One of the four major golf competitions held each year for professional players is the Masters Tournament, or simply The Masters. It is held at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, USA, during the first full week of April and is customarily the first major to be played each year. 

Since its debut in 1934, the competition has grown to rank among the most prominent and much anticipated golf competitions in the world. In comparison to other golf events, this one is invitation-only and has a smaller field of competitors, with 90 to 100 players taking part. 

One of the most known emblems of the competition is the coveted green jacket, which is given to the victor of The Masters Tournament. Some of the greatest golfers in history, including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Arnold Palmer, have won The Masters, and it remains one of the most highly-watched and well-attended golf tournaments in the world.

To preserve the fairness and competitiveness of the event, the Masters Tournament includes various rules and regulations that must be followed. The following are some of The Masters’ main guidelines: 

Invitation-only: The top golfers in the world, previous tournament winners, champions of other major golf tournaments, and a few more elite players are the only golfers who can compete in the invitation-only event. 

The Masters is a stroke-play competition, which means that each player plays a set number of holes (usually four rounds of 18 holes), and the winner is the one with the lowest overall score. 

After the second round, a cut is made to the top 50 scores (including ties) and anyone within those scores.

Playoff format: A sudden-death playoff is utilized to decide the winner if there is a tie for the lead after four rounds. The 18th hole is played several times in the playoff to decide the champion. 

Rules of the Augusta National Golf Club: The Masters is held at Augusta National Golf Club, which has its own unique set of guidelines that are followed there. Players are not permitted to wear shorts while playing or to run on the course. 

Players are only permitted to utilize certain equipment during the Masters, and those limitations are rather rigorous. For instance, a driver’s maximum length is 48 inches, and the clubhead maximum volume is 460 cubic centimeters. 

These are just a few of the rules and regulations of The Masters Tournament. 

This year, Jon Rahm, a Spanish golfer won his first Masters. Rahm won by four shots after trailing by two during the final round. Rahm will be leaving the tournament with $2.7 million dollars.