If elite golf has become mired in civil war tales of the good, bad and smugly self-satisfied, the Masters has always provided a scented oasis of consistency. The grounds breathe history, tradition and paeans to the past, but even this tournament will look decidedly different this year.
It is only six months since a hurricane battered this part of the United States. Some 250 people were killed by storms and floods, 11 from the greater Augusta area. It was already a city of disparate worlds, ranked fifth-worst in the country for economic wellbeing but home to manicured majesty of the Augusta National, and nature has now exaggerated the divide.
Even this most venerated golf course has not escaped the damage, though, and it means some things appear new this week. Xander Schauffele, winner of two majors last year, said it was “crazy” and “sad” to see how many trees had gone from the course. Sir Nick Faldo has posited the theory that enough had fallen for wind to be a more potent factor. Rory McIlroy spoke of less intimidating tee shots, citing the 10th, where you can now see the target of the TV tower at the bottom of the hill, and the 3rd where there is more margin for error on the right. Jon Rahm said that he had even been told a high cut over the cabins was an option on the 10th.
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Other things are changing too. Viktor Hovland was talking about UFOs in his press conference and Bryson DeChambeau said he was “super-close” to discovering the perfect clubhead. On the fashion front, Ludvig Aberg wandered around in a garish yellow tracksuit culled from an Eighties rave, while Cameron Smith hit balls wearing a suit, looking a little divorced from reality but firmly in bed with the realtor look. Curiously, Jason Day said he had to get his outfits approved by Augusta because of last year’s missteps. He was warned to tone it down.
Strange times and still no sign of healing in the rift in the game. The PGA Tour has played its hand by refusing a $1.5billion (about £1.2billion) investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). It does not feel the need to compromise while the PIF does not want to. Egos are involved. Ergo stalemate. A dozen LIV players are in the field.
If Augusta is an illusionary place, both with its Norman Rockwell portrayal of America and those deceptive greens, the tests are true and the prizes golden. Those hailing this as McIlroy’s best chance to complete the career grand slam and end an 11-year wait for a fifth major, reason that he has removed a glitch from his swing, improved his short game, risen to the top ten in the PGA Tour putting stats and chalked up victories at Pebble Beach and The Players Championship.
All McIlroy can do now is win his mental Wrestlemania and find his A game, but more encouragement will have come from what has been happening elsewhere, with some of the biggest dangers not yet at their best in 2024.
If Schauffele wins here that would make it three from the past four majors, but he suffered a rib injury in December and a round of 81 at The Players last month was proof of newfound vulnerability. “Maybe I was more emotionally unstable than I thought,” he said, half-jokingly, of his absence. “Everything is gravy when it’s gravy.”
Over at LIV Golf, Rahm, DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka do not have a win among them this year. And then there is the champion, Scottie Scheffler, who has also been playing his way back after the hand injury he suffered when using a wine glass to cut homemade pasta. His previous two Masters triumphs were preceded by a flurry of victories, but he has not won a regular tour event since September. However, ominous rounds of 62 and 63 at the Houston Open a fortnight ago suggested he was beginning to fire again and the world No1 remains the man to beat.
Form is only one of the required ingredients. To win here you also need nous, experience and what Koepka described as an ability to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. McIlroy ventured down that same blossom-free avenue when he said he was ready to have his heart broken.
His answer to the narrative that this is his year was wise. “Just narratives, just noise,” he said, but Augusta can twist the nerves of the clearest minds. The opportunities for rewards and calamities on the closing holes are designed for drama, and you can only wonder if McIlroy will cope with the weight of history, his own and the sport’s, if he gets into contention on Sunday. After his famous Masters meltdown in 2011, he was a young pup who was confident enough to say: “It will be pretty tough for me for the next few days but I will get over it.” That was 5,114 days ago.
There are plenty of players capable of undoing the Scheffler-McIlroy narrative. Among them is Aberg. One of the great Masters debuts came to grief down at Amen Corner a year ago, but the Swede’s reaction signalled his steeliness. Two birdies in three holes ensued, and although the 25-year-old finished as runner-up, the fact he was three shots better than Scheffler over the last three rounds whetted appetites for more.
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The oft-overlooked Collin Morikawa, a two-times major winner lest we forget, spent a good part of his time with the media this week explaining why he does not always speak to the media, but his magic irons may make that inevitable come Sunday. And at some point a British or Irish player is going to win again. Danny Willett remains the only one in the past 29 years, but Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Bob MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton all have qualities to lift themselves into the mix.
If Hatton overcomes a dismal major résumé he will need to steady his temper, with Faldo among the many questioning the wisdom of the effing blinding road. “If it’s for show, that’s fine, but you’ve got to be your best friend here.”
It is remarkable that Augusta looks good so soon after being battered by a hurricane. “The prettiest park in the world,” was McIlroy’s romantic epithet. For McIlroy it will be another soul-searching escapade as he tries to keep the dark memories buried. Tough examination, tougher exhumation, Augusta may not be quite the same this year, but it will not be a walk in the park for anyone.
The Masters
Opening round
Thursday, from 2pm
TV Sky Sports Golf
