Course Info, Weather, Players to Watch & Storylines for the Greatest Week in Golf (By Marissa Kasch)
If you’ve come down with a case of the post-March Madness blues, you’re not alone. Luckily, golf has us covered for the next four days. The first major tees off this morning from Augusta National, and there's an aura of spring starting to sprout. The azaleas are in bloom. Magnolia Lane is open. It’s Masters weekend, and Augusta looks as pristine as ever. Golf diehards know the stories behind these iconic grounds, but every year writes a new chapter. Ready?
⛳️ The Masters 101: Augusta is admired in the world of golf for its beauty and attention to detail. Though each hole may be named after a beautiful plant on the course — Pink Dogwood, Magnolia, Flowering Crab Apple, etc. — this course is anything but a walk in the park. Golfers don’t get to calm their nerves with an easy start at Augusta, and low numbers get progressively harder as the round goes on.
The Front 9: For most of the front nine, there are opportunities to go low, but course designers have added length to most of the holes in recent years. That means approach shots are more challenging. The trouble starts to come on Hole No. 9 (Carolina Cherry) with a ruthless two-tiered green. If you land your approach shot short, it’s rolling down a big hill. Hit a putt too hard, you’ll face the same fate.
Amen Corner: After the turn, players head to the most iconic three holes in all of golf: Amen Corner. On Hole No. 11 (White Dogwood), there's a narrow fairway and a green that slopes toward a pond. Then, golfers head to (arguably) the most famous Par 3 in the world (Golden Bell). Despite its beauty, the landing area is tricky, with steep embankments, water, and bunkers surrounding the green. Golfers round out Amen Corner with a Par 5 (Azalea) featuring another two-tiered green and, once again, tricky tee shots and approach shots. Getting through 11, 12, and 13 at even-par is sheer survival.
The Back Stretch: Things don't get easier late in the back-nine. The Par 5 15th (Firethorn) awaits with a green fronted by Rae’s Creek. The Par 3 16th (Redbud) is the best birdie opportunity before Par 4s at 17 and 18 bring golfers home to the clubhouse.
🌤️ The Forecast: It's not promising on Day 1. Storms are in the forecast for Thursday morning, and the winner of Round 1 could be the weather. Expect clouds to break later in the day before clear skies into (most) of the weekend.
Players to Watch: The clear favorite to don the green jacket this year is Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world. He's coming off a second PLAYERS Championship, a victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a tie for second place at the Houston Open, and a tie for third at the Phoenix Open. Defending champion Jon Rahm is another player who should never be overlooked. He has finished in the top nine in five of his last six starts at Augusta. Xander Schauffele has also played great golf this season with four top-10 finishes in his last five starts. Other favorites this weekend include Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, and Jordan Spieth. Keep an eye on Tiger Woods as he hunts The Masters record for consecutive cuts made (24).
Odds: S. Scheffler (+475), R. McIlroy (+1100), J. Rahm (+1200), B. Koepka (+1400), X. Schauffele (+1600), H. Matsuyama (+1800), J. Spieth (+2200) | Full Odds
Par-3 Contest Highlights (Wednesday)
Round 1 Tee Times (Featured Groups)
10:18 AM: H. Matsuyama, W. Zalatoris, J. Thomas
10:30 AM: J. Rahm, M. Fitzpatrick, N. Dunlap
10:42 AM: S. Scheffler, R. McIlroy, X. Schauffele
10:54 AM: W. Clark, V. Hovland, C. Smith
1:24 PM: T. Woods, J. Day, M. Homa
1:36 PM: B. Harman, B. Koepka, T. Kim
1:48 PM: J. Spieth, L. Aberg, S. Theegala
2:00 PM: D. Johnson, C. Morikawa, T. Fleetwood
*All times ET
Ready. Set. Masters! ⛳️
Read More
ESPN: Breaking Down All 89 Masters Participants: Favorites, Contenders & Hopefuls
Golfweek: Masters Picks, Predictions, Best Bets & Bonuses for Augusta in 2024
USA Today: Jon Rahm’s Menu at the Annual Masters Champions Dinner
CBS Sports: Tiger Woods Says ‘I Hurt Every Day’ as 15-Time Major Champion Prepares for Return
