1979 Masters: Fuzzy Zoeller wins at Augusta National Golf Club

Fuzzy Zoeller won the 1979 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club with 280 (−8), won a playoff against Ed Sneed and Tom Watson.

Updated October 23, 2026

See 1979 in the Masters room, or every year on the Masters winners list.

Dates: April 12, 1979 to April 15, 1979
Course: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Edition: 43rd Masters
Par: 72 · 7,040 yards
Made the cut: 45 (cut at 145)
Purse: $299,625 · winner's share $50,000
Champion: Fuzzy Zoeller · age 27 · United States · born New Albany, Indiana, USA
Champion's title: 1st Masters title
Winning score: 70-71-69-70 = 280 (−8)
Runners-up: Ed Sneed (280, −8), Tom Watson (280, −8)
54-hole leader: Ed Sneed (204, −12) · Fuzzy Zoeller was 6 strokes back (T4)
Playoff: sudden death (holes 10, 11); beat Ed Sneed; Tom Watson; Hole 10: all three par; Hole 11: Zoeller birdie to win, Watson par, Sneed did not finish the hole; 11
Caddie: Jariah Beard
Low amateur: Bobby Clampett (290)

Winner and runners-up

Pos.	Player	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par
1	Fuzzy Zoeller	70	71	69	70	280	−8
T2	Ed Sneed	68	67	69	76	280	−8
T2	Tom Watson	68	71	70	71	280	−8

What happened at the 1979 Masters

Ed Sneed led by three strokes with three holes to play but bogeyed the 16th, 17th and 18th to fall into a three-way tie.

Fuzzy Zoeller won the first sudden-death playoff in Masters history with a birdie on the second extra hole, in his first Masters appearance.

How this was built

Every value is shown as recorded in GNN's The Masters data. A value no source confirmed is left out; nothing is estimated. Where sources disagree, the organizer's own record is used.

Data: masters.json (the Masters room's data).

1979 Masters: Fuzzy Zoeller wins at Augusta National Golf Club

Winner and runners-up

What happened at the 1979 Masters

How this was built

Sources