Green Jacket ceremony rules if there’s a back-to-back Masters champion | Golf | Sport
Rory McIlroy is the reigning Masters champion (Image: Getty)
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Everything you need to know about the Green Jacket ceremony when there’s a repeat Masters winner
- The Defending Champion: Rory McIlroy is one of the men to beat at Augusta National after his historic victory last spring. He has returned this year looking to become the first repeat winner in over two decades.
- The Traditional Handover: Under normal circumstances, the previous year’s champion is responsible for helping the new winner into their Green Jacket. This symbolic gesture is a cornerstone of the ceremony held on the 18th green, but what happens if someone goes back-to-back?
- The Back-to-Back Challenge: A logistical puzzle arises when a golfer wins consecutive titles, as McIlroy may do, because they cannot technically present the jacket to themselves. This rare feat has only occurred three times in the long history of the Masters.
- The Nicklaus Precedent: In 1966, Jack Nicklaus was famously told to simply put the Green Jacket on his own shoulders after winning his second straight title. This self-service approach was the original solution proposed by club co-founder Bobby Jones.
- A Shift in Protocol: By 1990, the club decided that a player dressing themselves lacked the proper level of formality for the occasion. When Nick Faldo defended his title that year, the Augusta National chairman stepped in to perform the honours.
- The Chairman’s Duty: The modern rule dictates that if there is a repeat winner, the current club chairman must present the accolade. This ensures the ceremony remains prestigious and avoids any awkwardness for the champion.
- Fred Ridley’s Role: Should Rory prevail, chairman Fred Ridley will be the one tasked with placing the jacket on him. This would be a historic moment for Ridley, as no chairman has performed this duty since 2002.
- The Awkward Scheffler Incident: During last year’s ceremony, fans noted a tense exchange when Scottie Scheffler appeared to exit the stage very quickly after handing Rory the jacket. This led to widespread social media speculation that Scheffler was being insincere or frustrated with his own fourth-place finish.
- Scottie’s Selfless Explanation: Scheffler later clarified the move by explaining he wanted the spotlight to remain entirely on Rory’s career-defining Grand Slam. He stated that he intentionally stayed out of the way.
- READ MORE: Rory McIlroy withdraws from tournament despite Masters leader being fined millions before
