Rory McIlroy plans to bring Masters Green Jacket to public view despite ‘dos and don’ts’ from Augusta National

Only the most recent Masters champ is permitted to take the Green Jacket off site while a dress code applies, as well as a ban on alcohol in any photos

Rory McIlroy was clearly ecstatic as he donned the iconic Masters Green jacket back in April after completing the career grand slam of golf.

The Augusta National Golf Club title was the fourth and final major of the set for McIlroy to conquer and was undoubtedly his career pinacle.

He has struggled somewhat for consistency and motivation in the months since but has showed flashes of his best form as the PGA Tour season finale take part at East Lake with the final FedEx Cup play-off.

Despite pining for years for the Green jacket, McIlroy has only been seen in public wearing the coat on a couple of occasions. He wore it on the Jimmy Fallon Show in America and then for a Golf Writers Associatioon Dinner at Royal Portrush during the Open. There are very strict rules around the Green jacket with only reigning champions allowed to take the jacket outside the Augusta national Golf Club during their reign.

“I’m sort of reluctant to wear it,” McIlroy said this week at East Lake, Atlanta. “It’s not as if I wear it a lot. I have it hanging in my wardrobe in a place where I can see it every day.

“I always thought if I had one, if I did win the Masters one day, I’d never take the thing off, but it hasn’t been that way. I haven’t worn it as much as I thought I would.”

“But I’ve still got it for another seven or eight months, so I’ll have a few more opportunities for people to see it and to, maybe not try it on, but at least they can see it.

“You also have to get permission every time you wear it, so there’s a lot of dos and don’ts around it as well!”

Guidelines are strict with jackets reserved only for club members and Masters winners. Only the most recent Masters champ is permitted to take the Green Jacket off site.

McIlroy now gets to keep the jacket in their possession for a year before returning it during the next year’s Masters. Thereafter, McIlroy will only get to wear it when he comes back to the club or if he is out representing the Masters or Augusta National at an event with ties to the club.

Any public appearances or photographs involving the jacket require approval from Augusta National and photographs of the jacket alongside alcohol in any way is strictly prohibited.

On top of that, the champion must wear at least golf attire when wearing the jacket. Jeans and shorts are not permitted.

Members began wearing the jackets in 1937 to distinguish themselves from patrons. The first jacket awarded to a Masters winner went to Sam Snead in 1949.

The jackets have been made by many different companies over the years, and the iconic color is Pantone 342.

The World No. 2 will look to retain his crown at Augusta National, whilst also hosting the Champions Dinner and viewing proceedings through fresh eyes. He said: “It’s a beautiful place to play golf. If you stop to actually look around and look at the plants and look at the trees and hear the birds, it’s a beautiful place to spend your day and to spend your night and go down to the wine cellar and pick a bottle of wine. It’s one of the coolest experiences you can have in golf.

“I’ve always said some of my favourite times at Augusta were when it wasn’t the Masters Tournament, but it’ll be lovely to next time go there and go up to the champions locker room and put on my green jacket and feel like I belong.”

McIlroy’s epic Masters play-off win over Justin Rose was his first major triumph in almost 11 years, finally completing the career grand slam of majors in his 17th appearance at the Masters.

Having completed his various media obligations following his victory, McIlroy ensured he would never be short of a Masters flag to sign after snapping up every flag remaining in the Augusta merchandise shop.

At his press conference ahead of this week’s season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta, McIlroy was asked how many iconic yellow flags he had signed on his travels as reigning Masters champion.

“A lot”, was his simple response before he admitted to his merchandise raid. “Actually, I have no idea how many, but it’s been a lot. I do know that they had, like, 1,100 left in the merchandise facility at the end of the week, and we took all 1,100!

“It’s been a lot, but I’ll never get sick of signing them. I’ve waited 17 years to sign that flag in the middle, and I will never complain about doing it.”