Video Games

Masters 2021: Chairman Fred Ridley announces Augusta National is returning to the video game world

Last Monday, EA Sports announced that a new PGA Tour golf video game was in development, its first golf video game since 2015. Details were sparse, though the announcement said fans could expect the "sights, sounds, and thrills of the PGA Tour including The Players Championship, FedExCup Playoffs and more unforgettable events."

On Wednesday, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley confirmed that the new video game would feature the most unforgettable tournament of all: The Masters. Not since the final iteration of Tiger Woods PGA Tour in 2014 has Augusta National been featured in a golf video game, but that will change when the latest EA Sports version hits shelves.

"We believe the attention to detail surrounding the course and our traditions will be world class," Ridley said during his Wednesday press conference. "It will provide new and current fans around the globe with a fun and interactive way to look at Augusta National."

Ridley added that the "Road to the Masters" game is scheduled to be released ahead of the 2022 Masters Tournament next April, and that all proceeds will be contributed to the Masters Tournament Foundation.

Soon after Ridley's announcement, EA Sports tweeted out what appears to be an early version of the cover: 

It's been a fast-paced few months for golf video game news. Two weeks prior to EA Sports' announcement, 2K announced that it had signed Tiger Woods to a long-term deal, one that includes rights for his name and likeness to appear exclusively in the PGA Tour 2K franchise. Woods had previously partnered with EA Sports for 16 years, beginning in 1998. That partnership ended in 2014, which was the last year Augusta National was in the game. It first appeared in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2012.