1956 Masters Tournament


The 1956 Masters Tournament was the 20th Masters Tournament, held April 5–8 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
Jack Burke, Jr. won his first major championship and only Masters, one stroke ahead of amateur Ken Venturi. It was the final Masters played without a 36-hole cut. CBS televised the third and fourth rounds of the tournament for the first time, and has done so every year since.
Burke shot a 71 on Sunday, one of only two players to break par in the final round; he rallied from a tournament record eight shots back to pass Venturi, who had led the entire tournament. Then a 24-year-old amateur, Venturi opened with a first round 66, the best round to date at the Masters by an amateur. But on Sunday, he shot a 42 on the final nine holes to card a disappointing 80. Burke's 289, along with Sam Snead in 1954 and Zach Johnson in 2007, remains the highest winning total in Masters history.
Burke was late arriving at the course for his final round on Sunday after going to church and had only fifteen minutes to warm up.

Field

;1. Masters champions
Jimmy Demaret, Claude Harmon, Ben Hogan, Cary Middlecoff, Byron Nelson, Henry Picard, Gene Sarazen, Horton Smith, Sam Snead, Craig Wood
;2. U.S. Open champions
Julius Boros, Billy Burke, Johnny Farrell, Jack Fleck, Ed Furgol, Lawson Little, Tony Manero, Lloyd Mangrum, Fred McLeod, Sam Parks Jr., George Sargent, Lew Worsham
;3. The Open champions
Jock Hutchison, Denny Shute
;4. PGA champions
Walter Burkemo, Doug Ford, Vic Ghezzi, Chick Harbert, Johnny Revolta, Jim Turnesa
;5. U.S. Amateur and Amateur champions
Dick Chapman, Joe Conrad, Gene Littler, Billy Maxwell, Arnold Palmer, Skee Riegel, Frank Stranahan, Sam Urzetta, Harvie Ward
;6. Members of the 1955 U.S. Walker Cup team
Rex Baxter, William C. Campbell, Don Cherry, Bruce Cudd, Jimmy Jackson, Ed Meister, Dale Morey, Billy Joe Patton
;7. 1955 U.S. Amateur quarter-finalists
Bill Booe, Joe Campbell, Ed Hopkins, Bill Hyndman, Charles Kunkle, Jim McCoy, Hillman Robbins
;8. Top 24 players and ties from the 1955 Masters Tournament
Tommy Bolt, Jack Burke Jr., Pete Cooper, Jay Hebert, Dick Mayer, Johnny Palmer, Bob Rosburg, Mike Souchak
;9. Top 24 players and ties from the 1955 U.S. Open
Bob Harris, Fred Hawkins, Bud Holscher, Walker Inman, Shelley Mayfield, Al Mengert, George Schneiter, Ernie Vossler, Art Wall Jr.
;10. 1955 PGA Championship quarter-finalists
Don Fairfield
;11. Members of the U.S. 1955 Ryder Cup team
Jerry Barber, Ted Kroll
;12. One player, either amateur or professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-Masters champions
Ken Venturi
;13. One professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Open champions
Fred Haas
;14. One amateur, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Amateur champions
Don Bisplinghoff
;15. Two players, not already qualified, from a points list based on finishes in the winter part of the 1956 PGA Tour
Dow Finsterwald, Lionel Hebert
;16. Foreign invitations
Al Balding, Henry Cotton, Roberto De Vicenzo, Stan Leonard, Moe Norman

Past champions in the field

First round

Thursday, April 5, 1956
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Ken Venturi 66−6
2Cary Middlecoff67−5
T3Tommy Bolt68−4
T3Shelley Mayfield68−4
5Ben Hogan69−3
T6Doug Ford70−2
T6Bob Rosburg70−2
T6Billy Joe Patton 70−2
T9Jerry Barber71−1
T9Fred Hawkins71−1

Second round

Friday, April 6, 1956
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Ken Venturi 66-69=135−9
2Cary Middlecoff67-72=139−5
T3Tommy Bolt68-74=142−2
T3Pete Cooper72-70=142−2
T3Doug Ford70-72=142−2
T3Shelley Mayfield68-74=142−2
T7Jack Burke, Jr.72-71=143−1
T7Jerry Barber71-72=143−1
T9Fred Hawkins71-73=144E
T9Bob Rosburg70-74=144E

Third round

Saturday, April 7, 1956
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Ken Venturi 66-69-75=210−6
2Cary Middlecoff67-72-75=214−2
3Doug Ford70-72-75=217+1
T4Jack Burke, Jr.72-71-75=218+2
T4Lloyd Mangrum72-74-72=218+2
T6Jerry Barber71-72-76=219+3
T6Pete Cooper72-70-77=219+3
T8Tommy Bolt68-74-78=220+4
T8Fred Hawkins71-73-76=220+4
T8Mike Souchak73-73-74=220+4

Final round

Sunday, April 8, 1956
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney
1Jack Burke, Jr.72-71-75-71=289+16,000
2Ken Venturi 66-69-75-80=290+20
3Cary Middlecoff67-72-75-77=291+33,750
T4Lloyd Mangrum72-74-72-74=292+42,397
T4Sam Snead73-76-72-71=292+42,397
T6Jerry Barber71-72-76-75=294+61,350
T6Doug Ford70-72-75-77=294+61,350
T8Tommy Bolt68-74-78-76=296+8976
T8Ben Hogan69-78-74-75=296+8976
T8Shelley Mayfield68-74-80-74=296+8976

Scorecard

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par
Source: