The Masters 2017: Complete list of winners by year

The 2017 Masters Tournament will be the 81st edition of the annual PGA Tour major event in Augusta. Here are all the golfers who have won the Masters.

It’s spring time in America. However, it’s not officially spring until one thing happens. That would be the Masters Tournament going on down in Augusta, Georgia. It is the PGA Tour’s marquee event, the first of four major tournaments on the annual slate.

The Masters is strictly invitational, adding to the overall prestige associated with the tournament. Every year, with the exception 1943-45 because of World War II, Augusta National Golf Course has been host to professional golf’s greatest tournament.

One doesn’t have to be a massive fan of golf in general to get behind the Masters. There are few sporting events that give spectators all the feels quite like the back-nine of the Masters does on Sunday.

With the 81st edition of the Masters Tournament beginning on Thursday, let’s take a look back on all of the champions in the history of the iconic golf tournament.

1934: Horton Smith
1935: Gene Sarazen
1936: Horton Smith (2)
1937: Byron Nelson
1938: Henry Picard
1939: Ralph Guldahl
1940: Jimmy Demaret
1941: Craig Wood
1942: Byron Nelson (2)
1943: N/A-World War II
1944: N/A-World War II
1945: N/A-World War II
1946: Herman Keiser
1947: Jimmy Demaret (2)
1948: Claude Harmon
1949: Sam Snead
1950: Jimmy Demaret (3)
1951: Ben Hogan
1952: Sam Snead (2)
1953: Ben Hogan (2)
1954: Sam Snead (3)
1955: Cary Middlecoff
1956: Jack Burke Jr.
1957: Doug Ford
1958: Arnold Palmer
1959: Art Wall Jr.
1960: Arnold Palmer (2)
1961: Gary Player
1962: Arnold Palmer (3)
1963: Jack Nicklaus
1964: Arnold Palmer (4)
1965: Jack Nicklaus (2)
1966: Jack Nicklaus (3)
1967: Gay Brewer
1968: Bob Goalby
1969: George Archer
1970: Billy Casper
1971: Charles Coody
1972: Jack Nicklaus (4)
1973: Tommy Aaron
1974: Gary Player (2)
1975: Jack Nicklaus (5)
1976: Raymond Floyd
1977: Tom Watson
1978: Gary Player (3)
1979: Fuzzy Zoeller
1980: Seve Ballesteros
1981: Tom Watson
1982: Craig Stadler
1983: Seve Ballesteros
1984: Ben Crenshaw
1985: Bernhard Langer
1986: Jack Nicklaus (6)
1987: Larry Mize
1988: Sandy Lyle
1989: Nick Faldo
1990: Nick Faldo (2)
1991: Ian Woosnam
1992: Fred Couples
1993: Bernhard Langer (2)
1994: Jose Maria Olazabal
1995: Ben Crenshaw
1996: Nick Faldo
1997: Tiger Woods
1998: Mark O’Meara
1999: Jose Maria Olazabal
2000: Vijay Singh
2001: Tiger Woods (2)
2002: Tiger Woods (3)
2003: Mike Weir
2004: Phil Mickelson
2005: Tiger Woods (4)
2006: Phil Mickelson (2)
2007: Zach Johnson
2008: Trevor Immelman
2009: Angel Cabrera
2010: Phil Mickelson (3)
2011: Charl Schwartzel
2012: Bubba Watson
2013: Adam Scott
2014: Bubba Watson (2)
2015: Jordan Spieth
2016: Danny Willett

Englishman Danny Willett won the 2016 Masters over fellow countryman Lee Westwood and 2015 champion American Jordan Spieth. Willett may not end up repeating as Masters champion, but he will get to play in every Masters from here on out if he so chooses. He will also get to place the one-of-a-kind green jacket on this year’s winner.

Next: Complete List of U.S. Open Winners

Spieth has to be a front-runner to win his second Masters. He could be challenged by the likes of Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Rickie Fowler. Those four would be looking for their first green jacket in this year’s tournament. Let’s also keep an eye on past winners like Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and the ageless Fred Couples who always makes it interesting in Augusta.