The Masters
The Masters is a professional golf tournament played every April at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It is the first of the four major championships contested each year and the only one held at the same course annually.
What is the Masters?
The Masters is one of golf’s four major championships, the events that carry the most prestige in the professional game. It shares that status with the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship, and it is the first of the four played each year, which gives it a fixed place at the start of the golf season every April.
What sets it apart begins with the venue. According to Wikipedia’s overview of the men’s majors, the Masters is the only one of the four played at the same course every year, Augusta National Golf Club. The other three rotate between venues. That permanence has made the course itself, with its azaleas and steep, fast greens, almost as recognisable to fans as the players.
The tournament was founded in 1934 by Bobby Jones, the most celebrated amateur golfer of his era, and Clifford Roberts, his business partner. It was originally called the Augusta National Invitation Tournament and took on the name “the Masters” in 1939. Of the four majors, it is the most recent to be established, yet it has built a reputation that rivals championships decades older.
Entry is the other defining feature. The Masters does not run open qualifying like the other majors. Instead, players receive an invitation only if they meet one of its published criteria, such as being a past champion or ranking among the world’s top 50. That keeps the field small, usually under 100 players.
How the Masters works
Play runs over four days, Thursday through Sunday, during the first full week of April, in a 72-hole stroke-play format. Every player’s strokes are counted across all four rounds, and the lowest total wins. Augusta National plays as a par 72, measuring 7,565 yards for the 2026 tournament, according to Golf Digest.
The field is one of the smallest in top-level golf. Golf Digest reports it typically runs between 85 and 95 players, with 93 projected for 2026. After the first two rounds, a cut trims the field: players in the top 50 places, including ties, play the weekend, and the rest go home.
The winner receives the green jacket, a trophy, a gold medal, and a lifetime invitation to return. A Masters title also earns entry into the other three majors for the next several years, which is part of why winning at Augusta carries weight beyond the trophy itself.
When two or more players finish level after 72 holes, the result goes to a sudden-death playoff that starts at the 18th hole and moves to the 10th if needed. Rory McIlroy won that way in 2025, needing one extra hole to beat Justin Rose.
The Masters vs the other three majors
Most people searching for the Masters already know it is a golf major, but are not sure how it differs from the other three. The short answer: the Masters is smaller, more exclusive, and rooted to one place.
| Feature | The Masters | U.S. Open | The Open Championship | PGA Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1934 | 1895 | 1860 | 1916 |
| Venue | Augusta National every year | Rotates (US courses) | Rotates (UK links courses) | Rotates (US courses) |
| Field size | Under 100, invitation only | ~156, open qualifying | ~156, open qualifying | ~156 |
| Time of year | April (first major) | June | July | May |
| Governing body | Augusta National Golf Club | USGA | The R&A | PGA of America |
The invitation-only field is the clearest point of difference. As the Sports History Network notes, the other majors often exceed 150 players, while the Masters keeps its field near 90. Because Augusta National hosts every year, players build a familiarity with the course that is impossible at the rotating majors, which is one reason experienced contenders tend to do well there.
Traditions of the Masters
Few sporting events lean on ritual the way the Masters does, and several of its traditions have become terms that fans hear every April.
The green jacket is the most famous. First awarded to the champion in 1949, it signals membership in a small club of Masters winners. The reigning champion may take it home for a year, then returns it to be kept at Augusta National.
The Champions Dinner, held on the Tuesday of tournament week, is open only to past winners. Ben Hogan started it in 1952, and tradition gives the previous year’s champion the job of choosing the menu.
Amen Corner is the nickname for the testing three-hole stretch of the 11th, 12th, and 13th holes, where many tournaments have turned. The writer Herbert Warren Wind coined the phrase in a 1958 Sports Illustrated article. Magnolia Lane, the tree-lined drive leading to the clubhouse, is another landmark that fans recognise by name alone.
Notable winners and records
A few names sit above the rest. Jack Nicklaus holds the record with six titles won between 1963 and 1986, Tiger Woods has five, and Arnold Palmer won four during his career, according to Golf Digest.
Woods also owns two of the tournament’s striking marks. He won his first Masters in 1997 at age 21, still the youngest champion, and his 12-stroke victory that year remains the largest winning margin. The lowest 72-hole score belongs to Dustin Johnson, who finished 20 under par (268) at the November 2020 Masters, as recorded by Britannica.
The 2025 champion was Rory McIlroy, whose win completed the career Grand Slam, the full set of all four major titles. The 2026 tournament marks the 90th playing of the event.
Related Golf Terms
- Tee time — A reserved time slot for beginning a round of golf.
- Texas wedge — Using a putter from off the green.
- Target line — The imaginary line from the ball to the intended target.
- Tempo — The speed and rhythm of the golf swing.
- Tee shot — The first stroke on any hole, played from the tee box.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Masters the same as the PGA?
No. The Masters is run by Augusta National Golf Club, while the PGA Championship is run by the PGA of America. They are two separate majors played at different times of year.
Why is it called the Masters?
Clifford Roberts wanted the name to reflect the “masters of golf” who competed in it. Co-founder Bobby Jones initially thought it immodest, and the name was formally adopted in 1939.
Can anyone play in the Masters?
No. The field is invitation only. Players qualify by meeting set criteria, such as winning a past Masters, winning another recent major, or ranking inside the world’s top 50.
Where is the Masters played?
At Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, every year. It is the only one of golf’s four majors that never changes venue.
How much does the winner get?
In 2025, the total purse was $21 million, with champion Rory McIlroy receiving a record winner’s share of $4.2 million, according to Sports Illustrated. The winner also takes the green jacket.
Sources
- Britannica. “Masters Tournament.” Accessed June 2026.
- Wikipedia. “Men’s major golf championships.” Accessed June 2026.
- Golf Digest. “Masters 2026: Answering the most frequently asked questions about the year’s first major.” Accessed June 2026.
- GOLF.com. “What is the Masters? And why is it so important?” Accessed June 2026.
- Olympics.com. “Masters 2026: Everything you need to know about the first golf major of the year.” Accessed June 2026.
- Sports History Network. “What Makes the Masters Unique to the Other Golf Majors?” Accessed June 2026.
- Sports Illustrated. “Masters Increases Purse to $21 Million, Winner to Take Home $4.2 Million.” Accessed June 2026.
