What to know for an extra-interesting Masters
Tiger's quest, PGA Tour vs. LIV, Weir's anniversary highlight the storylines
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The Masters is always rich in storylines. And, like the members of Augusta National, this year's is richer than most. Here are some of the angles to follow at the year's biggest golf tournament:
Does Tiger Woods have another green jacket in him?
At 47, the 15-time major winner would be in decline even if he'd stayed healthy over the years. He has not. In 2019, Woods was able to overcome the myriad back, knee and assorted ailments that have diminished his game to, a la Jack Nicklaus in 1986, capture a magical late-stage Masters title. But he's even more hobbled now from the 2021 car wreck that nearly cost him a leg and rendered him a part-time player who has trouble walking 18 holes.
Tiger's fighting spirit helped him battle to make the cut at last year's Masters, and it's still within the realm of possibility that he matches Nicklaus' record by winning a sixth green jacket. But, as he prepares for his 25th Masters appearance, even Woods admits he's running out of competitive rounds at Augusta. "I don't know how many more I have in me," he said this week.
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The PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf war bleeds into Augusta.
Even the most elegant venue in the sport can not avoid being splattered by the ugly, cash-and-oil-soaked fight for control of men's professional golf. The first shots were fired before last year's Masters, but the battle lines are more clearly drawn now that the wave of defections to the Saudi-funded LIV tour has mostly run its course and the rebel league has teed off its second season.
The PGA Tour responded to the threat by banning anyone who jumped ship from moonlighting in its events. But the established tour doesn't control the majors, and they all decided to let the LIVers play — for now. After chiding the defectors last year, Augusta chairman Fred Ridley said his club could modify its invitation criteria for future Masters.
Eighteen LIV Golf players are in the field of 88 this week, headlined by 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson and reigning British Open champ Cameron Smith, the upstart tour's two best players. Three-time green jacket winner Phil Mickelson remains a massive name, but the 52-year-old's best days are behind him and he's receded from the spotlight since those embarrassing quotes about doing business with the Saudis.
Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson (twice) all won green jackets before bouncing to LIV, while beefy rivals Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau were top contenders not long ago. DeChambeau once boasted that he was treating par-72 Augusta as a par-67 because of his length off the tee, then went out and shot two of his four rounds over the actual par score to finish tied for 34th.
Rory McIlroy can complete the career Grand Slam — and stick it to LIV.
The 33-year-old Northern Irish star stepped into the role of white knight for the PGA Tour last year with his frequent barbs against LIV. Apart from another Tiger miracle, the dream scenario for this Masters is McIlroy going toe-to-toe with a LIV Golf star in the final pairing on Sunday for the green jacket — the only major prize that has eluded him.
Only five golfers have completed the modern men's career Grand Slam: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. McIlroy seemed poised to join those legends when he won the U.S. and British Opens and the PGA Championship (twice) between 2011-14. But he's now gone nearly a decade without a major, despite nine top-five finishes since 2015 — including three last season.
At Augusta last year, McIlroy holed out from a greenside bunker on 18 to match the lowest final round in Masters history, an 8-under 64 that gave him second place. He's finished in the top 10 at seven of the last nine Masters and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. So maybe this is the year.
Golf's quiet superstar goes for a rare Masters repeat.
Only three players have won the green jacket in consecutive years: Nicklaus, Woods and Nick Faldo. Scottie Scheffler might seem out of place next to those megawatt names, but the unassuming 26-year-old Texan certainly has the game to join them in the back-to-back club.
Scheffler has already won two marquee events this year — the raucous Phoenix Open and last month's extremely lucrative Players Championship at iconic TPC Sawgrass, where he crushed the field by five shots to pocket a record $4.5 million US and reclaim the top spot in the world rankings. Scheffler and McIlroy are co-favourites in the betting markets to win the Masters.
Other top contenders include world No. 3 Jon Rahm, who's cooled off from a scorching start to 2023; No. 4 Patrick Cantlay, still seeking his first major; Jordan Spieth, the 2015 green jacket winner who owns the best career Masters scoring average in the field; and past major champs Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa. A dark horse is 35-year-old Australian Jason Day, whose lone major title came eight years ago but is now playing his best golf in years.
On the 20th anniversary of Mike Weir's historic victory, can another Canadian win the green jacket?
Two decades after becoming the first (and still only) Canadian to win the Masters, Weir will get the tournament started as the first competitive player to tee off Thursday at 8 a.m. ET. Though his hopes of slipping on another green jacket are essentially nil, the 52-year-old should get some credit for the record four Canadians competing this year. Mackenzie Hughes, Corey Conners and Masters rookie Adam Svensson were at the formative ages of 12, 11 and nine, respectively, when Weir pulled off his thrilling victory in 2003.
Among them, Conners appears to have the best chance of creating another iconic Canadian golf moment this week. His victory at last week's Texas Open lifted the Listowel, Ont., native to 28th in the world rankings, and he has an excellent track record at Augusta, placing sixth last year for his third straight top-10 finish.
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