The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters or The U.S. Masters (outside of the United States), is one of four major championships in men's professional golf. The Masters is an "official money event" on the PGA Tour, the PGA European Tour and the Japan Golf Tour.
The Masters, scheduled for the first full week of April, is the first of the majors to be played each year. Unlike the other major championships, the Masters is held every year at the same location, Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf club in the city of Augusta, Georgia, USA.
The Masters was started by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones, who designed Augusta National with course architect Alister MacKenzie.
The 2009 champion was Angel Cabrera, who in winning the Masters, became the first Argentinean to do so, with Phil Mickelson claiming his third Masters title in the 2010 edition.
The Green Jacket
In addition to a cash award, the winner of the tournament is presented with a distinctive green jacket, awarded since 1949.
The green sport coat is actually the official attire worn by members of Augusta National while on club grounds; each Masters winner becomes an honorary member of the club.
Winners keep their jacket for the first year after their first victory, then return it to the club to wear whenever they visit. The tradition began in 1949, when Sam Snead won the first of his three Masters titles. The green jacket is only allowed to be removed from Augusta National by the reigning champion, after which it must remain at the club. (The only exception to this rule is Gary Player, who refused to return his jacket after his 1961 victory, although he arguably followed the spirit of the rule, as he has stated that he has never worn the jacket.)
By tradition, the winner of the previous year's Masters Tournament puts the jacket on the current winner at the end of the tournament.
In 1966, Jack Nicklaus became the first player to win in consecutive years and he donned the jacket himself. When Nick Faldo (in 1990) and Tiger Woods (in 2002) repeated as champions, the chairman of Augusta National put the jacket on them.
