It’s a tradition unlike any other: trying to spot the newest members of Augusta National Golf Club at the Masters in April.
Sometimes the news trickles out ahead of time such as last year when Golfweek learned that Annika Sorenstam was one of the club’s newest members. This year, citing “sources,” Sports Business Journal’s Josh Carpenter reported former New York Giants QB Eli Manning and Sean McManus, who retired after this year’s Masters as chairman of CBS Sports, the longtime TV partner of the Masters, are among the newest members to sport the club’s famous green jacket. Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, and Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Airlines, are other new members.
Manning’s brother, Peyton, already is a member at ANGC. SBJ noted in its story other prominent members in the sports community include NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Braves Chair & CEO Terry McGuirk, among others.
Augusta National has traditionally cited membership as a private matter and gone to great lengths to keep its membership list, which is believed to be in the neighborhood of 300 and includes a group of some of the wealthiest and most powerful businessmen — and since 2012 women — private.
Augusta National was founded as a men’s-only club in 1932. It began hosting the Masters in 1934.
Augusta National declined comment.