Who Puts The Green Jacket On A Repeat Winner? Masters tradition could put Fred Ridley in the frame
who puts the green jacket on a repeat winner is the question hanging over Augusta National as the final round nears its finish in Augusta, Ga. The answer depends on whether the Masters produces another back-to-back champion, a feat seen only three times before. If that happens, the club’s chairman is the one expected to step in.
The tradition, and the exception
At the Masters, the previous year’s champion normally places the green jacket on the newest winner on Sunday evening. That is the ceremonial standard inside Butler Cabin and again in front of patrons and members near the 18th green. But the tradition changes when the defending champion is also the winner.
That is where who puts the green jacket on a repeat winner becomes a live question. The available record shows that in those rare moments, the club chairman handles the honor. The context points to Fred Ridley in the current era.
The pattern is narrow but clear. In 1966, Jack Nicklaus became the first player to defend a Masters title, and club co-founder Bobby Jones jokingly suggested Nicklaus should do it himself. Nicklaus slipped on the jacket with chairman Clifford Roberts looking on. In 1990, when Nick Faldo repeated, chairman Hord Hardin put the jacket on him. In 2002, Tiger Woods received the same treatment from chairman Hootie Johnson.
Why the ceremony matters
The green jacket is reserved for club members and Masters winners, and the one handed over on victory night is not usually the one the champion keeps. Jackets are selected in advance, the winner is fitted after the final putt, and a new jacket is then made for the champion to wear going forward. The club also treats the jacket as tightly controlled property, with off-site wear allowed only in limited situations tied to club or tournament representation and with permission.
The significance of who puts the green jacket on a repeat winner is not just ceremonial. It reflects how Augusta National preserves a tradition while making room for an exception that has surfaced only a few times in Masters history.
What the current setup means
Rory McIlroy is the defending champion in the current Masters setup, and the ceremony is expected to include him regardless of how the final round ends. If another player wins, the familiar handoff applies and the previous champion places the jacket on the new winner. If McIlroy repeats, the chairman takes over the presentation.
That is why the question of who puts the green jacket on a repeat winner has become part of the attention around Augusta National this week. The answer is not guesswork; it is built into the tournament’s own history and practice.
What happens next at Augusta National
The closing stretch of the tournament will decide whether the traditional handoff stays simple or shifts to the chairman. If there is a repeat champion, Fred Ridley is the name tied to the moment. If not, the jacket passes in the usual way, and the Masters tradition continues unchanged. Either way, who puts the green jacket on a repeat winner will remain one of the sharpest questions in the final moments at Augusta National.
