Rory McIlroy got to host this year’s Champions Dinner and was the focal point of many other Masters traditions, as the defending Champion.

The champion also gets hold of the glorious Green Jacket. Interestingly, their caddies also receive some recognition that is prevalent in the following year.

The caddies at The Masters wear white jumpsuits and green caps. This began back in the 1940s and continues to this day. However, the number on their suits is part of a Masters tradition. 

Harry Diamond, McIlroy’s caddie, was seen wearing No.1 on his caddie uniform at this year’s Masters. As McIlroy was last year’s winner, his caddie got assigned No.1. Interestingly, the rest of the caddies get their numbers based on the order their players registered at Augusta National for the major.

Longtime friend and looper for McIlroy, Diamond walked around the course with the one written on the left chest of his jumpsuit. This helped the patrons to spot and follow the defending champion as he created history with back-to-back titles.

Amateur Mateo Pulcini was the first to register this year, leading to his caddie wearing No.2, and the last was Jordan Spieth, whose caddie was assigned No.91. These numbers are also present on the pairing sheets beside the golfers' names. 

In all of The Masters’ history, only three times has the winner’s caddie had the No.1 on them - Jack Nicklaus in 1966, Nick Faldo in 1990, and Tiger Woods in 2002.

Surely, Diamond will wear the No.1 jumpsuit next year as well. However, there was one Masters champion who refused to follow the tradition.

Why Did Jack Nicklaus Refuse to Follow the Masters Tradition?

Champions honor and gracefully accept the No.1, but there’s one instance when the defending Champion refused the number.

It was none other than the six-time Masters Champion, Jack Nicklaus.

"There is at least one player – six-time champion Jack Nicklaus – who turned down the No. 1 badge. According to the Masters’ website, in 1966, he refused the No. 1 pin. He chose No. 90, which he had in 1965," the Augusta Chronicle reported last year.

Why? Well, there was a reason for Nicklaus not to accept the No. 1.

"A No. 1 has never won this tournament, you know," Nicklaus said the week before the 1966 Masters. "The fact of no repeaters doesn't bother me, really it doesn't make one bit of difference. I would just like things to be like last year.” 

Nicklaus’ superstition was spot on. He won the Green Jacket in 1966, becoming the first to win it back-to-back. However, the curse was broken when Nick Faldo achieved the same feat in 1990.

What do you think about the tradition and McIlroy winning back-to-back Masters tournaments? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Avishek Sarkar

Edited by

Kalp Thaker