Trevor Ng
The Masters Tournament is an annual golf competition that was established in 1934 and is considered one of the four major golf championships. It is held in April each year at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, and is the only one of the four majors to use the same course annually. The Masters is the first of the four major championships to be played each year, with the final round always taking place on the second Sunday of April.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of golfers | Nearly 100 golfers |
| Caddies | Must wear a uniform consisting of a white jumpsuit, a green Masters cap, and white tennis shoes |
| Caddie number | The defending champion's caddie always receives caddie number "1" |
| Caddie number allocation | Golfers get their caddie numbers from the order in which they register for the tournament |
| Caddie rules before 1983 | All players in the Masters were required to use the services of an Augusta National Club caddie, who was always an African-American man |
| Caddie rules after 1983 | Players have been allowed the option of bringing their own caddie to the tournament |
| Caddie rules for other majors and PGA Tour events | Similar caddie policies were in place well into the 1970s |
| Tournament schedule | First full week in April |
| Tournament location | Augusta National Golf Club, a private course in the city of Augusta, Georgia |
| Tournament founder | Amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts |
| Tournament format | Four rounds at 18 holes each, Thursday through Sunday |
| Tournament contenders | Smaller field of contenders compared to other golf tournaments, so competitors play in groups of three for the first two rounds |
| Tournament rotation | Unlike other major tournaments, the Masters is played at the same location each year |
| Qualification criteria | Various criteria including performance in previous tournaments, rankings, and invitations at the discretion of the Masters Committee |
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What You'll Learn
The Masters Tournament is held annually in April
The Masters Tournament, one of four major championships in men's professional golf, is held annually in April. It is usually referred to simply as 'the Masters' or the 'U.S. Masters' outside North America. The tournament is scheduled for the first full week of April and is the first major golf tournament of the year. The Masters has been held annually since its inception in 1934, with the exception of 1942 and 2020. The 1942 event was cancelled, while the 2020 event was postponed to November due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Masters is unique among the major tournaments in that it is always held at the same location, the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. This private course was co-designed by amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts, who founded the tournament. Augusta National was formerly a plant nursery, and each hole is named after the tree or shrub with which it is associated.
The tournament consists of four rounds of 18 holes each, played from Thursday to Sunday. The Masters has a relatively small field of contenders compared to other golf tournaments, with fewer players than any other major. Nearly 100 golfers compete, playing in groups of three for the first two rounds.
The Masters has a rich history, with traditions such as the caddie uniform requirement. Until 1983, players were required to use the services of an Augusta National Club caddie, who by club tradition was always an African-American man. Since 1983, players have been allowed to bring their own caddies, who still wear a uniform of a white jumpsuit, a green Masters cap, and white tennis shoes.
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The Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia hosts it
The Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia has hosted the Masters Tournament annually since 1934. It is one of the four men's major championships in professional golf and the only major played each year at the same course.
The golf club, sometimes referred to simply as Augusta National, Augusta, or the National, is located in Augusta, Georgia, United States. The city is in the northeastern part of Georgia, right on the border with South Carolina, and the town of North Augusta, South Carolina, is separated from Augusta only by the Savannah River.
Augusta National was founded in 1932 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts on a 365-acre site that was once a nursery and antebellum plantation called Fruitland (later Fruitlands). Jones, a golf legend, designed the course with one of the most celebrated golf course architects in history, Alister MacKenzie. During the first decade of the club's existence, membership was low due to the Great Depression and the relatively remote location of Augusta.
The Masters Tournament was first held in 1934 to attract crowds and players. It quickly became one of the most important tournaments in professional golf and is now considered one of the four major championships in men's golf. Augusta National has undergone numerous changes since its inception, and its bunkers are now filled with granulated quartz (known as "Spruce Pine sand") rather than traditional sand.
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The tournament has a smaller field of contenders
The Masters Tournament, usually referred to as the Masters, is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf. It is held annually and is the first major golf tournament of the year. The Masters is unique in that it is the only major tournament conducted by a private club, the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, rather than a national golf organization.
The Masters has a smaller field of contenders compared to other golf tournaments. While nearly 100 golfers vie for the green jacket each year, the tournament has the fewest players of any major golf tournament. This is because it is an invitational event, with approximately 50 players invited based on the Official World Golf Ranking. The smaller field of players means that competitors play in groups of three for the first two rounds.
There are 20 ways in which players can automatically receive an invitation to the Masters. These include winning PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation from the previous Masters to the current Masters, qualifying for the previous year's season-ending Tour Championship, and being among the top 50 on the final Official World Golf Ranking for the previous calendar year.
The Masters Committee also has the discretion to invite international players who are not otherwise qualified. The tournament consistently features as the first major on the calendar, with golfers playing the same course each year at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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The winner receives a green jacket and trophy
The Masters Tournament, held annually, is one of the most prestigious golf events in the world. The winner of the tournament receives a green jacket and a trophy, which are emblematic of Augusta National. The green jacket is considered the most coveted item of clothing in golf, and the winner receives it in a special presentation shortly after their victory. The previous year's winner typically assists the new champion in donning the jacket, which they get to keep for a year.
The green jacket tradition at the Masters dates back to 1949 when it was formally awarded, although champions from prior years had also received it informally. The jacket is the official attire of members of Augusta National, and each winner becomes an honorary member of the club. In 1966, Jack Nicklaus became the first player to win consecutive tournaments and put the jacket on himself. There have been exceptions to the tradition, such as Gary Player, who took his jacket to South Africa after his 1961 victory, and Henry Picard, whose jacket was removed from the club before the tradition was established.
The Masters trophy is a silver depiction of the clubhouse at Augusta National. The original trophy weighs over 130 pounds and is too large for one person to carry. Winners receive a replica, which is significantly smaller at 6.5 inches tall and weighs 20 pounds. The champion and runner-up have their names engraved on the permanent trophy, and the winner also receives a scaled-down version with the engraved signatures of every player in that particular year. The replica trophy arrives in a beautiful presentation box lined with green felt and is delivered around midsummer.
In addition to the green jacket and trophy, Masters champions receive a gold medal bearing their name, the Masters year, and a depiction of the clubhouse. They also receive a gold locket in the shape of the Masters logo, which is presented during Masters week. The winner of the tournament also receives a substantial cash prize, with the purse growing significantly in recent years. In 2025, the total prize money was $21,000,000, with $4,200,000 going to the winner.
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Jack Nicklaus holds the record for most Masters wins
Jack Nicklaus is the leading winner in the history of The Masters Tournament with six victories. His first win was in 1963, and his last in 1986, spanning 21 years. Nicklaus played The Masters from 1959 to 2005, a span of 46 years.
Nicklaus earned his first Green Jacket in his second year as a pro at the age of 23. His winning score of 2-under 286 was one stroke better than second-place Tony Lema. In 1965, Nicklaus set a new Masters scoring record of 271 and a margin of victory record of nine strokes.
In 1966, Nicklaus became the first player to win the Masters Tournament two years running. He also won The Open Championship, becoming the youngest player to win all four golf majors at 26. Nicklaus competed in 164 major tournaments, more than any other player, and finished with 73 PGA Tour victories. He is a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee.
Nicklaus's final major title came in 1986 when he became the oldest Masters champion at 46. His victory was described by golf historian Herbert Warren Wind as "the most important accomplishment in golf since Bobby Jones's Grand Slam in 1930".
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Frequently asked questions
There is one Masters Tournament per year.
The Masters Tournament takes place annually during the first full week of April, from Thursday to Sunday. The final round is scheduled for the second Sunday of April.
The Masters Tournament takes place at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
The Masters Tournament is an invitational golf tournament. Golfers are invited to compete based on their past achievements.
