What Is The Masters Golf Tournament?

The Masters Tournament in golf is a major championship that is played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The Masters has been played yearly since 1934 and is famous for its beautiful course, dramatic finishes, and the green jackets worn by the victors. Read on to learn all about the Masters.

Overview of The Masters

The Masters Tournament in golf has been held yearly since 1934 after the former golfer Bobby Jones opened Augusta National in 1933. The tournament was originally called the Augusta National Invitation Tournament, but the name changed before the 1939 event. The Masters has always been played at Augusta National and has featured many of the most historic moments in the sport. Tiger Woods won his first major at the 1997 Masters, and Gene Sarazen made one of the greatest shots of all time when he sunk a double-eagle in 1935. 

The Masters is widely regarded as the most exciting tournament in golf due to its beautiful course and tricky holes. One of the most recognizable Masters traditions is the green jacket winners are given, which began in 1949 after Sam Snead won the tournament. Every year since, the winner has been presented with a green jacket by the winner of the previous year’s tournament.

Tournament Format

The Masters is the first major tournament played in professional golf each year. The tournament is over the span of four days, with each golfer playing a round of eighteen holes each of those days. Competitors play the course in groups of three for the first two rounds, then switch to groups of two should they reach the final two rounds by shooting under the cut line. 

Unlike other tournaments, players always start on the 1st hole of the course instead of splitting between starting on the 1st or 10th hole to allow more players to participate. The player with the lowest score at the end of 72 holes wins the tournament. Should two or more players be tied, they will all go to a playoff until one is named the winner.

Women’s Amateur Tournament Format

The women’s amateur tournament normally takes place during the month of April and hosts 72 amateur golfers over 54 holes of play. After the first 36 holes, the top 30 golfers advance to the final round. The winner of the tournament will receive an invitation to the event the following year, as well as invitations to other prominent golf events. While there is still not a professional Masters Tournament for female golfers, the Masters have held this women’s amateur competition since 2018.

Awards and Trophies

The winner of the Masters Tournament will receive a green Masters green jacket, the Masters Trophy, and an allotted amount of prize money. In 2023, the Masters’ purse sits at $15 million. The winner of the tournament wins $2.7 million, with second place receiving $1.62 million. In 2022, the golfer in 50th place received $37,800, showing that even lower performers in the tournament have a chance to make some money.

Notable Champions

There have been many strong competitors and champions over the years since the Masters Tournament was created. Here are some of the most notable champions of the Masters with the years they won:

• Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986)
• Arnold Palmer (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964)
• Tiger Woods (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019)
• Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010)
• Sam Snead (1949, 1952, 1954)
• Gary Player (1961, 1974, 1978)
• Tom Watson (1977, 1981)
• Byron Nelson (1937, 1942)
• Ben Hogan (1951, 1953)
• Ben Crenshaw (1984, 1995)

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