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Ten or eleven Masters. That is more than most people commenting on Jena Sims’s posts can say. She earned that experience by spending years inside Augusta National’s ropes, learning its rhythms and unwritten rules. She has been there longer than most of her critics have even followed the tournament. When people criticized her outfit on Thursday, she spoke up. She had two things to say.

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“People are so mad. I am getting braided for my Thursday outfit. I have two things to say.”

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That is how Sims started her Instagram Stories video response: direct, calm, and confident, like someone who has earned respect. She has called the Par-3 caddie tradition the “coolest honor” she looks forward to each year at Augusta. This shows the strong connection she has built with the tournament over more than ten years. She knows Augusta well, unlike many of the people criticizing her.

Her first point got right to the heart of the issue.

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“I can almost guarantee that no one in my comments section has ever been to the Masters. This is my 10th or 11th year. I can assure you that not a single person out there was upset with two to three inches of my midriff showing.”

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Her second point was a rule she follows: don’t take criticism from people you wouldn’t ask for advice. She made her point calmly, then showed her audience her Day 3 outfit. She wore vintage Dolce and Gabbana, a Colt Gaia skort from her rehearsal dinner, a Bottega bag, Diff sunglasses, and Stephanie Gottlieb earrings. She chose to dress up, not down.

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The outfit that sparked the backlash was a Masters-green Ancora crop top with matching pants, both linked through Revolve, showing her midriff. Many people said it was too revealing and not right for the Masters. Then AT&T, a verified brand, commented, “why did we think you were at coachella.” Sims replied simply: “@att do better.”

That same week, Paige Spiranac made headlines at Augusta for her outfit too. She wore a green and white striped dress with a plunging neckline, which got millions of views and lots of praise online.

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Two women, two different reactions, one tournament. The focus was not on the golf, but on what they wore.

Jena Sims and the long history of WAG fashion scrutiny at Augusta

This debate has been around for a long time, and golf still hasn’t settled it. When Michelle Wie started out on the LPGA Tour, people talked just as much about her outfits as her scores. Her skills were never the only focus. Her looks followed her everywhere—on the course, in interviews, and at every event. Even before social media made it louder, golf’s treatment of women had a clear pattern.

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Attention turned to Augusta when Paulina Gretzky started showing up at the Masters with Dustin Johnson. Her outfits and social media posts got almost as much coverage as the tournament itself. All this attention came from outside the club. Augusta stayed silent.

By 2026, the way things worked had changed, but the pattern stayed the same. Spiranac’s photo in a green jacket became her most popular Masters post in years. Sims’s crop top even got a reaction from a major company. Comments spread faster and reach more people now, but the main question is still the same: who gets to decide what belongs inside those ropes?

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Brooks Koepka was three under after 36 holes, still looking for the one major he’s missed out on twice—finishing second in 2019 and again in 2023. Augusta’s fairways were calm, but as usual, the real buzz was happening elsewhere.

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Abhijit Raj

1,253 Articles

Abhijit Raj is a seasoned Golf writer at EssentiallySports known for blending traditional reporting with a modern, digital-first approach to engage today’s audience. A published fiction author and creative technologist, Abhijit brings over 17 years of analytical thinking and storytelling expertise to his work, crafting compelling narratives that resonate across cultures and technologies. He contributes regularly to the flagship Essentially Golf newsletter, offering weekly insights into the evolving landscape of professional golf. In addition to his sports journalism, Abhijit is a multidisciplinary creative with achievements in AI music composition, visual storytelling using AI tools, and poetry. His work spans multiple languages and reflects a deep interest in the intersection of technology, culture, and human experience. Abhijit’s unique voice and editorial precision make him a distinctive presence in golf media, where he continues to sharpen his craft through the EssentiallySports Journalistic Excellence Program.

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