#1.) This is the first LIV – PGA combined field since the merger announcement back in 2023
This is the first contentious meeting between the Saudi backed LIV golf members and the PGA tour players since the proposed merger between the two ruling bodies back in November 2023.
There remains a lingering friction between the players who have chosen to “take the money” and sign on to play on the world traveling LIV golf tour and the American-based PGA tour as the best players in the world descend upon the annual homage to Augusta, Georgia.
Some of the PGA players ire has rounded back towards the tour and the commission, Jay Monahan. He encouraged the remaining PGA tour stars back in 2022-2023 to speak publicly against the league when the LIV started.
Now, he says, “We just realized that we were better off together than we were fighting or apart…” — turning players of the PGA were made a pawn in this political and financial chess game initiated by a foreign body.
This isn’t the main focus of this tournament but it is lurking beneath the surface, especially since LIV’s acquisition of the 2023 Masters champion, Jon Rahm.
#2.) The unique language used to describe the course and players
Pay close attention to the tournament specific language that reporters and announcers are required to use the coverage this weekend.
Terms such as patrons over crowd, or first cut vs. the rough. It’s both comical at times and a breath of fresh air compared to the weekly sterilized, technical jargon many pundits often use.
Amen Corner refers to a trio of three holes right after the turn on holes 11,12, and 13. Number twelve is Augusta’s signature hole, and it presents a nasty test of a par 3 at only 163 yards. And there’s the infamous Rae’s Creek that gapes over teen feet directly in front of the entire green and there are swirls of wind that seem random at times giving players the hope and pray instinct.
#3.) Top Contenders
Jordan Spieth
The one-time champion and almost three-time champion, as some believe (see Masters 2014 & 2015) comes into this year’s tournament in poor form with only three top ten finishes so far this season — only one of which came in the top three at pole position three. With his three missed cuts, he’s missed cuts at the same rate as his top ten percentage.
But Augusta is Jordan’s home. It’s where we gained worldwide fame and notoriety from his magical chip-ins to his tragic final round downfall in 2016. Jordan knows Augusta like the back of his hand, so he’ll always bring something special to this world class tournament.
Scottie Scheffler
Another Texan on this list at Augusta who has the potential to bring home his second win… although Scottie’s recent performance is a total 180 from Spieth’s 2024 campaign.
Scheffler has been on a tear in the strokes-gained era like we haven’t seen since the great Tiger Woods. He’s finished first in the field in strokes-gained from tee to green in half of the eight tournaments that he’s competed in so far in 2024.
It’s only small putting errors that have led him astray to three other top three finishes and additional two more top ten trophies. He’s the oddest on betting favorite for the gambling community and if his putter remains hot, watch this space intently.
Rory McIlroy
Augusta has remained a fickle beast for the Northern Irishman, it’s the only major he has failed to achieve in his illustrious 24 win career on tour, which includes four major He’s done it all at August except win the darn thing.
He’s led after two days, he failed miserably and missed the cut a few times, and he’s peeled off a final Sunday come from the back of the pack rally that saw him finish solo second in 2022 behind the above-mentioned Scottie Scheffler.
Tiger himself noted, “I think Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week.” This will be Rory’s sixteenth Masters appearance, which matches the number of times it took Spaniard, Sergio Garcia to achieve the feat back in 2017. It’s the longest and highest number of starts for a player to win the tournament in its history.
Watch for Rory to play conservatively and let the course come to him on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with angle at surging to the top from a top ten place on Sunday afternoon.
Brooks Koepka
The only LIV golf player on this list and who led the field going into the final Sunday and dropped strokes to eventual champion, Jon Rahm. Brooks is playing with a renewed swagger that we haven’t seen since his dominance in 2017 – 2020 when he won four majors.
Brooks’ explosive swing style has led to a lot of wear and tear on his body so the switch to LIV, where he only plays ten league tournaments a year has paid dividends for the 33 year-old, American — seen early last year when he won two LIV tournaments and a third PGA Championship at Oak Hill. Brooks has and always will be a big game hunter and his play last year showed that he’s figured this course out.
And he’s rarely a player who misses his target twice if he’s in contention. He’s unflappable during majors so he’s never a bad bet.
#4.) Is this The Cat’s Last Competitive Dance at August?
During an odd press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Tiger Woods, the five-time Masters champion, said, “I hurt every day”. Which many took as an admission that he no longer has a shot at winning this year’s tournament.
That does contradict his previous statements and sentiments where he’d been quoted saying, “I still think that I can[win]”.
The fusion in his ankle has given him more stability but less flexibility so there shouldn’t be as many of those awkward ankle turns that we saw from the leading major winner in the modern era. Social media posts, his one-day performance at The Genesis Invitational earlier this year, and the PNC, played with son Charlie Woods, has shown a smoother and less painful swing for the forty-eight-year-old.
That brings a mixed bag of data on whether we see the second most winning Masters player of all time return to the place where he destroyed a professional field as a teenager. It’s the fulcrum tournament that launched a huge new interest for a whole new generation of participants in this sport.
He’ll be sadly missed by all if that’s the case so enjoy his tactical breakdown of this beautiful course.
#5.) The weather and lack of spring
The Masters trademark Azalea flower is a symbol of spring, summer, family, tradition, and of course golf for many folks throughout this fine nation.
Sadly, it’s been so cold and rainy in the past couple of weeks and months leading up to this year’s tournament, the annual flower is not showing its normal colors. It’ll be a greyer than normal April in Georgia this year, especially with the projected winds on Friday and Saturday. Between only seeing 0.6 inches of rain on the course in the past week, the greens will play firm. Glassy putting surfaces and high winds will make for an interesting and hopefully exciting watch for spectators.
Evan Scheiber is the Senior Marketing Manager at The Horn News