The Masters Tickets

About The Masters

It has a simple name, but one that communicates essentially everything you need to know about the tournament: It's where the masters go to compete at the highest level. One of the four main professional championships in golf, The Masters is the first major of every year, followed by the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship. 

Established by amateur champion Bobby Jones in 1930 along with investment banker Clifford Roberts, The Masters was fully established and first played in 1934. Its home is Augusta, Georgia, at private golf course Augusta National Golf Club, where the par is a cool 72. 

After The Masters started, only five competitors can boast the prestigious accomplishment of winning a Grand Slam (winning all four major championships in the same year): Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen. The prize fund for The Masters is about $11 million, with recent winners pulling close to $2 million.

There are many long-standing traditions within The Masters. Since 1949, winners have received a green jacket, with very particular rules about how long they can keep it and where it can be worn. Additionally, there's a Champion's Dinner held on the Tuesday before each tournament, and it's only open to past winners and specific board members of the Augusta National Golf Club. Also, a legacy member — usually a past winner — has an honorary tee-off before the tournament starts each year. 

The Masters has a rather small competition field compared to other tournaments, with 90-100 contestants playing each year. There are no alternates and no qualifying tournaments — this contest is invitation only. 

So, who gets to play? The invitees always include the Top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, in addition to other candidates deemed appropriate for competition. Jack Nicklaus has the most wins in the history of The Masters with six titles; Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods each have four.

The 2019 Masters will run from Thursday, April 11, to Sunday, April 14. The reigning champion is Patrick Reed of the United States.