New watsonx-powered features use generative and agentic AI technology to help fans explore more than 50 years of Masters history and gain deeper insights into every shot during the 2026 tournament.
Expanding fan experience on digital platforms
IBM and the Masters Tournament have launched new AI-powered digital features for the 90th edition of the tournament, expanding the fan experience across the event’s digital platforms.
Powered by IBM watsonx, the new capabilities use generative AI and agentic AI technologies to help golf fans explore tournament history and gain deeper insight into gameplay during the event at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
The enhancements build on a 30-year collaboration between IBM and the Masters, with the goal of bringing the tournament’s history and on-course action to millions of fans worldwide.
AI-powered search unlocks 50 years of Masters history
A new feature, Masters Vault Search, transforms the tournament’s video archive into an interactive search experience.
Using conversational prompts, fans can explore more than 50 years of Masters final-round broadcasts. The system uses AI agents powered by IBM technologies including Granite small language models and watsonx Orchestrate to locate clips instantly within full-length replays.
The platform analyzes footage using optical character recognition, speech-to-text transcription of broadcast commentary and scene detection. It also uses the Masters’ historical database to provide metadata on each clip, including tournament results dating back to 1968 and individual stroke data from 2015.
Hole Insights enhanced with AI-driven shot analysis
IBM has also enhanced Hole Insights, an AI-powered feature now returning for its third year on Masters digital platforms.
The feature combines visuals with data-driven insights to explain how each shot influences outcomes during play. When a ball comes to rest, its coordinates are captured and compared with historical data for the hole location.
Using watsonx analysis, the system calculates the probabilities of outcomes such as eagle, birdie, par or bogey and generates contextual insights for fans.
Legendary caddie and commentator Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay advised the development team to help deliver more accurate and context-rich analysis of the course.
AI transforming digital fan engagement
“The Masters Tournament and IBM have continually raised the bar on unique digital experiences that blend cutting-edge technology with the timelessness of Augusta National Golf Club,” said Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at IBM.
“The introduction of Masters Vault Search and updates to Hole Insights show how generative and agentic AI can transform vast amounts of data into meaningful insights – whether you’re a golf fan who wants to understand the implications of a single shot in real time, or a financial institution using AI to analyze millions of transactions to identify patterns and inform decisions.”
The new capabilities join other AI-enabled features on Masters platforms, including AI Highlights, Round in Three Minutes, My Group and the Masters app available on devices such as Apple Vision Pro.
90th Masters Tournament
The 90th Masters Tournament will take place April 9–12, 2026, at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
Fans can access the AI-powered features through Masters.com and the official Masters mobile app.
