Which golfer won the 1997 Masters by a record 12 strokes?

Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters by a record 12 strokes over runner-up Tom Kite.

The victory, held April 10–13 at Augusta National, was Woods’ first major championship. At 21, he became the youngest Masters champion at the time and the first non-White golfer to win the tournament. His four-round total of 270 was 18 under par.

Woods did not lead after the opening round. He shot 70 after struggling on the front nine, then surged with a 66 in the second round and a 65 in the third. That stretch opened a nine-shot advantage entering Sunday. A final-round 69 secured the green jacket and extended the margin to 12 strokes, surpassing Jack Nicklaus’ previous Masters record of nine.

The result is sometimes remembered only as Woods’ breakthrough, but it was also a landmark in the tournament’s history. His performance transformed expectations for young golfers and became one of the most dominant major-championship victories ever recorded.