The Masters Tournament began in 1934, with Horton Smith becoming the first champion. Hideki Matsuyama won the 85th edition, becoming the first male Japanese player to win a major championship.
Here’s a look at the players who have won the season’s first major:
- 2021 — Hideki Matsuyama
- 2020 — Dustin Johnson
- 2019 — Tiger Woods
- 2018 — Patrick Reed
- 2017 — Sergio Garcia (Won in playoff)
- 2016 — Danny Willett
- 2015 — Jordan Spieth
- 2014 — Bubba Watson
- 2013 — Adam Scott (Won in playoff)
- 2012 — Bubba Watson (Won in playoff)
- 2011 — Charl Schwartzel
- 2010 — Phil Mickelson
- 2009 — Angel Cabrera (Won in playoff)
- 2008 — Trevor Immelman
- 2007 — Zach Johnson
- 2006 — Phil Mickelson
- 2005 — Tiger Woods (Won in playoff)
- 2004 — Phil Mickelson
- 2003 — Mike Weir (Won in playoff)
- 2002 — Tiger Woods
- 2001 — Tiger Woods
- 2000 — Vijay Singh
- 1999 — Jose Maria Olazabal
- 1998 — Mark O’Meara
- 1997 — Tiger Woods
- 1996 — Nick Faldo
- 1995 — Ben Crenshaw
- 1994 — Jose Maria Olazabal
- 1993 — Bernhard Langer
- 1992 — Fred Couples
- 1991 — Ian Woosnam
- 1990 — Nick Faldo (Won in playoff)
- 1989 — Nick Faldo (Won in playoff)
- 1988 — Sandy Lyle
- 1987 — Larry Mize (Won in playoff)
- 1986 — Jack Nicklaus
- 1985 — Bernhard Langer
- 1984 — Ben Crenshaw
- 1983 — Seve Ballesteros
- 1982 — Craig Stadler (Won in playoff)
- 1981 — Tom Watson
- 1980 — Seve Ballesteros
- 1979 — Fuzzy Zoeller (Won in playoff)
- 1978 — Gary Player
- 1977 — Tom Watson
- 1976 — Raymond Floyd
- 1975 — Jack Nicklaus
- 1974 — Gary Player
- 1973 — Tommy Aaron
- 1972 — Jack Nicklaus
- 1971 — Charles Coody
- 1970 — Billy Casper (Won in playoff)
- 1969 — George Archer
- 1968 — Bob Goalby
- 1967 — Gay Brewer Jr.
- 1966 — Jack Nicklaus (Won in playoff)
- 1965 — Jack Nicklaus
- 1964 — Arnold Palmer
- 1963 — Jack Nicklaus
- 1962 — Arnold Palmer (Won in playoff)
- 1961 — Gary Player
- 1960 — Arnold Palmer
- 1959 — Art Wall Jr.
- 1958 — Arnold Palmer
- 1957 — Doug Ford
- 1956 — Jack Burke Jr.
- 1955 — Cary Middlecoff
- 1954 — Sam Snead (Won in playoff)
- 1953 — Ben Hogan
- 1952 — Sam Snead
- 1951 — Ben Hogan
- 1950 — Jimmy Demaret
- 1949 — Sam Snead
- 1948 — Claude Harmon
- 1947 — Jimmy Demaret
- 1946 — Herman Keiser
- 1945 — No tournament, WWII
- 1944 — No tournament, WWII
- 1943 — No tournament, WWII
- 1942 — Byron Nelson (Won in playoff)
- 1941 — Craig Wood
- 1940 — Jimmy Demaret
- 1939 — Ralph Guldahl
- 1938 — Henry Picard
- 1937 — Byron Nelson
- 1936 — Horton Smith
- 1935 — Gene Sarazen (Won in playoff)
- 1934 — Horton Smith