Runner-up at the Masters
Jack Nicklaus made headlines this week when he got a hole-in-one at the Masters “Par-Three” event. Nicklaus is used to making a name for himself at Augusta. He holds the tournament record with six wins, but did you know he also is tied for the most runner-up spots in the Masters?
Nicklaus is one of 25 golfers who finished in second (or a tie for second) in two or more Masters. Nicklaus finished as runner-up four times, which ties him with Ben Hogan and Tom Weiskopf.
Here’s a look at the players who have finished second in two or more Masters:
4: Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf
3: Raymond Floyd, Tom Kite, Johnny Miller, Greg Norman, Tom Watson
2: Seve Ballesteros, Harry Cooper, Ben Crenshaw, David Duval, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Ralph Guldahl, Davis Love III, Lloyd Magnum, Cary Middlecoff, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Sam Snead, Ken Venturi, Craig Wood, Tiger Woods
Of the 25 golfers above, 11 have never won a Masters event. Leading the way is Weiskopf who finished second four times but never won the tourney. Of the five players who have finished in the runner-up spot in three tournaments, Kite, Miller and Norman never won the Masters.
Jordan Spieth took the first round lead in this year’s event with an eight-under score. Tiger Woods holds the tournament record with a 72-hole total of 18-under par. Twenty-six of the Masters champions won the event with a score of 10-under or better. Thirty-two golfers in the history of the event have ended their four rounds with a score of 10-under or better yet did not win the event; it happened to two golfers twice, Raymond Floyd and Tiger Woods.
Here’s a look at the best 72-hole scores (under par) that did not win the Masters.
14-under: David Duval (2001)
13-under: Davis Love III (1995), Phil Mickelson (2001), Lee Westwood (2010)
12-under: Chad Campbell (2009), Jason Day (2011), Chris DiMarco (2005), Anthony Kim (2010), Kenny Perry (2009), Adam Scott (2011)
11-under: K.J. Choi (2010), Raymond Floyd (1992), Jay Haas (1995), Johnny Miller (1975), Greg Norman (1995), Tom Weiskopf (1975), Tiger Woods (2010)
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Tiger Woods wins 73rd tourney; 70 golfers have now finished second to Tiger in his wins!
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published daily focusing on stats that go beyond the numbers.
In a tournament that Jack Nicklaus hosts and on a course that he designed, Tiger Woods won his 73rd PGA tournament yesterday at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, tying him with Nicklaus for second on the all-time wins list. (They trail Sam Snead who had 82 victories.)
Woods shot a five-under-par 67 to win by two shots over Rory Sabbatini and Andres Romero. For Sabbatini, it was the second time in his career that he finished second to Tiger in a tournament. For Romero, he becomes the 70th golfer to finish second (or tied for second) to Tiger in a PGA event.
Ernie Els has finished in second place to Tiger in five tournaments, most of any competitor.
Here’s a look at the players who have finished second or tied for second to Tiger in his 73 wins on the tour.
Second-place finishes, Golfers
5: Ernie Els
4: Davis Love, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk
3: Chris DiMarco, Stewart Cink
2. Tom Lehman, Sergio Garcia, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Retief Goosen, David Toms, Charles Howell III, Rory Sabbatini
Did you know? Els and DiMarco aare the only two golfers to finish second to Tiger in two majors events.
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