65 Masters: A Beloved Patron Has Hung Up Her Badge

Joan Chittenden, 90, who attended 65 Masters over 67 years, is sitting out the 90th tournament after deciding to give up her Masters badge.

Joan Chittenden, 90, will not attend the 90th Masters this year. She attended 65 Masters over 67 years and decided to give up her Masters badge. She lives in Seneca, S.C., and remains in generally good health and still drives. Chittenden said she had always arrived early for the tournament and that she chose 2025 as the year to stop. Key details: - Chittenden first attended the Masters in 1959 and missed only 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. - She usually sat a few rows behind the 12th tee in Amen Corner and became a well-known presence there. - She informally helped enforce quiet as a deputized marshal, known at Augusta as a "gallery guard." - She witnessed many notable tournament moments over the decades, including Ben Hogan in 1967, Tom Weiskopf in 1980, Fred Couples in 1992, Phil Mickelson in 2011, and Jordan Spieth in 2016. - She has collected many Masters badges and keeps mementos, including a photo signed to her by Phil Mickelson. - This year she plans to watch the tournament on television rather than attend in person. Summary: Her absence leaves a familiar presence missing from the 12th hole where friends and guards say she helped foster a sense of family. She will watch the Masters on TV this year, and her friends say they will miss her camaraderie.