by Ryder Haynes
Every April, the golfing world heads to Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. The bright sky is mixed with the greenery of the course and the view of the pristine azaleas. The smell of nature spreads, and the sound of golf balls getting hit echoes. With no cell phones allowed and no running, everyone becomes far more present. With no phones, beautiful nature, and prestige, the Masters truly is a “tradition like no other”.
The Masters is rooted in tradition. Starting in the 1930’s, it quickly became golf’s premier event. On Tuesday night, all former champions have a formal dinner, with the menu picked out by last year’s champion. On Wednesday, there is a Par 3 contest. Infamously, the winner of the Par 3 contest has never won the Masters in the same year. This year, Aaron Rai won. At the end of the tournament, the winner receives the heralded green jacket.
In the Masters, the unexpected is expected. Players could have a very good round, and then drop on the leaderboard after another. At the end of the second day, Rory McIlroy, the 2025 champion, took a commanding lead of six strokes. However, in round three, things changed. McIlroy did not play at his best and finished the day tied with Cameron Young at 11-under par. Additionally, more contenders were in close range, including Justin Rose, last year’s runner-up, and Scottie Scheffler, the highest-ranked player in the world.
The final day was super exciting. Rory made a double bogey on the front nine. Young fell back after bad holes. Tyrrell Hatton, who was far down on the leaderboard at the start of the day, jumped to third place. Justin Rose had the lead at one point. It came down to Scheffler and Rory. On hole 17, Scheffler missed a crucial putt by a few centimeters. On Hole 18, Rory simply needed a six or better to win the tournament. He made a five, officially becoming a back-to-back champion.
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