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“Tradition” is a word that we hear a lot in relation to masters. So, when someone wears something that breaks from tradition in all sorts of ways on the grounds of Augusta National in their first major of the year.
Ask Jason Day, the runner-up in 2011. He apparently sent tournament officials to the convulsion last year while wearing the particularly eye-catching Malbon golf sweater vest on the course. At the time, Day said that Augusta national officials had finished his first round on Friday morning and asked him to remove it while playing two of that afternoon. The Best was later sold at a charity auction, with the winning bid reaching $17,300, and for a day he agreed to match that amount with his own contribution.
This year, Day said the tournament organizers wanted to know in advance what they plan for what they’ll wear over the four days of the tournament (called “scripts”).
“We had to send it,” Day said Tuesday. “I think I’m on a short list of people who have to send their scripts right now. I got it.”
And according to the day they asked for some changes to what he was going to wear.
“We cut everything in half,” Day said. “It’s something we’re supposed to wear and they said it’s a little more, but that’s fine.”
On Thursday, Day wore a shirt with a complex pattern in the Danflash style. This is supposed to stretch out in his pants as well (if you’re wondering what it looks like, Malbon sells shirts and matching shorts on its website for $128 each). Instead, Day was wearing black pants and showing a compromise “cut everything in half.”
Jason Day in the first round of the 2025 Master. (Photo: Peter Casey Imagni)
Meanwhile, 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia appeared on a course that looked like Ronald McDonald on Thursday. Garcia influenced the steady flow of social media sensible streams by combining a red hat and a shirt for the bright yellow pants of his LIV golf team, Fireballs GC. Of course, Garcia is from Spain, and although they are also the colour of his country’s flag, there are few harsh ways to show the pride of the people. After seeing this, it’s not surprising that Augusta National threatens to incinerate his green jacket unless he agrees not to wear this color combination again.
But it’s more than just wild fashion choices than people talk to. On Wednesday, Cameron Smith became a hot topic center by playing practice rounds while wearing a $500 blue blazer made by golf apparel company Grayson. He later confirmed that drinking was involved in the decision.
“I met Charlie, a Grayson guy at Team Week this week. I drank a few beers and when I had too many beers, I started talking about fashion,” Smith told reporters Thursday. “He said it would be great if he was wearing a blazer on the master. I think it’s a place to do it and I agree with it. I’m a guy of my own words, so I did it. But it was actually a good thing.
Cam Smith wears a suit jacket to warm up with Master today. pic.twitter.com/l0bxnfgvyr
– Golf Digest (@golfdigest) April 9, 2025
Another thing that can clearly inspire discussion among golf fans: backward lettering of hats.
In 2024, US amateur champion Jose Luis Barrester made her Masters debut on Thursday in grouping with defending champion Scotty Schaeffler. Apart from the hat he wore, it was made by a company called No Rivals, and spelled “Sun Devils” backwards. Compared to what Day and Garcia have worn in recent years, this was subtle enough to get it, but still in some eyes it was a humiliation for Augusta National.
The discussion about his hat soon died when he admitted to peeing at Ray’s Creek while performing after the round. That’s one way to change the subject.
Ballester during the first round of the 2025 Master. (Photo: Kyle Terada-Imagn image)
Augusta’s ASU representative was not the only ASU representative to focus on clothing. ASU golf coach Matt Thurmond was asked to leave driving range Monday after violating club policy for wearing shorts in the area.
“I have a lot of pants,” he later told Arizona’s CBS affiliate. “What’s often overlooked in this story is that all audiences wear shorts, or most of them wear shorts. There’s no “shorts” rule in Augusta. no. The only thing is that you can’t go to driving range or take the course wearing shorts. I’m taking part in the PGA Tour. He was warming up. It was the first time I’d seen him. He was playing for the first master. And I felt embarrassed, sorry, and I left. ”
So whether it’s a tournament official or a fan watching from afar, the fashion police are gaining full momentum this week, no doubt.
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(Photo above: Peter Casey Imai Muggle image)
