Augusta National Golf Club is already open for business and quickly shaping into Masters mode, thanks to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur that wrapped up its final round at the course Saturday.
Sunday, the Club will host the 2024 Drive, Chip and Putt championships, and if you take a close look, you’ll see traffic starting to increase up and down Washington Rd.
That means that The Masters is right around the corner.
That also means storylines abound, including speculation on who will slip on the green jacket in victory next Sunday. Though Masters Week officially begins on Monday, the tournament itself doesn’t tee off until Thursday. That gives us time to dissect and analyze what to watch for in this year’s Masters action.
FIVE MASTERS FRONTRUNNERS
Scottie Scheffler: The No. 1 ranked player in the world and 2022 Masters Champion returns to Augusta ready to capture his second green jacket. Scheffler’s recent PGA Tour wins at Bay Hill and The Players Championship reflect a game firing on all cylinders as Masters week approaches. With the addition of his new mallet-style putter, Scottie’s short game now operates as confidently as his incredible ball striking.
Jon Rahm: Becoming just the fourth Spaniard to claim the green jacket, Jon Rahm joined an already-elite group with his win at the 2023 Masters. Rahm’s fiery, competitive edge will drive him forward as he aims to become just the fourth man to win back-to-back Masters Tournaments. If he does it, he’ll join the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
Brooks Koepka: Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion, has proven time and again that when he arrives at Augusta, he belongs in the frontrunner conversation. He held the 54-hole lead going into Sunday last year, but let that lead slip en route to a second place finish. With 2023’s disappointment fueling his drive to compete well at this year’s Masters, Koepka looks fully fit for another attempt at the green jacket.
Xander Schauffele: When you look at Xander Schauffele’s performances at major championships, his ability to consistently finish near the top of the leaderboard is astounding. Across all 26 of his major championship starts, he has earned 11 top-10s with a runner-up finish at the 2019 Masters sprinkled in his resumé. Combine this seasoned history with a T-4 at the Genesis Open and a T-2 at The Players this spring, and Xander expectantly belongs among the top bets for this year’s Masters.
Wyndham Clark: Over the last 18 months, Wyndham Clark has become a household name on the PGA Tour. After winning his first major at the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club last July, Clark went on to compete on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team, win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and play big throughout each week. Wyndham will become the first player to make his Masters debut as the reigning U.S. Open champion since Orville Moody in 1970.
THREE DARKHORSES TO WATCH
Corey Conners: During March, Corey Conners played great golf at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championships, finishing T-18 and T-13 respectively. He will be looking to maintain that momentum heading into the Masters. At Augusta, Conners has a history of strong results, highlighted by three top-10 finishes in three of the past four years.
Russell Henley: The Columbus, Georgia native will make his eighth appearance at the Masters this year. Known for his steady play and consistent ball-striking, Henley has made six cuts throughout his seven appearances in the tournament. Last April, Henley finished in a tie for fourth place.
Shane Lowry: The 2019 Champion Golfer of the Year is only one of three men to have finished inside of the top 25 at each of the last four Masters tournaments, with his tie for third in 2022 being his strongest finish. Together with this notable history, Lowry’s recent results of a T-19 at The Players and a 3rd place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational quietly vaults his name into the conversation.
TWO CAN’T-MISS STORYLINES
A new caddie for Justin Thomas
Last week, Justin Thomas announced that he and legendary caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, would no longer be working together. Since 2021, the duo experienced tremendous success alongside each other, capped off by their 2022 PGA Championship victory. “Bones” famously caddied for Phil Mickelson in each of his three Masters victories, so this news surfacing with Augusta right around the corner comes as quite a surprise. Not long after this announcement, Thomas pegged Matt Minister, former caddie for Patrick Cantlay as Bones’ replacement. It’ll be interesting to see how the relationship works this week.
Rory McIlroy’s year?
All eyes will be on Rory McIlroy, who is making his 16th attempt at capturing the green jacket and 10th try at the career grand slam. Over the past few days, storylines have been swirling about Rory once again working with legendary coach, Butch Harmon, to find trust in the right swing once he steps foot on the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club. Because of their rekindled relationship, will we see a different version of Rory McIlroy this coming week?
