Decade by decade, the best of the Masters
By Bill Felber
Masters: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player
The game’s first made-for-TV triumvirate arose early in the 1960s, Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player divvying up the decade’s first six Masters. Palmer won in 1960, 1962, and 1964, Nicklaus in 1963 and 1965, Player in 1961.
A total of 39 players qualified for consideration by making the cut in at least five of the decade’s 10 events. Only Player and Billy Casper, however, survived all 10 cuts. Even Palmer and Nicklaus failed to surmount that hurdle, Nicklaus being cut in 1967 and Palmer in 1968.
Here is the top 10 for the decade of the 1960s
Rk Player Avg. Std. Dev
1. Arnold Palmer -1.72
2. Jack Nicklaus -1.31
3. Gary Player -1.11
4. Dow Finsterwald -0.78
5. Tommy Aaron -0.68
6. Billy Casper -0.68
7. Bruce Devlin -0.67
8. Don January -0.65
9. Julius Boros -0.64
10. Paul Harney -0.62
Palmer’s three victories gave him a leg-up on the overall decade title. He supplemented it with runner-up finishes in 1961 and 1965 plus fourth-place finishes in 1966 and 1967. Only once in the decade was he outside the top 10, that coming in 1969, when he came home 27th.
Aside from his 1963, 1965, and 1966 victories, Nicklaus was second to Palmer in 1964 and fifth in 1968. The difference between the two lay in Nicklaus’ off years, which were not as strong as Palmer’s. Jack tied for 13th in 1960, for 15th in 1962, and for 24th in 1969.
That leaves Player in an undisputed third spot for the decade. Between 1960 and 1968 he only once finished outside the top seven, that being a tie for 28th in 1966.
Finsterwald is probably the decade’s unheralded Masters star. Loser to Palmer and Player in a 1962 playoff, he made six cuts, finishing third also in 1960, and fifth in 1963.