Masters week kicks off
The Masters has begun at Augusta National and the early story is about handling one of golf’s toughest setups rather than flash — that matters because course conditions and local knowledge usually decide outcomes here. (The tournament’s big names include Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy as top betting favorites entering Round 1, and organizers have flagged course setup as a key narrative for the week.) (nytimes.com) (youtube.com)
Augusta National can make the best player in the field look like he brought the wrong map. The 2026 Masters began on Thursday, April 9, with a cold morning, firm targets, and a course that usually punishes the one bad miss more than it rewards the one heroic shot. (pgatour.com 1) (pgatour.com 2) This is the 90th Masters, and it runs from April 9 through April 12 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The tournament is the first men’s major championship of the 2026 season, which is why every small detail gets treated like a weather report and a scouting report at the same time. (pgatour.com 1) (pgatour.com 2) The favorite names are familiar because Augusta keeps inviting the same test. Rory McIlroy arrived as the defending champion after winning here in 2025, and Scottie Scheffler arrived chasing a third green jacket in five years after his Masters wins in 2022 and 2024. (pgatour.com 1) (pgatour.com 2) The field is small by modern golf standards, which makes every pairing feel crowded with history. ESPN’s preview listed 91 players, and that matters at Augusta because the tournament is built on invitations, past champions, and a course that rewards people who already know where the misses can survive. (espn.com) (pgatour.com) That local knowledge matters because Augusta does not really ask, “Can you hit a great shot?” It asks, “Can you land the ball on the right shelf, below the hole, with enough spin to stop but not enough to roll back off a green that tilts like a kitchen floor with one short leg.” (pgatour.com) The course card explains why players talk about it like a puzzle instead of a playground. The 1st hole is a 445-yard uphill par 4, the 11th is a 520-yard par 4, and the closing stretch still runs through Amen Corner and then the risk-reward 15th, where one gust or one extra bounce can turn birdie into double bogey. (pgatour.com) That is also why pre-tournament betting boards can only tell you so much. A player can look perfect on paper, then spend four days putting from the wrong side of the cup, chipping uphill to a green that runs away, or hitting into pinestraw after one tee shot that leaked five yards offline. (pgatour.com) (pgatour.com) So the early read on this week is less about fireworks and more about restraint. If McIlroy repeats, or Scheffler wins again, it will probably look less like a highlight reel and more like four days of leaving approach shots in the correct quadrant, accepting pars, and waiting for Augusta to punish somebody else first. (pgatour.com) (pgatour.com)
