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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland places on the green jacket after remaining spherical of the 2025 Masters Tournament. (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR by way of Getty Images)
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Written by Will Gray
AUGUSTA, Ga. – It’s a well-recognized situation that has stood the take a look at of time at the Masters: The defending champion, with a brand new green jacket in hand, slips the treasured article on the shoulders of the latest champion at Augusta National Golf Club. The ceremony dates again many years, and this Sunday will occur each inside Butler Cabin for the tv broadcast and once more on the grounds simply outdoors the clubhouse for the patrons and members who collect.
But what occurs if the defending champion is not out there to place the green jacket on the winner – as a result of he is additionally the recipient?
A back-to-back victory at the Masters has solely occurred 3 times earlier than, and no, the defending champ doesn’t simply slip into the jacket himself. Tournament traditions name for the membership’s chairman – on this case, Fred Ridley – to place the jacket (again) on the defending champion.
The state of affairs first arose in 1966, when Jack Nicklaus turned the first participant to efficiently defend a Masters title. Nicklaus truly did slip the green jacket on himself, with membership chairman Clifford Roberts wanting on. By 1990, when Nick Faldo received the second of his three Masters titles, the honor fell to chairman Hord Hardin to place the jacket again on the Englishman’s shoulders.
The third and most up-to-date occasion got here in 2002, when Tiger Woods received once more one 12 months after finishing the Tiger Slam. As in 1990, it was the membership chairman – this time Hootie Johnson – who did the honors.
With six gamers separated by simply three pictures getting into the remaining spherical, we’re undecided what awaits this afternoon at Augusta National. One factor’s for sure: Defending champion Rory McIlroy, tied for the lead at 11 underneath, will participate in the green jacket ceremony. What stays to be seen, although, is if one other participant will be a part of him Sunday night.
