“It’s going to be my last competitive Masters this year after 4 decades of playing,” said Bernhard Langer recently in a statement. Since first stepping onto the greens of Augusta back in 1982, the German golfer has witnessed countless changes over the years. Now playing in his final Masters to leave behind a lasting legacy, the veteran has also reflected on how exclusive the tournament once was, especially for American golfers.

On Thursday, after a missed cut, the golfer was asked how he thinks the community will remember him since this was his last Masters appearance, his 40th. To this, Langer had an interesting answer. “That’s a good question. I mean, the patrons, I think, have gotten to know me more and more as I’ve started playing more and more in America. Because when I first got here, they had no clue who I was,” he said.

Reminiscing about his early days, the 67-year-old added, “You know, it was more about the Americans in those days. Because I remember when only one European was invited here. You had to win the Money List to get into the tournament, and that all changed when we started the World Rankings, and then it opened up to more players around the world.” Receiving an invitation to the Masters is undoubtedly a major honor. Looking back, earning that invite used to be even more challenging, particularly for non-American golfers. However, things started to change after the OWGR came into play.

Not just Langer but also Stephan Jaeger is another example who won the Texas Children’s Houston Open last year and got the entry to the luscious greens of Augusta. Even this year, he is playing the first major of the season. Last year, the members of Augusta also leaned towards LIV Golf to hand out an invite.

Chilean pro Joaquin Niemann has dropped from #15, his best world ranking, to #89 after his move to LIV Golf in 2022.  Despite that, he got an invitation last year after he played outside of the Saudi-backed league in the offseason. Interestingly, he was the only LIV player who wasn’t a former Masters or major champion to get a special invitation in 2024. One can say it’s unfair for the golfers of the early days. However, change is constant and needed. Organizers can only come to understand what changes are necessary with time.

This evolution highlights that the Masters is no longer limited by country—it now hinges mostly on a golfer’s performance. Ultimately, it’s up to the members of Augusta National to decide who receives an invitation and to shape the field of competitors vying for the iconic green jacket. While Bernhard Langer dived into the history of inviting the golfers, there are other historic moments the ANGC has witnessed.

The rich history of the Augusta National

The Masters was the brainchild of Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. Jones was a legendary golfer with 13 major wins, and with Robert, he started crafting the Augusta National 94 years ago in 1931. Three years later, in 1934, the first edition was played and witnessed Horton Smith claiming the title. But he didn’t wear the green jacket. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the tradition of awarding the winners with a green jacket was announced.

It was a beautiful era on its own, as it witnessed a lot of new generations of golfers, including Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus won his first Masters back in 1963. The golden bear continued his dominance till the 1980s, winning six green jackets. The 1990s saw Tiger Woods making his debut at the Masters in 1995 and his first victory in 1997. Which remains one of the most iconic moments in history. Woods’ dominance continued till the 2000s. However, during the same time, Phil Mickelson also made his presence known with his first Masters victory in 2004 and his second in 2006.

Fast forward to the 2010s. It marked the end of an era after Arnold Palmer passed away in 2016. 2020 was a crucial time, as COVID-19 wreaked havoc in the world, and the tournament was postponed from April to November. After that, the Masters saw its first Japanese golfer, Hideki Matsuyama, wearing the green jacket in 2021 with a score of 10-under par. 2022 started with the dominance of Scottie Scheffler after he claimed the first green jacket.

To this day, the Masters remains one of the tournaments with a rich history. Which era was your favorite? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!