Augusta, GA

This little-known Masters keepsake is a favorite of champions' wives

Published

2 years ago

April 11, 2024

Press Room

This little-known Masters keepsake is a favorite of champions' wives

By:

Josh Berhow

April 11, 2024

Ben Crenshaw and his wife, Julie, at the 2015 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Getty Images

AUGUSTA, Ga. — At Augusta National, there’s more traditions than we can count. The green jacket. The Champions Dinner. Skipping balls across the pond. The Par-3 Contest. The list goes on and on.

But we recently stumbled upon another we didn’t even know existed. And if a handful of golf writers didn’t know this was a thing, there’s a good chance most of the general public didn’t either.

What is it, exactly? A golden locket presented to the defending champion, given to them at the beginning of the Champions Dinner every Tuesday of Masters week.

a locket for the masters winner — The inside of the locket Masters winners receive.
GOLF

During a Q and A with Colt Knost at a Cabot event in Augusta on Wednesday night, two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw explained the locket and its significance.

Crenshaw has served as host of the Masters Champions Dinner since 2005, a gig that Byron Nelson previously held. One of his duties is presenting the defending champion — in this case, Jon Rahm — with an inscribed gold locket in the form of the club’s emblem, which serves as their certificate of membership into the Masters Club.

“My favorite thing to do is to award the defending champion this beautiful locket, a solid gold locket that the club gives to the defending champion,” Crenshaw said on Wednesday. “It’s a pendant that is supposed to go to your wife. It’s a beautiful gold locket that opens up three ways and you open it up and it has a silhouette of the Augusta National clubhouse … Bobby Jones. … It’s just a beautiful piece of art.”

While Crenshaw said it’s supposed to go to players’ wives, that actually might be something that manifested over the years.

“It’s really the mens’ locket, but what does a man do with a locket?” Julie Crenshaw, Ben’s wife, told GOLF.com. “So he said let’s put it on a necklace, so all of the wives have started to wear it.”

Julie wasn’t sure when exactly the tradition started — perhaps with Barbara Nicklaus, she said — but added that she wears her necklace the entire month of April.

But no matter how many times you win at Augusta, it’s just like the Masters green jacket: “This is symbolic that you are in the Champions’ Club, so you only get one,” Julie said.

Check out the video below to learn and see more of the locket.

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of the sport’s most-read news and service websites. He spends most of his days writing, editing, planning and wondering if he’ll ever break 80. Before joining GOLF.com in 2015, he worked at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn., he resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and two kids. You can reach him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Stars hosts Christmas bowling event with Fort Gordon soldiers

Published

28 minutes ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Augusta Stars hosts Christmas bowling event with Fort Gordon soldiers

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Stars Special Olympics team hosted their annual Bowl with Soldiers Christmas party.

The goal was to bring together local athletes and military personnel from Fort Gordon for an evening of bowling at Bowlero.

The Augusta Stars is a Special Olympics team that offers bowling and basketball programs. The team is currently preparing for the Winter Special Olympics, which begin Jan. 30 in Marietta.

“I like the bowls because it’s fun and I like to get to play,” said Victoria Valootton, an Augusta Stars athlete.

The annual event allows soldiers to join the Special Olympics athletes for bowling and community connection.

“Personally, it’s important because Jeff Keating is one of our teammates and we want to support them,” said Sapriya McLendon, U.S. Army. “Secondly, just for the community in general, just coming out here and being part of the team that cares about us and supports us, and we’re here to serve you today.”

The Winter Special Olympics will be held in Marietta, Georgia, starting Jan. 30.

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Augusta, GA

Through pain, acid victim still smiling as she recovers in Augusta

Published

13 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Through pain, acid victim still smiling as she recovers in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. – A Savannah woman faces a long road to recovery after a stranger attacked her with acid that ate through her clothes and covered 50% of her body with burns.

Ashley Wasielewski is trying to recover after receiving a first round of emergency surgery at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta.

The attack happened last Wednesday at Savannah’s iconic Forsyth Park when a man stepped out of the shadows and poured acid all over Wasielewski.

The recovery has been extremely difficult, according to her friend Kristen Oddi, of Marietta.

Most of the burns have been diagnosed as third-degree, covering over 50% of her body, Oddi wrote on a GoFundMe page.

She said it’s unlikely one burned area of Wasielewski’s scalp will ever grow hair again.

She added that the most crucial next step is to see if Ashley’s body will accept the cadaver skin from a recent surgery.

If that happens, skin graft surgeries will proceed, Oddi said.

Plastic surgery is ahead for her, but there’s no timetable yet.

Beyond that, Wasielewski faces rehabilitation, occupational therapy, wound management, long-term support and follow-up.

For now, she’s stable, according to Oddi.

Women suffers third-degree burns in Forsyth Park acid attack; Community concerned(WTOC)

And despite the hardship she’s been through and that lies ahead, she’s smiling in a photo from her hospital bed, with little other than her eyes and mouth visible through openings in gauze that covers her face.

“She will come back so much stronger,” Oddi said. “That, I don’t have a single doubt about.”

The investigation continues

Police are looking for the suspect and have spoken with two witnesses.

They’re hoping to speak with a third person whose photo they posted and to find the driver of a vehicle that was spotted nearby.

Meanwhile, the FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for tips.

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Augusta, GA

AU’s Healthy Grandparents program holds Christmas party

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

AU’s Healthy Grandparents program holds Christmas party

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University’s Healthy Grandparents program had its Christmas party Sunday.

Santa is continuing his trip across the csra and was at the party to give presents to the kids.

The program was started in 1999 to support grandparents raising their children.

They help with necessary services like food assistance and transportation.

We spoke with one of the grandparents about the program.

“My grandchildren love it. They do a lot of things going on the year, like summer camp and all that stuff, book bag, getaways,” said Carolyn Thompson.

The program has helped more than 660 families, 900 grandparents, and 1,300 grandchildren.

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