The Masters is not just another golf tournament, nor simply another major — it’s a chance to become a sporting legend.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis year’s edition at Augusta National feels like it could finally be Rory McIlroy’s moment. With all his talent and accolades, it would seem a travesty if the Northern Irishman were to end his career without donning that iconic green jacket.
McIlroy arrives at Augusta in impressive form, having secured two PGA Tour victories this season — the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship. Those wins have propelled him to second in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), making him arguably the most in-form player in the world right now.
The buzz surrounding McIlroy this week is not without reason. This marks the first time he’s won twice in the same season on American soil, and he recently became only the second golfer in history to surpass $100 million in PGA Tour career earnings, following Tiger Woods.
Between 2014 and 2022, McIlroy recorded seven top-10 finishes at Augusta — a record that speaks volumes given the challenge the course presents. However, his chances of slipping on the green jacket may hinge on a strong start. In 16 Masters appearances, he’s managed a sub-70 opening round just twice.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhether fortunately or not, the unpredictability of this season may either play into McIlroy’s hands or add to the pressure he already carries. One thing is certain — all eyes will be on him this week, as he chases the one major title that has eluded him.
The defending champion
With McIlroy the fans’ and bookmakers’ favourite to win this year’s Masters, there’s no shortage of challengers looking to spoil the party — starting with world number one and defending champion, Scottie Scheffler.
Last season, Scheffler’s dominance drew comparisons to the peak of Tiger Woods, with seven victories on Tour, a Masters title, and an Olympic gold medal to his name. At times, he looked truly unstoppable. While this season he hasn’t quite hit those same heights, he has remained impressively consistent.
Having started the year later than most due to a hand injury, Scheffler is yet to register a win in 2025, but he has notched three top-10 finishes in six starts, including a runner-up result at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
Despite coming into Augusta not at his imperious best, he ranks third in strokes gained, sixth off the tee, and seventh in approach to the green on Tour this season. Dismissing the world number one would be nothing short of foolish.
Embed from Getty ImagesEuropean dominance on the PGA Tour
So far in 2025, 40% of the 15 PGA Tour events have been won by European players — a testament to their strong form ahead of Augusta. The likes of Sepp Straka, Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Åberg, Thomas Detry, and Viktor Hovland have all found the winner’s circle, setting the stage for a fascinating transatlantic battle at this year’s Masters.
In contrast, several of the top-ranked American stars have yet to ignite their seasons. Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark, and Patrick Cantlay — all currently inside the world’s top 20 — are still searching for their first win of the year.
Morikawa, however, boasts an impressive record at Augusta. In five Masters appearances, he has never missed the cut, and in each of the past three years, he has finished inside the top 10 — including a solo fifth in 2022 and a tied third in 2024.
Among the Europeans to watch is Genesis Invitational winner Ludvig Åberg. The Swede announced himself as a rising star with a runner-up finish in his Masters debut last year. Despite those strong memories, Åberg was quick to downplay their significance in his pre-tournament press conference, acknowledging that previous success means little when the first tee shot is struck on Thursday.
“I think having those experiences in your back pocket is really nice, but come Thursday morning it’s not going to change anything,” Aberg said. “You still have to go out and hit the golf shots and hit the putts and do as good as you can.”
Embed from Getty ImagesSepp Straka, who claimed victory at the American Express in California back in January, arrives at Augusta in quietly impressive form. The Austrian ranks fourth in scoring average, third in birdie average, and second in greens in regulation on the PGA Tour this season — a combination that suggests he could be a serious contender if he carries that level of precision into the week.
The LIV effect
For the first time in one of only four opportunities this year, a select group of LIV Golf players will tee it up alongside stars from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Despite LIV having five different winners so far this season, only Joaquín Niemann and Sergio García have received invitations to The Masters. Others, such as Adrian Meronk and Marc Leishman – who triumphed in Miami last week – miss out, having not met the qualifying criteria.
While high-profile names like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Phil Mickelson are yet to win this season, all remain eligible due to past victories at Augusta or other major championships.
Embed from Getty ImagesOf the LIV contingent, Sergio García may be the one to watch most closely. A comfortable winner at LIV Golf Hong Kong, the 2017 Masters champion arrives at Augusta as arguably one of the most in-form players on the LIV circuit – if not in world golf right now.
Since joining LIV Golf, Sergio García has found himself on the outside looking in—not just from the PGA Tour, but from the Ryder Cup conversation, too. Once Europe’s talisman with the all-time points record (28.5), García was notably absent from the 2023 Ryder Cup team in Rome.
Speaking to Today’s Golfer, Garcia said;
“We’ll see what happens. There is still many months to go until that decision is made. I’ll just keep working hard and keep playing the best golf that I can.”
With recent comments suggesting he still harbours hope of a return in 2025, a strong showing at Augusta could be his loudest statement yet. Not only would it re-establish his credentials on one of the game’s grandest stages, but it might also be his best opportunity to remind the golf world—and Luke Donald- that he still belongs at the very top of the sport.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe rest of the world
While any build up to a major can often centre around Europe and the United States, a number of international players from the rest of the world arrive at Augusta National in fine form and could easily disrupt the traditional script.
Hideki Matsuyama returns to Augusta National for his 14th Masters appearance with an impressive track record. The 2021 champion has finished inside the top 20 in eight of the past ten years and famously became Japan’s first male major winner with his one-stroke victory over Will Zalatoris. He also joined an elite group of former Masters Low Amateurs to win the tournament, alongside legends like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson.
Hideki Matsuyama kicked off the PGA Tour season in style with a commanding victory at The Sentry, finishing an astonishing 35 under par. His 2024 campaign was equally impressive, featuring wins in Los Angeles and Memphis, an Olympic bronze medal for Japan, and appearances in both the Tour Championship and Presidents Cup.
Min Woo Lee is certainly one to watch. The talented Australian arrives at Augusta in fine form, having claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open at the end of March. With that breakthrough win now behind him, he’ll be full of confidence and could prove a strong outside bet this week.
Lee has recorded top-25 finishes at Augusta National in two of the past three years and has placed inside the top 25 in five of the last nine major championships, including an impressive T-5 at the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. Perhaps most notably, his recent win came against a strong field, holding off world number one Scottie Scheffler by a single shot.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Masters at Augusta National is always a memorable week — not just in golf, but in the world of sport. It is unique, potentially life-changing, and consistently delivers dramatic moments right up to the final hole.
Augusta is a course that clearly rewards experience. Remarkably, each of the last 45 Masters champions had previously played the course. Moreover, 26 of the past 27 winners made the cut the year before their victory, and 25 had finished 30th or better in a previous Masters appearance.
The Masters is the only major held at the same course every year — and while the fairways are familiar, the outcome is always unknown. That’s the beauty of Augusta.
Swing and Hope 
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