The Masters
THIS TOURNAMENT FEELS LIKE A REUNION THAT IS OVERDUE
Jon Rahm went from wearing a Masters green jacket last April to a LIV black letterman’s jacket in December. The contrast in those images illus trates the great divide in golf that has scattered the sport’s biggest stars across two tours.
That’s what makes the Masters feel bigger than ever.
“It will still be great viewing,” said Xander Schauffele, who is playing on the PGA Tour. “One, it’s the Masters. Two, everyone is probably excited to see everyone compete again.”
The Masters already is the most anticipated tournament of the year because of all the history and memories created over 90 years at its idyllic venue, Augusta National.
Now it feels like a reunion that is long overdue.
When the first tee shot is hit Thursday, it will be the first time in 263 days that the world’s best players – Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, Rory Mcilroy and Brooks Koepka, even aging stars Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson – will be chasing the same prize.
It should be savored because there doesn’t seem to be peace in the immediate future. The PGA Tour has a $3 billion deal with a private equity group and is still negotiating with the Saudi funders of LIV Golf. The rival league doesn’t appear to be going anywhere and there is no simple solution how to bring LIV players back into the fold if they even want to rejoin established tours.
For now, the walls come down four times a year in the majors.
“That’s what is making this Masters and many other majors so much fun – not only for me and for players but for spectators – is for all of us to be able to play together again and showcase what we’re capable of,” Rahm said.
THE STARS
Scheffler is No. 1 in the world, and that gets little debate even in the fractured golf world. He won against two of the strongest fields in consecutive weeks and goes into the Masters not only as the betting favorite, but with odds not seen since Tiger Woods more than a decade ago.
Rahm, the previous No. 1, has a chance to have a say about that. And yes, he has been paying attention.
“I’m fully aware of where Scottie is,” Rahm said. “I don’t need to be playing next to him to know what’s going on. Anytime you’re doing the history he’s been able to do, it’s quite impressive.”
THE SLAM
Mcilroy gets reminded every time he drives down Magnolia Lane that a Masters green jacket is all that’s keeping him from the career Grand Slam. History is not on his side. He has not won a major in 10 years. And only one player – Sergio Garcia – has played the Masters more times than Mcilroy before finally winning.
“I’m under no illusion that the clock is ticking, and it has been 10 years since I’ve won one of them,” the 34-year-old Mcilroy said. “I just need to keep putting myself in those positions, and sooner or later it’s going to happen.”
THE LIV EFFECT
The Masters had 18 players from LIV Golf last year, and that number is down to 13 this year. Rahm will have played only five times in five months leading to the Masters. How they perform was a question on everyone’s mind in 2023, right up until Koepka and Mickelson tied for second, and Patrick Reed was one shot behind them.
TIGER TALES
Woods set an ambitious goal going into the year of playing once a month through the majors. He had his right ankle fused after last year’s Masters and was walking better. But he has played only 24 holes in one tournament this year. Woods withdrew from Riviera in February with the flu. He skipped March. Then again, Woods went nearly five months without playing and tied for fourth in his return to the Masters in 2010. But he now is 48 with a broken body. Woods has never missed the cut as a pro at Augusta National.