17 Masters Records Jack Nicklaus Holds From Dominant Augusta National Career

Jack Nicklaus is the most successful player in Masters history, with six wins and some very impressive records to his name around Augusta National

Jack Nicklaus being helped into the Green Jacket by Arnold Palmer after winning the 1965 Masters
Nobody has won more Green Jackets than Jack Nicklaus
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Nobody has won more Masters titles than Jack Nicklaus, with the legendary 18-time Major winner boasting six Green Jackets.

Nicklaus enjoyed more success around Augusta National than anyone else, and his list of records is quite astounding. From most wins to most birdies and eagles made and plenty in between.

We take a look at 17 Masters records the Golden Bear still holds today - and he may well end up holding some forever.

Jack Nicklaus Masters records:

1. Most wins - 6

Nicklaus won The Masters in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986. Tiger Woods is second with five victories.

2. Oldest winner - 46 years 82 days, 1986

Jack Nicklaus 1986 Masters

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Nicklaus turned back the clock in 1986 with a final round round 65 (−7) that included a back nine of 30 (−6) to seal his sixth Green Jacket with a one-stroke victory over Tom Kite and Greg Norman.

3. Most birdies - 506

4. Most eagles - 24 

Nicklaus' career eagles record includes three on par 4s and 21 on par 5s. His record is two more than Raymond Floyd in second with 22.

5. Most cuts made - 37

Nicklaus' record of 37 cuts made at The Masters is an incredibly impressive one. It's a record he is currently six clear of the next best - Fred Couples. The 1992 champion has made 31 Masters cuts, while Gary Player is in third with 30 cuts made.

6. Most 72 holes below par - 22 

Nicklaus' record most tournaments under par includes an incredible ten in a row from 1970. He's three clear of Phil Mickelson, who is on 19.

7. Most 72 holes par or better - 24

Nicklaus again leads Phil Mickelson in this category, with Lefty on 20.

8. Most subpar rounds - 71

The Golden Bear has over 70 rounds under par in The Masters from 163 rounds played. That means he's shot under par in The Masters in 43.56% of his rounds.

9. Rounds under 70 - 39

The par at Augusta is 72, meaning he's shot three-under or better 39 times. That equates to 23.93% of his rounds.

10. Two eagles on one par 4 in same tournament - Hole 5, 1st and 3rd round 1995

Jack Nicklaus plays an iron shot at the 1995 Masters

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This is surely one that will never be matched. Nicklaus made an eagle 2 on the 5th hole TWICE during the 1995 Masters.

The par 4 measured 435 yards and he holed it on the fly from 180 yards with a 5-iron in round one and then holed a 7-iron from 163 yards two days later.

There have only been nine 2s on the 5th in Masters history, and Nicklaus made two of them in the space of three days.

Two other players have had two 2s on par 4s in one tournament, but not on the same hole. Brett Ogle eagled the 3rd and 14th during the 1993 Masters and Brandt Jobe eagled the 10th and 7th in 2006.

11. Most top-5s - 15 

Nicklaus has 15 top-5s at The Masters, which currently has him three ahead of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, who have each had 12.

12. Most finishes by a player 50 years or older - 9

Sam Snead finished 8 Masters tournaments over the age of 50, while Fred Couples has 7.

13. Longest length between victories - 23 years

Jack Nicklaus in 1963 and 1986 after winning The Masters

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Nicklaus' first Masters came in 1963, with his last Green Jacket win coming 23 years later in 1986. Tiger Woods got close to this with a 22-year margin from 1997 to 2019.

14. Number of 2s by a Masters champion - 7, 1965

Nicklaus made seven 2s on the way to his second Masters title in 1965.

15. Led or tied for lead after 54 holes - five times

16. Oldest leader/co-leader after 18 holes - 53 years, 77 days

Nicklaus shared the lead after round one in 1993 at the age of 53, eventually finishing T27th.

17. Oldest to finish Top 10 - 58 years, 81 days (T6), 1998

The next-best came in 2014 when a 56-year-old Bernhard Langer finished T8th at the 2014 Masters.

How many times did Jack Nicklaus win The Masters?

Bernhard Langer hands Jack Nicklaus his green jacket after the 1986 Masters

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Jack Nicklaus won The Masters six times, more than anyone in history and one more than Tiger Woods in second.

Nicklaus won at Augusta National in:

  • 1963
  • 1965
  • 1966
  • 1972
  • 1975
  • 1965

Did Jack Nicklaus ever miss the cut at The Masters?

Nicklaus missed the cut seven times at The Masters, including in his debut and in his final four appearances. During his peak years, he only missed one Masters cut; in 1967. He also missed the cut in 1994 at the age of 54.

He holds the record for most Masters cuts made with 37.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV