The 2024 Masters Tournament gets underway on Thursday with a tradition unlike any other: the honorary starters hitting the ceremonial first tee shots at Augusta National Golf Club.
The ceremonial tee shots ceremony takes place annually just 20 minutes ahead of the first tee times officially begin the competition. The patrons gather around the first tee, and the Augusta National chairman -- currently, that's Fred Ridley -- welcomes everyone to the start of the event. The chairman welcomes the honorary starters and delivers remarks about each as they hit their tee shots down toward the first fairway.
In 2024, the Masters honorary starters is a group of three legends in golf history: Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson.
All three players won multiple Masters titles. Jack Nicklaus has the most Masters wins with six, while Gary Player has won three titles and Watson won two as part of his incredible career.
These three legends have been the trio of Masters honorary starters since 2022. There have been different groups of Masters honorary starters over the years. Lee Elder was part of the ceremonial in 2021. Before then, it was just Nicklaus and Player after 2016 passing of Arnold Palmer, a four-time Masters champion.
Palmer was the honorary starter from 2007-2009, all by himself, when he revived the tradition after having no such honorary starters from 2003-2006. Nicklaus became an honorary starter in 2010, and Gary Player rounded out the Big Three in the honorary starter group in 2012.
