The Masters Tournament through the years

(NEXSTAR) – For nearly 90 years, the Masters Tournament has been home to some of golf’s best moments. It’s hard to forget the modern-day highlights, like Hideki Matsuyama’s caddie, Shota Hayafuji, bowing toward the course last year just moments before Matsuyama became the first Japanese male to win a major championship. Or when Tiger Woods won his first major championship in 1997.

But the Masters hasn’t always looked as it does today. Here’s a look back at the Tournament through the years in photos.

In 1934, the first Masters Tournament was held under the name “Augusta National Invitation Tournament.” One of its co-founders, Clifford Roberts, wanted to call the event the Masters Tournament, but fellow founder, Bobby Jones, felt it was too presumptuous. Jones relented in 1939 and the name changed to what we know today. The 1940 Masters Tournament was the first time it was scheduled during the first full week of April, according to the Masters Tournament timeline.

Horton Smith became the inaugural champion in 1934.

circa 1925: Horton Smith winner of the first US Masters in 1934. (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)
(Original Caption) Bobby Jones Resumes Golf After Four Year Absence. Augusta, Georgia: Ending a four year absence from golf, Bobby Jones returned in the Masters Invitation Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA. Above is a general view of Bobby driving from the first tee, the opening day of the match, as gallery watches. Bobby turned in a 76 for the eighteen holes.
(Original Caption) Bobby Jones Resumes Golf After Four Year Absence. Augusta, Georgia: Paul Runyan, who, paired with Bobby Jones, took part in the opening day’s play at Masters Invitation Golf Tournament at the Augusta Golf Club, taken on the practice tee before start of the match. Jones turned in a 76 for the eighteen holes. Jones is in the back.
(Original Caption) 3/26/1934-Augusta, Georgia- AT MASTERS’ GOLF TOURNEY. Horton Smith, of Chicago, putting on the 8th green during the third round of the Masters’ Invitation Golf Tournament at Augusta, GA. Denny Shute of Philadelphia may be seen in the picture. Smith won the Tournament with a score of 284. Shute, with 294, finished in a tie for thirteenth place with Bobby Jones.
(Original Caption) Congratulations From Bobby Jones. Horton Smith, winner of the Masters’ Invitation Golf Tournament at August, Georgia, is congratulated on his victory by Bobby Jones, (left), who, returning to the golfing wars after four years of inactivity, finished out of the money in a tie for thirteenth place.

In the 1940s, the iconic trophies – the green jacket and the trophy itself – became staples of the event. According to the Masters, the first trophy was awarded in 1942 and first the green jacket in 1949. The caddie uniform of white coveralls, which is still in place today, was also set in 1940.

For three years, the Masters were put on hold due to World War II. In its 1946 return, the Masters also doubled the prize money. The next year, the first Leader Board was erected.

(Original Caption) 4/4/47-Augusta, Georgia- Seven of the eight past masters of the Augusta Masters Golf Tournament are shown lined up here before the opening round of the 11th tournament yesterday (l-r) are Horton Smith, 1934 & 1936 winner; Byron Nelson, 1937 & 1942; Henry Picard, 1938; Jimmy Demaret, 1940; Craig Wood, 1941; Gene Sarazen, 1935; and Herman Keiser, 1946. Ralph Guldahl, 1939 winner, is not in the picture.
(Original Caption) Demaret Sweeps Augusta Masters. Augusta, Georgia: Ole “grand-slam” himself, Bobby Jones, left, presents the first place check to Jimmy Demaret as Frank Stranahan and Byron Nelson, right, watch. Demaret fired a 71 in fourth round play today to hold his lead and become the third man in history of the Masters golf tourney to win it twice. Stranahan and Nelson, himself a two time winner, finished in a tie for second place.
(Original Caption) Rough One on a Rough Course. Cleveland, Ohio: Herman Keiser of Akron, Ohio, has to play out from under a tree after he overshot the green on the 9th hole of the Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland in the opening round of the U.S. Open June 13. At that, he made a par 5 on the hole. Keiser, the surprise winner of the Masters, had a 76, just 4 above par on what is conceded to be a long and hard course.

The first Champions Dinner was held in 1952 and in 1954, Sam Snead won his third Masters with a score of 289 – the highest in Tournament history. That record still stands, tied with 1956 and 2007, according to the Masters. The 1950s would close out with Arnold Palmer winning the first of his four Masters. Only two golfers have won the Masters more than Palmer – Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Nicklaus would go on to win his first Masters in 1963 and would close out the decade with three total wins. In 1986, Nicklaus won his sixth jacket and became the oldest champion in tournament history.

(Original Caption) The Masters Golf title was anybody’s meat at this point, as Sammy Snead (left) and Ben Hogan shake hands and wished each other luck before they played off their tie, April 12. Somebody had to win, and Snead’s two-under-par 70 gave him the tourney for the third time. Defending champ Hogan lost by one stroke with a tally of 71.
(Original Caption) 4/8/1958-Augusta, GA- Arnold Palmer studies his final putt on the 18th hole of the 72-hole Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club. Palmer sank the putt to take the title with a 284 total for the four rounds of the tourney.
(Original Caption) Arnold Palmer (left) and Gary Player display identical “7 under” scores on scoreboard after 4/7 second round of Masters Golf Tournament here. Going into important third round 4/8, pair are tied for first place in the golfing classic with 36 hole scores of 137.
(Original Caption) Augusta, Ga.: Jack Nicklaus smiles confidently as he walks onto the 18th green to sink his final putt in the last round of the Masters Tournament today. The putt gave him a 271 to win the tournament with a record-setting 17 under par, for the four rounds.
Fellow golf champion Arnold Palmer (R) presents Jack Nicklaus with his green jacket after winning the 1963 Masters Tournament.
(Original Caption) Defending champion Arnold Palmer (left) helps Gary Player adjust his new green coat (symbol of the Masters championship). After Player won the 1961 title with a 72-hole total of 280, Palmer not only helped Player on with the coat- he helped him on with the championship by double bogeying the 18th hole to lose by one stroke.
(Original Caption) Augusta, Ga.: General views of the fairways during the playing of this year’s Masters’ Tournament.
(Original Caption) Arnold Palmer (left) and Gary Player display identical “7 under” scores on scoreboard after 4/7 second round of Masters Golf Tournament here. Going into important third round 4/8, pair are tied for first place in the golfing classic with 36 hole scores of 137.

Fast-forward to 1997, Woods became the youngest player ever to win the Masters at 21-years-old. He also set the records for the lowest 72-hole total and the widest victory margin.

The early 2000s were also marked with milestones – Mike Weir became the first Canadian and left-hander to win the Masters, Phil Mickelson won his first in 2004, Palmer played his 50th consecutive competitive Masters, Gary Player broke Palmer’s record with 52 consecutive, and Angel Cabrera became the first South American champion.

Golf pro Seve Ballesteros waves after winning the 1983 Masters Championship at the Augusta Golf Course. He is wearing the coveted Green Jacket.
(Original Caption) Augusta: Jack Nicklaus, winner of a record 5 Masters, and his son Jack, Jr. leave the 7th green during a practice round for the 50th Masters. Nicklaus’s son will caddy for him when play begins April 10.
AUGUSTA, : A large crowd gathers around the ninth hole to watch golf legends Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Fuzzy Zoeller putt 09 April during the final practice round for the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. The tournament will start 10 April. AFP PHOTO/ROBERT SULLIVAN (Photo credit should read ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)
1990: A view of ladies as they sit in chairs near a green during the 1990 Masters in Augusta National Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport
AUGUSTA – 11 APRIL: Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus of the USA during the US Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, USA on April 11, 1996. (photo by Stephen Munday/Getty Images)
13 Apr 1997: Tiger Woods tees off during the final round of the Masters at the Augusta National Country Club in Augusta, Georgia. Mandatory Credit: Steve Munday /Allsport
John Daly of the US reacts to his birdie putt on the 2nd hole 08 April during the Par-3 Tournament on the final practice day for the 1998 Masters at Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, GA. The Par-3 Tournament was aborted because of approaching rain storms. AFP PHOTO/Timothy A. CLARY (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Mark O’Meara (L) gets the Green Jacket from Tiger Woods, the defending Masters champion, 12 April at Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, GA. O’Meara finished at nine-under-par. AFP PHOTO/Timothy A. CLARY (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Augusta, UNITED STATES: Phil Mickelson of the US hits his approach shot to the 10th green 09 April 2006 during the final round for the 2006 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA. Mickelson started the round at four under par. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)
Argentinian golfer Angel Cabrera (R) chats with his son and caddie Angel Cabrera Jr. as he waits to tee off on the fourth hole during the first round of the US Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2008 in Augusta, Georgia. AFP PHOTO/Don EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 11: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan is awarded the Green Jacket by 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson of the United States during the Green Jacket Ceremony after he won the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

And, of course, who could forget the milestones of the last two years of the Masters.

In 2020, the Tournament was postponed and played in November without any patrons due to COVID-19. Dustin Johnson would win his first green jacket that year, scoring a 20-under-par 268 for the lowest score in Masters history. Last year, Hideki Matsuyama became the first Japanese golfer to win a major championship 10 years after receiving Low Amateur honors in the 2011 Masters.

For more on Masters history, click here.