Storylines to watch at the 2025 Masters Tournament
The greatest week of golf is upon us…it’s Masters week! For the 89th time the best golfers on the planet take on Augusta National Golf Club in the Masters. Here’s…
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 07: A detailed view of a pin flag on course during a practice round prior to the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The greatest week of golf is upon us...it's Masters week! For the 89th time the best golfers on the planet take on Augusta National Golf Club in the Masters. Here's a look at some storylines heading into the first major championship of the 2025 golf season!
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 05: A general view of signage during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 05, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
CAN SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER GO BACK TO BACK?
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Scottie Scheffler of the United States poses with the Masters trophy after winning the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
No one has successfully defended their Green Jacket since Tiger Woods did it back in 2002. Scheffler will be looking to do that this week. He enters his 2024 title defense coming off his best finish in 2025 with a T2 at the Houston Open. He's been winless in 2025 largely thanks to a hand injury that delayed his start to the season. To me there’s a small list of guys who are capable of pulling off this feat and Scheffler is one of them. Can he join a group that includes just Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods?
CAN THE AMERICAN WIN STREAK CONTINUE?
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 11: Scottie Scheffler of the United States and Xander Schauffele of the United States walk on the first green during the first round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
2024 saw the Americans sweep the major championships (in the years where all four were hosted) for the first time since 1982. They also won the final three majors of 2023, so they are on a seven major win streak. Can an International star finally end the American win streak? Or will the Americans win their eighth consecutive major title?
WHO OWNS THE TOP-10...THE PGA TOUR OR THE LIV TOUR?
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 09: Brooks Koepka of the United States, Xander Schauffele of the United States, and Patrick Cantlay of the United States look on from the second fairway during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 09, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Is a PGA Tour vs LIV top-10 battle the most important thing to think about? Not really. But it is an interesting topic to watch in my opinion. Last year the top-10 and ties included 11 total players. Eight of them play on the PGA Tour and three on the LIV Tour. A LIV dominated top-10 is what the LIV TOUR may need going forward, I just don’t see it happening and think it'll be a largely PGA Tour top-10. Though I don't think it'll be a total loss for LIV this week. More on that shortly.
THE WEATHER.....
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 07: Signage that reads 'Play Suspended' due to weather on the leaderboard during the second round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
The last time there was no type of weather delay or movement of tee times due to weather was the 2018 tournament. Right now (this was written on Monday), it looks like there’ll be no issues weather wise during tournament play. It felt like a matter of time before there was a tournament unaffected by weather and it looks like 2025 might finally be the one.
CAN RORY MCILROY FINALLY DO IT?
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 13: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks across the seventh hole during the third round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 13, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
I don’t think there’s a bigger storyline this week than Rory McIlroy once again trying to complete the career grand slam. Rory at Augusta has turned into a yearly must follow story. It’s been 14 years since his historic collapse on the back nine and it has been over a decade since he has won a major. Can 2025 be the year that he FINALLY breaks through?
MY PICK....
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Jon Rahm of Spain reacts after making birdie on the third green during the final round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Every year I pick Rory McIlroy to win and 2025 is the year I’d feel most comfortable with that pick....so I’m taking Jon Rahm. I feel like there was so much pressure on Rahm last year due to A) how tough it is to defend your title at The Masters and B) living up to the large bag of money he got from the LIV Tour. To me, Rahm is in a great spot right now. He’s yet to win in 2025 but has finished in the top-10 in every LIV tournament so far. He’s one of the greatest players in the world and has (obviously) won here before. I think we’ll see a more comfortable Rahm in 2025 at Augusta National and see him win his second Green Jacket.
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