Ken Venturi led from the start of the 1956 Masters by opening with a record-low 66 by an amateur. He was four-up on the defending champion Cary Middlecoff at the end of both rounds two and three and gong into final round was eight shots ahead of Jack Burke, Jr. With nine holes to play, Venturi still led by four from Middlecoff with Burke one further shot behind. Venturi bogeyed six of the last nine holes as he finished one behind Burke, who won his first Major. Only a double bogey six at the 17th prevented Middlecoff forcing a play-off with Burke.

The 1950s was a Golden Era for amateurs at The Masters with them finishing in the top-20 every year in the decade and between 1954-59 enjoyed a top-8 finish every year.