Masters week is finally upon us. It feels like a lifetime ago that Xander Schauffele lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Troon to complete the 2024 major season last July, but spring brings with it the blooming Azaleas of Augusta National.
The 89th edition of the Masters tournament promises to be the most exciting yet, especially as the field appears to be fairly open. Of course, Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion and loves the course, but he hasn’t won a tournament so far this season.
Rory McIlroy is chasing the career Grand Slam. Since winning the PGA Championship in 2014, the Northern Irishman has had ten tries to become the sixth player to win all four major titles. His best finish in that time? A second place in 2023.
Given the fact he has won twice coming into Augusta for the first time ever, could it finally be his year?
Elsewhere, Bernhard Langer will be playing in his final Masters. The two-time winner (1985 and 1993) was meant to play last year, but an Achilles injury ruined his plans, delaying his swansong at Augusta until 2025.
One notable absentee is Tiger Woods. The 49-year-old announced in March that he had ruptured his Achilles and that he required surgery, meaning the 15-time major champion would miss the Masters.
There is nothing quite like Masters week. The first major of the season is a tradition like no other. Will one of the usual suspects claim the green jacket this week? Or will there be an underdog story similar to Danny Willet in 2016 or Charl Schwartzel in 2011? Only time will tell.
Course details: Augusta National Golf Course
Augusta National Golf Course is one of the most recognizable courses in the world. Founded in 1932 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts on the site of a former plantation, the goal was to build a world class golf course in Georgia.
The par-72, 7,555-yard layout has since gone from strength to strength, with the first Masters tournament being held in 1934.
Ahead of the 2025 edition, there were no new yardage changes to any of the holes, although the course did go through some recovery changes following damage from Hurricane Helene last year.
Four greens have been redone, while there has been a loss of a few trees throughout the course.
Augusta National is full of twists and turns. They say the tournament doesn’t really start until the back nine on Sunday, which is true given how tough the final few holes can be.
The 11th is the first hole of the famed Amen Corner and is a long par four with water guarding the green to the left while a bunker is situated to the right centre of the green.
The par-3 12th has proven to be the destroyer of dreams over the years. Who can forget Jordan Spieth’s meltdown there in 2016? Or when several players dumped their balls into the water in 2019, allowing Tiger Woods to power his way to a fifth Masters title?
The 13th and 15th holes are par-5s which are reachable in two, although they require pinpoint approach shots for the player to even consider an eagle opportunity on either hole.
The 16th is another par-3 where water comes into play. A birdie here can set up the player wonderfully for the final two holes, which are both par-4s.
The Field for the 2025 Masters
In total, 19 previous Masters champions will be teeing it up this week. Elsewhere, McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Schauffele and Ludvig Aberg are all in the top five of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) and will be aiming to win their first green jacket this week.
There will be 12 players from the LIV Golf League taking part in the Masters. Previous winners include Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm.
Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith all qualify having won major titles since 2022. Tyrrell Hatton finished in the top ten last year while Joaquin Niemann was given a special invitation to the tournament this year.
The full field for the 2025 Masters can be found here.
The Masters 2025 winner
Scottie Scheffler 9/2
Rory McIlroy 11/2
Collin Morikawa 12/1
Jon Rahm 12/1
Bryson DeChambeau 14/1
Ludvig Aberg 14/1
Justin Thomas 20/1
Xander Schauffele 20/1
Brooks Koepka 25/1
Joaquin Niemann 25/1
Odds provided via Betway
The Masters 2025: Prize fund and how to watch
A $20m prize fund is on offer at the Masters this week, the biggest it has ever been. The winner will take home $3.6m, the coveted green jacket and a lifetime invitation to compete at the tournament.
Viewers in the USA can watch all of the action on ESPN and the Golf Channel. Those In the UK will be able to tune into coverage from 2pm each day on Sky Sports Golf.
