Zephyr Melton from Golf.com states that the significance of The Masters itself is that “The Masters is important because, as stated above, it is one of four majors in men’s professional golf. Beyond being a major, The Masters holds additional prestige as the winner each year has a standing invitation to come back and compete in the event for the rest of their life.”
The Masters reveals itself to be an example of a professional sports tournament that focuses only on the sport, without any corporate intervention. The Masters golf tournament does not capture the same amount of viewership compared to the NFL, NBA, or even the MLB.
According to Sportico, the ratings for The Masters have grown in the last six years, with this year drawing 10.2 million viewers, which is 7% up on last year’s tournament. The 2022 Masters also recorded the highest viewership for the second round since 2016. The return of Tiger Woods after his car crash, as well as the influx of talented young stars, amplified the ratings for the historic event.
However, Corey Berning from scratchgolfshop.com asserts its unique traits, such as a locked location in Augusta, Ga., as well as the “rich set of traditions that have been developed around it, including the famed green jacket. Originally just for members of the club, it is now awarded to the winner each year in a time-honored ritual.”
This year’s Masters yielded Scottie Scheffler, ranked number one going into the tournament, as the one who shall be granted the illustrious green jacket. Being just 25, he is one of the youngest players ever to win the tournament with a score of 72. Rory McIlroy, another young talent, was just three strokes behind him to claim second place.
Tiger Woods, who was recently involved in a debilitating car crash, claimed 47th place. Max Giles from TheCatalyst.com claims that “despite the low finish, he [Woods] put out a good showing considering what his past year has been like. The GOAT of golf is still going strong despite everything that’s been thrown his way throughout his career.”
All major golf tournaments have rules that protect the traditions of the game. One of these is that there is a limit for sponsors set at five, with no branding promoted to any degree on behalf of the players. According to Berning, This is designed to limit distractions and bring focus to the beauty of the game that’s drawn in so much of its audience.
While breaking down the results of the tournament, there is one commonality in the discourse: a focus on the performance of the players. Compared to other sports organizations, there are no sponsored or represented brands shown on the broadcast or on the equipment of players. No halftime shows or hyped commercials, just the best professionals the game of golf has to offer.
