The biggest name generating buzz for the 2026 Masters might not even swing a club. Ken Griffey Jr. has found himself in the spotlight again, now behind the camera. The kid behind the lens is chasing moments on the golf course.

The official Masters and Front Office Sports social media accounts announced a special feature, “Photographer No. 24,” focusing on Griffey Jr.’s photography skills. 

Griffey Jr. is no stranger to rare incidents. He created history alongside Griffey Sr. on August 31, 1990, when they played for the Seattle Mariners in MLB. That was the first time for a father-son duo to play together in MLB. 

This time, Griffey Jr. is chasing moments instead of creating them, and in a totally different field.

“The Masters has released a trailer for its feature on Ken Griffey Jr., who shot Rory McIlroy’s win at Augusta last year as a credentialed photographer,” the Front Office Sports X post read. “‘Photographer No. 24’ will premiere April 5 on NBC.”

But the Masters Tournament isn’t just using a big name to lure the audience. Griffey Jr. has earned his spot. 

“I get some doors open because of who I am. But I take what I do very seriously,” he said. 

His credibility is anchored by the moments he captured last year.

Raw emotions of Rory McIlroy’s 2025 victory in Augusta National went viral. Rory, kneeling and grabbing his head down after the win; hugging his caddie; the disbelief in Rory’s face after finally clinching the title, following his 11 years of consistency, as his caddie assured McIlroy’s legacy, holding him from the sides.  

And this year, the Masters seems deliberate to make Griffey Jr.’s new career the centerpiece of the 2026 tournament campaign. It has the perfect crossover appeal of having one of baseball’s biggest legends capturing moments on golf’s biggest stage. 

The timing of the release, April 5, is the biggest buildup for the tournament taking place from April 6 to 12, 2026. The subtle nod to his jersey number 24 in the feature name is certainly creating a lot of buzz among fans from both sports. 

But it’s not just Griffey Jr.

Griffey Jr., along with others, embraces new challenges

The new challenges aren’t coming any easier because of his MLB legacy. Some of his shots have sometimes been critiqued. But this isn’t a hobby. He is here to move past the learning curve, through the discomfort. 

The people in charge of the photos don’t want to publish them “just because they’ve got Ken Griffey’s name on them.” They want to publish them only when “they are good enough.”

The way they are releasing a special feature with his name (or jersey number) on it proves Griffey has succeeded in his attempt. 

Ken Griffey Jr. isn’t exactly one of the “professional chasers who produce day in, day out, 40 pictures a day.” But he’s certainly on the right path to making it big. 

But Griffey isn’t the only professional athlete who has turned over a new leaf after his retirement.

Randy Johnson is the best parallel example from baseball who shifted his focus to photography later in his life.

After retiring in 2010, Johnson, who had studied photojournalism at USC, returned to his roots. He is now a professional photographer, specializing in rock concerts. Fans saw him transition from a Hall of Fame pitcher to a Hall of Fame photographer. One of his famous ventures has been being with the Rush on their tours, and shooting their cover art for the ‘R40 Live’ album.

Dwayne Johnson is a professional wrestler associated with WWE. But he is now one of the most successful and highest-paid actors in Hollywood, be it being Maui in Moana 2 or the archaeologist in Jumanji.

George Foreman became a successful entrepreneur after retiring from the boxing ring. 

All that said and done, the Masters isn’t hyping a cameo in golf’s grandest tournament. It is building a story around Griffey’s transformation, attracting sports fans from multiple fields.