This Masters tradition is a pictorial surprise for champions

Jordan Spieth tapped in for bogey to win the Masters, bent over briefly and then straightened with a smile. That was his favorite image from his 2015 victory.

The best photograph? That was one he never would have seen coming.

Spieth figures it was no more than two hours after he made his final putt, right before he joined the Augusta National members for a Sunday night dinner, that the club presented him a picture frame with a collection of photos that he had never seen, mainly because he was busy putting.

 “They already had all these different pictures put together in one frame – you, your caddie’s reaction and all the family you had there. My parents. Annie (now his wife).”

It also had photos of his brother, Steven, and his grandfather, both on the grounds when he won. The club even managed to get a photo of his sister, Ellie, who was watching from home in Dallas.

“Everyone who was with you, all capturing the moment,” Spieth said.

Even in a day when photos are more readily available, this is no small task to have it ready to present to the Masters champion before winning has even sunk in. There’s a lot of traditions unlike others. This one doesn’t get much attention.

But it sure got Patrick Reed’s attention.

Reed, who won in 2018, says he doesn’t keep a lot of golf photos in his office or around the house in Houston. But this one he has in a closet as he tries to find the right place for it.

“It’s awesome,” Reed said. “How fast they get it turned around is a joke.”

His victory came down to the final putt, a short par for a one-shot victory over Rickie Fowler.

“It was literally … I signed my card, the ceremony (on the 18th green), straight to media and then we came back to Butler Cabin as they’re getting the members together for dinner,” Reed said. “It was already sitting there. Some of the photos are when you make the last putt. There’s one of hugging (wife) Justine.

“To have all that together, it’s just awesome.”