By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk
AUGUSTA - Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, fresh off serving the least expensive Champions Dinner in recent memory, is making his sixth appearance at Augusta National. The 2022 and 2024 Masters champion seeks to become the ninth player with three or more victories at Augusta and with a victory, would join Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1965, 1966) as the only players to win three Masters Tournaments in a four-year stretch.
Scheffler is also seeks to join Jack Nicklaus (1956, 1966), Nick Faldo (1989, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2002) as players to successfully defend their title at the Masters Tournament.
Scheffler has never finished outside the Top 20 in five prior starts at the Masters Tournament (T19/2020, T18/2021, Won/2022, T10/2023, Won/2024) and with his last three finishes at the Masters (Won/2024, T10/2023, Won/2022), he’s one of two players to finish among the Top 10 in each of the last three years. Collin Morikawa (5th/2022, T10/2023, T3/2024) is the other.
Rory McIlroy is making his 17th start at the Masters Tournament. He was the runner-up in 2022 which marked his best performance among seven Top-10 results.
McIlroy, as past winner of the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship, is attempting to become the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam.
Gene Sarazen
Ben Hogan
Gary Player
Jack Nicklaus
Tiger Woods
McIlroy’s victory at the 2025 PLAYERS Championship marked his 28th win on TOUR (T20 all-time). He’s seeking to become only the third player to win the PLAYERS and The Masters in the same season, joining Tiger Woods (2001), Scottie Scheffler (2024).
With a victory at this year’s Masters Tournament, Collin Morikawa, the World No. 4 and two-time major champion (2020 PGA Championship, 2021 Open Championship) can join three active players (Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson) with three legs of the career Grand Slam.
At 7:30am EDT today, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson will take part in the honorary first tee ceremonies.
Vijay Singh withdrew from The Masters on Monday. A total of 94 players are scheduled to compete this year.
Preview | The Masters
COURSE: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
ARCHITECT: Dr. Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones Jr.; Perry Maxwell in 1937
YARDS/PAR: 7,555 yards/Par 72
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: TBD
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Scottie Scheffler
OVERVIEW: (link)
PAST RESULTS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 750
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @The Masters
Media Coverage of the 2025 Masters
Thursday, April 10, 2025 - (All Times Eastern Daylight)
7am - 10pm - Masters Radio on Sirius/XM
7:30am - Honorary Starters - Masters.com Streaming
7:40am - First Groups Tee-Off
8:30am - 10:30am - “On the Range” - CBS Sports’ and Masters site - Streaming
8:45am - ESPN+ Streaming Coverage (Holes 4.5.6)
10:45am - ESPN+ Streaming - “Amen Corner”
11am - 7:45am - Featured Groups - Masters, CBS Sports’ and ESPN+ Streaming
1:00pm - 3:00pm - “Welcome to the Masters” on ESPN
3:00pm - 7:30pm - Live First Round Coverage on ESPN
11:35pm - 11:50pm - First Round Highlights, CBS
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (Masters.com)
ESPN and ESPN+ Coverage (See: HERE)
Note: The ESPN telecasts from 3-7:30 p.m. EDT will also air in Spanish on ESPN Deportes. ESPN Deportes will broadcast live third and final round coverage.
Masters | The Basics:
Tournament site: The Masters
The Masters - Tee Times start today at 7:40am (ET) and go to 1:45pm (ET).
Weather: Today’s forecast is for partly sunny skies and 74 degrees. Only an 8% chance of rain today but that increases to 25% on Friday.
PGA Tour Brunch will post at 7:00am (ET) tomorrow, just ahead of 7:40am tee times.
The Masters | The Field w Update, Tee Times, Leaderboard
The Field: (link)
Update:
Monday, April 7
Vijay Singh / WD
Tee Times: (link)
Masters Leaderboard: (link)
What They’re Saying | The Masters
Power Rankings Ahead of The Masters (Golf Week)
CBS SPORTS The Masters (CBS Sports)
ESPN Golf (ESPN.com)
How to Watch | The Masters (PGATourCom)
Sports Gambling, Daily Fantasy & Industry News
Expert Picks for The Masters (PGATourCom)
Sleeper Picks for The Masters (PGATourCom)
Top Picks and Tiers (USA Today)
Masters Picks and Rory Notes (Yahoo Sports)
On This Day in Golf History:
April 10, 1949 - The Green Jacket is awarded for the first time and Sam Snead was the recipient of the most coveted item of clothing in all of golf. Snead shot a second consecutive (67) to win his first of three Masters titles. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt | Two Greatest Shots in Masters History
“In your LIFE, have you seen anything like that?”
And? Rory McIlroy’s daughter, Poppy, yesterday at the Par 3 Contest!
For her highlight,
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