Entertainment

The Masters is back — and so is the merch

By Joi-Marie McKenzie
A Masters Tournament attendee carries a gnome, one of the most popular merchandise items this year.
Gnomes are everywhere at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Augusta National/Getty Images
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Back in full swing

The Masters swung off earlier this week in Augusta, Georgia, marking the unofficial start of golf season.

And while many are tuned in to see if the favorite, Scottie Scheffler, will win the coveted green jacket, or if the returning champion Rory McIlroy or Jon Rahm will wear it, I'm focused on the merch. Sue me.

I'm not the only one. The Masters merch, which is only sold on-site (unless you're OK with paying a lot more on the resale market), is one of the tournament's biggest revenue streams. Some reports say it's previously brought in about $69 million.

The Masters' garden gnomes have been all the rage for years, but this year — with reports that they may be discontinued — the fervor over these little odd-bearded creatures has reached fever pitch.

The golf tournament revealed on Instagram that this year's gnomes are sporting green Masters' hats, navy blue vests, and khaki slacks. The gnomes' hands are also full: One is holding a coffee cup, and the other's got a matching umbrella. It's a nice nod to Georgia's weather, since it's a bit rainy this time of year.

While it's nearly impossible to get your hands on these coveted creatures (they tend to sell out by morning!), there's still plenty of other merch available if you can withstand the lines in the pro shop.

And for those of us watching from afar, it still feels like we're buying into the moment. Right?

Joi-Marie McKenzie
Joi-Marie McKenzie
Joi-Marie McKenzie is the editor in chief of the Life team at Business Insider, overseeing entertainment, real estate, lifestyle, health, parenting, and our Style & Success coverage.Previously, she worked for nearly a decade in network news at NBC and ABC, along with Good Morning America, where she earned an Emmy Award. McKenzie was also a senior entertainment editor at Essence magazine and deputy editor of entertainment at Insider.While serving as deputy editor of entertainment at Insider, now known as Business Insider, McKenzie earned several journalism awards and recognition. She was also nominated for the editor executive of the year in 2022 by the Drum Awards.The fifth-generation writer and editor has moderated conversations for The Paley Center for Media, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, and Barnes and Noble in New York City.McKenzie has written two books, both released by Hachette. Her first was a critically-acclaimed memoir titled "The Engagement Game," and she also wrote "The Pursuit of Porsha," the memoir of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Porsha Williams.McKenzie also sits on the board of Color Vision, an organization that helps, educates, and informs women of color in creative fields. She's also a board member of The Afro American Newspaper, which serves the Baltimore-Washington area and was founded by her great-great-grandfather, John H. Murphy Sr., a formerly enslaved Civil War veteran.
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