Augusta National Golf Club and Masters Tournament chairman Fred Ridley, a former Masters contestant himself, addressed the media on Wednesday in the chairman's typical spot in the rotation.
Ridley spoke on a wide variety of subjects, including the club's new partnership with Amazon Prime Video, his continued support of the USGA and R&A's proposed golf-ball rollback, as well as the issues that persist with LIV Golf events offering limited Official World Golf Ranking points.
The chairman also was asked by a media member -- who apologized to Ridley for asking what they termed a "trivial" question -- about a rumor flying around Augusta National Golf Club among the patrons: that this is the last year for the collectible Masters gnome.
"Number one, the question is not trivial," Ridley said in reply. "Number two, I've been asking that question for several years, and they won't tell me the answer. So I can't help you."
The annual gnome sold in the Masters gift shops is a hot item and sells out quickly each year. On the secondary market, the gnomes go for a lot of money, creating a cottage industry for golf fans who want to continue to collect them each year.
The 13.5-inch gnome debuted in the garden section of tournament pro shop in 2016, dressed in golf-themed Masters attire and sold for about $50. The gnome didn't return in 2017, but it came back in 2018 and has been a staple ever since.
Since 2018, it's become the most-coveted collectible item at the Masters. It is the lone item sold on site that is limited to one per person.
There have been different outfits for each year's gnome, debuting wearing an argyle sweater. There's been a gnome in an Augusta National caddy outfit in 2018, wearing Christmas sweater in 2020, donning a slew of Masters badges in 2021 and holding a Georgia peach ice cream sandwich from the tournament concessions in 2025.
This year, the gnome has a blue Masters zip-up vest. Whether that's the last gnome or the item lives to see 2027 is unclear -- even apparently to one of the most powerful people in golf.
