Nick Faldo dishes dirt on Augusta champions room as Masters secret exposed

Nick Faldo speaks on the Rick Shiels Golf Show. (Image: The Rick Shiels Golf Show)

Six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo has shattered the illusions of golf fans over the prestige around the US Masters. Faldo, Europe’s most successful golfer at Augusta with three wins to his name, has exposed a little known secret about the awarding of the most famous green jacket in sport.

Faldo is able to return to the tournament each year to attend the famous champion’s dinner, with the menu traditionally chosen by the reigning champion.

He would even still be eligible to line-up on the first tee, but has not entered since missing the cut back in 2006.

Related articles Nick Faldo berates Sergio Garcia after failed £700,000 Ryder Cup stunt Sir Nick Faldo's 11-word response to Rory McIlroy's US Open collapse says it all

However, fans who believed he has his trio of jackets hanging up in his wardrobe at home have been mistaken. In fact, with the exception of the newly crowned winner, all jackets donned at the annual gathering remain in the clubhouse for the following year.

function loadOvpScript(){let el=document.createElement('script');el.setAttribute('src','https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=114291&playerApiId=v114291');document.getElementById('ovp-primis').appendChild(el)} window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v114291"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}});window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',()=>{setTimeout(()=>{if(typeof flagTcfLoaded!=='undefined'&&flagTcfLoaded===!0){loadOvpScript() ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP flagTcfLoaded',new Date())}else{document.addEventListener("tcfLoaded",()=>{loadOvpScript() ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP tcfLoaded',new Date())})}},1500)})

“The only jacket allow to leave Augusta is the one of the champion,” he said, on the Rick Shiels Golf Show. “When we go back each year it’s really nice, you go to your locker, and you know, you open your locker…..it’s a bit like Christmas morning it really is. But when I went last year I was disappointed, I opened it up and there was only one.”

Pressed by Shiels to clarify if he only possesses a single jacket, he replied: “Well no, they work out which one fits me, cause I say ‘that one is my fit’. Like, Jack hasn’t got six in his locker and Tiger hasn’t got five. They’ve got one.”

Faldo puts on the green jacket in 1996. (Image: Getty)

And Faldo, who also won three Open Championships in his illustrious career, revealed he isn’t able to rock up at Augusta at any time and head down the first fairway. Instead, he has to adhere to the same rules as the general public.

“If I want to go and play, I still have to play with a member,” he said, to the bewilderment of presenter Shiels. “Yeah that’s right, I still have to ask a member (to join me).”

The tradition of the green jacket dates back to 1937, when Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts reportedly decided that Augusta National members should wear brightly coloured blazers. The apparent thinking behind the idea was that patrons would easily know whom to ask if they needed help.

Don't miss...
Tiger Woods 'rejects' chance to captain Team USA at Ryder Cup in unexpected move [LATEST]
PGA Tour star gets £627k in prize money – but won't see a penny due to golf rule [LATEST]
Former LIV Golf star makes PGA Tour promise he'll 'never' go back on [LATEST]

SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

And while the 66-year-old Faldo may have ruined the perception of golf romantics, the revelation certainly doesn’t taint his legacy. Having won at Augusta in 1989 and 1990, his most famous triumph at the venue was his final major success in 1996.

Trailing Greg Norman by six shots going into the final round, the Englishman stormed back while his rival infamously fell apart. Faldo ended up prevailing by five shots, with the remarkable turnaround long cemented in Augusta folklore.

Related articles Rory McIlroy defended by Sir Nick Faldo as Sergio Garcia row heats up Nick Faldo sends Norman savage reminder of Masters collapse with Twitter video

Nick Faldo dishes dirt on Augusta champions room as Masters secret exposed

Nick Faldo dishes dirt on Augusta champions room as Masters secret exposed

Nick Faldo dishes dirt on Augusta champions room as Masters secret exposed

Nick Faldo dishes dirt on Augusta champions room as Masters secret exposed

Nick Faldo dishes dirt on Augusta champions room as Masters secret exposed