The Masters

The 87th playing of the Masters Tournament will take place this weekend at Augusta National Golf Club. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion.

Friday: The temperature is expected to cool for the second round, with the projected high at 68 and the overnight low at 49. The high is expected to be 53 degrees, with the overnight low also at 53. Sunday: The final round is shaping up to also deal with precipitation, with a high of 70. [he has reiterated](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2023/03/03/tiger-woods-skip-players-championship-pga-tour/11393956002/) that he intends to play in very few PGA Tour events other than the majors. Woods [had multiple open fractures](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2021/02/24/comminuted-open-fracture-tiger-woods-leg-injuries/4572484001/) affecting both the upper and lower portions of his right tibia and fibula, the two main bones in the lower leg. The Masters Tournament approaches mid-tournament cuts differently than other PGA Tour events, offering a smaller field to advance after the second round. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings](https://www.owgr.com/current-world-ranking), won the 2022 Masters Tournament after he dominated play starting with the second round. The 2023 Masters Tournament will run from Thursday, April 6 and will conclude Sunday, April 9. There is 55% of rain with a 33% probability of thunderstorms. On Thursday, April 6 (first round), and on Friday, April 7 (second round), ESPN will broadcast coverage starting at 3-7:30 p.m. 2 player in the world. In fact, only three golfers – Woods, Nick Faldo (1989 and 1990) and Jack Nicklaus (1965 and 1966) – have successfully defended their title from the previous year.

Augusta National is the only golf course to host a major championship every season, a relevant factor in a predictive model.

Over the last three months, Collin Morikawa has been the best in this category (+1.22 strokes gained approach per round), while a number of big names have struggled with their scoring clubs. This is where a bulk of potential winners simply fall short of the +0.20 strokes gained around the green clip from the prior 10 winners. The same rings true at Augusta where the last 10 winners were averaging at least +0.10 strokes gained off the tee per round in the calendar year of their victory. In the calendar year leading up to their respective Masters coronations, all 10 champions were averaging at least +0.65 strokes gained per round with the mean of the group coming in at a whopping +2.14. Augusta National has often catered to some of the best iron players in the world (like Woods). In the year prior to winning, five of the last 10 collected a runner-up finish in a major championship while eight had a top-10 finish. Off-the-tee numbers are the most predictive indicator of success in the world of golf -- just look at the best players in the world at the moment, they are also some of the best drivers of the golf ball maybe ever. It was not Scheffler (+2.50) or Spieth (+2.38) who boasted the most impressive metrics ahead of their victories but rather Watson (+3.02) and Johnson (+3.91) -- albeit it in an unconventional fashion given the November Masters -- who eclipsed the three-stroke hurdle. Six of those had already entered the winner's circle on the year -- see Scheffler in 2022, Johnson in 2020 and Spieth in 2015 -- while eight had found a spot on the podium in the form of a top-three result. Eight of the 10 most recent Masters champions had at least a major runner-up result already to their name with all 10 having a T6 finish or better. Seven of the last 10 Masters champions had at least one top-five finish in their Masters careers before donning the green jacket with all 10 having previously collected a top-40 result. Jordan Spieth came close to joining this group in 2014 when he held a share of the 54-hole lead, and Will Zalatoris nearly accomplished the feat in 2021 when he fell just short of Matsuyama.

Who is paired with who as the 87th edition of the Masters gets underway this week at Augusta National.

Lee, 16 (Byron Nelson), 17, 18 Billy Horschel, 16 (Memorial), 17, 18 Patrick Cantlay, 16 (BMW), 17, 18 For 16 players, this will be their Augusta debut and with it comes the knowledge that not since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 has a rookie won a green jacket. Of course, who will be paired with who is the question on everyone’s mind. For 88 fortunate folks, they’ve done just that by earning a place in the field at the 87th Masters.

Players set out for official practice rounds ahead of the first men's golf major of the year although more than a few have tested the course recently.

“Golf is just as much a mental game as it is one of physical skill, and the mental piece of it has been a struggle for me recently,” Wise, 26, wrote in an Instagram story on Friday. Wise has appeared in seven tour events so far in 2023, with his best finish a tie for 18th at the Tournament of Champions in January. “I think that just being able to kind of get back on track, that was my biggest feat” on Saturday, Zhang said. I just felt like my swing wasn’t comfortable, and I really just tried to stay in the moment. Ordinarily, he said, he avoided playing the week before a major so he could take a mental break before facing the challenges of elite competition. Although Orange County National Golf Center is hardly Augusta National — Johnson earned his PGA Tour card when he played a qualifying school event there in 2007 — he said that any competition is good to have before a Masters. “I’m grateful we get to play because we were told — or there was talk — a year ago that you might not be able to play the majors. With the driver, when I hook it, the ball doesn’t have enough spin to where it can stay in the air and hook that much. He has not played a tournament round since February, when he tied for 45th at the Genesis Invitational. “I got the bug out,” Tom Kim, the 20-year-old PGA Tour player, said. I can do it on accident, but I can’t quite sling it on purpose because I like to fade my driver more off the tee, and so when it comes to that tee shot and hitting a hard hook with the driver, it’s not really a shot that I’ll try just because it’s not worth the risk for me.” “I used to hit 3-wood there because I can sling hook a 3-wood,” Scheffler said last month.

Five storylines to follow as the best players in the world descend upon Augusta National Golf Club this week for the April 6-9 Masters.

- -

The 87th Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club starts Thursday but action around the venue starts Monday with two days of practice rounds, some of ...

- TV: 11:35 p.m. to 11:50 p.m. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. - TV: 8 p.m. - TV: 3 p.m. - TV: 7 p.m. - TV: 2 p.m. We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. [Golf Channel free on Fubo TV](https://www.fubo.tv/lp/sports/?bgvideo=golfgen.mp4&title=Watch%20Golf%20Online&subinfo=Follow%20Your%20Favorite%20Players&priceline=Stream%20on%20your%20TV,%20Computer%20and%20more&irad=356374&irmp=1205322&subId1=golfweek). It’s the longest running sports event to be broadcast by one TV network. This marks ESPN’s 16th year of televising live coverage from Augusta National. Then of course Wednesday is the Par 3 Contest.

Welcome to Masters week. The best players in the world and legends of past generations have arrived at Augusta National for the 86th playing of “A Tradition ...

What is the state of his game? Versus the field, in his last 24 starts, Day ranks first in SG: short game, first in SG: putting and fifth in SG: around-the-green. In 2019, Mitchell made the field after his only PGA Tour win at the Honda Classic. the field and finished in fifth. The putter is also working. the field. Rory is playing exceptional golf at the moment and is clearly one of the favorites. to the picks: He’s the total opposite of a player like Jordan Spieth who wears his emotions on his sleeve. He’s playing better golf in the runup to the Masters than he was last year. Like Rory, Young is a bomber off the tee. - On the course, Rory McIlroy is looking to achieve the career grand slam.

Masters week is here and the First Coast and Georgia's Golden Isles, as usual, have strong representation at the Augusta National Golf Club.

- Masters record: Six starts, six made cuts. Best finish, 2nd in 2020. Simons Island That’s keeping with the 10-year trend of an average of 7.3 area players in the Masters since 2013, with a high of nine in 2021 and 2016 and a low of four in 2013. There will be eight area players in the field, three from the First Coast and five from St. - Masters record: 29 starts, cuts made.

Eighty-eight players will tee it up this week at Augusta National for the 87th Masters Tournament. Defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will ...

Tom Kim: He’s top 20 in strokes gained approach this season, but this is his Masters debut and he’s yet to finish better than 23rd in a major. Lefty has no top-15s in his last four Masters starts before not playing last year. But he is 8 under over his past two Masters and has three straight top-15s here, including his win in 2021. He missed the cut in his Masters debut last year and is currently ranked No. Justin Rose: His two MCs in 17 Masters appearances have come in the last four years. He’s not in great form, though, ranking outside the top 75 in strokes gained approach and failing to notch a top-50 since his top-10 at Genesis. He’s top 25 in strokes gained approach and should finish closer to his T-5 at the 2019 Masters than his MCs the last two appearances. Max Homa: He’s been hot this year with a win and four other top-10s, and he’s coming off his first Masters made cut in three tries last year. However, he’s currently outside the top 50 in strokes gained approach, down in driving distance, and he’s only posted two top-10s in seven starts this year. Just wish he’s not failed to crack the top 30 in his last three worldwide starts. Top 10 in strokes gained approach and has finished in the top 15 in three straight majors; only Rory McIlroy has done that. He’s 12 under on the second nine in his career, but he’s 13 over on the first nine.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (L) and Collin Morikawa acknowledge the fans as they. The anticipation is finally over because the 2023 Masters has arrived.

Amateur Champion - Current U.S. Mike Weir (Canada) (1) Sam Bennett (A) (7-A) This is the first Masters since the upstart Saudi-backed tour launched last summer. This year, the club has also handed out two special invitations to Japan’s Kazuki Higa and reining NCAA Champion Gordon Sargent.

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are among the favorites to win the 2023 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Woods will attempt to win his sixth green jacket, but the odds are not in his favor. - Hideki Matsuyama, +3500 - Will Zalatoris, +3500 McIlroy has won each of the other three major championships, needing just a Masters victory to complete the career grand slam. Players will be on site for practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday before the famous Par 3 Contest on Wednesday. There have been 10 different winners in the last 10 years.

At the Masters this week, there will be some big-names missing from the field. Here are 8 that may surprise you.

[PodBean](https://dropzonegolf.podbean.com/) [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/show/golfcom-podcast) [iHeart](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-drop-zone-golf-podcast-86279832/) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5tCHGYbvzziD2cyntgfseS?si=7d9c60166f054228) [beating Jon Rahm in the process](https://golf.com/news/life-is-good-pga-tour/). In 2023, he has flipped the script a bit and climbed all the way up to 55th in the world ranking.

The 2023 Masters has arrived, and it brings along an ocean of storylines. There are enough twists and turns within the interpersonal dynamics of those in ...

Regardless, all of this is good for the golf tournament and should serve to make it more interesting overall. Players in this category include Patrick Cantlay (hasn't contended at enough majors), Max Homa (hasn't contended at any majors), Xander Schauffele (has contended at too many majors to not have at least one win), Will Zalatoris (same), Viktor Hovland (time to make the leap), Sam Burns (same) and Tony Finau (too good of a career to not have at least one major). That one of them would win is somewhat obvious, and 1.7 seems to be the cutoff. Is it far more difficult than it was even in 2019 when he had a fused spine and defeated Koepka, Johnson and Schauffele to win his 15th major? Nobody needs a Masters win, of course, but if we're looking at full and complete resumes over the long arc of a career, this bunch of golfers is a good place to start. (That excludes 2017 given he only played two tournaments in February and March.) McIlroy is playing much better than last year (when he finished second), better than in 2018 (when he played in the last pairing with Patrick Reed) and even better than either 2015 or 2016 (when he finished in the top 10). -- then this is not enough golf to truly get into contention at the Masters. This begs the same question that is facing several LIV golfers: Does Tiger have enough tournament reps to properly prepare for and contend at this first major championship? Whether that happens this year is one of the most anticipated stories of the season. Rahm's history at Augusta is nasty -- four top 10s in his last five starts -- so he gets the benefit of the doubt from the last month poor play (for him). More than the physical hurdles or the statistical edges, that is what Rory will have to overcome. Then he withdrew from the Players Championship with an illness and failed to advance out of his group in the WGC-Dell Match Play, losing to Billy Horschel 5 UP in his final match, a round in which he was 5 over and had not made a birdie on an easy golf course at the time the match ended.

The 87th edition of the Masters Tournament tees off from Augusta National on April 6th. Five-time Masters champ Tiger Woods is a long shot at +8000.

Cameron Smith has criticised the media for the 'rubbish' talked about LIV but has admitted the breakaway circuit could do with some of its players ...

It's nice to see a lot of the guys because I haven't seen them all that much." I have no problem with anyone on the LIV Tour, I really don't." Daily build-up shows begin at 2pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, with live coverage of the opening round on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. "It has nothing to do with where you play at, but guys that are here, they play all around the world. "All my buddies are still my buddies, and we play, and it's still golf. "I don't think there's any kind of hatred going on between the players. I'm really happy with where I'm at." "For me it's the same," Johnson said. For me personally, I'm really proud of where I'm at and what I'm doing. Unless it's a problem for these guys, I'm going to wear it." "We compete against each other hard week-in and week-out and we're trying to do the same things that we did six months ago. For sure, I'll be the first one to say the fields aren't as strong, but we've still got a lot of guys up there that can play some really serious golf.

Rory McIlroy returns to the Masters once again seeking to complete the grand slam, 12 years on from his devastating collapse at Augusta.

“Luckily, it did not take me long to get into a position like that again when I was leading a major and I was able to get over the line quite comfortably. A slow start in 2022 meant McIlroy had begun Sunday’s deciding round 10 shots adrift of the American, who teed off for his final hole with a five-shot lead despite McIlroy’s brilliant 64 finish. Just eight weeks later in June, McIlroy rampaged to an eight-shot victory at the US Open. By the time his tee drive at the 13th plopped into the creek, all thoughts of who might be the recipient of the green jacket had long-since switched away from the anguished youngster. The historic victory kickstarted a golden era for McIlroy. Mere minutes earlier, the same crowd had erupted as Schwartzel sunk his fourth consecutive birdie to seal his first major title. Having headlined the leaderboard for most of the week, he finished tied-15th. Having led the field one hole and seven shots earlier, he arrived at the 11th tee in seventh. His tee shot went careening into a tree, ricocheting to settle between the white cabins that separate the main course from the adjacent par-three course. And yet the 21-year-old leader looked perfectly at ease with having a target on his back. A blistering birdie, par, eagle start had seen him draw level at the summit after his third hole. His fourth bogey of the week arrived immediately.

Skipping the ball across the water on the par-3 16th is a Masters pre-tournament tradition. Turns out, the shot is more straightforward than it looks.

This is especially important if you’re hitting the shot off a downslope, when you’ll need your body tilting with the slope to avoid hitting it fat. “If I’m able to stay level, that allows me to get into my left side and get the ball starting down and low,” he says. If you watch the guys hitting the shot at Augusta, they will head to the front of the tee and hit the shot off a slight downslope. The water-skipper falls into the same family of shots as the bump-and-run and the punch. To make sure he has enough power behind the shot, Fowler says he takes a “little open stance, which helps me get through the ball.” With a square or closed stance, your lower body will have a tough time rotating out of the way on this punch shot. You need to hit the shot hard. Rickie talks about the importance of staying level with the ground through the shot. With your ball position already moved slightly back, put the majority of weight on your lead leg. (We’re guessing that was the mistake Kim made in flying the water.) Fowler opts for a 4-iron, which makes it easier to get the ball to come out low and driving forward. If you drive the ball into the water at too steep of an angle, it won’t skip. Fail, and watch your Pro-V1 torpedo to the bottom of the pond. To find the proper window, Fowler says he plays the shot “middle, to a little back of middle” in his stance.

Here are the players who have my interest—and those who certainly don't—this week at the 2023 Masters Tournament. Golfers I'm Definitely Playing.

Follow him on Twitter: [@RickRunGood](http://twitter.com/rickrungood). [Listen to Golf Digest's weekly betting podcast, "The Loop" (above) where we interview the industry's leading experts (and sometimes tour pros) to help you make your bets and pick your fantasy lineups. He’s lost 0.63 strokes per round to the field during that extended period, which is the worst play of anyone in this field with at least 50 rounds, per the RickRunGood.com golf database. His game looks a bit ragged at the moment, with the putter being a major concern. He missed the cut at the Saudi International then went T-5, 24th and T-26 at his three LIV starts this season. It feels like Spieth has three or four Masters titles on his resume already, but I can assure you that it’s only one (2015). His game, entering this week, is strong and he’s no longer reliant on his short game. He gained 8.5 strokes off-the-tee and 2.37 with the putter, per the RickRunGood.com golf database. Kirk will make his first start at the Masters since 2016 and will be playing it for the fourth time in his career. Im has spiked twice in his three trips to Augusta National, earning a T-2 in 2020 and eighth-place finish in 2022. Experience will matter on the putting surfaces, with nuance and deceit lurking in every blade of grass. Augusta National is always the star of Masters week, no matter who ends up donning the green jacket on Sunday.

As the last wraparound season on the PGA TOUR continues to generate compelling achievements, it's fitting that the first tournament of the second half is ...

To that end, experience on the course not only is an achievement of personal pride as a golfer, but it matters when it comes to winning the Masters. The champion will earn 600 FedExCup points, a PGA TOUR membership exemption through 2028, a lifetime exemption into the Masters and exemptions into the other three majors through 2027. Augusta National is equipped with the full slate of four par 3s and four par 5s, but the most attention will be directed at the par-5 13th hole. So, he’s still the man to beat at the Masters that he won by three in 2022. Beneath the expanded ranking of projected contenders is a review of what’s new, objectives required to perform well and more. It’s time for the 87th edition of the Masters.

No shortage of great story lines for the Masters, starting with Tiger Woods seeking record 83rd Tour title, Rory McIlroy trying to complete Grand Slam.

- On the brink: If any player in the field is due to finally win a major, it has to be Tony Finau. - Koepka on rebound: Greg Norman says he wants all 18 of his golfers to celebrate behind the 18th green if the Masters champion turns out to be one of his 18 LIV golfers competing at Augusta. 6 in the world and a top-10 finisher in his last three Masters appearances, is overdue to put himself back on the world map. Another possibility is 24-year-old Australian Min Woo Lee, who tied for 14th with Fleetwood at the 2022 Masters and T6 last month at The Players. The best bet to pull this off might be another Englishman, Tommy Fleetwood, who owns six European Tour wins and had top-5 finishes last year at The Open and PGA Championship. - Higher risk: With Augusta National lengthening the par-five, 13th hole from 510 yards to 545 yards, look for a lot more golfers to back off going for the green with their second shots, especially in colder weekend conditions. There were only 10 foreign players in the field for Player’s last win in 1978 and 15 for Ballesteros’ final triumph in 1983. But the world’s highest-ranked player to leave the Tour for LIV has cooled off considerably the past couple months, failing to contend in his last four LIV events. In three tournaments in 2023, the nine-time Tour winner has played a collective even-par and not come close to contending. - Grand Slam wait: A month short of his 34th birthday, Rory McIlroy has had eight opportunities at the Masters to become the sixth player to complete a career Grand Slam and fallen short. Zalatoris has finished in the top-8 at six of the past 10 majors. 1 in the world last year for the first time right before winning the Masters.