Masters prizes go beyond green jacket

The Masters Tournament likes giving away prizes.

The winner receives the ultimate prize – a green jacket – but there are many ways for a player to make the Masters memorable.

From cloth to crystal, the Masters stands alone in tournament golf because no other event provides such an elaborate array of prizes.

The green jacket is the most famous prize in golf, and the custom coat has been awarded to the champion since 1949. The lightweight wool jacket is synonymous with winning at Augusta National Golf Club, but that’s not all the champion receives.

He also gets a sterling silver replica of the Masters Trophy (which depicts the clubhouse) and a gold medal.

Masters Prize Money: Full List

The runner-up receives a silver medal and a silver salver.

Amateurs who make the cut are eligible to win the silver cup, which goes to the low amateur, and the silver medal that goes to the runner-up.

Beginning in 1954, the Masters started awarding crystal for special feats during the tournament.

The most common way to walk away with a trophy embossed with the Masters logo is to make an
eagle. Any player in the field is eligible.

From 1954-62, anyone making an eagle received a crystal highball glass. In 1963 and 1964, a crystal goblet was awarded. From 1965-2011, a pair of crystal goblets was given. Now, a pair of crystal highball glasses goes to those who card an eagle.

Rickie Fowler was among those in 2015 who earned crystal. He made a 25-foot putt for eagle on the 13th in the final round.

“This will be my third set of crystal,” Fowler said. “It’s one of the first things you think about after making an eagle. It’s pretty special.”

Crystal is also awarded to players for low round of the day (vase), a hole-in-one (large crystal bowl) and double eagle (large crystal bowl).

With only four double eagles in tournament history, it is the hardest trophy to obtain. When Bruce Devlin made a double eagle in 1967 on No. 8, Masters Chairman Clifford Roberts decided that he should receive a large crystal bowl.

According to the media guide, Roberts first gave a crystal bowl to Gene Sarazen, who made the tournament’s first double eagle, on No. 15 in 1935. The other double eagles in tournament play came from Jeff Maggert on No. 13 in 1994 and Louis Oosthuizen on No. 2 in 2012.

It should come as no surprise that Jack Nicklaus, who has won the most Masters (six), also has the most awards for his career. According to the Masters Journal, Nicklaus picked up 53 prizes between 1959 and 2005.

However, an amateur holds the record for most prizes won in a single Masters.

Ken Venturi took home seven prizes from the 1956 Masters: silver medal as runner-up; silver-gold cup and gold medal for low amateur; crystal vases for day’s low score in the first and second rounds; and crystal highball glasses for eagles in the first and second rounds.