Tiger Woods Heads The List Of 16 Past Masters Champions Not Playing At Augusta National This Year

Tiger Woods is the big name on the list this year as one of 16 past Masters champions not playing in the 2025 tournament at Augusta National

A group of past Masters champions and a yellow Masters flag
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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The obvious big name of Tiger Woods is missing from the 2025 Masters field, but he's not the only past champion not teeing it up at Augusta National this year.

Along with the Green Jacket, one of the biggest perks of winning The Masters is the invitation to return to Augusta National and play in the event for life.

You get a similar exemption for winning the PGA Championship while The Open champions get in until they turn 55 and US Open winners get just a 10-year pass.

And watching past champions returning down Magnolia Lane to play is always a thrill for fans of the event - who get to see their heroes teeing it up with the superstars of today.

But not all of them make the trip anymore, and as it stands this year there'll be 16 past champions not playing at The Masters in 2025, which is down one from 17 last year that did not tee it up at Augusta National.

Tiger Woods is the big name added to the list of past champions not playing this year after his recent achilles surgery, but there are a couple of former winners making a return after missing out in 2024.

Tiger Woods (L) of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019

Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods isn't in the field this year after recently undergoing surgery on a ruptured achilles tendon

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Bernhard Langer is returning after missing last year with injury to compete in what will be his 41st and final Masters appearance - after the two-time winner announced this will be his Augusta farewell.

Angel Cabrera, the 2009 Masters champion, is also back in the field for the first time since 2019 having served time in prison during a troubled spell off the course.

Masters honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player will hit ceremonial opening tee shots on Thursday and also attend the Masters Champions Dinner on Tursday but have long since stopped competing.

Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson during The Masters honorary starters ceremony

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sir Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam have all stopped taking part in The Masters along with Trevor Immelman.

Cabrera and Langer are joined by fellow former champions such as Fred Couples, Vijay Singh, Charl Schwartzel, Mike Weir and Bubba Watson.

Past champions not playing in the 2025 Masters (and when they last played)

  • Tommy Aaron (2005)
  • Charles Coody (2006)
  • Ben Crenshaw (2015)
  • Sir Nick Faldo (2006)
  • Raymond Floyd (2009)
  • Trevor Immelman (2019)
  • Sandy Lyle (2023)
  • Larry Mize (2023)
  • Jack Nicklaus (2005)
  • Mark O’Meara (2018)
  • Gary Player (2009)
  • Craig Stadler (2014)
  • Tom Watson (2016)
  • Ian Woosnam (2021)
  • Fuzzy Zoeller (2009)
  • Tiger Woods (2024, still active)
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Paul Higham
Paul Higham
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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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