Who was the first golfer to win the Masters back-to-back?

The 89th edition of the Masters is right around the corner, and Scottie Scheffler will have his sights set on successfully retaining his title. It has been over two decades since a golfer has clinched the green jacket for two consecutive years. The feat was last achieved back in 2002 by Tiger Woods.

Woods might have been the last golfer to grab the trophy two years in a row, but who was the first? It was none other than Jack Nicklaus.

The Golden Bear not only won a record-breaking 18 major championships in his career, including six Masters titles, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens, and three Open Championships, but also set the record for being the first to win back-to-back Masters titles.

After his first Masters win in 1963, his second green jacket came in 1965. He defeated Gary Player and Arnold Palmer by a whopping nine strokes and grabbed the trophy. Entering the 1966 Masters as the defending champion, he made more history.

At the end of 72 holes at the 1966 Masters, Nicklaus, Gay Brewer, and Tommy Jacobs were all locked at even-par 288—a full 17 strokes higher than Nicklaus’ winning total from the previous year. That tie sent them into an 18-hole playoff on the next day. Nicklaus emerged victorious, carding a steady 70 to secure back-to-back Masters wins. Jacobs followed with a 72, while Brewer struggled and finished with a 78.

Jack Nicklaus was the first player to achieve the feat, but since then two more players have joined the list.

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Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo also won the Masters back-to-back

Following Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo became the second player to win the Masters back-to-back. Faldo pulled off a dramatic comeback at Augusta, sinking a clutch 25-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole—the 11th—to edge out Scott Hoch and claim his first victory.

PGA: PNC Championship - Source: Imagn

The win made Faldo the fifth international player to earn a green jacket and the very first from England to do so. Despite being three shots behind with only three holes to play, he managed to force a playoff before triumphing over Hoch. In 1990, he entered as the defending champion, and defeated Raymond Floyd on the second playoff hole to grab his second consecutive win at the Augusta National.

The only other golfer apart from them to have achieved the feat is Tiger Woods. He won the green jacket consecutively in 2001 and 2002. This year, Scottie Scheffler will be entering the field as the defending champion.

The world's top ranked golfer will no doubt be among the favorites to come out on top at Augusta National next weekend. But he will face tough competition from the likes of Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jon Rahm, among others.