\ud83c\udf38 The backdrop<\/h2>\n\n\u26f3 The first of the PGA\u2019s four majors, the Masters Tournament<\/strong> is typically held during the first full week of April. Unlike other majors, which are held at different courses every year, the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, is the permanent home of the Masters and has been since the tournament\u2019s inception in 1934.<\/p>\n\n- Born out of a plant nursery, Augusta National is famous for its lush landscapes and rolling hills. Flowers like magnolias and azaleas are so synonymous<\/a> with the course that 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garc\u00eda named his daughter<\/a> Azalea after the iconic 13th hole<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\ud83c\udf9f\ufe0f There are 26 ways<\/a> players can punch their ticket to the invite-only event<\/strong>, including winning other majors, being a previous Masters champ<\/a>, winning Olympic gold, and qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship. A total of 91 amateurs and pros received invitations<\/a> this year, including 22 golfers who will be making their first Masters appearances.<\/p>\n\n- However, two mainstays<\/a> will be absent this year: Five-time winner Tiger Woods, who\u2019s taking a break from golf to seek treatment after another DUI arrest<\/a>, and three-time champ Phil Mickelson, who\u2019s navigating a \u201cfamily health matter<\/a>.\u201d Wellbeing always comes first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
\ud83d\udcaa The top contenders<\/h2>\n![\"Everything](\"https:\/\/cdn.sanity.io\/images\/rdxk7lfa\/production\/ce7d82e553384c0062eee20adca2ef6cc2943449-1200x800.png?w=600&h=400&q=75&fit=max&auto=format\")
<\/p>\nSource: Ben Jared\/PGA TOUR<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler:<\/strong> Scheffler hasn\u2019t secured a top-10 finish since the beginning of February \u2014 the 29-year-old\u2019s longest drought in four years \u2014 but that just means the best golfer in the world could be due for a stellar outing, and maybe even his third Masters victory.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddea No. 2 Rory McIlroy:<\/strong> With his emotional support parking space<\/a> assigned, the defending champ enters the Masters completely void of pressure, a feeling he described as freeing. Expect him to play with confidence \u2014 even with a lingering back injury<\/a>.<\/p>\n\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f No. 4 Tommy Fleetwood:<\/strong> The perennial bridesmaid, Fleetwood finally<\/em> won a PGA event when he topped the leaderboard at last year\u2019s Tour Championship. Now the Englishman has a chance at his first-ever major win thanks to his world-class ball striking and consistency.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea No. 17 Ludvig \u00c5berg: <\/strong>Everyone loves a redemption story, and the 26-year-old Swede is aiming to deliver. \u00c5berg was tied with McIlroy with just two holes to play at last year\u2019s Masters\u2026before capping off his round with a bogey and triple-bogey. Unfinished business<\/a> is an understatement.<\/p>\n\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 No. 27 Bryson DeChambeau<\/strong>: Some find him aggravating<\/a>; others think he\u2019s woefully misunderstood \u2014 but no one can deny that DeChambeau is knocking on the door of his first Masters victory after finishing inside the top 10 in his last two Augusta appearances.<\/p>\n\ud83d\ude34 The GIST\u2019s sleeper pick: <\/strong>No. 44 Corey Conners. Challenging conditions<\/a> hate to see this Canadian coming as the 34-year-old thrives on the always-tricky Augusta fairways. He\u2019s finished in the top 10 in four of his six Masters starts \u2014 will lucky number seven see him break through?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\ud83d\udc9a The traditions<\/h2>\n![\"Everything](\"data:image\/png;base64,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\")
![\"Everything](\"https:\/\/cdn.sanity.io\/images\/rdxk7lfa\/production\/607e92aabc92d0f345d78ebebd747a98da1ea8a8-966x644.png?w=600&h=400&q=75&fit=max&auto=format\")
<\/p>\nSource: Stephen Denton via Golf Digest<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe Masters maintains some of<\/strong> the most steadfast traditions of any global sporting event.<\/strong><\/p>\n\ud83d\udc9a The green jacket:<\/strong> Awarded to the tournament champ (along with an anticipated $4.2M check), the coveted green jacket is more than a fashion statement. That said, don\u2019t expect to see champs wearing their perfectly-tailored blazer out on the town. Instead, they\u2019re stored at Augusta<\/a> after the first year, ready and waiting for that golfer to win the Masters again. Only one jacket per winner.<\/p>\n\ud83e\udd1d The amateur connection: <\/strong>In honor of Bobby Jones<\/a>, the legendary amateur who helped design the Masters, the tournament continues to champion amateur golf<\/a>. This year\u2019s six amateurs<\/a> will lodge at the course\u2019s Crow\u2019s Nest<\/a> while competing, and the lowest-scoring amateur will be awarded the Silver Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n- And that\u2019s not all: The reigning U.S. Amateur champ also plays his first two rounds with the defending Masters champ, meaning 2025 U.S. Amateur winner Mason Howell will tee off with his idol, 2025 Masters winner Rory McIlroy. Childhood dream, realized<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\ud83c\udfc6 The Champions Dinner: <\/strong>Held the Tuesday night of Masters week, all previous Masters champs \u2014 and only<\/em> previous Masters champs \u2014 gather at Augusta for a dinner curated by the most recent winner\u2026for better or for worse<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u26f3 The first of the PGA\u2019s four majors, the Masters Tournament<\/strong> is typically held during the first full week of April. Unlike other majors, which are held at different courses every year, the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, is the permanent home of the Masters and has been since the tournament\u2019s inception in 1934.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf9f\ufe0f There are 26 ways<\/a> players can punch their ticket to the invite-only event<\/strong>, including winning other majors, being a previous Masters champ<\/a>, winning Olympic gold, and qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship. A total of 91 amateurs and pros received invitations<\/a> this year, including 22 golfers who will be making their first Masters appearances.<\/p>\n Source: Ben Jared\/PGA TOUR<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler:<\/strong> Scheffler hasn\u2019t secured a top-10 finish since the beginning of February \u2014 the 29-year-old\u2019s longest drought in four years \u2014 but that just means the best golfer in the world could be due for a stellar outing, and maybe even his third Masters victory.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddea No. 2 Rory McIlroy:<\/strong> With his emotional support parking space<\/a> assigned, the defending champ enters the Masters completely void of pressure, a feeling he described as freeing. Expect him to play with confidence \u2014 even with a lingering back injury<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f No. 4 Tommy Fleetwood:<\/strong> The perennial bridesmaid, Fleetwood finally<\/em> won a PGA event when he topped the leaderboard at last year\u2019s Tour Championship. Now the Englishman has a chance at his first-ever major win thanks to his world-class ball striking and consistency.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea No. 17 Ludvig \u00c5berg: <\/strong>Everyone loves a redemption story, and the 26-year-old Swede is aiming to deliver. \u00c5berg was tied with McIlroy with just two holes to play at last year\u2019s Masters\u2026before capping off his round with a bogey and triple-bogey. Unfinished business<\/a> is an understatement.<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 No. 27 Bryson DeChambeau<\/strong>: Some find him aggravating<\/a>; others think he\u2019s woefully misunderstood \u2014 but no one can deny that DeChambeau is knocking on the door of his first Masters victory after finishing inside the top 10 in his last two Augusta appearances.<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude34 The GIST\u2019s sleeper pick: <\/strong>No. 44 Corey Conners. Challenging conditions<\/a> hate to see this Canadian coming as the 34-year-old thrives on the always-tricky Augusta fairways. He\u2019s finished in the top 10 in four of his six Masters starts \u2014 will lucky number seven see him break through?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Source: Stephen Denton via Golf Digest<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Masters maintains some of<\/strong> the most steadfast traditions of any global sporting event.<\/strong><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc9a The green jacket:<\/strong> Awarded to the tournament champ (along with an anticipated $4.2M check), the coveted green jacket is more than a fashion statement. That said, don\u2019t expect to see champs wearing their perfectly-tailored blazer out on the town. Instead, they\u2019re stored at Augusta<\/a> after the first year, ready and waiting for that golfer to win the Masters again. Only one jacket per winner.<\/p>\n \ud83e\udd1d The amateur connection: <\/strong>In honor of Bobby Jones<\/a>, the legendary amateur who helped design the Masters, the tournament continues to champion amateur golf<\/a>. This year\u2019s six amateurs<\/a> will lodge at the course\u2019s Crow\u2019s Nest<\/a> while competing, and the lowest-scoring amateur will be awarded the Silver Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfc6 The Champions Dinner: <\/strong>Held the Tuesday night of Masters week, all previous Masters champs \u2014 and only<\/em> previous Masters champs \u2014 gather at Augusta for a dinner curated by the most recent winner\u2026for better or for worse<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\ud83d\udcaa The top contenders<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n\ud83d\udc9a The traditions<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n\n