The lowest score ever shot in a single round at the Masters is a 9-under-par 63, a record that has stood for decades. This article will not only tell you who holds this prestigious record but also walk you through the history of those incredible rounds and explain what makes Augusta National Golf Club so resistant to even lower scores.
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The Record: A Tie at the Top
The magical score of 63 has been posted only twice in the history of the Masters Tournament. That famous low round belongs to two golfers whose moments of brilliance etched their names into the Augusta National record books forever.
Nick Price in 1986 (Third Round)
Greg Norman in 1996 (First Round)
While many of the game's greatest players have tried, no one has been able to post a 62. Both Price and Norman had putts on their final hole to do just that, but the golfing gods decided 63 was the limit. Let's look at how each of these historic rounds unfolded.
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The 1986 Masters is overwhelmingly remembered for Jack Nicklaus's historic charge to victory at 46 years old, winning his sixth Green Jacket. But on Saturday, respectfully known as "Moving Day," Nick Price created his own unforgettable piece of tournament history.
Price, a Zimbabwean professional who would later reach a No. 1 world ranking, started his third round well off the pace. The conditions were good, and with Saturday pin placements often set up for scoring, the course was gettable, but nobody saw a record-breaking round coming.
He played the front nine in a solid 3-under 33, which is a fantastic score on its own at Augusta. But it was on the famous back nine, Amen Corner and beyond, where he truly caught fire.
A Masterful Back Nine
Price reeled off birdies at holes 10, 11, and 12, successfully navigating the treacherous Amen Corner without a blemish. He then added another birdie on the par-5 13th. After making pars at 14 and 15, he birdied the 16th to move to 8-under for his round with two holes to play. A par on 17 set the stage for a dramatic finish.
On the 18th hole, needing a birdie to shoot 62, Price hit a beautiful approach shot. His putt for the record lipped out in heartbreaking fashion, leaving him with a tap-in par for a course-record-tying 63. Though momentarily disappointed, his 9-under round vaulted him up the leaderboard and became the benchmark for a single-day performance at the Masters.
The Shark's Statement Round: Greg Norman's 63
Ten years later, it was Greg Norman’s turn. Unlike Price who fired his record on a Saturday, Norman posted his 63 in the very first round of the 1996 Masters, a statement of utter dominance right from the start. "The Great White Shark" was the No. 1 player in the world, and his Thursday performance felt like a declaration that this was finally his tournament to win.
He shot a 5-under-par 31 on the front nine and followed it with a 4-under 32 on the back. It was a flawless, bogey-free exhibition of golf. Norman's iron play was immaculate, and his putting was exceptional. He made it look easy, which anyone who has watched golf at Augusta knows is anything but.
Birdies on the Front: 2, 3, 6, 7, 9
Birdies on the Back: 13, 15, 17, 18
Like Price before him, Norman had an opportunity for a putt for 62 on the 18th green but just missed, settling for a 63. This incredible start gave him a massive lead heading into the remainder of the tournament. Unfortunately for Norman, this round is often remembered as the tragic opening act to his infamous final-round collapse, where he lost a six-stroke lead to Nick Faldo. Still, his performance on that Thursday remains one of the greatest single rounds ever played, tying a record that stands to this day.
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Why Is Beating 63 So Difficult at Augusta National?
Dozens of the world’s best have had their shot. In the years since 1996, legends like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, and an entire generation of long-hitting, fearless players have tried and failed to best 63. To understand why it's so hard, you have to understand the unique genius and challenge of Augusta National.
It's a "Second-Shot" Golf Course
From the tee, Augusta National's fairways look deceptively wide and inviting. This is by design. Course architects Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones wanted to create a course that was strategic, not just penal. You can hit a driver virtually anywhere in the fairway on some holes, but the work is just beginning.
The true difficulty lies in your approach shot. The greens are divided into small sections or tiers. To have a good look at birdie, you must land your ball in the correct section. If you hit your approach shot on the wrong tier, you could be left with an impossibly fast, breaking putt that has little to no chance of going in. A shot that is six feet from perfect might end up 50 feet away after it funnels down a slope.
This demands unbelievable precision with your irons. Shooting 63 requires hitting almost every single approach shot into the correct, small landing zone to give yourself makable birdie putts.
The Diabolical Greens
Once you are on the greens, the test gets even harder. Augusta’s greens are famous for two things: speed and contour.
Speed: During tournament week, the greens run exceptionally fast on the Stimpmeter, often reaching 13 or 14. This is slick - it means downhill putts often feel like you are just trying to get the ball to stop somewhere near the hole, not make it.
Contour: The slopes on the greens are severe. What looks like a small break on TV can be a huge, sweeping curve in person. Knowing a two-foot break can actually be a four-foot break is something you only learn through experience. To shoot 63, a player needs a masterful day of green reading and perfect pace control.
The Unmatched Pressure
Finally, there's the pressure. The Masters isn't just another tournament, for many players, it's the pinnacle of the sport. The history, the roars of the crowd echoing through the tall Georgia pines, and the weight of striving for a Green Jacket all combine to create an atmosphere of intense psychological pressure.
Every shot feels magnified. A player who gets to 6 or 7-under during their round starts attracting TV cameras and building expectations. Suddenly, they aren't just playing - they are chasing history. Maintaining focus and executing perfectly when you know a course record is within reach is one of the toughest mental challenges in sports.
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The difficulty of shooting 63 is highlighted by the impressive list of golfers who have shot 64. Seeing these names only serves to elevate the accomplishments of Price and Norman.
Lloyd Mangrum (1940)
Jack Nicklaus (1965)
Gary Player (1978)
Tiger Woods (2005)
Jordan Spieth (2018)
Rory McIlroy (2022)
Shane Lowry (2022)
These players - some of the best to ever swing a club - all put together a nearly perfect day of golf. Yet, that one extra birdie needed to tie the record, or two needed to break it, proved just out of reach.
Final Thoughts
The lowest round at the Masters remains the seemingly untouchable 63, a score jointly held by Nick Price and Greg Norman. Their remarkable rounds - one a Moving Day surge and the other an opening-round statement - have cemented their place in golf history and highlighted the immense challenge of conquering Augusta National for even a single day.
While chasing a 63 at Augusta might not be in the cards for most of us, we all face moments on the course where the right strategy is the difference between a good hole and a bad one. Knowing which hazards to avoid, where the smart miss is, and how to play a tricky lie can save strokes. That's exactly where my AI tool, Caddie AI, can help you. When you're unsure about the best play for a hole or have a tough shot in front of you, you can ask for expert advice right from your phone, getting a smart strategy that lets you commit to your swing with confidence, just like the pros do.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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