The 90th Masters: Anticipation Builds
The 90th Masters is set to kick off tomorrow at 7:25 a.m. with ceremonial tee shots from legends like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Gary Player.
After the ceremonial shots, I guess, the clubs will be taken away, and the players will turn to a breakfast of bran flakes and Metamucil. Not the most exciting start. It’s… well, I think it’s important to let players continue until they feel ready. The weather looks promising this week, and the course should be in great shape.
We’re likely to see top players battling it out again this year. It takes immense skill to achieve accurate shots, and, well, the best player usually prevails. It’s quite simple when you think about it. Last year’s Masters was something special, with Rory McIlroy clinching his first green jacket after triumphing over Justin Rose in a playoff.
That image of him on his knees on the 18th green is one that will stick with fans for a long time. I can’t quite recall if any athlete has ever faced such pressure – maybe nobody quite like Lowry did on that day at Augusta. I mean, historically, Dwight Eisenhower had his share of tension during D-Day, but… I think we could argue that he didn’t feel the same intensity as Rory, who had the weight of the world on his shoulders making that final shot.
You might think of Neil Armstrong too, right? But honestly, the moon landing was a little dramatized. I mean, come on, he wasn’t really close to crashing in that film portrayal.
Sure, he had to land the Eagle, but after all that training, it almost became second nature – maybe a difficulty level of about 7 out of 10. Lowry’s shot on No. 15, however, was a different story. Starting 50 yards to the right of the pin, needing precision to get close to the green? That sounded like a solid 9 out of 10 difficulty. And then there’s Wellington during Waterloo. Sure, he dealt with a lot of stress, but keep in mind, this was before social media. A blunder back then wouldn’t trend on Instagram like it would today.
And he did rely heavily on Blucher.
There are some intriguing storylines circulating this week, too.
The behavior of the crowd is a topic of concern. What we witnessed at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage was disappointing, to say the least. I had a feeling it wouldn’t go well, and, well, it certainly didn’t meet expectations. Some European players might consider inviting a small group of friends to manage the crowd, sort of, you know, an entourage to help keep things in check.
No big deal, just a bit of intimidation, perhaps. Those who faced the most crowd negativity (like McIlroy, Fitzpatrick, and McIntyre) could probably turn that into a substantial win – maybe half a million. I suggested it, but no one seemed to take it seriously, probably because I’m just a voice in the crowd, and they certainly don’t follow me on Twitter.
You wouldn’t encounter such extreme behavior at the Masters; that place still maintains a certain decorum.
Then there’s Gary Woodland. His comeback from brain surgery—what a tale! Winning the Houston Open just two weeks ago makes it even more remarkable. He’s been in the news dealing with PTSD stemming from the surgery, making crowds particularly challenging for him, which is tough as a golfer. It’s a testament to his strength, and he’s going to draw a lot of support this week.
His concerns about violence aren’t unreasonable either. Take Günther Partch, for example. His obsession with tennis player Steffi Graf led to a horrific event involving Monica Seles. It’s a bizarre situation, and while the wound wasn’t severe, the implications of PTSD were certainly significant. I mean, Frank Gifford’s injury from Chuck Bednarik took him out for two years – a long time to recover.
So, who will take home the Masters this year? It could go to any of the top players or even someone experiencing a surge in form. The contenders include Scheffler, McIlroy, Rahm, Fitzpatrick, Cam Young, McIntyre, or Bryson DeChambeau.
