1980 Masters Tournament

DatesApril 10–13, 1980

LocationAugusta, Georgia
33°30′11″N 82°01′12″W / 33.503°N 82.020°W / 33.503; -82.020

CourseAugusta National Golf Club

Organized byAugusta National Golf Club

1980 Masters Tournament

Front cover of the 1980 Masters Guide
Tournament information
Dates	April 10–13, 1980
Location	Augusta, Georgia 33°30′11″N 82°01′12″W / 33.503°N 82.020°W / 33.503; -82.020
Course	Augusta National Golf Club
Organized by	Augusta National Golf Club
Tour	PGA Tour
Statistics
Par	72
Length	7,040 yards (6,437 m)[1]
Field	91 players, 52 after cut
Cut	146 (+2)
Prize fund	$359,949
Winner's share	$55,000
Champion
Seve Ballesteros
275 (−13)
Location map
Augusta National Location in the United States Show map of the United States Augusta National Location in Georgia Show map of Georgia
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The 1980 Masters Tournament was the 44th Masters Tournament, held April 10–13 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

Seve Ballesteros, age 23, won his first Masters and second major championship title, four strokes ahead of runners-up Jack Newton and Gibby Gilbert.^[2] Ballesteros had a seven stroke lead after 54 holes^[3] and extended it to ten strokes after the front nine of the final round at 16-under-par, eyeing the Masters record of 271 (−17) set by Jack Nicklaus in 1965 (and equaled by Raymond Floyd in 1976). A new record (of 270 or lower) was to be rewarded with a $50,000 bonus from Golf magazine.^[4] An hour later, after he found the water at 12 and 13 at Amen Corner, the lead had been reduced to two. Ballesteros regrouped with a birdie at 15 and parred the rest to shoot even-par 72 for the round and held on for the victory.^[5][6]

Well back in the field on Sunday, Nicklaus, age 40, was paired with Arnold Palmer, age 50, which drew large galleries. Palmer shot 69 to finish at even par and T24, Nicklaus had 73 to finish at 291 (+3) and T33.^[4] It was their first pairing at Augusta in five years and the first time Palmer had finished higher than Nicklaus there since 1967.^[7] Nicklaus regrouped and won two majors in 1980, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship and was the runner-up the following April.

Ballesteros, of Spain, was the first winner of the Masters from Europe, and won a second green jacket in 1983.

This was the final Masters with Bermuda and ryegrass greens, which were replaced with bentgrass following this tournament.^[8]