The Masters Tournament, held annually at Augusta National Golf Club, is one of golf’s major championships and most prestigious events. The winner receives the famous green jacket, awarded each year since 1949. But what happens when a golfer wins multiple Masters titles? Do they receive a new green jacket each time, or stick with their original one?
The History of the Green Jacket
The green jacket awarded to Masters champions is one of the most iconic symbols in sports. But the jacket actually predates the Masters Tournament itself.
In 1937, Augusta National members began wearing green jackets to identify themselves as hosts of the tournament. In 1949, the first green jacket was awarded to the Masters champion, with subsequent winners also receiving one.
The jackets are made exclusively by Hamilton Tailoring Company in Cincinnati and are only allowed to be removed from the Augusta National grounds by the reigning champion. Prior to Champions Dinner on Tuesday of Masters week, the previous year’s winner has to return their jacket to club staff.
Do Past Champions Receive a New Jacket Each Year?
So what happens when a golfer wins multiple Masters titles? Do they get a new, additional green jacket for each win?
The answer is no. Regardless of how many titles a player wins, they only receive one green jacket. However, each champion’s jacket contains a label inside the right pocket that shows the year(s) they have won.
For example, Jack Nicklaus won 6 Masters Tournament titles. But he only has one green jacket with “1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986” embroidered inside to mark those victories.
This tradition was established to preserve the specialness and exclusivity of the green jacket. While every champion cherishes their original jacket, receiving a new one each time would dilute the accomplishment.
A Closer Look at Specific Cases
While every Masters winner receives just one green jacket to commemorate all their titles, there are some unique cases worth examining closer:
Jack Nicklaus
As mentioned above, Nicklaus won 6 Masters but only has one jacket. After his 1972 victory, Nicklaus had to return his original jacket from 1963 because it was too small! Augusta then made him a new, larger one with his wins updated.
Gary Player
Player won 3 Masters (1961, 1974, 1978) and also owns just one jacket. However, Player is the only champion with all 3 years embroidered inside his jacket pocket. Most players only have a portion of their wins included.
Tiger Woods
Woods has 5 Masters victories (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019). He received his first green jacket in 1997 and still wears that original one today. The inside label lists all five of his tournament wins.
Do Other Golf Tournaments Award a Similar Prize?
The Masters green jacket is unique and iconic in the golf world. However, there are a few other tournaments that have a similar prize jacket tradition:
| Tournament | Jacket Color |
|---|---|
| The Open Championship | Red |
| PGA Championship | Gold |
| Tour Championship | Navy Blue |
The Open Championship winner receives a red blazer, while the PGA Championship victor earns a gold jacket. The Tour Championship winner gets a navy blue blazer jacket.
However, none of these jackets carry quite the prestige or tradition as the green jacket from the Masters. It remains one of the ultimate symbols in sports.
How Are the JacketsTailored for Each Player?
One interesting logistical aspect is fitting each champion for their green jacket. Because the winner isn’t known until Sunday afternoon, how does Augusta National make sure it fits properly during the presentation ceremony?
The club keeps a stock of jackets in various sizes on hand. The reigning champion provides their specific jacket size in advance so a new one is ready. If needed, the jacket can be tailored immediately after the tournament.
For taller champions, like Tiger Woods, the sleeves and length are altered. For stockier players, the waist and chest may need adjusting. This ensures a proper fit for the winner’s measurements and body type.
Have Any Champions Refused to Accept the Jacket?
The green jacket is one of the highest honors in golf. Given its prestige, virtually every Masters champion happily accepts it after winning. However, there are two notable exceptions:
- Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 – He felt undeserving since he only won after a playoff. Zoeller accepted the jacket days later from Augusta.
- Trevor Immelman in 2008 – Immelman did not allow the jacket to be put on him out of respect for the previous year’s champion, Zach Johnson.
Zoeller and Immelman both eventually accepted their green jackets. It’s a strong tradition that all Masters winners become lifelong members of one of golf’s most exclusive fraternities.
Do Champions Wear Their Jacket Publicly?
Winners are allowed to take their jacket home for the first year of their reign. However, the jackets are only meant to be worn at Augusta National, not in public.
You will occasionally see former champions wearing their jackets at the course during practice rounds or the Champions Dinner. But otherwise, they remain safely tucked away in closets.
The reason behind this etiquette is that the jacket is meant for members at Augusta only. If champions wore them publicly, it would break tradition and detract from the exclusivity.
Has Augusta Ever Run Out of Green Jackets?
With over 60 Masters having been played, Augusta National has awarded a lot of green jackets. Have they ever run out and been unable to present one?
The club always keeps backups in stock and there are no reported instances of the ceremony being delayed. However, in 2012 Bubba Watson did reveal that his jacket did not fit properly.
Augusta National staff had to tailor the sleeves immediately after the final round. So while the club has not exactly “run out”, there have been minor hiccups with sizing.
Conclusion
The Masters green jacket is an iconic prize that each champion receives just once in their lifetime. While new memories are made each victory, the original jacket endures as a symbol of their historic wins and membership into an exclusive club.
The custom of only awarding one jacket, regardless of how many Masters are won, preserves the tradition and honor. And while other tournaments offer similar prizes, none carry the weight and meaning as donning the green jacket on the grounds of Augusta National.
