[Masters] Everything About the Myungin Yeoljeon... 'From A to Z'

Strict Entry Conditions, Only 89 Invited This Year
Par 3 Contest and Champions Dinner Also in Spotlight
Total Prize Money Determined Annually by Tournament Revenue
Augusta National's Thorough Member-Centered Secrecy

The 'stage of dreams' has begun.

This is the story of the Masters, the first major tournament of the men's golf season. It opened on the 11th (local time) at Augusta National Golf Club (par 72, 7,555 yards) in Augusta, Georgia, USA. The lineup included 'Golf Emperor' Tiger Woods (USA), defending champion Jon Rahm (Spain), and Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), who is challenging for the 'Career Grand Slam.' South Korea sent four players: Seongjae Im, Juhyung Kim, Siwoo Kim, and Byung-hoon An, with Im having been the runner-up in 2020. We took a look at everything about the Masters, the 'battle of the masters' that top players want to compete in.

The Masters is a "dream stage" where only players with the world's best skills, such as Tiger Woods, can compete.

▲Start= Established in 1934, this is the 88th edition this year. It is a stage jointly hosted by the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO). Along with the US Open, The Open, and the PGA Championship, it is one of the 'four major' tournaments. The entry conditions are the most stringent. Not just anyone can step onto Augusta National Golf Club. To participate in the Masters, players must meet one of the 20 entry criteria set by the host, Augusta National Golf Club. This is why the number of participants does not exceed 100 annually.

Major tournaments usually have about 156 players. In contrast, the Masters has relatively fewer, with fewer than 100 players. The highest number was 109 in 1962, and since 1966, it has never exceeded 100. In 1985, only 77 players competed. This year, 89 players were invited. Past Masters champions receive lifetime invitations. This year, the course is set at par 72, 7,555 yards. The 2nd hole (par 5) was lengthened from 575 yards last year to 585 yards this year, making it the longest course in Masters history.

At the Masters, there is a tradition where the previous year's winner presents the green jacket to the current champion.

▲Total Prize Money and Green Jacket= The total prize money at the Masters is variable. It changes each year depending on the tournament's revenue. The prize money is announced after the third round each year. Last year's total prize money was $18 million (approximately 24.5 billion KRW). Jon Rahm (Spain) won last year, taking home a jackpot of $3.24 million (approximately 4.4 billion KRW). Horton Smith (USA), the winner of the first tournament in 1934, received $1,500 (approximately 2.04 million KRW) as the winner's prize.

At the Masters, the Green Jacket is symbolic. There is a unique tradition where the previous year's champion dresses the new winner in the jacket. Before 1948, champions were given the jacket to keep. Winners keep the jacket for one year and then return it the following year to be permanently displayed in the 'Champions Locker Room.' Since 1993, winners can request a clubhouse-shaped trophy. The Arnold Palmer (USA) trophy, who passed away in September 2016, was sold for $444,000 (approximately 600 million KRW).

▲Tradition= The Masters has its own attractions. First is the 'Par 3 Contest' held the day before the opening. It started in 1960. This traditional event is held on nine par-3 holes near Augusta National Golf Club. Players bring their wives, girlfriends, and children as caddies and enjoy the festive atmosphere. However, they do not aim to win. No player who has won the Par 3 Contest has ever won the main tournament. Last year's Par 3 Contest winner, Tom Hoge (USA), missed the cut in the main event.

The 'Champions Dinner' is also awaited. The defending champion hosts a dinner for past champions before the tournament begins. It was started by Ben Hogan (USA) in 1952. The menu is decided by the previous year's champion. Most hosts showcase special dishes from their home countries. Last year, Rahm, who wore the Green Jacket at the Masters, chose Basque cuisine. He even asked his grandmother for help with the recipe. South Korea has not yet had the opportunity to host the Champions Dinner. Seongjae Im pledged, "I will prepare traditional Korean marinated ribs."

The host of the Masters, Augusta National Golf Club, strictly adheres to a member-centric management system.

▲Augusta National= It is a prestigious course competing for the 'Top 3' among the top 100 golf courses in the USA, selected every two years by Golf Digest. The 'Golf Saint' Bobby Jones (USA) purchased 450,000 pyeong (approximately 1.49 million square meters) of Indian farmland near Augusta in 1930 and created the course with designer Alister MacKenzie. It is notoriously known as a 'snobby club' due to its strict member-centered operation. In fact, you cannot even pass the main gate without being accompanied by a member. The membership is veiled and limited to 300 people. Many prominent political and business figures in the USA wish to join, but it is not easy. Black members were first admitted in 1990, and female members in 2012. This is the background of its 'mystique.'

The Masters has no title sponsor. Augusta National Golf Club itself is the host. Unlike other major tournaments where the course changes annually, it is held at the same place. Money is abundant. Ticket revenue exceeds $130 million (approximately 177.2 billion KRW). Even after spending generously on various expenses, more than $30 million (approximately 4.09 billion KRW) remains. Augusta National limits TV broadcast income. It avoids cluttered advertisements and selects only a few companies, allowing a maximum of 4 minutes per hour. The course is like a carpet with no divots, closed for six months each year. The 40,000 patron (Masters gallery) tickets sold out in 1972. Ordinary people seek scalpers, where tickets cost over $10,000 (approximately 13.63 million KRW).

Tiger Woods is a superstar who has won a total of five Masters titles.

▲The Strongest Players= Jack Nicklaus (USA) holds the record with six wins between 1963 and 1986. Woods is second with five wins. Palmer (4 wins), Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Phil Mickelson (all USA), Gary Player (South Africa), and Nick Faldo (England, all with 3 wins) follow. Among Korean players, Seongjae Im's runner-up finish in 2020 is the best result. The tournament record is 20 under par 268 strokes, set by Dustin Johnson (USA) in 2020.

Woods is the biggest star at the Masters. He set various remarkable records as the first Black player, youngest winner (21 years, 3 months, 14 days), lowest 72-hole score (270), and largest winning margin (12 strokes). Gary Player earned the distinction of being the first non-American champion in 1961. He also holds the record for most appearances (52) and, along with Fred Couples (USA), the record for most consecutive cuts made (23). If Woods makes it to the third round this year, he will set a new record of 24 consecutive cuts made at the Masters. Adam Scott was the first Australian to win in 2013, and Sergio Garcia (Spain) ended his major drought by winning in 2017. Hideki Matsuyama became the first Japanese player to wear the Green Jacket in 2021.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.