Masters History: Michigan Players at Augusta

by Terry Moore

Being invited and playing in the Masters is a major milestone for any golfer, professional or amateur. By my count, this elite group of Michiganders is currently at 16 golfers: four amateurs and 12 pros.

This self-directed criterion included only residents of the state at the time of their Masters or those who were born in Michigan and lived here for a significant period of time. For that reason, I didn't include Mike Donald (Masters in 1990 & '91), who was born in Grand Rapids, but whose parents moved out of state when he was a child. Also, I didn't count non-resident college players like Michigan State University's Jack Newman and University of Michigan's Lion Kim when they played in the Masters as amateur invitees, in 2009 and 2011, respectively.

Notably, two Michiganders played in the very first Masters in 1934, Al Watrous and Leo Diegel. At the time, Watrous was the head golf pro at Oakland Hills and already a dominant player with two Ryder Cup teams to his credit. He finished T-11 and earned $100. Diegel, born in Gratiot Township, won the 1916 Michigan Open at age 17 and became a regular Tour winner. He finished T-16 in Augusta.  

Watrous would play in nine Masters overall while Diegel played in only two, due to a lingering shoulder injury.

The legendary Michigan amateur Chuck Kocsis played in 11 Masters, the most by an amateur from the state. His first was in 1937, and his last was in 1961. In 1952, Kocsis won the Silver-Gold Cup as the low amateur when he finished T-14 with the best closing 36 holes in the field with 71-73 under windy conditions.

Chick Harbert holds the record of most Masters starts as a Michigander with an impressive 21, the first coming in 1939. Known for his prodigious length off the tee, Harbert's best Masters finish was third place in 1948 when a final round of 76 derailed his chances for the title. Overall, Harbert won seven times on Tour, including the 1954 PGA Championship, and was a dominant player in the Michigan PGA Section.

Sam Byrd, the head pro at Plum Hollow CC in Detroit beginning in 1943, played in the '46 and '48 Masters. Before arriving in Michigan, he played in three Masters, with his best finish being a third place in 1941. A former Major League Baseball player, Byrd is the only person to have played in the World Series (1932) and the Masters.

A one-time resident of Michigan, Ed Furgol compiled a distinguished amateur and professional career. Hailing from Detroit at the time, Furgol first played in the Masters in 1947 when he finished T-44. In all, he played in 16 Masters with his best tournament in 1963 with a T-5, three shots behind Jack Nicklaus. In his career, Furgol won seven Tour titles, including the '54 U.S. Open when he lived in St. Louis.

Born in Detroit, Walter Burkemo started caddying at the Lochmoor Club at age 8. The youngest of 13 children, his promising pro career was delayed by serious injuries incurred during World War II. But his game blossomed in the '50s, as he won several events and played in the 1952 Masters for the first time. In all, the '54 PGA Championship winner played in 12 Masters with a best finish of a T-6 in 1960.

By virtue of him being a quarter-finalist in the '62 U.S. Amateur, Ann Arbor's Bill Newcomb Jr. played in the '63 Masters. He missed the cut.

Jackson's Dave Hill, the consummate ball striker, played in a dozen Masters from '68 to '79, and made 10 cuts. His best Masters was a T-5 in 1970.

Mike Hill, Dave's younger brother, played in two Masters ('73 &'78) and made the cut and finished T-37 in '78.

Detroit-born and a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, Calvin Peete competed in eight Masters from 1980 to '87 and made the cut in them all.  His best finish was T-11 in 1986. 

Of course, Mt Pleasant's Dan Pohl will always be remembered for his first Masters in 1982 when he lost in a playoff on the 10th hole to Craig Stadler. That Masters, Pohl fired a pair of 67s on the weekend and carded back-to-back eagles on holes 13 and 14, earning him a cache of crystal. Pohl played in seven Masters.

Marshall native John Morse played in the 1995 and '97 Masters as a professional invitee. Both times, he missed the cut.

In an inspiring story, Alma's Randy Lewis, after winning the 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at the age of 54, played in the 2012 Masters. He missed the cut.

After winning the 2016 Zurich Classic in New Orleans, Jackson's Brian Stuard played in the '17 Masters where he made the cut and finished T-36.

Finally, due to his sensational U.S. Amateur victory at Oakmont CC in 2021, Canton native and Michigan State University grad James Piot teed it up at the '22 Masters where he missed the cut.

Unfortunately, there are no Michigan players in this year's tournament.

A member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, Moore's coverage of the 2026 Masters will be his 40th.