd: Ken Venturi (1956) T-2nd: Frank Stranahan (1947) T-2nd: Charlie Coe (1961) 3rd: Billy Joe Patton (1954) 4th: Harvie Ward (1957) 6th: Charles Coe (1959) T-6th: Lawson Tittle (1935) T-7th: Jack Nicklaus (1961) REQUIRED READING: Meet the 6 amateurs playing in the 2026 Masters at Augusta National 2026 amateurs competing at the Masters Here's a look at the 2006 amateur field at the Masters: Jackson Herrington Brandon Holtz Mason Howell Mateo Pulcini Ethan Fang Fifa Laopakdee What happens if an amateur wins the Masters?