Which golfer won the inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934?

Horton Smith won the inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934.

The first event was held from March 22 to 25, 1934, at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It was officially called the Augusta National Invitation Tournament at the time, although newspapers and fans quickly began using “the Masters.” Smith finished with a 284, four under par, and defeated Craig Wood by one stroke.

Smith’s winning birdie came on the 17th hole as the course was then arranged; that hole corresponds to today’s eighth hole after Augusta National’s nines were reversed for the 1935 tournament. His victory earned $1,500 from a total purse of $5,000.

Smith was not a one-time surprise winner. He also captured the 1936 Masters, becoming the first golfer to win the tournament twice. The inaugural event also marked Bobby Jones’s return from competitive retirement, though Jones finished tied for 13th, ten strokes behind Smith.