Zach Johnson, left, receives the Masters green jacket from last year's champion Phil Mickelson after winning the 2007 Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., Sunday, April 8, 2006. Photo: AP

The Masters Tournament, which is commonly referred to as The Masters or The US Masters (outside the United States), is one of four major championships in men's professional golf and the first of the four to be played each year. The final round of the Masters is always scheduled for the second Sunday in April. Unlike the other major championships, the Masters is held every year at the same location, Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf club in the city of Augusta, Georgia, USA. The Masters was started by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones,[1] who designed Augusta National with legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie.

The Masters is an official money event on the PGA Tour, the PGA European Tour and the Japan Golf Tour. In line with the other majors, winning the Masters gives a golfer several privileges which make his career more secure. Masters champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (the U.S. Open, the Open Championship (British Open), and the PGA Championship) for the next five years, and earn a lifetime invitation to the Masters. They also receive membership on the PGA Tour for the following five seasons and invitations to the Players Championship for five years. In 2007, the prize fund was US$7.25 million.