Watch: 2025 Masters officially begins with Thursday's Honorary Starter ceremony
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The 2025 Masters is officially underway.
Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson kicked off the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club with the opening tee shots at 7:25 a.m. ET Thursday. This is the fourth year the trio has hit the opening tee shots at the Masters. Nicklaus has been an Honorary Starter since 2010, with Player joining him in 2012 and Watson in 2022.
"I feel it gets a little more narrow every year," Player said as he put his golf ball on the tee.
Honorary Starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson begin the 2025 Masters Tournament. #themasterspic.twitter.com/LstSDUkltb— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2025
When did Honorary Starter ceremony begin?
Having someone hit the first shot at the Masters dates to 1941, when amateur Francis Ouimet played the first round before withdrawing. While the role of Honorary Starter wasn’t official quite yet, Ouimet’s appearance at the urging of Tournament co-founder Bobby Jones was enough to plant the seed of an idea that would eventually start the tradition, per the Masters website.
Who has been a Masters Honorary starter?
- Jock Hutchison: 1963 – 1973
- Fred McLeod: 1963 – 1976
- Byron Nelson: 1981 – 2001 (non-consecutive)
- Gene Sarazen: 1981 – 1999
- Ken Venturi: 1983
- Sam Snead: 1984 – 2002
- Arnold Palmer: 2007 – 2016
- Jack Nicklaus: 2010 – present
- Gary Player: 2012 – present
- Lee Elder: 2021
- Tom Watson: 2022 – present
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Watch: Honorary Starters ceremony kicks off 2025 Masters
