who has won back to back masters is a question with a very short answer, and the record at Augusta National points first to Jack Nicklaus. The American won six Masters titles, including consecutive victories in 1965 and 1966, while only two other players have matched that back-to-back feat. That narrow group is part of the reason who has won back to back masters remains such a sharp question every spring in Augusta, Georgia.
The Only Back-To-Back Masters Champions
Jack Nicklaus is the first name on the list because he won the Masters in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986. His consecutive wins in 1965 and 1966 made him one of only three players to successfully defend the title, and the others are Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo. Woods went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002, while Faldo completed his own defense in 1990 after winning in 1989.
The same record also helps explain why who has won back to back masters is asked so often: defending the title has proved difficult across the tournament’s history. The context around Augusta’s repeat winners is tight, and the list has stayed short for decades. As the 2026 Masters opens, the history of the event still centers on those rare champions who managed to win twice in a row.
Jack Nicklaus Still Sets The Standard
Nicklaus remains the tournament’s most successful player with six titles, and the record places him ahead of Tiger Woods, who has five wins. Nicklaus is also the oldest winner of the green jacket, claiming his sixth and final title at 46 years and 82 days. Woods holds the record for the youngest Masters winner, taking his first crown in 1997 at 21 years and 104 days.
Among the broader group of multiple champions, Arnold Palmer won four times, while Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Phil Mickelson and Nick Faldo are all three-time winners. Ten other players have won twice, including current world number one Scottie Scheffler, who claimed titles in 2022 and 2025.
Why The Back-To-Back Club Stands Out
The Masters record book shows just how hard it is to defend the title. Nicklaus did it first, Woods followed, and Faldo completed the trio. The tournament’s history also shows that even the strongest champions usually stop short of repeating, which is why the back-to-back list stays so small.
At Augusta National, that rarity gives who has won back to back masters lasting weight. It is a question tied not just to champions, but to the pressure of defending a title at one of golf’s most watched stages. For now, the answer remains unchanged: Nicklaus, Woods and Faldo still define the club, and who has won back to back masters continues to point back to them.
