The Incredible Masters Record Tiger Woods Can Break At Augusta This Week

Five-time Masters champion Woods is practising at Augusta this week where he aims to make cut for a record 24th time

Tiger Woods and his caddie at The Masters
Woods is eyeing Masters history this week
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tiger Woods has been making history at Augusta for nearly 30 years now and the 15-time Major champion can make some more this week at The Masters just by making the cut.

Woods' odds on ever clinching a record-equalling sixth green jacket are fading fast as the 48-year-old battles injuries and a lack of competitive action after not playing since withdrawing from February's Genesis Invitational.

But the American great , who rewrote the record books in 1997 winning the title by 12 strokes for the first of Woods' 15 Major titles, will still set a new Masters record if he progresses to round three for the 24th consecutive occasion.

At the moment, Woods is one of three players who have made the cut at Augusta National for 23 consecutive occasions alongside Fred Couples , from 1983-2007, and Gary Player from 1959-1982.

Jack Nicklaus still holds the record for an astonishing 37 cuts in his 45 appearances at Augusta but Tiger can move into a class of his own this weekend if he qualifies to play on day three and four for the 24th time in a row. 

He made his debut at Augusta in 1995, when finishing in a tie for 41st to take the low amateur honours. The following year he missed the cut before returning in 1997 to make history and start his sequence of always making the weekend.

That continued even last year when, after grinding to make the cut, the American, who was playing in a lot of pain, was forced to withdraw seven holes into his third round. Heading into this year's event, Woods' Masters record is truly remarkable. He’s made 24 of his 25 cuts with a total of 96 rounds played and a scoring average of 71.10.

Tiger Woods 2019 Masters

Woods celebrates his incredible 2019 Augusta victory

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Woods has won the Masters on five separate occasions in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2015 and 2019 and only Nicklaus (six) has won more titles.

Of the 25 Masters that he’s teed it up in, his record is as follows: 24 cuts made; 8 top-3s; 12 top-5s; 14 top-10s; and 18 top-25s for a total of $9,619,569 in Masters prize money.

Now he is on the brink of fresh history after positive reports from his practice rounds this week. It would add another chapter to a remarkable story following Woods' car crash in Los Angeles in February 2021 in which he sustained serious leg and ankle injuries that could have cost him much more than the few remaining years of his golfing career.

James Nursey
Contributor

James Nursey is a freelance contributor to Golf Monthly after spending over 20 years as a sports reporter in newspapers. During a 17-year career with the Daily Mirror, he covered mainly football but reported from The Open annually and also covered a Ryder Cup and three US Opens. He counts a pre-tournament exclusive with Justin Rose at Merion in 2013 as one of his most memorable as the Englishman went on to win his first Major and later repeated much of the interview in his winner’s speech.  Now, after choosing to leave full-time work in newspapers, James, who is a keen single-figure player, is writing about golf more.  His favourite track is the Old Course after attending St Andrews University but has since played mainly at Edgbaston, where he is a long-time member. James’ golfing highlights include previously winning the club championship and scratch knock-out there. He is also an active member of the Association of Golf Writers and Press Golfing Society but his favourite round is playing the game with his young children. James is currently playing:  Driver: Ping G400 3 wood: Ping i20 Hybrid: Ping i20 Irons: Ping i500 4-SW Wedges: Ping Glide forged 50, 56 Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Ball: Titleist ProVIx