Carl Jackson to be Mayor's Masters Reception honoree

Augusta native Carl Jackson, who has caddied in a record 53 Masters Tournaments and says he will “probably” work his final one in April, was selected Thursday to be the honoree of this year’s Mayor’s Masters Reception on April 6, the Monday of Masters Week.

Jackson, who now lives in Little Rock, Ark., confirmed his selection as did Vernon Puckett, a member of the Mayor’s Masters Reception Committee.

In the 79th Masters Tournament in April, Jackson will be caddying for the 39th time for Ben Crenshaw, who has announced this will be his final year as a participant at Augusta National Golf Club. Jackson was on the bag for both of Crenshaw’s victories, in 1984 and 1995. Jackson first caddied in the Masters in 1961 as a 14-year-old. He has missed just one Masters since then – in 2000, when he was recovering from colon cancer surgery.

Crenshaw wasn’t considered to be this year’s honoree because he was the choice in 2008.

Jackson, 67, will be the first non-golfer to honored and the second Augusta native, joining 1987 Masters champion Larry Mize, who was honored in 2011.

“We had to redo our mission statement (to allow a non-golfer to be honored),” Puckett said. “But if we didn’t, we would never get a chance to get a guy like Carl Jackson. He’s a super individual.”

“It’s a chill-bump type of thing for me,” said Jackson, who was born in the Sandhills section of Augusta in 1947 and lived here until 1973. He left for Arkansas to work for Augusta National member and future Masters and Augusta National Chairman Jack Stephens (1991-98). “It’s something I will be proud for my kids and loved ones to see.”

The Mayor’s Masters Reception started in 1999 and was held every year until last year. Arnold Palmer was the first honoree, followed by Jack Nicklaus. Others have included Gary Player and Tom Watson.

The public part of the Mayor’s Masters Reception will begin at 6 p.m. at the Augusta Common. Jackson will be presented a proclamation declaring it Carl Jackson Day in Augusta and a crystal key to the city.

He’ll also make a speech, which Jackson is already thinking about.

“I want it to be a very special speech,” Jackson said. “I want to thank all the special people who have been in my life and still are.”