The 7 Most Shocking Records And Latest Green Jacket Golf Winners (Updated 2025)

The Masters Tournament, held annually at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club, is arguably the most prestigious event in golf, and its winner receives the most coveted prize in the sport: the Green Jacket. As of the current date in December 2025, the golf world is still buzzing from the dramatic finish of the most recent tournament, which saw a European legend finally complete his career Grand Slam. This article dives deep into the history, the records, and the full list of champions who have earned the right to wear the "Masters Green" blazer.

The Green Jacket is more than just a piece of apparel; it is a symbol of exclusivity, tradition, and mastery over one of the world's most challenging courses. From the inaugural champion, Horton Smith, to the newest member of this elite club, Rory McIlroy, every winner has a story. Discover the most recent victor and the seven most incredible records that define the legacy of the Masters champions.

The Newest Champion and the All-Time Legends

The tradition of awarding the Green Jacket began in 1949 with Sam Snead, though the jacket itself was introduced for Augusta National members in 1937. The winner of the Masters Tournament is granted honorary membership to the club and the right to keep the jacket for one year before returning it to the club's grounds, where it must remain. The most recent champion is a name that had long been expected to join this list.

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The 2025 Masters Champion: Rory McIlroy

The 2025 Masters Tournament concluded with a stunning victory for Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who finally captured his first Green Jacket to complete the career Grand Slam. McIlroy defeated Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff after both finished regulation play tied at 11-under-par. This victory not only ended years of speculation but also added McIlroy's name to the exclusive list of players who have won all four modern major championships (The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship).

The Green Jacket Multiple Champions Club

Only a select few have managed to conquer Augusta National Golf Club multiple times, cementing their status as true legends of the sport.

• Jack Nicklaus (6 Green Jackets): The "Golden Bear" holds the untouchable record for most Masters wins (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986).
• Tiger Woods (5 Green Jackets): Woods' five victories (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019) span 22 years, showcasing remarkable longevity and dominance.
• Arnold Palmer (4 Green Jackets): "The King" won four times in a six-year span (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), helping to popularize the tournament.
• Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Nick Faldo, Phil Mickelson (3 Green Jackets each): These five legends form the next tier of multiple champions.

7 Unbreakable Records Held by Green Jacket Winners

The history of the Masters is a tapestry woven with incredible performances. These records represent moments of unparalleled dominance and enduring excellence that may never be broken.

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1. The Largest Margin of Victory (12 Strokes)

In 1997, a 21-year-old Tiger Woods not only became the youngest champion but also set a record for the largest winning margin, defeating runner-up Tom Kite by a staggering 12 strokes. This performance announced the arrival of a generational talent and remains one of the most dominant displays in golf history.

2. The Youngest and Oldest Champions

The age spectrum of Masters champions highlights the tournament's unique challenge.

• Youngest Winner: Tiger Woods (21 years, 3 months, 14 days) in 1997.
• Oldest Winner: Jack Nicklaus (46 years, 2 months, 23 days) in his stunning 1986 victory.

3. The 72-Hole Scoring Record (268)

The scoring record at the Masters has been a moving target, but it was shattered in 2020 by Dustin Johnson. Johnson finished with a total score of 268, which is 20-under-par, becoming the first player in tournament history to reach the 20-under mark. He eclipsed the previous record of 270 (18-under) held jointly by Tiger Woods (1997) and Jordan Spieth (2015).

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4. The First International Winner

For the first 26 years of the tournament, the Green Jacket remained with an American golfer. That changed in 1961 when South Africa's Gary Player became the first non-American to claim the title. Player's victory over defending champion Arnold Palmer and amateur Charles Coe paved the way for future international champions like Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, and Hideki Matsuyama.

5. The Exclusive Club of Wire-to-Wire Winners (5 Players)

Winning "wire-to-wire" means a golfer holds the outright lead after all four rounds, a feat that demonstrates sustained excellence and nerves of steel. Only five players have ever achieved this at the Masters:

• Craig Wood (1941)
• Arnold Palmer (1960)
• Jack Nicklaus (1972)
• Raymond Floyd (1976), who also recorded an 8-stroke margin of victory that year.
• Jordan Spieth (2015)

6. The Highest Winning Score

While most records celebrate low scores, the highest winning score demonstrates the brutal difficulty of Augusta National under certain conditions. Three golfers share the record for the highest winning score at 289 (1-over-par): Sam Snead (1954), Jack Burke, Jr. (1956), and Zach Johnson (2007).

7. The Green Jacket's Unique Origin and Rules

The jacket itself holds a unique place in sporting lore. The tradition was initiated by club co-founder Clifford Roberts in 1937, who ordered jackets from the Brooks Uniform Company in New York so that members could be easily identified by patrons. The fabric is now sourced from the Victor Forstmann Inc. mill and tailored by the Cincinnati-based Hamilton Tailoring Co.. The winner is allowed to take the jacket home for one year, but upon returning to the tournament, it must remain on the grounds of Augusta National, making it one of the most exclusive pieces of clothing in the world.

The Green Jacket: A Legacy of Golfing Immortality

The list of Green Jacket golf winners is a definitive who's who of golf history, featuring names like Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Tom Watson, Gary Player, and more recently, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia. Every year, the Masters Tournament creates new legends and reinforces the immortality of its past champions. The victory by Rory McIlroy in 2025 serves as a powerful reminder that the pursuit of this iconic piece of golf apparel remains the ultimate goal for every professional golfer.

The Green Jacket symbolizes not just a victory in a major, but a permanent place in the tradition and history of the sport, a legacy that will endure for generations to come at the venerable Augusta National. The anticipation for the next tournament continues to build, as the world waits to see who will be the next champion to slip on the coveted jacket.