The Masters Tournament has been held at Augusta National Golf Club since 1934, making it the only major championship played at the same location year after year. The event is over 90 years old and is rich in traditions and customs, which must be adhered to by golfers participating and patrons alike. Also, it is an invitation-only event, exclusively for past major winners, Masters Tournament winners, globally top-ranked golfers, and amateur champions.
The winners of the Masters Tournament receive a green jacket with the winner's share of the purse. Before the event, the previous year's winner hosts a champions dinner, and a par-3 contest serves as a warm-up for the main event. There is also a myth that the winner of the par-3 contest never wins the Masters Tournament. Further, the opening shot is taken by legendary golfers, usually winners of previous Masters Tournaments, to commence the event.
Does the Masters Tournament Invitee Pay a Fee?
No, there are no fees for the professional golfers invited to play at the Masters Tournament. The invitees are selected based on qualification criteria decided by Augusta National. The qualification criteria for the Masters Tournament invitees, as per the website of the event, are as follows:
| # | Qualification Criteria | Exemption Duration |
| Major Championship Winners | ||
| 1 | Past Masters winners | Lifetime |
| 2 | Last 5 U.S. Open winners | 5 years |
| 3 | Last 5 Open Championship winners | 5 years |
| 4 | Last 5 PGA Championship winners | 5 years |
| 5 | Last 3 Players Championship winners | 3 years |
| 6 | Current Olympic gold medalist | 1 year |
| Amateur Champions | ||
| 7 | U.S. Amateur champion & runner-up (must stay amateur) | 1 year |
| 8 | The Amateur champion (must stay amateur) | 1 year |
| 9 | Asia-Pacific Amateur champion (must stay amateur) | 1 year |
| 10 | Latin America Amateur champion (must stay amateur) | 1 year |
| 11 | U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (must stay amateur) | 1 year |
| 12 | NCAA Division I men’s champion (must stay amateur) | 1 year |
| Top Performers from Past Majors | ||
| 13 | Top 12 (incl. ties) in last year’s Masters | 1 year |
| 14 | Top 4 (incl. ties) in last year’s U.S. Open | 1 year |
| 15 | Top 4 (incl. ties) in last year’s Open Championship | 1 year |
| 16 | Top 4 (incl. ties) in last year’s PGA Championship | 1 year |
| PGA Tour & World Rankings | ||
| 17 | PGA Tour event winners (full-point events) | 1 year |
| 18 | Tour Championship qualifiers | 1 year |
| 19 | Top 50 in OWGR (end of previous year) | 1 year |
| 20 | Top 50 in OWGR (week before Masters) | 1 year |
Read More About: How much does it cost to attend the Masters Tournament?
FAQs on how much does it cost to play in the Masters Tournament?
A. Professional players invited to the Masters Tournament are not charged a fee to compete.
A. Ticket prices for the Masters Tournament 2025 vary from $100 to $140 if bought from the event's website. The resale website prices cost more than $1,000 depending on the site.
A. Tickets are distributed through a lottery system for both practice rounds and tournament days.
A. It's prohibited to resell tickets, but some end up on the resale market, fetching high prices.
A. A series badge grants access for all four days of the tournament and costs $375 annually.
A. The waiting list for patron series badges was last reopened in 2000, making obtaining one challenging.
