Who holds the Masters record for most tournament appearances?

Gary Player holds the Masters record for most tournament appearances, with 52 starts. The South African played at Augusta National from 1957 through 2009, missing only the 1973 tournament during that span because he was recovering from surgery.

Player made his Masters debut at age 21 and won the tournament three times: in 1961, 1974 and 1978. His 1961 victory made him the first international winner from outside the United States, helping establish the Masters as a truly global championship.

The appearances record is different from the record for consecutive appearances. Arnold Palmer made 50 consecutive starts from 1955 through 2004, while Player’s total reached 52 because his career at Augusta covered a longer period. Player also shared the record for 23 consecutive cuts made with Fred Couples before Tiger Woods matched it and later moved ahead.

Player’s final Masters appearance came in 2009, when he was 73. His longevity helped earn him a place alongside Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as one of golf’s celebrated “Big Three.”