 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Established | 1934; 91 years ago (1934) |
| Course(s) | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,555 yards (6,908 m)[1] |
| Organized by | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour European Tour Japan Golf Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $21,000,000 |
| Month played | April[a] |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 268Dustin Johnson (2020) |
| To par | −20as above |
| Current champion | |
 Rory McIlroy | |
 2025 Masters Tournament | |
| Location map | |
  Augusta National GC Location in United States Show map of the United States | |
TheMasters Tournament (usually referred to as simplythe Masters, or as theU.S. Masters outside North America)[2][3] is one of the fourmen's major championships inprofessional 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, the Masters is always held at the same location:Augusta National Golf Club, a private course in the city ofAugusta, Georgia.
Amateur golf championBobby Jones andinvestment bankerClifford Roberts founded the tournament.[4] After hisgrand slam in 1930, Jones acquired the formerplant nursery and co-designed Augusta National with course architectAlister MacKenzie.[1] First played in1934 as the "Augusta National Invitation Tournament",[b] the Masters is an official money event[clarification needed] on thePGA Tour, theEuropean Tour, and theJapan 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.
The tournament has a number of traditions. Since the1949 Masters, a green jacket (specificallyPantone 342C, "Augusta Green")[6] 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.[7] The Champions Dinner, inaugurated byBen Hogan at the1952 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 includedFred McLeod,Jock Hutchinson,Gene Sarazen,Sam Snead,Byron Nelson,Arnold Palmer,Jack Nicklaus,Gary Player,Lee Elder, andTom Watson. Since 1960, asemi-social contest on the par-3 course has been played on Wednesday, the day before the first round.
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. Five have won three titles at Augusta:Jimmy Demaret,Sam Snead,Gary Player,Nick Faldo, andPhil Mickelson. Gary Player, fromSouth Africa, was the first non-American player to win the tournament, in1961; the second wasSeve Ballesteros ofSpain, the champion in1980 and1983.
The Augusta National course first opened in 1933 and has been modified many times by different architects. Among the changes: greens have been reshaped and, on occasion, entirely re-designed, bunkers have been added, water hazards have been extended, new tee boxes have been built, hundreds of trees have been planted, and several mounds have been installed.[8]
The idea for Augusta National originated withBobby Jones, who wanted to build a golf course after his retirement from the game. He sought advice from Clifford Roberts, who later became the chairman of the club. They came across a piece of land inAugusta, Georgia, of which Jones said: "Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course upon it."[9]The land had been anindigo plantation in the early nineteenth century and aplant nursery since 1857.[10] Jones hiredAlister MacKenzie to help design the course, and work began in 1931. The course formally opened in 1933, but MacKenzie died before the first Masters Tournament was played.[11]
The first "Augusta National Invitation Tournament", as the Masters was originally known, began on March 22, 1934, and was won byHorton Smith, who took the first prize of $1,500. The present name was adopted in 1939. The first tournament was played with current holes 10 through 18 played as the first nine, and 1 through 9 as the second nine[12] then reversed permanently to its present layout for the 1935 tournament.[4]
Initially the Augusta National Invitation field was composed of Bobby Jones' close associates. Jones had petitioned theUSGA to hold theU.S. Open at Augusta but the USGA denied the petition, noting that the hot Georgia summers would create difficult playing conditions.[13]
Gene Sarazen hit the "shot heard 'round the world" in 1935, holing a shot from thefairway on thepar 5 15th for adouble eagle (albatross).[14] This tied Sarazen withCraig Wood, and in the ensuing 36-hole playoff, Sarazen was the victor by five strokes.[15]
Byron Nelson won the first of two Masters titles in 1937.Jimmy Demaret won three times as didSam Snead in the 1940s and 1950s.Ben Hogan won the 1951 and 1953 Masters and was runner-up on four occasions.
In 1940,Clifford Roberts, chairman of the Masters, stated that the Masters was one of the top tournaments in the United States, if not the biggest. He stated, "I am told that the Masters has outdistanced in attendance both theU.S. Amateur and thePGA."[16] The tournament was not played from 1943 to 1945, due toWorld War II. To assist the war effort, cattle and turkeys were raised on the Augusta National grounds.[4]
The Big Three of Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus dominated the Masters from 1960 through 1978, winning the event 11 times between them during that span. After winning by one stroke in 1958,[15] Palmer won by one stroke again in 1960 in memorable circumstances. TrailingKen Venturi by one shot in the 1960 event, Palmer made birdies on the last two holes to prevail. Palmer would go on to win another two Masters in 1962 and 1964.[15]
Nicklaus emerged in the early 1960s and served as a rival to the popular Palmer. Nicklaus won his first green jacket in 1963, defeatingTony Lema by one stroke.[17] Two years later, he shot a then-course record of 271 (17 under par) for his second Masters win, leading Bobby Jones to say that Nicklaus played "a game with which I am not familiar."[18] The next year, Nicklaus won his third green jacket in a grueling 18-hole playoff againstTommy Jacobs andGay Brewer.[19] This made Nicklaus the first player to win consecutive Masters. He won again in 1972 by three strokes.[15] In 1975, Nicklaus won by one stroke in a close contest withTom Weiskopf andJohnny Miller in one of the most exciting Masters to date.[20]
Player became the first non-American to win the Masters in1961, beating Palmer, the defending champion, by one stroke when Palmer double-bogeyed the final hole.[15] In 1974, he won again by two strokes.[15] After not winning a tournament on the U.S. PGA tour for nearly four years, and at the age of 42, Player won his third and final Masters in 1978 by one stroke over three players.[15] Player is second in consecutive cuts made with 23 straight (tied withFred Couples), and has played in a record 52 Masters.[21][22]
A controversial ending to the Masters occurred in 1968. Argentine championRoberto De Vicenzo signed his scorecard (attested by playing partnerTommy Aaron) incorrectly recording him as making a par 4 instead of a birdie 3 on the 17th hole of the final round. According to the rules of golf, if a player signs a scorecard (thereby attesting to its veracity) that records a score on a hole higher than what he actually made on the hole, the player receives the higher score for that hole. This extra stroke cost De Vicenzo a chance to be in an 18-hole Monday playoff withBob Goalby, who won the green jacket. De Vicenzo's mistake led to the famous quote, "What a stupid I am."[15][23]
In1975,Lee Elder became the firstAfrican American to play in the Masters,[24] doing so 15 years before Augusta National admitted its first black member, Ron Townsend, as a result of theShoal Creek Controversy.[25]
Non-Americans collected 11 victories in 20 years in the 1980s and 1990s, by far the strongest run they have had in any of the three majors played in the United States since the early days of the U.S. Open. The first European to win the Masters wasSeve Ballesteros in 1980. Nicklaus became the oldest player to win the Masters in 1986 when he won for the sixth time at age 46.[15][26]
During this period, no golfer suffered more disappointment at the Masters thanGreg Norman. In his first appearance at Augusta in 1981, he led during the second nine but ended up finishing fourth. In 1986, after birdieing holes 14 through 17 to tie Nicklaus for the lead, he badly pushed his 4-iron approach on 18 into the patrons surrounding the green and missed his par putt for a closing bogey. In 1987, Norman lost a sudden-death playoff whenLarry Mize holed out a remarkable 45-yard pitch shot to birdie the second playoff hole. Mize thus became the first Augusta native to win the Masters.[27] In 1996, Norman tied the course record with an opening-round 63 and had a six-stroke lead overNick Faldo entering the final round. However, he stumbled to a closing 78 while Faldo, his playing partner that day, carded a 67 to win by five shots for his third Masters championship.[28] Norman also led the 1999 Masters on the second nine of the final round, only to falter again and finish third behind winnerJosé María Olazábal, who won his second green jacket. Norman finished in the top five at the Masters eight times, but never won.
Two-time championBen Crenshaw captured an emotional Masters win in 1995, just days after the death of his lifelong teacher and mentorHarvey Penick. After making his final putt to win, he broke down sobbing at the hole and was consoled and embraced by his caddie Carl Jackson. In the post-tournament interview, Crenshaw said: "I had a 15th club in my bag," a reference to Penick. (The "15th club" reference is based on the golf rule that limits a player to carrying 14 clubs during a round.) Crenshaw first won at Augusta in 1984.
In 1997, 21-year-old Tiger Woods became the youngest champion in Masters history, winning by 12 shots with an 18-under par 270 which broke the 72-hole record that had stood for 32 years.[4] In 2001, Woods completed his "Tiger Slam" by winning his fourth straight major championship at the Masters by two shots overDavid Duval.[15] He won again the following year, making him only the third player in history (after Nicklaus and Faldo) to win the tournament in consecutive years,[15] as well as in 2005 when he defeatedChris DiMarco in a playoff for his first major championship win in almost three years.[15]
In 2003, the Augusta National Golf Club was targeted byMartha Burk, who organized a failed protest at that year's Masters to pressure the club into accepting female members. Burk planned to protest at the front gates of Augusta National during the third day of the tournament, but her application for a permit to do so was denied.[29] A court appeal was dismissed.[30] In 2004, Burk stated that she had no further plans to protest against the club.[31] The club admitted its first two women members,Condoleezza Rice andDarla Moore, in 2012.
Augusta National chairmanBilly Payne himself made headlines in April 2010 when he commented at the annual pre-Masters press conference on Tiger Woods'off-the-course behavior. "It's not simply the degree of his conduct that is so egregious here," Payne said, in his opening speech. "It is the fact he disappointed all of us and more importantly our kids and grandkids."[32][33][34]
In 2003,Mike Weir became the first Canadian to win amen's major championship and the first left-hander to win the Masters when he defeatedLen Mattiace in a playoff.[15] The following year another left-hander,Phil Mickelson, won his first major championship by making a birdie on the final hole to beatErnie Els by a stroke.[15] Mickelson also won the tournament in 2006 and 2010. In 2011, unheralded South AfricanCharl Schwartzel birdied the final four holes to win by two strokes. In 2012,Bubba Watson won the tournament on the second playoff hole overLouis Oosthuizen. In 2013Adam Scott won the Masters in a playoff over 2009 championÁngel Cabrera, making him the first Australian to win the tournament.[35] Watson won the 2014 Masters by three strokes overJordan Spieth andJonas Blixt, his second Masters title in three years and the sixth for a left-hander in 12 years. In 2015, Spieth would become the second-youngest winner (behind Woods) in just his second Masters, equaling Woods' 72-hole scoring record.[36] In 2017,Sergio García beatJustin Rose in a playoff for his long-awaited first major title. In 2019, Tiger Woods captured his fifth Masters, his first win at Augusta National in 14 years and his first major title since 2008.
The2020 Masters Tournament, originally scheduled to be played April 9–12, was postponed until November due to the ongoingcoronavirus outbreak.[37] Dustin Johnson won the tournament by five strokes.
In 2025, a monument inAugusta, Georgia was erected by artistBaruti Tucker to honor the black caddies atAugusta National Golf Club for the Masters Tournament.[38]
The total prize money for the2025 Masters Tournament was $21,000,000, with $4,200,000 going to the winner. In the inaugural year of 1934, the winnerHorton Smith received $1,500 out of a $5,000 purse.[39] After Nicklaus's first win in 1963, he received $20,000, while after his final victory in 1986 he won $144,000.[40][41] In recent years the purse has grown quickly. Between 2001 and 2014, the winner's share grew by $612,000, and the purse grew by $3,400,000.[42][39][43]
In addition to a cash prize, the winner of the tournament is presented with a distinctive green jacket, formally awarded since 1949 and informally awarded to the champions from the years prior. The green sport coat is the official attire worn by members of Augusta National while on the club grounds; each Masters winner becomes an honorary member of the club. The recipient of the green jacket has it presented to him inside the Butler Cabin soon after the end of the tournament in a televised ceremony, and the presentation is then repeated outside near the 18th green in front of the patrons. Winners keep their jacket for the year after their victory, then return it to the club to wear whenever they are present on the club grounds.Sam Snead was the first Masters champion to be awarded the green jacket after he took his first Masters title in 1949.
The green jacket is only allowed to be removed from the Augusta National grounds by the reigning champion, after which it must remain at the club. Exceptions to this rule include Gary Player, who in his joy of winning mistakenly took his jacket home to South Africa after his 1961 victory (although he has always followed the spirit of the rule and has never worn the jacket);[44]Seve Ballesteros who, in an interview withPeter Alliss from his home in Pedreña, showed one of his two green jackets in his trophy room; andHenry Picard, whose jacket was removed from the club before the tradition was well established, remained in his closet for a number of years, and is now on display at Canterbury Golf Club inBeachwood, Ohio, where he was the club professional for many years.[45][46]
By tradition, the winner of the previous year's Masters Tournament puts the jacket on the winner at the end of the tournament. In1966, Jack Nicklaus became the first player to win in consecutive years and he donned the jacket himself.[19] WhenNick Faldo (in 1990) and Tiger Woods (in 2002) repeated as champions, the chairman of Augusta National put the jacket on them.
In addition to the green jacket, winners of the tournament receive a gold medal. In 2017, a green jacket that was found at a thrift store in 1994 was sold at auction for $139,000.[47]
There are several awards presented to players who perform exceptional feats during the tournament. The player who has the daily lowest score receives a crystal vase, while players who score ahole-in-one or adouble eagle win a large crystal bowl.[48] For eacheagle a player makes, they receive a pair of crystal goblets.
Winners also have their names engraved on the actual silver Masters trophy. The runner-up receives a silver medal, introduced in 1951. Beginning in 1978, a silversalver was added as an award for the runner-up.[4]
In 1952, the Masters began presenting an award, known as the Silver Cup, to the lowest scoring amateur to make the cut. In 1954, they began presenting an amateur silver medal to the low amateur runner-up.[4]
The original trophy weighs over 130 pounds and sits on a four-foot-wide base. It resides permanently at Augusta National and depicts the clubhouse of the classic course. Winners instead receive a replica, which is significantly smaller, stands just 6.5 inches tall and weighs 20 pounds, which they get to keep. The champion and the runner-up both have their names engraved on the permanent trophy, solidifying themselves in golf history.[49]
The Double Eagle trophy was introduced in 1967 whenBruce Devlin holed out for double eagle on number 8. He was only the second to do so, and the first in 32 years, followingGene Sarazen on hole 15 in 1935. The trophy is a large crystal bowl with "Masters Tournament" engraved around the top.[50]
In 2013, Augusta National partnered with theUSGA and thePGA of America to establishDrive, Chip and Putt, a youth golf skills competition which was first held in 2014. The event was established as part of an effort to help promote the sport of golf among youth; the winners of local qualifiers in different age groups advance to the national finals, which have been held at Augusta National on the Sunday immediately preceding the Masters. The driving and chipping portions of the event are held on the course's practice range, and the putting portion has been played on the 18th hole.[51][52][53]
On April 4, 2018, prior to the 2018 tournament, new Augusta National chairmanFred Ridley announced that the club would host theAugusta National Women's Amateur beginning in 2019. The first two rounds will be held at the Champion's Retreat club inEvans, Georgia, with the final two rounds hosted by Augusta National (the final round will take place on the Saturday directly preceding the tournament). Ridley stated that holding such an event at Augusta National would have the "greatest impact" on women's golf. Although concerns were raised that the event would conflict with theLPGA Tour'sANA Inspiration (which has invited top amateur players to compete), Ridley stated that he had discussed the event with commissionerMike Whan, and stated that he agreed on the notion that any move to bolster the prominence of women's golf would be a "win" for the LPGA over time. The winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur is exempt from two women's golf majors.[54][55]
The Par-3 contest was first introduced in 1960, and was won that year by Snead. Since then it has traditionally been played on the Wednesday before the tournament starts. The par 3 course was built in 1958. It is a nine-hole course, with a par of 27, and measures 1,060 yards (970 m) in length.[56]
There have been 94 holes-in-one in the history of the contest, with a record nine occurring in 2016, during whichRickie Fowler andJustin Thomas scored back-to-back holes in one on the 4th hole, while playing in a group with reigning championJordan Spieth.[57][58]Camilo Villegas became the first player to card two holes-in-one in the same round during the 2015 Par 3 Contest. This achievement was duplicated bySéamus Power, who scored back-to-back holes in one on holes 8 and 9 during the 2023 par 3 contest.[59] No par 3 contest winner has also won the Masters in the same year.[60][61] There have been several repeat winners, includingPádraig Harrington, Sandy Lyle, Sam Snead, and Tom Watson. The former two won in successive years.
In this event, golfers may use their children as caddies, which helps to create a family-friendly atmosphere. In 2008, the event was televised for the first time byESPN.
The winner of the par 3 competition, which is played the day before the tournament begins, wins a crystal bowl.[62]
As with the other majors, winning the Masters gives a golfer several privileges which make his career more secure. Masters champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (theU.S. Open,The Open Championship, and thePGA Championship) for the next five years (except for amateur winners, unless they turn pro within the five-year period), and earn a lifetime invitation to the Masters. They also receive membership on the PGA Tour for the following five seasons and invitations toThe Players Championship for five years.[63]
Because the tournament was established by an amateur champion,Bobby Jones, the Masters has a tradition of honoringamateur golf. It invites winners of the most prestigious amateur tournaments in the world. Also, the currentU.S. Amateur champion always plays in the same group as the defending Masters champion for the first two days of the tournament.
Amateurs in the field are welcome to stay in the "Crow's Nest" atop the Augusta National clubhouse during the tournament. The Crow's Nest is 1,200 square feet (110 m2) with lodging space for five during the competition.
While the tournament now has a wide range of qualifying criteria for international golfers, until 1987 the only methods of qualification for non-Americans were via "special international invitation", or by winning the tournament in a previous year.
Since 1963, the custom in most years has been to start the tournament with an honorary opening tee shot at the first hole,[64] typically by one or more legendary players. For a number of years before 1963,Jock Hutchison andFred McLeod had been the first pair to tee off, both being able to play as past major championship winners. However, in 1963 the eligibility rules were changed and they were no longer able to compete. The idea of honorary starters was introduced with Hutchison and McLeod being the first two. This twosome led off every tournament from 1963 until 1973 when poor health prevented Hutchison from swinging a club. McLeod continued on until his death in 1976. Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen started in 1981 and were then joined by Sam Snead in 1984. This trio continued until 1999 when Sarazen died, while Nelson stopped in 2001. Snead hit his final opening tee shot in 2002, a little over a month before he died.
In 2007, Arnold Palmer took over as the honorary starter. Palmer also had the honor in 2008 and 2009.[65] At the2010 and2011 Masters Tournaments,Jack Nicklaus joined Palmer as an honorary co-starter for the event.[66] In 2012,Gary Player joined them. Palmer announced in March 2016 that a lingering shoulder issue would prevent him from partaking in the 2016 tee shot.[67] Palmer was still in attendance for the ceremony.[68]
Following Palmer's death in 2016, the2017 ceremony featured tributes; his green jacket was draped over an empty white chair, while everyone in attendance wore "Arnie's Army" badges.[69][70]
In 2021Lee Elder joined Nicklaus and Player as an honorary starter. He was invited to join them as he was the first African-American to take part in the Masters in1975. Despite bad health preventing Elder from hitting a shot, he was still present and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Two-time Masters championTom Watson joined Nicklaus and Player, starting in 2022.[71]
The Champions' Dinner is held each year on the Tuesday evening preceding Thursday's first round. The dinner was first held in 1952, hosted by defending champion Ben Hogan, to honor the past champions of the tournament.[72] At that time 15 tournaments had been played, and the number of past champions was 11. Officially known as the "Masters Club", it includes only past winners of the Masters, although selected members of the Augusta National Golf Club have been included as honorary members, usually the chairman.
The defending champion, as host, selects the menu for the dinner. Frequently, Masters champions have served cuisine from their home regions prepared by the Masters chef. Notable examples have includedhaggis, served byScotsmanSandy Lyle in 1989,[73] andbobotie, a South African dish, served at the behest of 2008 championTrevor Immelman. Other examples include German Bernhard Langer's 1986Wiener schnitzel, Britain's Nick Faldo's fish and chips, Canadian Mike Weir's elk and wild boar, and Vijay Singh's seafood tom kah and chicken panang curry. The 2011 dinner ofPhil Mickelson was a Spanish-themed menu in hopes thatSeve Ballesteros would attend, but he was too sick to attend and died weeks later.[74]
In 1998, Tiger Woods served cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries and milkshakes. Woods was the youngest winner, and when asked about his food choices, he responded with "They said you could pick anything you want... Hey, it's part of being young, that's what I eat."[75]Fuzzy Zoeller, the 1979 champion, created a media storm when he suggested that Woods refrain from serving collard greens and fried chicken, dishes commonly associated withAfrican-American culture.[76]
Pimento cheese sandwiches have a long history at the Masters.[77][78] They have been served as a concession since the 1940s.[79][80] Minor controversy ensued in 2013 when the club switched food suppliers for the Masters and the new supplier was unable to duplicate the recipe used by the previous supplier, resulting in a sandwich with a markedly different taste.[81]Southern Living andGolf Digest called the sandwich "iconic" of the tournament.[82][83]Sports Illustrated called the sandwich "legendary" and "more than a food option – it’s a representation of the sport's history and its traditions".[80]
Until1983, all players in the Masters were required to use the services of an Augusta National Clubcaddie,[84][85][86] who by club tradition was always an African-American man.[25] Club co-founderClifford Roberts is reputed to have said, "As long as I'm alive, golfers will be white, and caddies will be black."[87] Since 1983—six years after Roberts's death in 1977—players have been allowed the option of bringing their own caddie to the tournament.
The Masters requires caddies to wear a uniform consisting of a white jumpsuit, a green Masters cap, and white tennis shoes. The surname, and sometimes first initial, of each player is found on the back of his caddie's uniform. The defending champion always receives caddie number "1": other golfers get their caddie numbers from the order in which they register for the tournament. The other majors and some PGA Tour events formerly had a similar policy concerning caddies well into the 1970s;[88][89][90] the U.S. Open first allowed players to use their own caddies in1976.[91][92]
Patrons who do obtain Master tickets (badges) have to follow a strict no cell phone policy while on the property of Augusta National.[citation needed]
The Masters is the firstmajor championship of the year. Since1948, its final round has been scheduled for the second Sunday of April, with several exceptions. It ended on the first Sunday four times (1952,1957,1958,1959) and the1979 and1984 tournaments ended on April 15, the month's third Sunday.[4] The first edition in1934 was held in late March and the next ten were in early April, with only the1942 event scheduled to end on the second Sunday. The2020 event, postponed by theCOVID-19 pandemic, was held from November 12 to 15, thus being the last major of the year.
Similar to the other majors, the tournament consists of four rounds at 18 holes each, Thursday through Sunday (when there are no delays). The Masters has a relatively small field of contenders when compared with other golf tournaments, so the competitors play in groups of three for the first two rounds (36 holes) and the field is not split to start on the 1st and 10th tees unless weather shortens the available playing time. The tournament is unique in that it is the only major tournament conducted by a private club rather than a national golf organization like the PGA.[8]
Originally, the Masters was the only tournament to use two-man pairings during the first two rounds. It was also the only event to re-pair based on the leaderboard before Friday's round, as most tournaments only do this on the weekend. This practice ended in the early 2000s when the Masters switched to the more standard three-man groups and the groups are now kept intact on Friday, with players sharing the same playing partners in both of the first two rounds.[citation needed]
After 36 holes of play, a cut-off score is calculated to reduce the size of the field for the weekend rounds. In 2020, to "make the cut", players must be in the top 50 places (ties counting).[93] Before1957, there was no 36-hole cut and all of the invitees played four rounds, if desired. From 1957 to 1961, the top 40 scores (including ties) made the cut. From 1962 to 2012, it was the top 44 (and ties) or within 10 strokes of the lead.[22] From 2013 to 2019, it was the top 50 (and ties) or within 10 strokes of the lead.[94]
Following the cut, an additional 36 holes are played over the final two days. Should the fourth round fail to produce a winner, all players tied for the lead enter asudden-death playoff. Play begins on the 18th hole, followed by the adjacent 10th, repeating until one player remains. Adopted in 1976, the sudden-death playoff was originally formatted to start on the first hole,[95] but was not needed for the first three years. It was changed for1979 to the inward (final) nine holes, starting at the tenth tee, where the television coverage began.[96] First employed that same year, the Masters' first sudden-death playoff, won byFuzzy Zoeller, ended on the 11th green. The current arrangement, beginning at the 18th tee, was amended for 2004 and first used the following year. Through 2017, the eleven sudden-death playoffs have yet to advance past the second extra hole. Earlier playoffs were 18 holes on the following day, except for the first in1935, which was 36 holes (Gene Sarazen defeatedCraig Wood); the last 18-hole playoff was in1970 whenBilly Casper defeatedGene Littler, and none of the full-round playoffs went to additional holes.
The golf course was formerly aplant nursery and each hole is named after the tree or shrub with which it has become associated.[10]
The 11th, 12th, and 13th holes have been referred to asAmen Corner.[97]The course layout in2024:
| Hole | Name | Yards | Par | Hole | Name | Yards | Par | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tea Olive | 445 | 4 | 10 | Camellia | 495 | 4 | |
| 2 | Pink Dogwood | 585 | 5 | 11 | White Dogwood | 520 | 4 | |
| 3 | Flowering Peach | 350 | 4 | 12 | Golden Bell | 155 | 3 | |
| 4 | Flowering Crab Apple | 240 | 3 | 13 | Azalea | 545 | 5 | |
| 5 | Magnolia | 495 | 4 | 14 | Chinese Fir | 440 | 4 | |
| 6 | Juniper | 180 | 3 | 15 | Firethorn | 550 | 5 | |
| 7 | Pampas | 450 | 4 | 16 | Redbud | 170 | 3 | |
| 8 | Yellow Jasmine | 570 | 5 | 17 | Nandina | 440 | 4 | |
| 9 | Carolina Cherry | 460 | 4 | 18 | Holly | 465 | 4 | |
| Out | 3,775 | 36 | In | 3,780 | 36 | |||
| Source:[1][98] | Total | 7,555 | 72 | |||||
Lengths of the course for the Masters at the start of each decade:
As with many other courses, Augusta National's championship setup was lengthened in recent years. In2001, the course measured 6,925 yards (6,332 m) and was extended to 7,270 yards (6,648 m) for 2002, and again in2006 to 7,445 yards (6,808 m); 520 yards (475 m) longer than the 2001 course.[99][100] The changes attracted many critics, including the most successful players in Masters history, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tiger Woods. Woods claimed that the "shorter hitters are going to struggle". Augusta National chairmanHootie Johnson was unperturbed, stating, "We are comfortable with what we are doing with the golf course." After a practice round, Gary Player defended the changes, saying, "There have been a lot of criticisms, but I think unjustly so, now I've played it.... The guys are basically having to hit the same second shots that Jack Nicklaus had to hit (in his prime)".[101]
The first hole was shortened by 10 yards (9 m) for the2009 Masters Tournament. For the2019 Masters Tournament, the fifth hole was lengthened by 40 yards (37 m) from 455 yards to 495 yards, with two new gaping bunkers on the left side of the fairway.[102] The length of the course is 7,475 yards (6,835 m).
Originally, the grass on the putting greens was wide-bladedBermuda. The greens lost speed, especially during the late 1970s, after the introduction of a healthier strain of narrow-bladed Bermuda, which thrived and grew thicker. In 1978, the greens on the par 3 course were reconstructed withbentgrass, a narrow-bladed species that could be mowed shorter, eliminating grain.[103] After this test run, the greens on the main course were replaced with bentgrass in time for the 1981 Masters. The bentgrass resulted in significantly faster putting surfaces, which has required a reduction in some of the contours of the greens over time.[103]
Just before the 1975 tournament, the common beige sand in the bunkers was replaced with the now-signature white feldspar. It is aquartz derivative of the mining offeldspar and is shipped in fromNorth Carolina.[104]
The Masters has the smallest field of the major championships, with 85–100 players. Unlike other majors, there are no alternates or qualifying tournaments. It is an invitational event, with invitations largely issued on an automatic basis to players who meet published criteria. The top 50 players in theOfficial World Golf Ranking are all invited.[105]
Past champions are always eligible, but since 2002 the Augusta National Golf Club has discouraged them from continuing to participate at an advanced age. Some will later become honorary starters.[106]
Most of the top current players will meet the criteria of multiple categories for invitation. The Masters Committee, at its discretion, can also invite any golfer not otherwise qualified, although in practice these invitations are mostly reserved for international players.[108]
Changes for the 2014 tournament include invitations now being awarded to the autumn events in the PGA Tour, which now begin the wraparound season, tightening of qualifications (top 12 plus ties from the Masters, top 4 from the U.S. Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship), and the top 30 on the PGA Tour now referencing the season-ending points before the Tour Championship, not the former annual money list.[94] The 2015 Masters added the winner of the newly established Latin America Amateur Championship, which effectively replaced the exemption for theU.S. Amateur Public Links, which ended after the 2014 tournament. (The final Public Links champion played in the 2015 Masters.)[109]
Prior to the start of the 2023 Masters Tournament, several changes to the criteria were announced to come into effect from 2024. An additional criterion was added for amateur golfers, for the reigning individual champion of theNCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship,[110] and PGA Tour criteria were modified to account for scheduling changes (previously only regular season and playoff events were included) and to clarify that players must remain eligible for the Tour Championship.[111][112]
The first winner of the Masters Tournament was Horton Smith in 1934, and he repeated in 1936. The player with the most Masters victories isJack Nicklaus, who won six times between 1963 and 1986.Tiger Woods has five wins, followed byArnold Palmer with four, andJimmy Demaret,Gary Player,Sam Snead,Nick Faldo, andPhil Mickelson have three titles to their name. Player was the tournament's first overseas winner with his first victory in 1961. Two-time champions includeByron Nelson,Ben Hogan,Tom Watson,Seve Ballesteros,Bernhard Langer,Ben Crenshaw,José María Olazábal,Bubba Watson andScottie Scheffler.[113]
In 1952, the Masters began presenting an award, known as the Silver Cup, to the lowest-scoring amateur to make the cut. In 1954 they began presenting an amateur silver medal to the low amateur runner-up. There have been seven players to win low amateur and then go on to win the Masters as a professional. These players areCary Middlecoff,Jack Nicklaus,Ben Crenshaw,Phil Mickelson,Tiger Woods,Sergio García, andHideki Matsuyama.
Jack Nicklaus has won the most Masters (six) and was 46 years, 82 days old when he won in 1986, making him the oldest winner of the Masters.[26] Nicklaus is the record holder for the most top tens, with 22, and the most cuts made, with 37.[22][115] The youngest winner of the Masters isTiger Woods, who was 21 years, 104 days old when he won in 1997. In that year, Woods also broke the records for the widest winning margin (12 strokes), and the lowest winning score, with 270 (−18).Jordan Spieth tied his score record in 2015.Dustin Johnson broke the record in 2020 with a 268 (-20).[116]
In 2013,Guan Tianlang became the youngest player to compete in the Masters, at age 14 years, 168 days on the opening day of the tournament;[117] the following day, he became the youngest to make the cut at the Masters or any men's major championship.[118]
In 2020, AustralianCameron Smith became the first golfer in Masters history to shoot all four rounds in the 60s (67, 68, 69, 69). Finishing at 15 under par, en route to a tie for second-place finish withSungjae Im.
Gary Player holds the record for most appearances, with 52. Tiger Woods holds the record for consecutive cuts made with 24 between 1997 and 2024; he did not compete in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021.[119] In 2023,Fred Couples became the oldest player to make the cut, doing so at age 63 years, 186 days.[120]
Nick Price andGreg Norman share the course record of 63, with their rounds coming in 1986 and 1996 respectively.
The highest winning score of 289 (+1) has occurred three times:Sam Snead in 1954,Jack Burke Jr. in 1956, andZach Johnson in 2007.Anthony Kim holds the record for most birdies in a round with 11 in 2009 during his second round.[116]
There have been only fourdouble eagles carded in the history of the Masters; the latest was by a contender in the fourth round in 2012. In the penultimate pairing with eventual championBubba Watson,Louis Oosthuizen's 260-yard (238 m) downhill4 iron from the fairway made the left side of the green at the par-5 second hole, calledPink Dogwood, rolled downhill, and in.[121] The other two rare occurrences of this feat after Sarazen's double eagle on the fabled course'sFire Thorn hole in 1935:Bruce Devlin made double eagle from 248 yards (227 m) out with a 4-wood at the eighth hole (Yellow Jasmine) in the first round in 1967, whileJeff Maggert hit a 3-iron 222 yards (203 m) at the 13th hole (Azalea) in the fourth round in 1994.[122]
Three players share the record for most runner-up finishes with four –Ben Hogan (1942, 1946, 1954, 1955),Tom Weiskopf (1969, 1972, 1974, 1975), andJack Nicklaus (1964, 1971, 1977, 1981). Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are the only golfers to have won the Masters in three separate decades.
The highest official score in a round was 95 by Charles Kunkle in 1956 and the highest unofficial score was 106 by Billy Casper in 2005 (he refused to hand in his scorecard to avoid holding the record).[123]
| Network | Years of broadcast |
|---|---|
| CBS (Paramount+) | 1956–present |
| USA Network | 1982–2007 |
| ESPN (ESPN+) | 2008–present |
CBS has televised the Masters in the United States every year since 1956,[124] when it used six cameras and covered only the final four holes. Tournament coverage of the first eight holes did not begin until 1993 because of resistance from the tournament organizers, but by 2006, more than 50 cameras were used. Chairman Jack Stephens felt that the back nine was always more "compelling", increased coverage would increase the need for sponsorship spending, and that broadcasting the front nine of the course on television would cut down on attendance and television viewership for the tournament.[124][125][126]USA Network added first- and second-round coverage in 1982.[127] In 2008,ESPN replaced USA as broadcaster of early-round coverage. These broadcasts use the CBS Sports production staff and commentators, but with ESPN personalityScott Van Pelt (succeedingMike Tirico, who replacedBill Macatee's similar role under USA Network) as studio host, as well asCurtis Strange as studio analyst.[128][127][129] CBS carries two 15-minute highlight programs inlate night covering the first and second rounds, which airs after their affiliates' late nightlocal newscasts.
In 2005, CBS broadcast the tournament with high-definition fixed and handheld wired cameras, as well as standard-definition wireless handheld cameras. In 2006, a webstream called "Amen Corner Live" began providing coverage of all players passing through holes 11, 12, and 13 through all four rounds.[130] This was the first full tournament multi-hole webcast from a major championship. In 2007, CBS added "Masters Extra," an extra hour of full-field bonus coverage daily on the internet, preceding the television broadcasts. In 2008, CBS added full coverage of holes 15 and 16 live on the web. In 2011, "Masters Extra" was dropped after officials gave ESPN an extra hour each day on Thursday and Friday. In 2016, the Amen Corner feed was broadcast in4Kultra high definition exclusively onDirecTV—as one of the first live U.S. sports telecasts in the format.[131][132] A second channel of 4K coverage covering holes 15 and 16 was added in 2017,[133] and this coverage was produced withhigh-dynamic-range (HDR) color in 2018.[134]
While Augusta National Golf Club has consistently chosen CBS as its U.S. broadcast partner, it has done so in successive one-year contracts.[135] Former CBS Sports presidentNeal Pilson stated that their relationship had gotten to the point where the contracts could be negotiated in just hours.[124] Due to the lack of long-term contractual security, as well as the club's limited dependence on broadcast rights fees (owing to its affluent membership), it is widely held that CBS allows Augusta National greater control over the content of the broadcast, or at least performs some form ofself-censorship, in order to maintain future rights. The club, however, has insisted it does not make any demands with respect to the content of the broadcast.[136][137] Despite this, announcers who have been deemed not to have acted with the decorum expected by the club have been removed, notablyJack Whitaker andGary McCord,[136] and there also tends to be a lack of discussion of any controversy involving Augusta National, such as the 2003 Martha Burk protests.[137]
The coverage itself carries a more formal style than other golf telecasts; announcers refer to the gallery aspatrons rather than asspectators orfans.Gallery itself is also used.[138] The club also disallows promotions for other network programs, or other forms of sponsored features.[138] Significant restrictions have been placed on the tournament's broadcast hours compared to other major championships. Only in the 21st century did the tournament allow CBS to air 18-hole coverage of the leaders, a standard at the other three majors.[136] Since 1981, CBS has used "Augusta" byDave Loggins as the event telecast's distinctive theme music. Loggins originally came up with the song during his first trip to the Augusta course in 1981.[139]
The club mandates minimal commercial interruption, currently limited to four minutes per hour (as opposed to the usual 12 or more); this is subsidized by selling exclusive sponsorship packages to three or four companies – as of 2025, these "Champion Partners" areAT&T,Bank of America,IBM, andMercedes-Benz.[138] AT&T (then SBC) and IBM have sponsored the tournament since 2005, joined at first byExxonMobil, which in 2014 was replaced as a global sponsor by Mercedes-Benz,[140] and joined by Bank of America in 2025.[141] In 2002, in the wake of calls to boycott tournament sponsors over the Martha Burk controversy, club chairmanHootie Johnson suspended all television sponsorship of the 2003 tournament. He argued that it was "unfair" to have the Masters' sponsors become involved with the controversyby means of association with the tournament, as their sponsorship is of the Masters and not Augusta National itself. CBS agreed to split production costs for the tournament with the club to make up for the lack of sponsorship. After the arrangement continued into 2004, the tournament reinstated sponsorships for 2005, with the new partners of ExxonMobil, IBM, and SBC.[142][143]
The club also sells separate sponsorship packages, which do not provide rights to air commercials on the U.S. telecasts, to two "Tournament Partners"; as of 2025, those companies areDelta Air Lines,Rolex, andUPS (the last of which replaced Mercedes-Benz upon that company's elevation to "Champion Partner" status).[140][141]
Westwood One (previouslyDial Global andCBS Radio) has provided live radio play-by-play coverage in the United States since 1956. This coverage can also be heard on the official Masters website. The network provides short two- or three-minute updates throughout the tournament, as well as longer three- and four-hour segments towards the end of the day.[144]
The first UK live coverage of the event was in 1984 whenChannel 4 aired coverage of the closing moments of the 3rd and 4th rounds. Channel 4 repeated this level of coverage in 1985. The rights then transferred to the BBC which also initially only provided coverage of the 3rd and 4th rounds. With the 2007 launch ofBBC HD, UK viewers were able to watch the championship in that format.BBC Sport held the exclusive TV and radio rights through to 2010.[145] The BBC's coverage airs without commercials because it is financed by alicence fee. From the 2011 Masters,Sky Sports began broadcasting all four days, as well as the par 3 contest in HD and, for the first time, in 3D. The BBC continued to air live coverage of the weekend rounds in parallel with Sky until 2019, when it was announced that Sky will hold exclusive rights to live coverage of all four rounds beginning 2020. The BBC will only hold rights to delayed highlights. With its loss of live rights to the Open Championship to Sky in 2016, it marks the first time since 1955 that the BBC no longer holds any rights to live professional golf.[146][147][148] although the Corporation continues to provide live radio commentary onBBC Radio 5 Live.
In Ireland,Setanta Ireland previously showed all four rounds, and now since 2017Eir Sport broadcast all four rounds live having previously broadcast the opening two rounds withRTÉ broadcasting the weekend coverage.[149] After Eir Sport's closure in 2021, Sky Sports will broadcast the event exclusively in Ireland for the first time, like in the UK.[150]
InCanada, broadcast rights to the Masters are held byBell Media, with coverage divided betweenTSN (cable), which carries live simulcasts and primetime encores of CBS and ESPN coverage for all four rounds,CTV (broadcast), which simulcasts CBS's coverage of the weekend rounds, andRDS, which carries French-language coverage. Prior to 2013, Canadian broadcast rights were held by a marketing company, Graham Sanborn Media,[151] which in turn bought time on theGlobal Television Network, TSN, and RDS (except for 2012 when French-language coverage aired onTVA andTVA Sports) to air the broadcasts, also selling all of the advertising for the Canadian broadcasts. This was an unusual arrangement in Canadian sports broadcasting, as in most cases broadcasters acquire their rights directly from the event organizers or through partnerships with international rightsholders, such asESPN International (ESPN owns a minority stake in TSN). In 2013, Global and TSN began selling advertising directly, and co-produced supplemental programs covering the tournament (while still carrying U.S. coverage for the tournament itself).[152][153]
On December 15, 2015, TSN parent company Bell Media announced that it had acquired exclusive Canadian rights to the tournament beginning 2016 under a multi-year deal. Broadcast television coverage moved to co-owned broadcast network CTV, while TSN uses its expanded five-channel service to carry supplemental feeds (including the Amen Corner feed and early coverage of each round) that were previously exclusive to digital platforms.[154][155]
InFrance, the Masters is broadcast live onCanal+ andCanal+ Sport.
In 53 countries, including much of Latin America, broadcast rights for the entire tournament are held by theESPN International networks.[156]
Although tickets (more commonly referred to as "badges") for the Masters are not expensive at face value, they are very difficult to come by. Masters tickets are considered the second-hardest to obtain in sports, trailing only theSuper Bowl.[157] Even the practice rounds can be difficult to gain entrance into. Practice rounds and daily tournament tickets are sold in advance, through a selection process, only after receipt of an online application. All tickets are sold in advance and there are no tickets sold at the gates.[158] Additionally, Georgia state law prohibits tickets from being bought, sold or handed off within a 2,700 foot boundary around the Augusta National Golf Club.[159][160]
Open applications for practice rounds and individual daily tournament tickets have to be made nearly a year in advance and the successful applicants are chosen by random selection. Series badges for the actual tournament, that is a badge valid for all four tournament rounds, are made available and sold only to individuals of a patrons list, which is closed. A waiting list for the patrons list was opened in 1972 and closed in 1978. It was reopened in 2000 and subsequently closed once again.[161][162] Individuals who are on the patron list are given the recurring opportunity to purchase series badges each year for life. According to Augusta National, after the death of a badge holder, the series badge account is transferable only to a surviving spouse and cannot be transferred to other family members.[161][163][164]
In 2008, as part of their Junior Pass Program, the Masters also began allowing children (between the ages of 8 and 16) to enter on tournament days for free if they are accompanied by the patron who is the original applicant of his or her series badge. The Junior Pass Program does not apply to individual daily tournament tickets, only to series badge patrons.[165][160]
The difficulty in acquiring Masters badges has made the tournament one of the largest events on the secondary resale ticket market.[166] Since a majority of the badges for the Masters are made available to the same group of patrons each year, these perennial ticket holders sometimes decide to sell their badges through large ticket marketplaces and/or third party ticket brokers. Although they do so at their own detriment as this action is strictly prohibited in the ticket purchase agreement and ticket policy.[167]
33°30′09″N82°01′12″W / 33.5025°N 82.0200°W /33.5025; -82.0200
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