Masters Sunday Preview 2025
The cream rising to the top, the nuance of Augusta National, and why Rory breaks the chain for the Grand Slam.
You may as well set the stall out early. I think Rory wins today.
There are myriad reasons why you could counter. I’ve thought about them all. Earlier this week I wrote about the post-pandemic majors and how they have been generally underwhelming. This one has surpassed all expectations and provided new records, new story lines and captured the attention of millions.
1) The meltdown happened early.
The anguish was real when Rory dropped four shots in three holes on Thursday. It looked like he had made a good start and then decided to take his rightful place in the middle of the pack, setting up a Sunday surge for a Top-5 finish. We’ve seen this one before.
Instead, he came out firing on Friday with a sizzling 66, barely missing a shot. Instead of a Sunday collapse, hopefully it came in the form of a Thursday mishap.
Saturday’s first 6 hole record of six three’s in a row was incredible, and despite a few slip-ups in the coming holes, it is natural to drop some shots after such a great start. If he parred in after 6, it would have been an excellent round.
It’s the law of averages, 7 putts through the first 6 is going to even out eventually.
2) The 15th hole
The watery grave in which his Thursday golf ball lies is a thing of the past. The towering 6 iron to 6 feet on Saturday still sits in that upper echelon of ‘shots only Rory can hit’. It’s a narrow bracket, but that was him at his best, akin to Ryder Cup singles Rory shutting the door on so many competitors in the past. I like that he counter-acted his Thursday 7 with a Saturday 3, and removed the possibility of any scar tissue there.
3) Bryson’s mid-iron pulls
This is a niche one and he may have fixed it on the range at time of writing, but Bryson was a couple yards away from some very different outcomes on Saturday’s back 9. You take your good breaks when you can get them, but rather than speaking in sweeping generalisations (Butch Harmon, Paul McGinley, et. al) – look at BDC’s approach to 13,15,18. All went at least 25 yards left of target. What it did show was his incredible putting especially on 18, and short game, but whether this will hold up on a Sunday is another question. You don’t want to be fighting the left miss through Amen Corner at Augusta.
4) A late charge from…?
That Scheffler bloke hasn’t been at the races this week, but don’t count him out. He could turn in 31 and suddenly he’s 3 back on the back 9 at The Masters. Take your pick from Day, Aberg, Scheffler, Lowry, Reed, Morikawa. Someone will post a 65.
Summary:
Rory is trying to unlock his flow state, in the zone and out of his own way, whereas Bryson jumps around and feeds off the crowd. It is The Optimiser versus The Maxmiser, one looks effortless when cruising at 190mph ball speed and one looks like is about to perform a deadlift, and has scars on his hands from hitting 300 balls the night before.
It is also a chance for redemption at Pinehurst in 2024, and I must say, Rory would look good in green.
Side note: A nod P Reed who is -6 and I haven’t seen a shot, and to Corey Conners, who will be forgotten today unless he vaults to the top of the leaderboard. If that man could putt he’d win this by 6.
Enjoy the golf.
Pat