The Masters Tournament
Where legends are made and green jackets are earned.
The Masters Tournament (usually referred to as simply the Masters, or as the U.S. Masters outside North America) is one of the four men's major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week in April, the Masters is the first major golf tournament of the year. Unlike the other major tournaments which change host venues with each tournament, the Masters is always held at the same host venue: Augusta National Golf Club, a private course in the city of Augusta, Georgia.
Lore & Background
Amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts founded the tournament. After his grand slam in 1930, Jones acquired a former plant nursery and co-designed Augusta National with course architect Alister MacKenzie. First played in 1934 as the "Augusta National Invitation Tournament", the Masters is an official money event on the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and the Japan Golf Tour. The field of players is smaller than those of the other major championships because it is an invitational event, held by the Augusta National Golf Club.
Reader's Guide
The tournament has a number of traditions. Since the 1949 Masters, a green jacket (specifically Pantone 342C, "Augusta Green") has been awarded to the champion, who must return it to the clubhouse one year after his victory, although it remains his personal property and is stored with other champions' jackets in a specially designated cloakroom. In most instances, only a first-time and reigning champion may remove his jacket from the club grounds.
A golfer who wins the event multiple times uses the same green jacket awarded upon his initial win unless he needs to be re-fitted with a new jacket. The Champions Dinner, inaugurated by Ben Hogan at the 1952 Masters, is held on the Tuesday before each Masters and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club. Beginning in 1963, distinguished golfers, usually past champions, have hit an honorary tee shot on the morning of the first round to commence play.
These have included Fred McLeod, Jock Hutchinson, Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Elder, and Tom Watson. Since 1960, a semi-social contest on the Par 3 course has been played on Wednesday, the day before the first round.
Did You Know?
- Nicklaus has the most Masters wins, with six between 1963 and 1986.
- Tiger Woods won five between 1997 and 2019.
- Palmer won four between 1958 and 1964.
- Gary Player, from South Africa, was the first non-American player to win the tournament, in 1961.
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