The career grand slam wasn’t the only history Rory McIlroy made at the Masters

No player had ever tasted victory at The Masters when their caddie wore No.81.

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie bib numbers suggested there would only be one winner at Augusta… and it wasn’t the Northern Irishman.

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie bib numbers suggested there would only be one winner at Augusta… and it wasn’t the Northern Irishman.

This year, 95 numbers were handed out, with Max Greyserman taking No.2 as the first player on site. Of course, he could have just been at the front of a long queue.

For some, there’s superstition involved. In the past, players are said to have waited to ensure they get a lucky number or avoid what they consider an unlucky number – more on that shortly.

The numbers are displayed throughout the week. You’ll see them on the famous leaderboard beside every player’s name to the right of the 1^st hole and next to the players’ names on practically every sheet of statistics we view in the media center. But, most famously, you’ll see them on the left breast of the iconic white caddie boiler suits.

This year, Rory McIlroy’s bagman, Harry Diamond, wore 81. Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie, Gregory Bodine, had 89. But we couldn’t read anything into that, could we? Actually, we could. But it turns out we were wrong to do so because winning the Career Grand Slam wasn’t the only history Rory made on Thursday.

Not only did No.89 match the 89th playing of The Masters, it had also enjoyed a lot of success at Augusta – three players have won with that number, making it the joint-most successful alongside 6, 12, and 52.

It first tasted victory with Jack Nicklaus in 1986 – the Golden Bear’s fifth and final Green Jacket.

Having taken a while to get off the mark, 89 wouldn’t be worn by a victor again until 2016 when Englishman Danny Willett stole a march on the field to seal his diest major title.

Sergio Garcia must’ve taken note because 12 months later it was his number as the Spaniard beat Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose in a playoff for a long-awaited maiden Major.

When DeChambeau charged into an early lead, it seemed it was destiny that he’d make No.89 the most winning number in Masters’ history.

Instead, McIlroy made more history. No.81 had never tasted victory until 2025. We doubt it’ll be the piece of history that excites him most from this year’s Augusta experience, but it’s another piece, nonetheless.

But what of the other numbers? 19 of them have two victories apiece, and there are loads more with a sole win. No.81 has been added to that list but there are still an estimated 40 numbers that have never been handed to an eventual winner, including No.3, No.40, and No.94. Field sizes vary each year, which plays its part for the higher numbers never getting a win.

Only Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods have ever tasted victory as No.1. Faldo’s caddie Fanny Sunneson wore No.1 in 1990, with Woods’ caddie Steve Williams wearing it in 2002.

Here’s the full list of winners, their caddies, and their number that year.

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