AUGUSTA — The 90th Masters is not over entering the weekend, but it feels like a fair question because Rory McIlroy leads by a record six shots.
There are several chasers with major championships to their names including Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed.
But McIlroy, the defending champion, will tee off Saturday afternoon as a massive favorite, which has some already thinking about Sunday evening and one of the great Masters traditions: the donning of the green jacket.
The previous year’s champion puts the green jacket on the new winner, but who handles the honors for a repeat Masters champ?
That would be the chairman of the Masters and Augusta National Golf Club, who right now is Fred Ridley.
There have been three previous back-to-back winners at the Masters: Jack Nicklaus in 1965 and 1966, Nick Faldo in 1989 and 1990, and Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. In the case of their second wins, Augusta’s chairman handled green jacket duties. For Nicklaus in 1966 it was Clifford Roberts, who co-founded Augusta National with Bobby Jones. Hord Hardin handled Faldo’s ceremony in 1990. For Woods in 2002, chairman Hootie Johnson did the honors.
And come Sunday night, Fred Ridley may take his turn in the spotlight, performing this special chairman’s role for the fourth time history.
More Masters Coverage from Sports Illustrated
- Rory McIlroy’s Masters Coronation Is Over as a Fresh Group of Challengers Emerge
- Come Sunday Night at the Masters, There Will Be a First-Time Major Champion
- Justin Rose Hoping for Another ‘Special’ Sunday With Chance to Finally Win Masters
- Good, Bad and Ugly Masters Round 3: Rory Struggles, and This Masters Is Wide Open
- Masters Round 4 Tee Times: Rory McIlroy and Cam Young in Final Group at Augusta National
This article was originally published on www.si.com as If Rory McIlroy Repeats as Masters Champion, the Green Jacket Ceremony Will Have a Surprise Twist.
