The Masters is finally upon us as the world’s best golf stars prepare for the first major of the year at the iconic Augusta National this week.
Last spring, Jon Rahm won his first Green Jacket as he brushed off pressure from Brooks Koepka to get his hands on another major title.
LIV star Rahm will be out to defend his crown but will face an incredibly tough field once again with Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler eyeing glory.
The Masters is the first major of the year and is always a special event as the traditions of Augusta return.
The Masters 2024: Date and start time
The Masters will get underway on Thursday, April 11 this year.
Play will take place each day until the final round on Sunday, April 14.
As ever, it is being held at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
The action is expected to get underway from 1pm UK time (8am in Georgia) on the opening two days and at 3pm UK time over the weekend.
The Masters 2024: How to follow
talkSPORT’s Sean O’Brien and Gabbie Partington will have regular updates from The Masters throughout the afternoon and evening each day.
To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
The action will also be shown live on Sky Sports Golf throughout the week.
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The Masters 2024: Course details
The par 72 Augusta National will play to a new maximum length of 7,555 yards this year.
The 2nd hole, a famous par 5 called ‘Pink Dogwood’, has been lengthened to 585 yards in the latest development at Augusta.
The par 5 13th ‘Azalea’ was increased to 545 yards last year.
Fans will be eagerly awaiting the action at two of the most iconic par 3s in world golf – the 12th ‘Golden Bell’ and the 16th ‘Redbud’.
The Masters 2024: Field and tee times
The full field for The Masters has now been confirmed with Akshay Bhatia securing the 89th and final invite with his dramatic victory at the Valero Texas Open on Sunday.
Rahm will hope to defend his title but Scheffler is the hot favourite following his stunning recent wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players.
LIV star Koepka is also going to be there while McIlroy, Hovland, Wyndham Clark and Matt Fitzpatrick are among those challenging for the Green Jacket.
All past winners of The Masters are invited back meaning legends like Fred Couples, Jose Maria Olazabal and Vijay Singh are set to tee it up.
Tiger Woods is also set to take part despite his recent injury struggles.
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The Masters 2024: What has been said?
Tiger Woods has received a glowing review from Will Zalatoris after stepping up his preparations for the 88th Masters.
Woods has played fewer than five-and-a-half competitive rounds since undergoing ankle surgery last April.
However, having made a record-equalling 23rd consecutive cut in last year’s Masters, Woods will no doubt be keen to at least own that record for himself this week.
Asked if the prospect of Woods making a 24th straight cut ‘blew his mind’, Zalatoris said: “It’s just everything the guy has done.
“You could just sit there and analyse the same stats for his entire career and put him in five different buckets and every one of them is never going to be broken.
“He played great today. He outdrove me a couple times so there was some chirping going on. So, you know, he looks great. He’s moving as well as he can be.
“With everything he’s gone through, it’s pretty amazing to see how good he’s swinging it.”
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The Masters 2024: Betting with talkSPORT BET
Scottie Scheffler – 4/1
Rory McIlroy – 11/1
Jon Rahm – 12/1
Xander Schauffele – 18/1
Brooks Koepka – 20/1
Hideki Matsuyama – 20/1
Jordan Speith – 22/1
Ludvig Aberg – 28/1
Joaquin Neimann – 28/1
Wyndham Clark – 28/1
Bar – 30/1
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The Masters 2024: Hole-by-hole guide
1st (Tea Olive), 445 yards, par four: A deep bunker on the right of the fairway and trees both sides make for a daunting start, while long and left of the undulating green both spell big trouble. Played the hardest hole on the course in 2012 and again in 2017.
2023 average: 4.187 (rank 7)
2nd (Pink Dogwood), 585 yards, par five: A new tee adds 10 yards to a hole which cost Padraig Harrington a nine in 2009, but Louis Oosthuizen memorably holed his second shot for an albatross in the final round in 2012. An important early birdie chance and the easiest hole in 2016, 2020 and 2023.
2023 average: 4.637 (rank 18)
3rd (Flowering Peach), 350 yards, par four: Shortest par four on the course but a pear-shaped green with steep slope in front allows for some wicked pin positions. Charl Schwartzel pitched in for eagle in the final round en route to the title in 2011.
2023 average: 4.036 (rank 13)
4th (Flowering Crab Apple), 240 yards, par three: The back tee – not always used – turns it into a beast, with the green sloping from back to front. Phil Mickelson took six in the final round in 2012 and finished two shots outside the play-off. Jeff Sluman’s ace in 1992 remains the only hole-in-one.
2023 average: 3.216 (rank 5)
5th (Magnolia), 495 yards, par four: Jack Nicklaus twice holed his second shot in 1995 and Colin Montgomerie did it in 2000, but it is another devilishly difficult green. To clear the fairway bunkers requires a 315-yard carry and the hole was lengthened by 40 yards for 2019.
2023 average: 4.327 (rank 1)
6th (Juniper), 180 yards, par three: From a high tee to a green with a huge slope in it. Five holes-in-one – including Jamie Donaldson in 2013 – but Jose Maria Olazabal took seven in 1991 and lost by one to Ian Woosnam.
2023 average: 3.097 (rank 10)
7th (Pampas), 450 yards, par four: What used to be a real birdie chance has been lengthened by 35-40 yards, while trees were also added and the putting surface reshaped. A very narrow fairway and more bunkers – five – around the green than any other hole.
2023 average: 4.209 (rank 6)
8th (Yellow Jasmine), 570 yards, par five: The bunker on the right, about 300 yards out, pushes players left and from there it is harder to find the green in two up the steep hill. Still a good birdie chance and Bruce Devlin made an albatross in 1967.
2023 average: 4.640 (rank 17)
9th (Carolina Cherry), 460 yards, par four: The tee was pushed back 30 yards in 2002. The raised green, with two bunkers on the left, tilts sharply from the back and anything rolling off the front can continue down for 50-60 yards.
2023 average: 4.076 (rank 11)
10th (Camellia), 495 yards, par four: A huge drop from tee to green on this dogleg left and over all the years of the Masters the second most difficult hole. It was here that Rory McIlroy began to fall apart in 2011 with a seven, while Bubba Watson clinched the title in 2012 by making par in the play-off from the trees.
2023 average: 4.133 (rank 9)
11th (White Dogwood), 520 yards, par four: The start of Amen Corner. Toughest hole in 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2018 and extended by 15 yards in 2022. Best remembered for Larry Mize’s chip-in in 1987 and Nick Faldo’s back-to-back play-off wins.
2023 average: 4.276 (rank 3)
12th (Golden Bell), 155 yards, par three: Probably the most famous par three in golf. Narrow target, water in front, trouble at the back, it has seen everything from a one to Tom Weiskopf’s 13 in 1980. Defending champion Jordan Spieth took seven in the final round in 2016 in a dramatic back-nine collapse and Tiger Woods made 10 in the final round in 2020.
2023 average: 3.065 (rank 12)
13th (Azalea), 545 yards, par five: The end of Amen Corner. Massive dogleg left, lengthened by 35 yards for 2023, with scores ranging from Jeff Maggert’s albatross in 1994 to Tommy Nakajima’s 13 in 1978. Sergio Garcia saved par after a penalty drop from a bush in 2017, went on to beat Justin Rose in a play-off and named his first child Azalea 11 months later.
2023 average: 4.738 (rank 15)
14th (Chinese Fir), 440 yards, par four: The only hole on the course without a bunker, but three putts are common on the wickedly difficult green. Course record holder Nick Price took eight here in 1993, while Mickelson holed his approach en route to his 2010 victory.
2023 average: 4.179 (rank 8)
15th (Firethorn), 550 yards, par five: Often a tough decision whether to go for the green in two across the pond on the hole where Gene Sarazen sank his 235-yard four-wood shot for an albatross in 1935. There have also been three 11s here and the hole was lengthened by 20 yards in 2022.
2023 average: 4.656 (rank 16)
16th (Redbud), 170 yards, par three: Woods’ memorable chip-in in 2005 came the same year as 73-year-old Billy Casper’s 14, while Harrington, Ian Poulter, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood are among the players to record holes-in-one.
2023 average: 2.964 (rank 14)
17th (Nandina), 440 yards, par four: The famous Eisenhower Tree was removed after suffering storm damage, making for an easier tee shot on the hole Rose double-bogeyed when one off the lead in 2007. Nicklaus birdied here to take the lead as he won his 18th major in 1986.
2023 average: 4.255 (rank 4)
18th (Holly), 465 yards, par four: The drive was made much harder when the tee was moved back 60 yards in 2002 and 2023 champion Jon Rahm failed to reach the fairway in the final round after pulling his drive into the trees. The fairway bunker from which Sandy Lyle got up and down to win in 1988 is now 300 yards away.
2023 average: 4.300 (rank 2)
News Summary:
- The Masters 2024 LIVE: Dates, field, tee times, leaderboard and how to follow – Tiger Woods at Augusta as Jon Rahm defends
- Check all news and articles from the latest Golf updates.