Pat McAfee has access to just about everything in sports. Augusta National isn't one of them.
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McAfee revealed on his show that he's tried for three straight years to bring a live broadcast to the Masters Par-3 Contest. Three tries. Same answer every time: No.
"They told us to go to hell," McAfee said while defending Jason Kelce, who's catching heat for joining ESPN's Masters coverage.
That might be a little dramatic, but the message is clear. Augusta National isn't interested.
And honestly, it tracks.
The Masters protects its image better than any event in sports. Clean, controlled, traditional. McAfee's show? Not exactly that. It's loud, unfiltered, and not always PG.
Jason Kelce is headed to Augusta National for The Masters Par 3 Contest..
We think he will be an added bonus to the coverage#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/bMgYwCdFC9
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 1, 2026
That doesn't mean there isn't overlap.
McAfee has played Augusta. He's part of ESPN. He's as mainstream as it gets in sports media right now, but he still couldn't crack the door.
Meanwhile, Kelce is getting his shot, which sparked the whole conversation in the first place.
McAfee didn't seem bitter. More amused than anything. He gets what Augusta is trying to do.
"They have a certain thing that they're looking for," he said.
And right now, it's not his show. That said, things are evolving.
The Masters has loosened up a bit in recent years, with new broadcast partners, more personality on coverage, and different voices getting involved.
So maybe it changes down the road. But McAfee's on the outside, just like everyone else trying to get past Magnolia Lane.
