Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler overwhelming favourites for golf’s first major
There’s a magical and biblical air that hangs over the green surrounds of Augusta National. The azaleas and other flora bloom bright both in person and on our screens, while the 95-man field battles with nerves and excitement for golf’s opening major of the calendar year. When the colour doesn’t catch your eye, the focal point is on an Irishman. For the 11th year in a row, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy heads to the Georgian town looking to do what no European has done before and win the career grand slam. The difference this year? His form has been the best in the last decade plus.
Drama and intrigue follow this Hollywood star wherever he goes. His agonising US Open disaster last year was the latest of a series of major hiccups since his most recent title back in 2014. Scar tissue and mental yips will be the buzzwords cited ad nauseam this week from both the hard-core pundits and the armchair fans, but for the biggest Rory believers, there is a sense of foreboding about this weekend. The question is whether it’s in victory or in vain.
What makes The Masters stand above golf’s other majors is not just the cinematic wonder of the course but also the familiarity patrons and viewers have with it. Like a tennis grand slam, we return to the scene of years prior instead of waiting for the rotation to align. For what Augusta lacks in relatability to the common man, being a highly affluent country club, it makes up for the in experiences of yesteryear.
The Par 72 design is full of intricacies that often bamboozle first-timers. For the likes of McIlroy, who made his championship debut back in 2009, he is further along the learning curve than others, but that too brings with it a fear factor. A fear of the already known.
Amen Corner is the scariest element of all. A three-hole stretch has proven decisive come Sunday year on year. The opening hole, the par four 11th, is long and narrow with a green that runs away from you, forcing players to stop the ball on a dime while you try to judge wind, elevation and slope. The 12th looks straightforward but is anything but. A flick of a wedge between the bunkers was Nicklaus’ advice, but just ask Jordan Spieth about how quickly it can go wrong. Then onto the 13th, which has often been lucky for some. A par 5, dog-leg left is the first true birdie opportunity of the second nine.
While Amen Corner often shows up large on Sunday, history suggests a fast start matters here too. Typically, the eventual champion will be within just four shots of the round 1 leader at the close of play and inside the top eight in the leaderboard. For context, Rory McIlroy has not been within five of the lead entering Friday’s play since 2018.
When it comes to the action, the aforementioned McIlroy enters the week with three tour wins this season thus far and is the in-form guy of the front runners. Scottie Scheffler is the lurking intangible, with no wins in 2025 as of yet, but enters having claimed two Green Jackets in 2022 and 2024. Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and 2023 Masters Champion Jon Rahm are also in form and will be bound to stake a claim, while you can never bet against Bryson DeChambeau. If form is any indicator, Offaly rover Shane Lowry is another to keep an eye out for. Lowry finished in a tie for third here back in 2022 and has claimed 12 top twenty-five finishes at majors in the last four years.
Despite a smaller field and reliable familiarity with the famous course, The Masters remains one of the toughest events to predict. The aura of the course and its surrounds leave a lasting impression that can never be forgotten. From Rory’s collapse in 2011 to Tiger’s heroics in 2019; Nicklaus’ famous sixth, Norman’s pitfalls, Faldo’s comeback and Lyle’s sandy excellence; every fibre of Augusta National contains a slice of history.
Whether it’s Ireland’s time to join the fabled memory book remains to be seen, but it does feel overdue.
Writer’s Picks:
Shane Lowry – top 10
Collin Morikawa – top 6
Rory McIlroy – win
Where can I watch?
Coverage on Sky Sports begins at 2 pm on Thursday and Friday, and 3 pm at the weekend.
Past Champions: 2024 & 2022 – Scottie Scheffler; 2023 – Jon Rahm; 2021 – Hideki Matsuyama; 2020 – Dustin Johnson; 2019 – Tiger Woods
Irish in Action (2): Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry