The first men’s professional golf major tournament of 2025 has arrived with The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
The game’s elite players have descended upon Magnolia Lane to compete for the coveted green jacket on Sunday.
Here are 10 major storylines to watch heading into the 2025 Masters Tournament.
1. Scottie Scheffler’s Third Green Jacket Pursuit
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler begins his quest for a third green jacket. He’s attempting to become the first back-to-back Masters champion since Tiger Woods in 2001-02. Last year, Scheffler’s biggest challenge was preparing for fatherhood with his wife Meredith expecting their first child. Now, he must overcome the mental hurdles from his December hand injury.
Unlike the previous three years, Scheffler enters Augusta winless, though he has posted three top-10s including two top-five finishes. Despite this, his confidence remains high for the tournament.
Also read: The Masters 2025 payout: Winner’s Payout, prize winnings for 2025 Masters Tournament
2. Rory McIlroy’s Grand Slam Quest
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy arrives with momentum after winning twice in the first quarter — the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship on two of the PGA Tour’s most challenging courses. This Masters holds particular significance for the 35-year-old McIlroy, who needs a green jacket to complete the career grand slam. Only five men in history have accomplished this feat.
Related: The Masters 2024: Winners and losers from all four rounds, including final Masters leaderboard
3. Xander Schauffele’s Injury Concerns
![Xander Schauffele walks off hole 18 during the fourth and final round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament Sunday, March 17, 2024 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Scottie Scheffler won at 20 under par and is the first defending champion in the 50 year history of the event. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://sportsnaut.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=90,gravity=auto,sharpen=1,metadata=none,format=auto,onerror=redirect/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/22802124.jpg)
World No. 3 Xander Schauffele comes to Augusta National dealing with injury for the first time in his career, still feeling effects from a rib injury suffered in late December. Nevertheless, Schauffele prepared by playing three consecutive weeks plus the TGL playoffs.
Schauffele brings the confidence of having won two majors last year. His experience capturing the PGA Championship and The Open could prove valuable if he stays healthy and contends on Sunday.
4. LIV Golf’s Major Challenge
The LIV Golf contingent features several players looking to deliver the Saudi-backed league its first major championship. Jon Rahm, the 2023 Masters champion who joined LIV eight months after his Augusta victory, leads this group. Bryson DeChambeau, who held the 18-hole lead and tied for sixth last year, also represents a strong threat. The current LIV individual standings leaders — Joaquin Niemann, 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, and Rahm — all enter with solid form. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka continues his own pursuit of the career grand slam.
5. Breakthrough Contenders
The Masters has a history of producing surprise champions like Danny Willett (2016), Charl Schwartzel (2011), and Mike Weir (2003). Potential breakthrough candidates this year include J.J. Spaun, runner-up at last month’s Players Championship, and Michael Kim, who finished second at the WM Phoenix Open and fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Also read: List of The Masters winners: Every champion from 1934 to present
6. Former Champions’ Chances
Several former Masters champions remain capable of Sunday contention. Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama lead this group. Jordan Spieth, the 2015 champion, has been building form after offseason wrist surgery. Three-time winner Phil Mickelson has posted two top-10 finishes on the LIV circuit this season, though history shows no player older than 47 has ever won a green jacket.
7. Course changes
Players are adapting to notable course changes during practice rounds — primarily fewer trees. Hurricane Helene, which struck the Southeast last September, felled numerous trees that weren’t replaced, opening up the course while creating new wind challenges. Additional modifications include subtle changes to the second and fourth greens.
Also read: Hallowed Grounds: Ranking 10 Elite Courses Shaping 2025 PGA Tour
8. Notable Featured Groups
Tuesday’s announcement revealed these featured groups for Thursday’s opening round:
- 9:47 a.m. ET: Collin Morikawa, Joaquinn Niemann, Min Woo Lee
- 10:15 a.m. ET: Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jose Luis Ballester
- 1:12 p.m. ET: Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Akshay Bhatia
- 1:34 p.m. ET: Jon Rahm, Wyndham Clark, Tommy Fleetwood
Also read: Golfers with most all-time major wins: How Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson compare to past legends
9. Amateur Talent
Six amateurs will compete for the coveted low amateur honors. Most currently play college golf and earned exemptions by winning amateur championships worldwide. Arizona’s Jose Luis Ballester became the first Spaniard to win the U.S. Amateur. San Diego State’s Justin Hastings captured the Latin America Amateur, while Georgia Tech’s Hiroshi Tai won last year’s NCAA Division I title.
10. Weather Outlook
Weather shouldn’t be a major factor this week despite a 20% chance of rain Friday and Saturday. Temperatures will reach the 70s during the day before dropping to the upper 40s and low 50s at night. Sunday’s forecast calls for 72 degrees under sunny skies, setting up a picturesque finish to 2025’s first major championship.
