If Rory McIlroy Repeats as Masters Champion, the Green Jacket Ceremony Will Have a Surprise Twist

When a player wins back-to-back Masters, Augusta puts a new spin on how the green jacket is presented.

Scottie Scheffler put the green jacket on Rory McIlroy after the 2025 Masters, but if McIlroy wins again someone else will handle the duties. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

AUGUSTA — The 90th Masters is not over entering the weekend, but it feels like a fair question because Rory McIlroy leads by a record six shots.

There are several chasers with major championships to their names including Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed.

But McIlroy, the defending champion, will tee off Saturday afternoon as a massive favorite, which has some already thinking about Sunday evening and one of the great Masters traditions: the donning of the green jacket.

The previous year’s champion puts the green jacket on the new winner, but who handles the honors for a repeat Masters champ?

That would be the chairman of the Masters and Augusta National Golf Club, who right now is Fred Ridley.

There have been three previous back-to-back winners at the Masters: Jack Nicklaus in 1965 and 1966, Nick Faldo in 1989 and 1990, and Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. In the case of their second wins, Augusta’s chairman handled green jacket duties. For Nicklaus in 1966 it was Clifford Roberts, who co-founded Augusta National with Bobby Jones. Hord Hardin handled Faldo’s ceremony in 1990. For Woods in 2002, chairman Hootie Johnson did the honors.

And come Sunday night, Fred Ridley may take his turn in the spotlight, performing this special chairman’s role for the fourth time history.