Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters at Augusta National at 270, 18-under-par to win by 12 strokes ahead of Tom Kite. At 21 years old, this marked Woods’ first Masters as a professional and the earliest age any champion ever triumphed at this competition.
Anybody seeking to know who won the 1997 masters golf tournament is looking for a lot more than just the winner’s name because this was the week golf was transformed. This was the week when Tiger Woods broke the tournament’s scoring record, posted the biggest winning margin ever recorded in the Masters, was the first African-American to win at a club that did not have a black member until 1975, and attracted the biggest TV audience in the history of the sport.
The Short Version
| Detail | What happened |
|---|---|
| Winner | Tiger Woods |
| Winning score | 270, which is 18 under par |
| Rounds | 70, 66, 65, 69 |
| Margin of victory | 12 strokes |
| Runner-up | Tom Kite at 282, 6 under par |
| Dates | April 10 to 13, 1997 |
| Venue | Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia |
| Woods’ age | 21 years and 3 months, the youngest Masters champion ever |
| Prize money | $486,000 |
| Why it mattered | A record score, a record margin, the first Black Masters champion, and record TV ratings |
The Final Leaderboard
| Position | Player | Rounds | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiger Woods | 70-66-65-69 | 270 (18 under) |
| 2 | Tom Kite | 77-69-66-70 | 282 (6 under) |
| 3 | Tommy Tolles | 72-72-72-67 | 283 (5 under) |
| 4 | Tom Watson | 75-68-69-72 | 284 (4 under) |
| T5 | Costantino Rocca | 71-69-70-75 | 285 (3 under) |
| T5 | Paul Stankowski | 68-74-69-74 | 285 (3 under) |
Tom Kite, 47 years old and the US Ryder Cup captain later that year, produced one of the great overlooked performances of the week. After an opening 77 he played the last three rounds in 11 under par, which in any other year would have been a story of its own. He finished 12 shots back.
How the Week Unfolded
Thursday: The Worst Nine Holes of the Week
Woods started with four bogeys in nine holes and posted a 40, four strokes over par. Woods was headed to being cut from the tournament in his Masters debut as a pro. But he made some changes in his swing at the 10th hole, made 30 on his final nine and finished with a 70. Woods trailed the leaders by just three strokes and nobody knew what was about to unfold.
Nick Faldo, the defending Masters champion, was his partner for the first two rounds. Faldo shot 75 and 81 and missed the cut.
Friday: The Lead
A second round of 66 put Woods up by three strokes at 136. Unusual as the scoring was, a three-stroke lead on Friday in Augusta is common enough that it still appeared to be a tournament, still looked like a contest.
Saturday: The Tournament Ends
Saturday was when the contest ended for everyone else. Woods shot 65, got to 15 under par and had a nine-stroke lead through 54 holes, the biggest ever recorded at any point in the tournament’s history. No one could close the gap with a fantastic performance since Woods would need to fall apart as well.
Sunday: The Coronation
Partnering with Costantino Rocca on the last hole, Woods putted to make birdie at No. 2, and the lead got even bigger. He shot a 69 for 270, finished up the 18th hole to cheers that would be talked about by anyone there, and gave his father Earl a big hug just behind the green. His mother Kultida was there to join them.
The Records Woods Set
| Record | What Woods did | Where it stands now |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest 72-hole score | 270, breaking the record of 271 set by Jack Nicklaus in 1965 and matched by Raymond Floyd in 1976 | Broken by Dustin Johnson, who shot 268 in 2020 |
| Largest margin of victory | 12 strokes, passing Nicklaus’ 9-shot win in 1965 | Still the Masters record |
| Youngest champion | 21 years and 3 months, beating Seve Ballesteros by about two years | Still the Masters record |
| Largest 54-hole lead | Nine strokes | Still stands |
| Margin in any major | Second largest ever, one behind Old Tom Morris’ 13-shot win at the 1862 Open | Still second on that list |
| Television audience | An estimated 44 million US viewers watched the final round | Still the most watched golf telecast |
Why the 1997 Masters Mattered So Much
Augusta National did not have an African-American player playing in the Masters until Lee Elder qualified in 1975. Augusta National had its first African American member in 1990. Since Tiger Woods’ father is Black while his mother is Thai, Tiger Woods’ win in 1997 had more to it than just good performance in golf.
The impact felt throughout the game was almost instantaneous. Tiger Woods was just 21 years old and he could drive the ball at distances no one else could and had taken away all the suspense from one of golf’s majors. Augusta National started to change and make the courses tougher, an initiative that was termed ‘Tiger-proofing.’
The impact commercially was even greater. The final round television ratings reached new highs, participation among juniors increased, money became available like never before and a whole generation of players currently touring is inspired by that week. There has never been a crossover superstar in the game of golf.
Who Else Was in the Field
The 1997 Masters was an intersection of two periods of time. At 57, the great Jack Nicklaus competed in the Masters, and did not finish in the money at all. Tom Watson, at age 47, fired a score of 284 to finish fourth, but that would be the end of his top-10 finishes at Augusta. Nick Faldo, the defending champion who had tracked Greg Norman down the previous year, failed to make the cut.
Tom Kite was the only player who could match Woods over the last three rounds, and yet lose by twelve. Kite called his own round of play beating all the mortals, which pretty much sums it up for that week.
Tiger Woods in 1997
Woods was a pro after having won three US Amateur Championships in a row back in August 1996, which no one had ever achieved nor will anyone achieve after that. He had already won three pro tournaments before, including the Mercedes Championship back in January.
He had previously played in the Masters tournament as an amateur twice, coming up in 41st place in 1995 and having missed the cut in 1996. In 1997 his caddie was Mike Cowan who was nicknamed Fluff, and he was practicing under Butch Harmon’s tutelage for a new swing.
What Happened After 1997
The 1997 Masters marked the first of Woods’ 15 major tournament victories and the first of his five green jackets. Woods would win the Masters again in 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2019.
The 2001 victory solidified the “Tiger Slam,” whereby Woods held all four major tournaments simultaneously after winning the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship in 2000. The 2019 victory, at age 43 following several surgeries on his back, was the second of his career and is considered by many to be the greatest comeback in the history of the game.
| Year | Score | Margin | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 270 (18 under) | 12 strokes | First major, youngest champion |
| 2001 | 272 (16 under) | 2 strokes | Completed the Tiger Slam |
| 2002 | 276 (12 under) | 3 strokes | Back-to-back green jackets |
| 2005 | 276 (12 under) | Playoff | The chip-in at the 16th |
| 2019 | 275 (13 under) | 1 stroke | First major in 11 years |
Final Take
So, who won 1997 masters golf tournament? It was none other than Tiger Woods with scores of 270 and 18 under par beating Tom Kite by 12 strokes at an age of 21 years old, this being the first Masters tournament he played in as a professional player. Though the record of scores has been surpassed by Dustin Johnson, the record of winning by 12 strokes and the record of being the youngest champion remains even now after almost three decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
What score did Tiger Woods shoot to win the 1997 Masters?
Woods shot 270, which was 18 under par, with rounds of 70, 66, 65 and 69. It was the lowest 72-hole total in Masters history at the time.
By how many strokes did Tiger Woods win the 1997 Masters?
He won by 12 strokes, which remains the largest margin of victory in Masters history. It is also the second largest in any major championship, one behind Old Tom Morris at the 1862 Open.
Who finished second in the 1997 Masters?
Tom Kite finished second at 282, six under par. He played the last three rounds in 11 under after an opening round of 77.
How old was Tiger Woods when he won the 1997 Masters?
Woods was 21 years and about three months old. He is still the youngest Masters champion in the tournament’s history.
Was the 1997 Masters Tiger Woods’ first major?
Yes. It was his first major championship, won in his first Masters as a professional. He went on to win 15 majors in total.
Does Tiger Woods still hold the Masters scoring record?
No. Dustin Johnson shot 268, 20 under par, to win the 2020 Masters, which broke the record of 270 that Woods set in 1997.
How many Masters titles does Tiger Woods have?
Five. He won in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2019, which puts him second on the all-time list behind Jack Nicklaus with six.
How much did Tiger Woods earn for winning the 1997 Masters?
He earned $486,000 for the win. Masters prize funds have grown enormously since, and the winner’s share today is several million dollars.
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