The Athletic has dwell protection of the 2025 Masters Match.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — It’s Masters Week.
The azaleas are popping, the gnomes are flying off the cabinets within the merchandise constructing, and the egg salad sandwiches are in abundance. The golf world has descended on Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership for the 2025 Masters Match, together with The Athletic.
To get the week began, three of our golf writers — Brody Miller, Gabby Herzig and Hugh Kellenberger — answered questions, from what they have been excited about on their strategy to Augusta to whether or not they’ll miss Tiger Woods (out, torn Achilles) to who and who might not be the proprietor of a brand new inexperienced jacket come Sunday afternoon.
What excites you probably the most about this Masters?
Herzig: The storylines are plentiful at this yr’s Masters, however for a number of completely different causes, it appears like we could possibly be due for an surprising foremost character to emerge. It’s troublesome to underestimate Scottie Scheffler, however his sport is simply coming into peak kind after a ravioli-making incident derailed the start of this season. Rory McIlroy is enjoying among the finest early-season golf of his life, however Augusta Nationwide brings one thing out of him that may be unpredictable. Xander Schauffele would have been an computerized favourite if it weren’t for an injured intercostal muscle that put him on a brief ball rely.
The LIV gamers are coming into Augusta having performed just one stateside match, and the abroad programs don’t fairly rival the Alister MacKenzie take a look at, to place it properly. The mix of prowess and uncertainty on the high of the boys’s sport makes the anticipation round this Masters really feel notably palpable. It’s a well-known phenomenon, however this yr, greater than others, I’m feeling the anything-could-happen vibe.
Kellenberger: As a Florida resident, I’ve had the event to fulfill many a Disney grownup, and will or might not be associated to at least one or two. Whereas it’s not for me, I do perceive the attraction. You stroll by the gates and the skin world appears to fall to the wayside, the “magic” supposed to swaddle you the best way your mom as soon as did. It’s comfy escapism. Nicely, I’ve all the time maintained that the Masters is a Disneyland, swapping out Goofy ears for that traditional yellow brand and a turkey leg for a pimento cheese sandwich. I’m pleased to indulge.
Miller: There are such a lot of potential epic, epic narratives that might come from this week. Does McIlroy, enjoying among the finest golf of his profession, lastly full the profession grand slam 11 years after his final main win? Does Xander Schauffele get a 3rd main in 4 begins? Does Jon Rahm grow to be a multiple-time winner or does Scheffler win three of 4 Masters to achieve god-tier Augusta Nationwide greatness? Or does a budding new star like Ludvig Åberg put himself within the historical past books like all of us count on?
And if all of that doesn’t occur, it means a brand new icon we weren’t planning for. That’s the good factor concerning the Masters. We’ll all bear in mind who Charl Schwartzel and Danny Willett are, as a result of they gained right here.
Tiger Woods’ torn Achilles has saved him out of the 2025 Masters. (Warren Little / Getty Photos)
Will you miss Tiger Woods?
Miller: Sure. Even when I discover myself drained at occasions of the eye we should pay to every spherical, from a golfer who’s not a real contender, it’s historical past. I don’t care if it’s corny. It’s presumably the best golfer to ever play, doing it on the most iconic venue, and seeing that ought to by no means be taken as a right. Woods’ presence provides gravitas and relevance that’s noticeably absent when he’s not there.
(And if I need to be a egocentric sportswriter, it’s all the time good when Woods attracts massive galleries and breaks up how many individuals observe the opposite stars.)
Kellenberger: A yr in the past, I made it some extent to be behind the 18th inexperienced as Tiger walked up the green. I watched as he completed his spherical earlier than the leaders had even teed off, because the patrons bathed him in admiration and reward befitting a person of his report and never the 77 he had simply shot to complete final within the subject. “Simply in case,” was my reasoning for being there, as a result of if the final decade has taught us something about Tiger Woods, you by no means know what is going to occur subsequent.
Likelihood is he’ll play the Masters once more, nevertheless it must be on his phrases, for his causes, and with out exterior expectations positioned on him. A Masters with out Tiger Woods will really feel unfamiliar, however we’ll transfer on.
Herzig: Will I miss the vitality within the Masters press convention corridor when Woods walks out, settles into his chair and adjusts the microphone with 200 folks on the fringe of their seats ready for him to open his mouth? Or the gorgeous enhance in decibel rely when he struts from the clubhouse to the primary tee on Thursday morning? Completely. Woods and Augusta Nationwide make a dynamic duo, one which no participant will ever replicate within the trendy period — not less than no participant that we’re at the moment conscious of. I’ll miss the spectacle that Woods supplies on the Masters.
That being stated, there’s nothing worse than a relationship that feels pressured. Regardless of how confidently he says it, Woods has not been in kind to win at this golf course because the automotive crash. I gained’t miss witnessing the limp on these hills, or wincing on the sight of his ball getting into the deepest bunkers on the property — it’s simply not enjoyable to look at somebody who has dominated this sport play by ache. It’s not price it.
Sepp Straka has one PGA Tour win this season. (Jared C. Tilton / Getty Photos)
Identify an extended shot to win
Kellenberger: A listing of lengthy photographs on the Masters is all the time going to intrigue, stuffed with the second-tier PGA Tour stars and a heavy listing of former champions that might theoretically pull a Jack in ’86 and discover the magic only one extra time.
Russell Henley begins the week plus-5000 and is a month faraway from a signature occasion win. Cameron Smith and Wyndham Clark are nonetheless pretty latest main champions. Keegan Bradley is a selection for chaos. Phil Mickelson? Patrick Reed? Oh my, the takes. Robert MacIntyre has not been to the Masters since 2022, however his efficiency again then was higher than his resume. He’s a distinct, higher golfer now, and a Scot who is aware of how you can form his shot within the wind is just not just like the craziest factor ever on the Masters.
Miller: Sepp Straka. He’s one of many 10 finest iron gamers on the earth, and this yr it’s been higher than ever. He gained the American Categorical in January and already has seven top-15 finishes on this brief season. Add in that he completed T16 on the Masters final spring, so there aren’t a ton of causes to doubt he’s able to profitable right here. If there was a hangup, it’s that Augusta Nationwide is a spot the place you typically want a artistic brief sport, and Straka is a below-average participant across the greens, however hey, that’s why he’s an extended shot.
Herzig: Will Zalatoris. This isn’t only a shot in the dead of night. In 2023, Zalatoris needed to withdraw from the Masters after struggling a again harm that led to spinal surgical procedure, and it devastated him. However earlier than that, Zalatoris was placing collectively a Masters resume that felt destined to quickly embrace a win. He completed solo second in 2021 and tied for sixth in 2022. One yr later, his again fused, and nonetheless adjusting to the burden of 4 days of competitors, he posted a T9. Now, with the 2025 season underway, you may have a look at Zalatoris’ outcomes and persuade your self he’s not in kind to win a Masters.
I’d argue that the world No. 63 has performed a lot better than he’s scored this season, the primary evident instance being his roller-coaster of a Gamers Championship. In among the windiest situations we’ve seen this calendar yr, Zalatoris reached a tie for second place on Saturday at TPC Sawgrass after going 10-under in his final 27 holes. Then he made a quadruple bogey, and all of it unraveled from there. All we see is the T30, however he executed some stellar golf in ridiculous situations on an enormous stage inside that consequence. Plus, the person loves Augusta Nationwide — let’s see what he can do.
One identify who you’re certain is not going to win
Miller: Bryson DeChambeau. Though it was good to see him play properly final week at LIV Miami, he’s been fairly common this LIV season and has typically been regressing since that epic U.S. Open win. And whereas we must always in no way ignore his spectacular T6 final yr, his total Masters profession has been a ton of missed cuts and finishes exterior the highest 20. I respect DeChambeau a ton, however he’s not profitable.
Herzig: He’s the speak of the city, however Rory McIlroy is not going to win the Masters this yr. I’m as satisfied as anybody that McIlroy is enjoying among the most full and disciplined golf of his profession. He’s mastered that flighted down bulletproof iron shot for windy situations and tiny touchdown areas. The creativity and flexibility in his sport really feel unmatched. And McIlroy is coming into the Masters with one of the best 2025 resume of the massive canines within the subject: A win at Pebble Seaside and a Gamers Championship. Onerous to beat these.
However but, I’m satisfied that we’ll both see McIlroy miss the minimize by three or break hearts on Sunday with a close to miss. I don’t assume it will likely be something in between, and I additionally don’t assume it will likely be a win.
Kellenberger: Jordan Spieth having higher odds to win the 2025 Masters than Hideki Matsuyama is wild. W-i-l-d. He’s performed in six tournaments since his return from offseason wrist surgical procedure and has two high 10s, however his efficiency in opposition to signature occasion fields (when he’s in them) has not been practically as encouraging. Whereas he’s not shedding strokes in any of the 4 classes, per Information Golf, he’s not outperforming a major a part of the sphere in any of them both.
Would love for Spieth to be again in some unspecified time in the future, however he’s a top-5 identify with a top-50 sport. Spieth and the Masters will all the time have a sure attraction, however he’s missed the minimize two of the final three years. I’m out on that one.
(High photograph of Scottie Scheffler together with his caddie, Ted Scott: Michael Reaves / Getty Photos)