Who has played at the Masters the most?

The Masters Tournament is the first major championship of the year in men’s professional golf, held annually in the first week of April at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Established in 1934, it is the only major played at the same course every year. The Masters is an invitational event with a limited field, featuring past champions, top-ranked players, and winners of top amateur and professional tournaments.

The Masters Tournament is renowned for its rich traditions and one of the most famous customs is the Champions Dinner, initiated by Ben Hogan in 1952, where past winners gather each year to honor the reigning champion, who selects the menu for the evening. For the 2025 dinner, Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, has chosen a Texas-inspired menu, as per Reuters.

Golfer with most Masters Tournament appearances

Gary Player has the most Masters appearances - 52. These were made between 1957 and 2009 with a total of 164 rounds. Arnold Palmer follows with 50 appearances and 150 rounds, while Jack Nicklaus comes in third with 45 appearances and 163 rounds, according to Golf Monthly.

Player has won the Masters Tournament three times in 1961, 1974, and 1978, making 52 appearances. He also held the record for the most straight cuts made at the Masters Tournament, with 23. But this record was broken by Tiger Woods in April 2024, when he made his 24th consecutive cut. Also, Nicklaus owns the record for the most Masters cuts made with 37, as per the European Tour.

Gary Player is also the oldest living Masters Tournament champion, after the passing of Jack Burke Jr. in January 2024. He won the event in 1956. Player is 89 years old as of March 2025 and was born on November 1, 1935.

Following is the table for most Masters Tournament appearances and rounds, as per Golf Monthly:

Golfer	Country	Masters Appearances	Masters Rounds Played	Masters Wins	Winning Years
Gary Player	South Africa	52	164	3	1961, 1974, 1978
Jack Nicklaus	USA	45	163	6	1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986
Arnold Palmer	USA	50	150	4	1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
Bernhard Langer	Germany	32	110	2	1985, 1993
Sandy Lyle	Scotland	34	102	1	1988
Seve Ballesteros	Spain	29	92	2	1980, 1983
José María Olazábal	Spain	27	90	2	1994, 1999
Ian Woosnam	Wales	28	80	1	1991
Nick Faldo	England	23	76	3	1989, 1990, 1996
Gene Littler	USA	26	100	0	—

Most Masters Tournament played consecutively

Arnold Palmer has the record for the most consecutive starts in the Masters event. He participated in every Masters Tournament from his debut in 1955 until his retirement in 2004. That is 50 years in a row without missing one.

Also read: Who is the oldest living Masters champion?