As the first day of the 2025 Masters Tournament gets closer, the 95 golfers competing are preparing to play at the Augusta National Golf Club in hopes of taking home the title of champion.
Scottie Scheffler
Two-time Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler was asked how he is handling the pressure of being the defending champion.
“At the end of the day when I get up on Thursday, I start the tournament on even par just like everybody else,” Scheffler said.
When asked how he’s been preparing for the tournament, Scheffler said he played 18 holes on Sunday. Monday was a rest day for him due to the weather. On Tuesday he played the front nine holes and planned to play the back nine holes on Wednesday.
As for what he considers the best shot he’s hit at the Masters, Scheffler said when looking at the two Masters he’s won, in 2022 there was a chip on hole 3 and an iron shot on hole 5 that stood out.
“Very few times throughout a tournament do you hit a shot exactly like you want to and it was one of those shots that I flushed it, I hit it exactly the way I was intending to,” Scheffler said. “…(it) gave me a ton of confidence going for the rest of the day. Both of those were very pivotal shots.”
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It 2024, Scheffler said it was the number of birdies he made that helped give him the lead with a comfortable cushion .
As for how his strategy of playing at the Augusta National Golf Club has changed over the years, Scheffler said a lot of golf changes based on the weather.
“The last couple of years we’ve had some really interesting weather days, I think in 2022 we had some high wind days and a really cold day that was windy and firm,” Scheffler said. “In 2023, we had one- or two-days day where we played through some pretty heavy rains, so softer golf course. Last year we had a good mix as well, we had some high winds and some soft conditions, conditions that firmed up come Sunday. A lot of the strategy for this place changes with the conditions on the course.”
The 2024 Champions dinner, which was Tuesday, April 8, featured cheeseburger sliders, firecracker shrimp, meatball and ravioli bites, Texas-style chili, wood-fired cowboy ribeye or blackened redfish and a warm chocolate chip skillet cookie. During a press conference Tuesday, he was asked if there would be a make your own ravioli station.
“In terms of if I was trying to take out the competition, I would definitely do a demonstration, something along those lines,” Scheffler said. “But hopefully avoid injuries, maybe they’ll cut up my steak for me, I won’t have to use a knife or anything like that.”
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Jon Rahm
With Carla Bernat Escuder winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Saturday, she became the fifth Spanish champion to win at the Augusta National Golf Club and 2023 Masters Champion Jon Rahm was asked what he thinks inspires excellent play by Spanish players.
“It’s such a hard answer,” Rahm said. “I think the main inspiration for us is simply one man, Seve (Ballesteros). I think what he did early on winning as a 23-year-old, being the first European to win and being able to do it multiple times, I think kind of set something special for Spanish players. Then (José María Olazábal) quickly after followed that. I think it all started with Seve, but at the same time for the most part, Spanish players are known for being creative with good short games. I think that’s a recipe for doing well at Augusta National and there’s no surprise that there’s now five champions here.”
While out on the course during tournament days, Rahm said he is focused and doesn’t take time to enjoy the scenery.
“It’s a golf course that you need to think a lot about where you’re putting the ball off the tee and on the green,” Rahm said. “What I believe he (Tiger Woods) is referring to (about being in the zone) is exactly where on the fairway does he want to be to then attack that pin the best possible. And it’s pretty much the same based on the weather conditions, the wind and the setup on the golf course. You’re thinking about where to put the ball for the best chance for a par, hopefully birdie.”
As for expectations, Rahm said the pressure he puts on himself is always high.
“I would say my first few majors when I turned pro, I don’t think I handled it at my best,” Rahm said. “I think wanting to win so bad to where I controlled everything a little bit too much and it took me a few years to learn just got to go out there and play and let it happen. I think a lot of it changed when I was able to win my first major.”
Rahm was asked how often he comes to Augusta to play before the Masters Tournament, and said that out of his nine appearances, he’s been here seven times early to practice.
“This (year) being the second time I haven’t come early and the other time was 2023 when I ended up winning…it’s something I try to do…now if I win this year, I definitely won’t come again early,” Rahm said.
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Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is looking for his first Masters win when he makes his 17th appearance at the tournament. He started off the year with a win in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass and hopes his momentum continues this week in Augusta.
“(I) had a decent showing when I played at Houston a couple weeks ago, had a good weekend,” McIlroy said at a press conference on Tuesday. “I’ve had a couple of visits up here and I’m very glad to do that, especially with the weather yesterday. So yeah, it’s been a very good sort of lead into it…it’s been a good week and obviously looking forward to getting this thing going on Thursday.”
As for how he has been preparing for the Masters Tournament, McIlroy said it’s similar to preparing for other tournaments until it becomes time for the Players Championship. Then he has a decision to make.
“You’ve got three weeks leading up to this event and it’s Tampa (Valspar Championship), Houston (Texas Children’s Houston Open) and San Antonio (Valero Texas Open),” McIlroy said. “Three places, that, I’ve played Tampa once, I’ve played San Antonio a few times and that was the first time I played Houston at that particular golf course. If this week wasn’t the week that it was, I would probably take those three weeks off, but I knew I needed to have at least one more competitive week leading in here, so I opted for Houston rather that San Antonio just to change it up more than anything else, a change of scenery.”
One thing that helps McIlroy is that because he plays the Masters Tournament every year, he’s more knowledgeable when it comes to certain shots on the course and what he needs to work on.
“Coming up here a couple of times, doing a little bit more preparation on some of those shots on the golf course I think is important,” he said. “But once we get into the tournament week like now, you try to treat it the same, basically check the boxes (by do drills on putting green and having sessions on the driving range.
While McIlroy has come close to winning the Masters Tournament – he took 2nd place in 2022 – he has yet to receive a green jacket and has learned how to deal with the setbacks over the years. That involves blocking out all the noise surrounding him and his golf game.
“I need to treat this tournament like all the other tournaments I play throughout the year. I understand the narrative and noise; there’s a lot of anticipation and build up coming into this tournament each and every year. I just have to keep my head down and focus on my job.”
When asked about playing the course with the changes following Hurricane Helene, McIlroy said he doesn’t think the course plays that differently, but there are four new greens on holes 1,8, 15 and 16.
“I think everyone saw the ladies play here on Saturday, those greens are always are a little bit firmer, especially on 15 for example,” McIlroy said.
He added that due to the loss of trees, some tee shots are not as intimidating, such as holes 3 and 10.
“But really apart from that I think it’s pretty much the same,” McIlroy said.
Coverage of the first and second rounds of the Masters Tournament will air on ESPN from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
