The year’s first Major, the Masters, will be played Thursday to Sunday at Augusta National in Georgia. For many it is the most sought-after and prestigious title in golf.

This year’s edition will be the 90th playing of the tournament.

Rory McIlroy is the defending champion this week, having won in a playoff last year to complete the career Grand Slam, of winning all four Majors.

Only three South Africans have won the Masters – Gary Player (1961, 1974, 1978), Trevor Immelman (2008) and Charl Schwartzel (2011).

America’s Jack Nicklaus has won the most green jackets (six), followed by Tiger Woods (five) and then Arnold Palmer (four).

Ninety-one players will tee off on Thursday (85 pros and six amateurs), with the low 50 and ties making the halfway cut after 36 holes.

While the total purse and winner’s prize have not yet been released by the Masters organisers – this is expected during the course of the tournament – the 2025 edition featured a total purse of $21 million, up from $20 million in 2024.

If converted into Rands today that would be a total purse of R346 million.

Last year McIlroy took home a winner’s prize of $4.2 million – in today’s terms, R69 million.

The rest of the money is distributed in increments depending on placements.

When the first Masters was held in 1934, Horton Smith won the first ever edition and claimed a prize of $1,500.

The famous green jacket, awarded to the winner each year, was first handed out in 1949.

The original name of the tournament was the “Augusta National Invitation Tournament”, held between 1934 and 1938.

Gary Player was the first non-American winner of the tournament, in 1961.

Jack Nicklaus’ last triumph, in 1986, came at the age of 46 while Tiger Woods was just 21 when he won for the first time in 1997; they are the oldest and youngest champions respectively.