# 1953 Masters Tournament

The 1953 Masters Tournament was the 17th Masters Tournament, held April 9–12 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
Ben Hogan shattered the Masters scoring record by five strokes with a 274 (−14), which stood for twelve years, until Jack Nicklaus' 271 in 1965. Hogan shot four rounds of 70 or better, and went on to win the U.S. Open by six strokes in June and the British Open by four in July. Through 2022, it remains the only time these three majors were won in the same calendar year.
Hogan, age forty, led by four strokes after 54 holes and finished five ahead of runner-up Ed Oliver to win his second Masters, the seventh of his nine major titles. This win was commemorated five years later in 1958 with the dedication of the Hogan Bridge over Rae's Creek at the par-3 12th hole.
Hogan was the first Masters winner over age forty; a few months older than Hogan, Sam Snead won the next year at 41.

## Course

| Hole | Yards | Par | | Hole | Yards | Par |
| 1 | 400 | 4 | | 10 | 470 | 4 |
| 2 | 555 | 5 | | 11 | 445 | 4 |
| 3 | 355 | 4 | | 12 | 155 | 3 |
| 4 | 220 | 3 | | 13 | 470 | 5 |
| 5 | 450 | 4 | | 14 | 420 | 4 |
| 6 | 190 | 3 | | 15 | 505 | 5 |
| 7 | 365 | 4 | | 16 | 190 | 3 |
| 8 | 520 | 5 | | 17 | 400 | 4 |
| 9 | 420 | 4 | | 18 | 420 | 4 |
| Out | 3,475 | 36 | | In | 3,475 | 36 |
| Source: | Source: | Source: | Total | Total | 6,950 | 72 |

## Field
### 1. Masters champions

Jimmy Demaret (10), Claude Harmon (9), Ben Hogan (2,6,9,10), Byron Nelson (2,6,9), Henry Picard (6), Gene Sarazen (2,4,6), Horton Smith (10), Sam Snead (4,6,9,10), Craig Wood (2)
* Ralph Guldahl (2) and Herman Keiser did not play.

### 2. U.S. Open champions

Julius Boros (9,10), Billy Burke, Olin Dutra (6), Chick Evans (3,a), Lloyd Mangrum (9,10), Fred McLeod, Cary Middlecoff (9,10,12), Sam Parks Jr., Lew Worsham (9,10)

### 3. U.S. Amateur champions

Dick Chapman (5,a), Charles Coe (a), Skee Riegel (9), Jess Sweetser (5,a), Jack Westland (11,a)

### 4. British Open champions

Jock Hutchison (6), Denny Shute (6)

### 5. British Amateur champions

Frank Stranahan (9,a), Robert Sweeny Jr. (a), Harvie Ward (9,a)

### 6. PGA champions

Jim Ferrier (9), Vic Ghezzi, Bob Hamilton (12), Chandler Harper, Johnny Revolta (9), Jim Turnesa (12)

### 7. Members of the U.S. 1953 Ryder Cup team

* Team not selected in time for inclusion

### 8. Members of the U.S. 1953 Walker Cup team

* Team not selected in time for inclusion

### 9. Top 24 players and ties from the 1952 Masters Tournament

Al Besselink, Arnold Blum (a), Tommy Bolt (10), Jack Burke Jr., George Fazio (10), Doug Ford (10), Fred Hawkins, Clayton Heafner, Joe Kirkwood Jr., Chuck Kocsis (a), Ted Kroll (10,12), Johnny Palmer

### 10. Top 24 players and ties from the 1952 U.S. Open

Al Brosch, Johnny Bulla, Clarence Doser (12), Leland Gibson, Chick Harbert (12), Jimmy Jackson (a), Milon Marusic, Dick Metz, Ed Oliver, Earl Stewart, Harry Todd, Felice Torza, Bill Trombley, Bo Wininger
* Paul Runyan (6) did not play.

### 11. 1952 U.S. Amateur quarter-finalists

Don Cherry (a), Al Mengert
* Gene Littler (a), Jim McHale Jr. (a) and Dick Yost (a) did not play.

### 12. 1952 PGA Championship quarter-finalists

Frank Champ, Fred Haas

### 13. One amateur, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Amateur champions

William C. Campbell (a)

### 14. One professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Open champions

Skip Alexander

### 15. Two players, not already qualified, with the best scoring average in the winter part of the 1953 PGA Tour

Jerry Barber, Dick Mayer

### 16. Foreign invitations

John de Bendern (5,a), Ricardo Rossi, Peter Thomson

## Round summaries
### First round

Thursday, April 9, 1953
| Place | Player | Score | To par |
| 1 | Chick Harbert | 68 | −4 |
| T2 | Al Besselink | 69 | −3 |
| T2 | Ed Oliver | 69 | −3 |
| T4 | Ben Hogan | 70 | −2 |
| T4 | Milan Marusic | 70 | −2 |
| T6 | Tommy Bolt | 71 | −1 |
| T6 | Bob Hamilton | 71 | −1 |
| T6 | Ted Kroll | 71 | −1 |
| T6 | Sam Snead | 71 | −1 |
| T10 | Skip Alexander | 72 | E |
| T10 | Dick Chapman (a) | 72 | E |
| T10 | Frank Stranahan (a) | 72 | E |
    Source:

### Second round

Friday, April 10, 1953
| Place | Player | Score | To par |
| 1 | Ben Hogan | 70-69=139 | −5 |
| 2 | Bob Hamilton | 71-69=140 | −4 |
| T3 | Chick Harbert | 68-73=141 | −3 |
| T3 | Ted Kroll | 71-70=141 | −3 |
| T5 | Lloyd Mangrum | 74-68=142 | −2 |
| T5 | Milan Marusic | 70-72=142 | −2 |
| T5 | Ed Oliver | 69-73=142 | −2 |
| T8 | Al Besselink | 69-75=144 | E |
| T8 | Julius Boros | 73-71=144 | E |
| T8 | Leland Gibson | 73-71=144 | E |
| T8 | Lew Worsham | 74-70=144 | E |
    Source:

### Third round

Saturday, April 11, 1953
With a 66 (−6), 1951 champion Ben Hogan set the 54-hole scoring record at 205 (−11).
| Place | Player | Score | To par |
| 1 | Ben Hogan | 70-69-66=205 | −11 |
| 2 | Ed Oliver | 69-73-67=209 | −7 |
| 3 | Bob Hamilton | 71-69-70=210 | −6 |
| 4 | Chick Harbert | 68-73-70=211 | −5 |
| 5 | Lloyd Mangrum | 74-68-71=213 | −3 |
| T6 | Al Besselink | 69-75-70=214 | −2 |
| T6 | Tommy Bolt | 71-75-68=214 | −2 |
| T6 | Ted Kroll | 71-70-73=214 | −2 |
| 9 | Chandler Harper | 74-72-69=215 | −1 |
| T10 | Jack Burke Jr. | 78-69-69=216 | E |
| T10 | Leland Gibson | 73-71-72=216 | E |
| T10 | Dick Mayer | 73-72-71=216 | E |
| T10 | Dick Metz | 73-72-71=216 | E |
| T10 | Frank Stranahan (a) | 72-75-69=216 | E |
| T10 | Harvie Ward (a) | 73-74-69=216 | E |
    Source:

### Final round

Sunday, April 12, 1953

#### Final leaderboard

* Champion
* Silver Cup winner (low amateur)
* (a) = amateur
* (c) = past champion
Top 10 :
| Place | Player | Score | To par | Money (US$) |
| 1 | Ben Hogan (c) | 70-69-66-69=274 | −14 | 4,000 |
| 2 | Ed Oliver | 69-73-67-70=279 | −9 | 2,500 |
| 3 | Lloyd Mangrum | 74-68-71-69=282 | −6 | 1,700 |
| 4 | Bob Hamilton | 71-69-70-73=283 | −5 | 1,400 |
| T5 | Tommy Bolt | 71-75-68-71=285 | −3 | 900 |
| T5 | Chick Harbert | 68-73-70-74=285 | −3 | 900 |
| 7 | Ted Kroll | 71-70-73-72=286 | −2 | 700 |
| 8 | Jack Burke Jr. | 78-69-69-71=287 | −1 | 650 |
| 9 | Al Besselink | 69-75-70-74=288 | E | 600 |
| T10 | Julius Boros | 73-71-75-70=289 | +1 | 523 |
| T10 | Chandler Harper | 74-72-69-74=289 | +1 | 523 |
| T10 | Fred Hawkins | 75-70-74-70=289 | +1 | 523 |
Leaderboard below the top 10 :
| Place | Player | Score | To par | Money ($) |
| 13 | Johnny Palmer | 74-73-72-71=290 | +2 | 450 |
| T14 | Frank Stranahan (a) | 72-75-69-75=291 | +3 | 0 |
| T14 | Harvie Ward (a) | 73-74-69-75=291 | +3 | 0 |
| T16 | Charles Coe (a) | 75-74-72-71=292 | +4 | 0 |
| T16 | Jim Ferrier | 74-71-76-71=292 | +4 | 443 |
| T16 | Dick Mayer | 73-72-71-76=292 | +4 | 443 |
| T16 | Sam Snead (c) | 71-75-71-75=292 | +4 | 443 |
| T16 | Earl Stewart | 75-72-70-75=292 | +4 | 443 |
| T21 | Jerry Barber | 73-76-72-72=293 | +5 | 425 |
| T21 | Doug Ford | 73-73-72-75=293 | +5 | 425 |
| T23 | Leland Gibson | 73-71-72-78=294 | +6 | 407 |
| T23 | Al Mengert | 77-70-75-72=294 | +6 | 407 |
| T23 | Dick Metz | 73-72-71-78=294 | +6 | 407 |
| 26 | Fred Haas | 74-73-71-77=295 | +7 | 400 |
| T27 | Cary Middlecoff | 75-76-68-77=296 | +8 | 200 |
| T27 | Jim Turnesa | 73-74-73-76=296 | +8 | 200 |
| T29 | Skip Alexander | 72-78-74-73=297 | +9 | 200 |
| T29 | Byron Nelson (c) | 73-73-78-73=297 | +9 | 200 |
| T29 | Skee Riegel | 74-72-76-75=297 | +9 | 200 |
| T29 | Felice Torza | 78-73-72-74=297 | +9 | 200 |
| T29 | Bo Wininger | 80-70-72-75=297 | +9 | 200 |
| T34 | Clarence Doser | 75-77-71-75=298 | +10 | 200 |
| T34 | Claude Harmon (c) | 75-73-75-75=298 | +10 | 200 |
| T34 | Robert Sweeny Jr. (a) | 75-76-72-75=298 | +10 | 0 |
| 37 | Dick Chapman (a) | 72-77-78-72=299 | +11 | 0 |
| T38 | Al Brosch | 74-73-78-75=300 | +12 | 200 |
| T38 | Jimmy Jackson (a) | 75-77-74-74=300 | +12 | 0 |
| T38 | Milon Marusic | 70-72-77-81=300 | +12 | 200 |
| T38 | Henry Picard (c) | 73-75-74-78=300 | +12 | 200 |
| T38 | Gene Sarazen (c) | 75-78-73-74=300 | +12 | 200 |
| T38 | Peter Thomson | 77-76-74-73=300 | +12 | 200 |
| 44 | Lew Worsham | 74-70-77-80=301 | +13 | 200 |
| T45 | William C. Campbell (a) | 75-78-74-75=302 | +14 | 0 |
| T45 | Don Cherry (a) | 73-76-79-74=302 | +14 | 0 |
| T45 | Jimmy Demaret (c) | 73-80-75-74=302 | +14 | 200 |
| T45 | Chuck Kocsis (a) | 75-75-75-77=302 | +14 | 0 |
| T45 | Horton Smith (c) | 78-76-72-76=302 | +14 | 200 |
| 50 | Sam Parks Jr. | 73-76-76-79=304 | +16 | 200 |
| T51 | Johnny Bulla | 75-77-81-72=305 | +17 | 200 |
| T51 | George Fazio | 77-74-77-77=305 | +17 | 200 |
| T53 | Harry Todd | 78-73-75-80=306 | +18 | 200 |
| T53 | Jack Westland (a) | 81-74-75-76=306 | +18 | 0 |
| T55 | Arnold Blum (a) | 76-73-77-82=308 | +20 | 0 |
| T55 | Ricardo Rossi | 75-81-80-72=308 | +20 | 200 |
| T55 | Denny Shute | 78-81-74-75=308 | +20 | 200 |
| 58 | Johnny Revolta | 77-77-75-81=310 | +22 | 200 |
| T59 | Frank Champ | 85-72-77-77=311 | +23 | 200 |
| T59 | Bill Trombley | 78-75-79-79=311 | +23 | 200 |
| 61 | John de Bendern (a) | 80-77-75-80=312 | +24 | 0 |
| 62 | Craig Wood (c) | 81-78-76-80=315 | +27 | 200 |
| 63 | Olin Dutra | 80-78-82-78=318 | +30 | 200 |
| 64 | Chick Evans (a) | 85-79-79-85=328 | +40 | 0 |
| WD | Vic Ghezzi | 74-77-73=224 | +8 | |
| WD | Jess Sweetser (a) | 75-78-77=230 | +14 | |
| WD | Clayton Heafner | 78-74-79=231 | +15 | |
| WD | Billy Burke | 80-80=160 | +16 | |
| WD | Jock Hutchison | | | |
| WD | Joe Kirkwood Jr. | | | |
| WD | Fred McLeod | | | |
    Source:

#### Scorecard

| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Hogan | −11 | −12 | −12 | −13 | −13 | −12 | −12 | −11 | −11 | −11 | −11 | −11 | −12 | −12 | −13 | −13 | −13 | −14 |
| Oliver | −7 | −8 | −9 | −9 | −9 | −9 | −9 | −9 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −7 | −8 | −8 | −8 | −8 | −8 | −9 |
| Mangrum | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −4 | −5 | −6 |
| Hamilton | −5 | −5 | −5 | −5 | −5 | −6 | −6 | −6 | −6 | −5 | −5 | −5 | −4 | −5 | −5 | −4 | −5 | −5 |
| Bolt | −2 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 |
| Harbert | −5 | −5 | −5 | −2 | −3 | −2 | −2 | −2 | −3 | −1 | −1 | −1 | −1 | −1 | −1 | −2 | −3 | −3 |
Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par
| Birdie | Bogey | Double bogey | Triple bogey + |