Rory's Masters Masterclass: How He Did It (And Who's Next)
So, Rory did it. Another green jacket. Fourth repeat winner ever. He shot a 71, finished 12 under, beat Scheffler by one. All after leading by six through 36 holes and watching it all evaporate by Saturday night. How the hell did that happen? What’s the real takeaway here? Let’s cut the crap and get into it.
A Gritty Win, Not a Pretty One
Look, Rory didn’t exactly light it up over the weekend. He admitted it himself. But he played *just* well enough. That’s the gritty part. Winning without your A-game? That’s impressive. It shows you something. It shows you he can grind. He can dig deep when it counts.
This Masters felt like a damn movie. Act one, setting the scene. Act two, some conflict. Then, late-season drama. Wildly entertaining, no doubt. But the Rory story? He’s a different golfer now. A different beast. He’s become the king of firm and fast conditions. He *should* have won the ’22 Open at St. Andrews, remember? He wasn’t that guy early in his career. But late-career Rory? He’s something else. More imagination. Less reliant on conditions. Less reliant on those draw-shots. It’s impressive. Makes you wonder about his chances at Shinnecock.
And yeah, when things got tight on the back nine Sunday, Rory pulled out some absolute monster shots. Birdies on 12 and 13. That insane putt for par on 16. But let’s be real. He also got a little help. His rivals? They didn’t exactly put the pressure on. Justin Rose? He faded. Sam Burns? Cameron Young? Gone. Scottie Scheffler tried, sure. Late birdies on 15 and 16, a missed chance on 17. Too little, too late, mate.
The Pivotal Moment? It Was Earlier Than You Think.
What was the moment that really swung it? People think it was late. Nah. It was earlier. After a stupid double on No. 4 and another shaky bogey on 6, Rory looked done. Lost. But then, No. 7. He calmly found the fairway. Hit a proper shot right over the flagstick. Rolled in a birdie putt. BOOM. Stopped the bleeding. From then on? He was nails. When you’re a gunslinger like Rory, sometimes you just need to see one go in. One shot. That’s all it takes.
But honestly? I think the real pivotal moment was Justin Rose backing off his shot on the 11th fairway. Rose was alone at 12 under. If he pars in, he’s in a playoff. But he backed off. Flared his approach. Bogey. Then he mangled the 12th. Three-putted for par on 13. If *that* sequence goes differently, everything changes. The guy who could have really put the screws to Rory? He choked. And the better golfer won. Simple as that.
Totally agree. Rose went from being in command to looking like a lost puppy in about three holes. That bogey-bogey-three-putt-par combo on 11, 12, and 13? That was his tournament. He was the only guy with any real life left in him. His exit? That changed everything.
The Future of Augusta: Rory or Scottie?
So, Rory’s got six majors now. Two green jackets. Who’s the guy to beat at Augusta National for the next decade? Rory? Or Scottie Scheffler, the other two-time Masters winner? And who’s your pick for the rest of the year?
I’m still on Team Scottie. He was the best golfer in the field over the weekend. By a mile. No bogeys in rounds 3 or 4. And he did it without even having his best stuff on the greens. Whatever funk he was in earlier this season? Seems gone. He should be the favorite at Augusta for years to come. That said, I won’t be shocked if Rory snags another green jacket before he hangs it up. He’s cracked the code. He knows how to win there now.
Yeah, I’m with Zephyr. Team Scheffler. I’m just waiting for him to get some real luck to go his way, like Rory has in the last two Masters. Not taking anything away from Rory’s brilliance – he deserves it. But I just think Scheffler’s brought his B-plus game to the last two Masters. He’s probably on the verge of another special summer. You can feel it.
I dunno, guys. Rory’s Augusta stats are pretty damn compelling. Scottie’s got five straight top-10s since 2022, including two wins. But Rory? Nine top-10s since 2014. Including the last *two* wins. Recency bias screams Rory for me. But picking Rory? That means signing up for a roller-coaster ride. Scottie? He rarely puts you through that.
Who's Kicking Themselves the Most?
Rory pulled away, sure. But a bunch of capable guys – Scheffler, Rose, Young, Burns – were still in it. Who’s kicking themselves the hardest right now?
Gotta be Scottie. That Friday 74? So un-Scottie-like. It put him in desperation mode. If he’d just scraped together an even-par round, *he’d* be putting on the green jacket. Not Rory.
Disagree. It’s Rose. It *has* to be Rose. The man without the jacket. The man who was leading. Alone. Scheffler never even touched the lead all week. He’s got another 20 Masters in his future. Rosey? He might not have that many left.
Rose, for sure. He had it. It slipped away. Again! No doubt that stings. He’s been oh so close at Augusta many times. And once again, he couldn’t quite get it done. The clock’s ticking on his career. You only get so many cracks at that green jacket. When you head to the back nine with a lead, you *have* to close the door. He might go down as his generation’s biggest “what-if” at the Masters.
The Par-3 Contest: Tradition vs. Trends?
The Par-3 Contest. Some folks got their knickers in a twist about too much celebrity involvement. Said it strayed too far from the Masters’ “traditionalist” vibe. What’s the deal? How does the Masters evolve without losing what makes it unique?
Honestly, I could do without Kevin Hart and Jason Kelce popping up. But I’m not gonna clutch my pearls over it. The Par-3 Contest is supposed to be fun. As long as that silliness doesn’t spill over into the actual competition, I’m pretty much unbothered.
My hottest take on the Par-3? I wonder if players were more surprised by the Thursday conditions because they got too comfortable writing off their Wednesdays to the Par-3. There was such universal surprise at the course conditions that you just don’t see at other majors with this Wednesday break. Anyway, I don’t totally hate the strategy by ANGC. It’s not for *me*, but I’m as into golf as anyone. There’s a natural pursuit of the “casuals” by all governing bodies in all sports. I think they—or maybe more so ESPN—pulled some of that audience in.
The Masters is revered for its traditions and decorum for a reason. Most people watch or attend the tournament eager for that experience. So, while I don’t think the tournament *needs* to evolve, I get why there’s a feeling that trying new things to reach new demographics is important. And hey, if those efforts create new golf fans? That’s a win for everyone.
Who Won the Week (Without Winning)?
Who’s leaving Augusta most disappointed? And who won the week without actually winning the dang thing?
Justin Rose has to be the most disappointed. He’s been oh so close at Augusta National so many times, and once again, he couldn’t get it done. The clock is ticking on his career, and you only get so many shots at that green jacket. When you head to the back nine with a lead, you’ve got to close the door. He might go down as his generation’s biggest “what-if” at the Masters.
I’d reckon Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are pretty disappointed. They were two of the most hyped favorites entering the week and were never even relevant. Frankly, they seem more confused than anything right now. That can’t be a good headspace!
As for who won the week without winning the jacket? I think Collin Morikawa deserves some props. He battled a bad back all week, made seven birdies on Sunday, and snagged a top 10. That was wildly impressive. He said it’ll be one of his best tournaments ever. That’s a solid win in my book.
Most disappointed: Bryson and Jon are good picks, man. Justin Rose, too, for the reasons we’ve covered. I’ll also add Cameron Young, who led and then faded, and Haotong Li, who had a triple-quintuple that completely derailed his tournament. Ouch.
Those who won the week: I’ll add anyone who got their hands on a gnome. And the players who finished T12 or better. That guarantees them a spot in next year’s Masters. Smart play.
What Did We Learn?
What did we learn during Masters week?
I learned—or rather, remembered—that I love Haotong Li. What a character.
I learned that Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed are going to be serious value-adds to the PGA Tour as they return to that life post-LIV. Reed is one helluva player, which we knew, but he needed to validate those wins from the Middle East in a major, and he did. Koepka is circling something this summer. You can sense it. He’ll be in contention soon enough. That bodes well for the Tour. It’s good to see them back competing at this level. You can find more insights on major championship contenders and their form on sites like PGATour.com.
Augusta National remains undefeated when it comes to back-nine Sunday drama. Always has been. Always will be.