Who Will Win the 2025 Masters Tournament?
The first and, arguably, the most coveted and prestigious Major of the year is finally upon us. All eyes will be on Augusta National as the world’s best golfers gather for the 2025 Masters Tournament. This is where legends are made, hearts are broken, where green jackets are earned, and where history unfolds before our very eyes. With its iconic fairways, lightning-fast greens, picturesque holes, and the pressure of golf’s most famous tournament, Augusta National will once again test the mental and physical limits of the field. This year’s Masters will have plenty of storylines for fans to gravitate towards. Can defending champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler go back-to-back? Can the red-hot Rory McIlroy complete his quest to completing the career Grand Slam and simultaneously end an 11-year Major win drought? Will the winner be one of the elite LIV players, further solidifying that their league still has some of the best players in the world despite what the official world golf rankings say? Will there be a surprise winner from the field that no one expects? With a stacked field and history to be made, the drama and magic at Augusta are guaranteed to deliver and be unforgettable. It truly is a tradition unlike any other.
Tournament Details
Location: Augusta National Golf Club at Augusta, GA
Dates: April 10th - 13th, 2025
Defending Champion: Scottie Scheffler
Purse: $20 million - projected figure as of 4/4/2025
FedEx Cup Points: 750 - Only PGA Tour players are eligible
Event Type: Major Championship
Course Week Breakdown
Augusta National is a 7,555-yard, par-72 masterpiece designed by Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie that demands elite ball-striking, creativity, mental toughness, and patience. The course is famous for its dramatic elevation changes, slick bentgrass greens, and treacherous bunkers, all of which make precision and strategy far more important than just raw power. The par-fives are scorable, but every hole at Augusta carries risk, especially the famous Amen Corner. The three-hole stretch of 11, 12, and 13 is where countless Masters dreams have unraveled. The undulating putting surfaces will require a perfect touch, and three putts can quickly derail a promising round. With firmer conditions expected this year, Augusta will demand nothing short of a masterclass in shot-making and patience for everyone hoping to wear a green jacket on Sunday in Butler Cabin.
Weather at Augusta can often be a huge factor in determining a winner at the Masters. For this year’s tournament, the players could be in for a mixed bag of conditions that they’ll have to navigate. On Thursday, the high is projected to be in the high 70s, with little wind and a 25% chance of rain. Friday has a projected chance of thunderstorms, temperatures in the high 70s, low wind, and a 65% chance of rain. Saturday is projected to have temperatures in the low 70s, 14 mph of wind, and a 59% chance of rain. Finally, on Sunday, the projected temperatures will be in the low 70s, with 13 mph of wind and a 25% chance of rain.
Featured Players to Watch
Defending Champion: Scottie Scheffler - World Number One
Scottie Scheffler solidified his place as the game’s most dominant player by winning his second green jacket in 2024, and he returns in 2025 as the overwhelming favorite to win a third. His ball-striking, course management and ability to stay calm under pressure make him the perfect fit for Augusta National. His recent form has only reinforced his position as the world’s top-ranked golfer. Though he missed some time at the beginning of the year due to injury, Scheffler seems to be rounding out into form at just the right time, finishing second at his last event, the Texas Children’s Houston Open. The 28-year-old’s biggest strength is his consistency. He just rarely makes mistakes, and even when he does, he always finds a way to recover. His scrambling ability is one of the best in the world, and if he can keep his putter steady, he’ll have every chance to become just the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Masters, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
PGA Tour Powerhouse: Rory McIlroy - World Number Two
Rory McIlroy continues to be one of the most talented players in the world, yet his elusive hunt for the career Grand Slam continues. In fact, his last Major Championship win came at the 2014 PGA Championship, over a decade ago. At Augusta specifically, he’s had a couple of close calls, but he just can never seem to break through. Could this be the year he finally gets it done? He looks as ready as ever to do so. McIlroy’s power off the tee and elite iron play make him a natural favorite every year, but Augusta National has exposed his inconsistencies with wedges and putting in the past. The Northern Irishman looks to be in great shape leading up to the Major season with two wins so far in 2025, at the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach and the Players Championship. The Masters, however, has just always been a different beast for the 35-year-old. If Rory can get out of his own way mentally and be aggressive and patient in the right moments, this could finally be the year he completes his career Grand Slam and end his Major Championship drought.
LIV Powerhouse: Jon Rahm - World Number 75
Jon Rahm returns to Augusta National as the 2023 champion and his second year representing LIV Golf. The two-time Major winner made headlines late in 2023 when he switched over from the PGA Tour to LIV, but his game remains one of the best in the world. Rahm’s powerful ball-striking, elite short game and fiery competitiveness make him a great fit wherever he tees it up, and he’s certainly proven he can win at Augusta. The biggest question for Rahm, and any LIV player for that matter, is whether he’s been playing in enough high-pressure situations to be sharp for a Major Championship. LIV’s 54-hole, no-cut format is vastly different from the grind of a four-day Masters Tournament, and while the Spaniard is still one of golf’s most skilled players, his lack of competition against the world’s best on a week-to-week basis could play a factor in the first Major of the year. Still, with his talent and experience, dismissing him as a serious contender would be a mistake. Bryson DeChambeau proved that it could be done at last year’s U.S. Open Championship. Despite being ranked 75th on the Official World Golf Rankings, it’s important to remember that OWGR points are not awarded for LIV events where Rahm is currently second in the standings. Data Golf currently has him ranked as the fourth-best player in the world.
Collin Morikawa - World Number Four
On paper, Collin Morikawa should be one of the favorites to win the 2025 Masters. He’s a top-five player in the world, an elite and precise ball striker, and is already a two-time Major Champion. Despite being one of the Vegas favorites, however, he hasn’t won a tournament of any kind since 2023. While his drought is puzzling, his recent play and his past performances at Augusta National suggest he should be more favored than he is. The California native has three consecutive top-10 finishes at the Masters. He finished tied for third in 2024, tied for 10th in 2023, and finished solo fifth in 2022, proving he has what it takes to navigate this course’s tricky greens and pressure-packed atmosphere. His iron play continues to be amongst the best in the world, which is critical at Augusta, but his putting can, at times, remain his Achilles’ heel. If he can get the flat stick working in his favor, especially when it matters, this could be the moment he reasserts himself as one of golf’s elites.
Final Thoughts
As the magic of the Masters and Augusta National prepares to take center stage again, it certainly feels like we’re in for an emotional, drama-filled, legacy-changing week. This isn’t just another tournament. It’s a proving ground where careers are defined and rewritten. Whether it’s Scottie looking to cement his name in Masters lore, Rory looking to finally capture long-awaited glory, or the LIV players aiming to make a statement on golf’s grandest stage, one thing is certain: the Masters never fails to deliver. The storylines are rich, the stakes are monumental, and the history books are waiting to add a new story to their pages.
