Since 1949, the winner of the US Masters tournament has been presented with a distinctive green jacket on top of the usual cash prize. But what is the significance of this ritual?

The Masters

One of the four major championships in professional golf, and the first major to be played each year, the Masters has attracted the top golfers in the world for over half a century.
The tournament began as the Augusta National Invitational Tournament in 1934. The brainchild of Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, it was officially named the Masters Tournament in 1939.
A victory at the Masters brings with it honourary membership to Augusta National Golf Club, as well as an automatic invitation to play in the other three majors for the next five years.

History of the Green Jacket

The green jacket has been worn on club grounds by Augusta National members ever since 1937, when members wore green jackets during the tournament, so that fans in need of help could spot them easily in the crowd.
The tradition of handing the green jacket to the victor began with Sam Snead in 1949 and the jacket has become one of the most widely recognised symbols of achievement in professional golf.
The winner of the previous Masters traditionally puts the green jacket on the new champion, who is allowed to keep it for the year of his reign. It must then be returned to to the club to be worn on future visits – all Masters champions earn a lifetime invitation to the tournament.
Jack Nicklaus was the first player to defend a Masters title, after victory in 1955 and 1956, and donned the jacket himself. When Nick Faldo (in 1990) and Tiger Woods (in 2002) defended their Masters Tournament titles, the chairman of Augusta National put the jacket on them.

Trivia

• Co-founder and host of the tournament, Bobby Jones, was an amateur golfer in the 1920s, winning 13 out of the 21 major championships he played in before he retired in 1930.

•Jones designed Augusta National with legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie.

•The only person who has failed to return the green jacket to Augusta National is Gary Player, who kept it following his 1961 triumph.

•In addition to the green jacket, winners receive a Gold Medal and their names are engraved on the silver Masters Trophy.

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