Masters Tournament

Augusta National Golf Club The idea for Augusta National originated with Bobby 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 in Augusta, 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." The land had been an indigo plantation in the early nineteenth century and a plant nursery since 1857. Jones hired Alister 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. Early tournament years After Clifford Roberts invited then-USGA tournament committee chairman Prescott Bush to ANGC in early 1933, Jones and Roberts strenuously petitioned the USGA to hold the U.S.Open at Augusta in 1934, but the USGA denied the petition, noting that the hot Georgia summers would create difficult playing conditions. Indeed, the professional golf schedule would have needed to change, and to date no golf major had been held in the south. The club was deeply disappointed and had been seeking publicity as it was struggling financially and in debt, but Roberts took the rejection as an opportunity to found his own annual tournament. The tournament was played with current holes 10 through 18 played as the first nine, and 1 through 9 as the second nine, then reversed permanently to its present layout for the 1935 tournament. This tied Sarazen with Craig Wood, and in the ensuing 36-hole playoff, Sarazen was the victor by five strokes. In 1940, Roberts 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 the U.S. Amateur and the PGA." The tournament was not played from 1943 to 1945, due to World War II. To assist the war effort, cattle and turkeys were raised on the Augusta National grounds. Byron Nelson won the first of two Masters titles in 1937. Jimmy Demaret won three times as did Sam Snead in the 1940s and 1950s. Ben Hogan won the 1951 and 1953 Masters and was runner-up on four occasions. The club raised ticket prices to $10 for the 1951tournament; spectators were not pleased. 1960s–1970s Through the 50s and into the 60s, the Masters was still not widely attended. Locals were able to buy tickets at the gate on the day of each round. The city held a "Masters hospitality week", featuring a parade, from 1957 through 1967. Palmer won by one stroke again in 1960 in memorable circumstances. Trailing Ken 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. 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." The next year, Nicklaus won his third green jacket in a grueling 18-hole playoff against Tommy Jacobs and Gay Brewer. Player became the first non-American to win the Masters in 1961, beating Palmer, the defending champion, by one stroke when Palmer double-bogeyed the final hole. A controversial ending to the Masters occurred in 1968. Argentine champion Roberto De Vicenzo signed his scorecard (attested by playing partner Tommy 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 with Bob Goalby, who won the green jacket. De Vicenzo's mistake led to the famous quote, "What a stupid I am." In 1975, Lee Elder became the first African American to play in the Masters, doing so 15 years before Augusta National admitted its first black member, Ron Townsend, as a result of the Shoal Creek Controversy. 1980s–2000s Non-Americans collected 11 victories in 20years 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 was Seve Ballesteros in 1980; badges at that point were $48. During this period, no golfer suffered more disappointment at the Masters than Greg 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 when Larry 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. In 1996, Norman tied the course record with an opening-round 63 and had a six-stroke lead over Nick 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. Norman also led the 1999 Masters on the second nine of the final round, only to falter again and finish third behind winner José María Olazábal, who won his second green jacket. Norman finished in the top five at the Masters eight times, but never won. In 1993, the price of a four-day badge was raised to $100. A court appeal was dismissed. In 2004, Burk stated that she had no further plans to protest against the club. The club admitted its first two women members, Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore, in 2012. Augusta National chairman Billy 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." In 2003, Mike Weir became the first Canadian to win a men's major championship and the first left-hander to win the Masters when he defeated Len Mattiace in a playoff. Watson won the 2014 Masters by three strokes over Jordan Spieth and Jonas 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. In 2017, Sergio García beat Justin 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. In 2009, the price for a four-day badge rose to $200; it hit $250 in 2012, and $325 in 2015. Dustin Johnson won the tournament by five strokes. In 2025, a monument in Augusta, Georgia was erected by artist Baruti Tucker to honor the black caddies at Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters Tournament. Rory McIlroy won the 2025 Masters and completed the sixth grand slam in a playoff over Justin Rose. The next year, McIlroy won again, becoming the fourth player to go back-to-back at the Masters. The price for a four-day badge to the Masters rose to $450 in 2023, and reached $525 for 2026. ==Traditions, logistics, and rules==

Pre-tournament events Augusta National Women's Amateur The Augusta National Women's Amateur (ANWA) is held the week before the Masters. The ANWA was established in 2019 by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley. The winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur is exempt from two women's golf majors. Drive, Chip and Putt In 2013, Augusta National partnered with the USGA and the PGA of America to establish "Drive, Chip and Putt" (DCP), 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. Practice rounds Practice rounds are held on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before the tournament begins on Thursday. During the practice rounds, Redbud (hole16) is well-known for spectators shouting "Skipit!" at players, encouraging the golfers to attempt to skip the ball across the pond. The three days of practice are the only times during which attendees are allowed to bring cameras onto the course. Amateur Dinner First established in 1948, the Amateur Dinner is held on the Monday before the tournament, on the same day practice rounds begin. The amateurs competing in the Masters are invited. Champions' Dinner 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. 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 included haggis, served by Scotsman Sandy Lyle in 1989, and bobotie, a South African dish, served at the behest of 2008 champion Trevor Immelman. Other examples include German Bernhard Langer's 1986 Wiener schnitzel, Britain's Nick Faldo's fish and chips, Canadian Mike Weir's elk and wild boar, and Vijay Singh's tom kha thale and chicken phanaeng. The 2011 dinner of Phil Mickelson was a Spanish-themed menu in hopes that Seve Ballesteros would attend, but he was too sick and died weeks later. 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." 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 with African-American culture. Par 3 Contest The Par3 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 Par3 Course was built in 1958. It is a nine-hole course, with a par of27, and measures in length. There have been 94holes-in-one in the history of the contest, with a record nine occurring in 2016, during which Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas scored back-to-back holes in one on the 4thhole, while playing in a group with reigning champion Jordan Spieth. Camilo Villegas became the first player to card two holes-in-one in the same round during the 2015 Par3 Contest. This achievement was duplicated by Séamus Power, who scored back-to-back holes in one on holes8 and 9 during the 2023 Par3 Contest. , no Par3 Contest winner has also won the Masters in the same year. There have been several repeat winners, including Pádraig Harrington, Sandy Lyle, Sam Snead, and Tom Watson. 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 by ESPN. The winner of the Par3 Contest, which is played the day before the tournament begins, wins a crystal bowl. Tournament Opening tee shot Since 1963, the custom in most years has been to start the tournament with an honorary opening tee shot at the first hole, typically by one or more older players. For a number of years before 1963, Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod had been the first pair to tee off, both being able to play as past major championship winners. 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. At the 2010 and 2011 Masters Tournaments, Jack Nicklaus joined Palmer as an honorary starter for the event. 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. Palmer was still in attendance for the ceremony. Following Palmer's death in 2016, the 2017 ceremony featured tributes; his green jacket was draped over an empty white chair, while everyone in attendance wore "Arnie's Army" badges. In 2021 Lee 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 in 1975. Despite bad health preventing Elder from hitting a shot, he was still present and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson joined Nicklaus and Player, starting in 2022. Caddies Until 1983, all players in the Masters were required to use the services of an Augusta National Club caddie, who by club tradition was always an African-American man. 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; the U.S. Open first allowed players to use their own caddies in 1976. Awards The total prize money for the 2025 Masters Tournament was $21,000,000, with $4,200,000 going to the winner. In the inaugural year of 1934, the winner Horton Smith received $1,500 out of a $5,000 purse. After Nicklaus's first win in 1963, he received $20,000, while after his final victory in 1986 he won $144,000. 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. Green jacket 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; Seve Ballesteros who, in an interview with Peter Alliss from his home in Pedreña, showed one of his two green jackets in his trophy room; and Henry 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 in Beachwood, Ohio, where he was the club professional for many years. By tradition, the winner of the previous year's Masters Tournament puts the jacket on the winner at the end of the tournament. In 1966, Jack Nicklaus became the first player to win in consecutive years and he donned the jacket himself. When Nick Faldo (in 1990), Tiger Woods (in 2002), and Rory McIlroy (in 2026) won in consecutive years, 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. Trophies 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 silver salver was added as an award for the runner-up. 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 a hole-in-one or a double eagle win a large crystal bowl. For each eagle a player makes, they receive a pair of crystal goblets. The Double Eagle trophy was introduced in 1967 when Bruce Devlin holed out for double eagle on number8. He was only the second to do so, and the first in 32years, following Gene Sarazen on hole15 in 1935. The trophy is a large crystal bowl with "Masters Tournament" engraved around the top. Player invitations 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 (the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA 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 to The Players Championship for five years. Because the tournament was established by an amateur champion, Bobby Jones, the Masters has a tradition of honoring amateur golf. It invites winners of the most prestigious amateur tournaments in the world. Also, the current U.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 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. Experience and hospitality Berckmans Place Berckmans Place, sometimes called Berckmans or BP, is a non-public shopping and dining complex built in 2012. It operates for one week each year, during the tournament. Entry passes for the week cost $10,000 (up from $6,000) are sold only to corporations, and require Augusta National's approval; there is a 10-ticket limit per pass. BP customers can use an exclusive parking lot and entryway (Gate 9). Berckmans Place is named after Belgian Louis Mathieu Berckmans, whose family owned the land the club is built on from 1858 to 1910. Concessions Pimento cheese sandwiches have a long history at the Masters. They have been served as a concession since the 1940s. 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. Southern Living and Golf Digest called the sandwich "iconic" of the tournament. Sports Illustrated called the sandwich "legendary" and "more than a food option – it's a representation of the sport's history and its traditions". The club's private-label cola is widely believed to be made by Coca-Cola. Map & Flag is operated by Endeavor-owned On Location Experiences. Merchandise Merchandise sold at the tournament has become a large business for Augusta National, bringing in an estimated $70million in revenue. All items are only available in-person at the Masters, making the merchandise into a status symbol and creating a secondhand market. Especially popular are the annual garden gnomes, first introduced in 2016 (then exclusive to Berckmans Place) and produced each year since with a new design (excluding 2017). Interest in the gnomes as collector's items skyrocketed after the COVID-19 pandemic; customers are limited to one gnome per person, as they resell on the secondary market for several times their retail value. Golf Digest reported that for the 2025 tournament, Augusta offered around 1,000gnomes for sale each day, The Masters has also produced an annual collectable commemorative pin for each year's tournament since at least the 1990s, which included a line of pins themed to the course's holes sold from 2001 through 2018. Ticketing Although tickets (referred to as "badges") for the Masters are not expensive at face value compared with other high-level sporting events (, $525 for a four-day pass Even the practice rounds can be difficult to gain entrance into. Practice rounds and daily tournament passes are sold in advance, through a selection process, only after receipt of an online application. All tickets are sold in advance and there are none sold at the gates. Additionally, Georgia state law prohibits tickets from being bought, sold, or handed off within a boundary around the club. Since the first Masters, badges have displayed the ticket price, tournament dates, and ANGC logo. They were made from cardboard until 1953, when they switched to paper; all badges have been made of plastic since 1961. In 2017, the club began including a color bar encoding the ticket number printed on the front. 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. 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, a series badge account is transferable only to a surviving spouse and no other family members. 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. 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 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; those caught are banned from future tournaments. Since 2025, ANGC has more strictly enforced its no-resale policy. Augusta National has for decades made 100 series badges available to Fort Gordon, which holds a lottery for service members to buy tickets for a day. Venue regulations and prohibited items Patrons who have obtained a ticket to access Augusta National must comply with a strict policy regarding the use of electronic devices during the tournament. The organization clearly states that "the use of any device for phone calls, emails, text messaging, or to record and/or transmit voice, video or data is strictly prohibited," and that cameras are "strictly prohibited on Tournament days" but "are permitted for still photography and personal use only" on practice days, at the start of the competition week. Noise and music-producing devices (radios, TVs, speakers), flags, posters, and weapons are also forbidden. Breaking these rules may lead to ejection from the venue and permanent loss of tickets. Complimentary phones are available throughout the course for spectators needing to make a call. These policies were established to reduce distractions and encourage patrons to carpe diem, ensuring smooth play and calm on the course while upholding the tournament's etiquette, atmosphere, and tradition. Parking is provided to spectators for free. Post-tournament events Augusta National holds a lottery for members of the press pool to play the course the Monday after the end of the Masters; the event is called the Monday Golf Outing. ==Format==

The Masters is the first major championship of the year. Since 1948, 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 the 1979 and 1984 tournaments ended on April15, the month's third Sunday. Before 1957, there was no 36-hole cut and all of the invitees played four rounds, if desired. From 1957 to 1961, the top40 scores (including ties) made the cut. From 1962 to 2012, it was the top44 (and ties) or within 10strokes of the lead. Following the cut, an additional 36holes are played over the final two days. Should the fourth round fail to produce a winner, all players tied for the lead enter a sudden-death playoff. Play begins on the 18thhole, followed by the adjacent10th, repeating until one player wins. Adopted in 1976, the sudden-death playoff was originally formatted to start on the first hole, but was not needed for the first three years. It was changed for 1979 to the inward (final) nine holes, starting at the tenth tee, where the television coverage began. First employed that same year, the Masters' first sudden-death playoff, won by Fuzzy Zoeller, ended on the 11thgreen. The current arrangement, beginning at the 18thtee, 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. The Masters is the only major tournament that currently uses a sudden-death playoff, which is used on most professional tour tournaments. Earlier playoffs were 18holes on the following day, except for the first in 1935, which was 36holes (Gene Sarazen defeated Craig Wood); the last 18-hole playoff was in 1970 when Billy Casper defeated Gene Littler, and none of the full-round playoffs went to additional holes. Planning The Masters is planned by 24committees made up of Augusta National members, which include: • Concession Committee • Executive Committee • Motion Picture Committee • Television Committee • Tournament Improvements Committee ==Course==

The golf course was formerly a plant nursery and each hole is named after the tree or shrub with which it has become associated. The course layout in 2024: Lengths of the course for the Masters at the start of each decade: Course adjustments As with many other courses, Augusta National's championship setup was lengthened in recent years. In 2001, the course measured and was extended to for 2002, and again in 2006 to ; longer than the 2001 course. 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 chairman Hootie 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)". The first hole was shortened by for the 2009 Masters Tournament. For the 2019 Masters Tournament, the fifth hole was lengthened by from 455yards to 495yards, with two new gaping bunkers on the left side of the fairway. The length of the course is . Originally, the grass on the putting greens was wide-bladed Bermuda. 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 Par3 course were reconstructed with bentgrass, a narrow-bladed species that could be mowed shorter, eliminating grain. Just before the 1975 tournament, the common beige sand in the bunkers was replaced with the now-signature white feldspar. It is a quartz derivative of the mining of feldspar and is shipped in from North Carolina. ==Field==

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 the Official World Golf Ranking are all invited. 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. Invitation categories (from 2026) :See footnote. :Note: Categories 7–12 are honored only if the participants maintain their amateur status prior to the tournament. • Masters Tournament Champions (lifetime) • U.S. Open champions (five years) • The Open champions (five years) • PGA champions (five years) • Winners of the Players Championship (three years) • Current Olympic Gold Medalist (one year) • Current U.S. Amateur champion and runner-up • Current British Amateur champion • Current Asia-Pacific Amateur champion • Current Latin America Amateur champion • Current U.S. Mid-Amateur champion • Current NCAA Division I individual champion • The first 12 players, including ties, in the previous year's Masters Tournament • The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's U.S. Open • The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's Open Championship • The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's PGA Championship • Winners of PGA Tour events that award at least a full-point allocation for the FedEx Cup, from one Masters Tournament to the next • Those qualifying and eligible for the previous year's season-ending Tour Championship (top 30 in FedEx Cup prior to tournament) • Winners of the most recent editions of the Scottish Open, Spanish Open, South African Open, Hong Kong Open, Australian Open, and Japan Open (one year each) • The 50 leaders on the final Official World Golf Ranking for the previous calendar year • The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the current Masters Tournament 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. Changes since 2014 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. 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 the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship, 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. ==Most wins==

The first winner of the Masters Tournament was Horton Smith in 1934, and he repeated in 1936. The player with the most Masters victories is Jack Nicklaus, who won six times between 1963 and 1986. Tiger Woods has five wins, followed by Arnold Palmer with four, and Jimmy Demaret, Gary Player, Sam Snead, Nick Faldo, and Phil Mickelson have three titles to their name. Player was the tournament's first overseas winner with his first victory in 1961. Two-time champions include Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ben Crenshaw, José María Olazábal, Bubba Watson, Scottie Scheffler, and Rory McIlroy. ==Winners==

• • In the "Runner(s)-up" column, the names are sorted alphabetically, based on the last name of that year's runner(s)-up. • The sudden-death format was adopted in 1976, first used in 1979, and revised in 2004. • None of the 11 sudden-death playoffs has advanced past the second hole; four were decided at the first hole, seven at the second. • Playoffs prior to 1976 were full 18-hole rounds, except for 1935, which was 36 holes. • None of the six full-round playoffs were tied at the end of the round; the closest margin was one stroke in 1942 and 1954. • The 1962 playoff included three players: Arnold Palmer (68), Gary Player (71), and Dow Finsterwald (77). • The 1966 playoff included three players: Jack Nicklaus (70), Tommy Jacobs (72), and Gay Brewer (78). ==Low amateurs==

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 are Cary Middlecoff, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Sergio García, and Hideki Matsuyama. • ==Records==

has won the most Masters, with six wins Jack Nicklaus has won the most Masters (six) and was old when he won in 1986, making him the oldest winner of the Masters. The youngest winner of the Masters is Tiger Woods, who was old when he won in 1997. In that year, Woods also broke the records for the widest winning margin (12strokes), 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). In 2013, Guan Tianlang became the youngest player to compete in the Masters, at age on the opening day of the tournament; the following day, he became the youngest to make the cut at the Masters or any men's major championship. Justin Rose holds the record for the most times having led the tournament field after the first round, having done it 5times. These were achieved in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2021 and 2025. In 2020, Australian Cameron Smith became the first golfer in Masters history to shoot all four rounds in the60s (67, 68, 69, 69), finishing at 15under par, en route to a tie for second-place finish with Sungjae Im. Gary Player holds the record for most appearances, with52. Tiger Woods holds the record for consecutive cuts made with24 between 1997 and 2024; he did not compete in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021. In 2023, Fred Couples became the oldest player to make the cut, doing so at age . Nick Price and Greg Norman share the course record of63, 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 BurkeJr. in 1956, and Zach Johnson in 2007. Anthony Kim holds the record for most birdies in a round with11 in 2009 during his second round. The other two occurrences of this feat after Sarazen's double eagle on the course's Fire Thorn hole in 1935: Bruce Devlin made double eagle from out with a 4-wood at the eighth hole (Yellow Jasmine) in the first round in 1967, while Jeff Maggert hit a 3-iron at the 13thhole (Azalea) in the fourth round in 1994. Three players share the record for most runner-up finishes with four – Ben Hogan (1942, 1946, 1954, 1955), Tom Weiskopf (1969, 1972, 1974, 1975), and Jack 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 was95 by Charles Kunkle in 1956 and the highest unofficial score was106 by Billy Casper in 2005 (he refused to hand in his scorecard to avoid holding the record). ==Broadcasting==

United States television NBC acquired the radio rights to the Masters from CBS in the 1940s, which also included television coverage, but never opted to televise the tournament. After years of pressure from Clifford Roberts to air the Masters on TV, NBC instead decided not to renew its contract. CBS then picked up the Masters again and broadcast the 1956 Masters Tournament on TV to 10million viewers. 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. USA Network added first- and second-round coverage in 1982. In 2008, ESPN replaced USA as broadcaster of early-round coverage. These broadcasts use the CBS Sports production staff and commentators, but with ESPN personality Scott Van Pelt (succeeding Mike Tirico, who replaced Bill Macatee's similar role under USA Network) as studio host, as well as Curtis Strange as studio analyst. CBS carries two 15-minute highlight programs in late night covering the first and second rounds, which airs after their affiliates' late night local 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 webcast called "Amen Corner Live" began providing coverage of all players passing through holes 11, 12, and 13 through all four rounds. 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 in 4K ultra high definition exclusively on DirecTV—as one of the first live U.S. sports telecasts in the format. A second channel of 4K coverage covering holes 15 and 16 was added in 2017, and this coverage was produced with high-dynamic-range (HDR) color in 2018. In 2025, Paramount+ began streaming two-hour blocks of third- and final-round coverage preceding CBS television coverage. In 2026, Amazon Prime Video similarly began streaming two-hour blocks of early-round coverage preceding ESPN's television coverage. While Augusta National Golf Club has consistently chosen CBS as its U.S. broadcast partner, it has done so in successive one-year contracts. Former CBS Sports president Neal Pilson stated that their relationship had gotten to the point where the contracts could be negotiated in just hours. Despite this, announcers who have been deemed not to have acted with the decorum expected by the club have been removed, notably Jack Whitaker and Gary McCord, The club also disallows promotions for other network programs, or other forms of sponsored features. Sponsorship 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 sponsorship packages to a small number of companies – , these "Champion Partners" are AT&T, Bank of America, IBM, and Mercedes-Benz. and joined by Bank of America in 2025. In 2002, in the wake of calls to boycott tournament sponsors over the Martha Burk controversy, club chairman Hootie Johnson suspended all television sponsorship of the 2003 tournament. He argued that it was "unfair" to have the Masters' sponsors become involved with the controversy by 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. Radio coverage The first tournament in 1934, broadcast by CBS, was the first golf tournament aired nationally in the US; Roberts saw this as an advertising opportunity. Since 2021, SiriusXM has been the exclusive audio broadcaster of the Masters Tournament, producing and presenting live play-by-play audio coverage of all four rounds, pre-round and recap programming, and special event coverage on its PGA Tour Radio channel, which temporarily rebrands to "Masters Radio" for the week of the tournament. The current SiriusXM broadcast team features lead play-by-play announcers and on-course reporters covering the action around Augusta National Golf Club, and Masters Radio also includes related programming such as tournament specials and ancillary event coverage. International television The first UK live coverage of the event was in 1984 when Channel 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 of BBC HD, UK viewers were able to watch the championship in that format. BBC Sport held the exclusive TV and radio rights through to 2010. The BBC's coverage airs without commercials because it is financed by a licence 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. although the Corporation continues to provide live radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live. In Ireland, Setanta Ireland previously showed all four rounds, and now since 2017 Eir Sport broadcast all four rounds live having previously broadcast the opening two rounds with RTÉ broadcasting the weekend coverage. After Eir Sport's closure in 2021, Sky Sports will broadcast the event exclusively in Ireland for the first time, like in the UK. In Canada, broadcast rights to the Masters are held by Bell Media, with coverage divided between TSN (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, and RDS, which carries French-language coverage. Prior to 2013, Canadian broadcast rights were held by a marketing company, Graham Sanborn Media, which in turn bought time on the Global Television Network, TSN, and RDS (except for 2012 when French-language coverage aired on TVA and TVA 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 as ESPN 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). On December15, 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. In France, the Masters is broadcast live on Canal+ and Canal+ Sport. In 53countries, including much of Latin America, broadcast rights for the entire tournament are held by the ESPN International networks. Other The Masters has an app developed by IBM as a "365-day operation" for its development team. In 2025, ANGC introduced Mornings@ TheMasters, a 45-minute daily live-streamed show focused on culture and lifestyle, featuring influencers Hally Leadbetter and Roger Steele, co-produced with CBSSports, and broadcast on YouTube. ==Notes==