Robert MacIntyre admits he can let his temper get the better of him on the golf course, but insists he's "not going to change" as that's just the way he's built.

MacIntyre was reprimanded at The Masters when Augusta National officials heard him swearing on microphones around the course, while he also slammed a club into the ground and aimed a middle finger at the 15th green during an opening round of 80.

The Scotsman knows he should try and control his temper, but says he needs to play with that fire in his belly in order to compete at the highest level on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

"I know that every single week I pick it up, I'm probably going to get caught on a mic saying the odd bad word," MacIntyre told the BBC. "It's part of who I am."

MacIntyre insists his actions at Augusta were "pretty tame" in comparison to other outbursts both by himself and other golfers in the men's pro game.

The World No.12 says that he needs to express his frustration in that moment in order to reset and continue his round - citing the need to play with passion so he can compete with the world's best.

"I try, I probably should limit it or I should try and maybe wait a couple of seconds longer before I do have my outburst," MacIntyre continued.

"But for me to try to compete at the top level, I need to get my frustration out or else it's going to affect my performance.

"I know that what I do sometimes is wrong, but I do try and limit it and keep it in as much as I can. But I know myself that the more this boils up and boils up, I'm going to have a bigger outburst."

MacIntyre is not the only one - Sergio Garcia was given an official warning at The Masters for a far worse incident as he smashed his driver after also digging up the second tee box at Augusta.

Max Homa spoke about how "very spoiled" players looked when snapping their clubs, but then let anger get the best of him when he was filmed throwing a club during the RBC Heritage.

And for MacIntyre, who says he wears his heart on his sleeve, it's about just trying to manage his temper as best he can while not losing that fight that keeps him competitive.

"It's about trying to manage it as best I can," MacIntyre explained. "And every now and again, it does boil over. I don't know what else I can do as me. I wear my heart on my sleeve.

"The way I was brought up, it's a fight for everything, and sometimes I get hot. It's not going to change."

MacIntyre trying to manage busy schedule

MacIntyre was speaking at a Scottish Open media day where he confirmed his appearance at The Renaissance Club in July, but his current schedule is not so clear cut as he hinted he may miss the upcoming Cadillac Championship to spend more time at home in Oban.

“I’m meant to go away on Sunday, but I might take Doral off just to have a little bit more time at home,” MacIntyre said.

“I will play the Truist at Quail, and then I’ll play the PGA and I’ll take the week off, I think it’s Byron Nelson and then I’ll play Colonial, so the schedule’s so tightly packed now that you just feel as though you can’t take a week off.

“It’s about trying to manage myself, obviously living here is difficult with the travel but it’s what I want to do, it’s what I’ve picked to do and I just need to give myself time to recover, calm down, and get ready to go again.”

Max Homa says players breaking clubs makes them all look "very, very spoiled" after Sergio Garcia smashed his driver at The Masters.

Robert MacIntyre was also in a spot of bother at Augusta National for his angry outbursts, but it was Garcia who was issued with a code of conduct warning during Sunday's final round.

Garcia smashed up the tee box on the second hole and snapped his driver after a poor tee shot - which he's now apologized for.

There was a strict code of conduct policy implemented at The Masters, with Garcia the first person to get an official first warning - a second warning would result in a two-shot penalty.

Homa did not name Garcia when asked about the code of conduct, but said he doesn't think it's a good look when players snap clubs in anger.

"Not saying I've never done it. I don't like when people break clubs. I don't like when people beat up the golf course because we deal with it, and I think the breaking clubs makes us look very, very spoiled," Homa said ahead of the RBC Heritage.

"I try my absolute best not to do it, and when it does happen, as far as slamming a tee box, I'm very upset with myself because we're very lucky to play this game we do, and I think it is a bad look.

"But again, this is a very frustrating game, and it happens. So I don't know where I'd draw that line exactly, but I definitely think beating up a golf course would be probably tops just because the rest of us have to play it."

Garcia was issued the warning after repeatedly slamming his driver into the turf at the second tee box, which then needed repairing early on in Sunday's final round.

The Spaniard then smashed his driver into a cool box and broke the head, meaning he was unable to use it for the rest of his round.

"I regret the way I acted and it has no place in our game," said Garcia in his apology.

MacIntyre has yet to make a statement on his behavior, for which he was reportedly reprimanded by Augusta National - although nothing has been made official.

MacIntyre was heard swearing on the course and also slammed his club into the fairway during a frustrating week at The Masters.

Homa himself has shown his frustration on the golf course before, notably being filmed throwing a club down the fairway at last year's PGA Championship.

He says his main vice is some bad language when things aren't going his way, and said player conduct is something the PGA Tour will try and work on improving going forward.

"I say a lot of bad words," Homa admitted. "I very much try to do it not when a kid can hear. So I do think there's some, hey, don't say it in front of the wrong person, like be a bit aware of your surroundings

"But yeah, that's a tough thing to handle or to decide upon because it is so subjective. If I do something where no one is watching on TV, that gets graded a lot lower than when it's in front of everybody.

"But it's never a bad thing to have that conversation being had at Augusta. That's good.

"Between that and pace-of-play stuff, there's things we can address, and we can wait until we figure it out until we implement it, but at least the conversation is going that way.

"We want to inspire the next generation to be better than us, so we need to be held to a higher standard."

Kevin Kisner has apologized for his criticism of CBS and their broadcasting of The Masters.

Kisner, who works for rivals NBC as lead golf analyst, was highly critical of CBS' coverage from Augusta National, mainly of them showing too many shots on delay.

He said: "They were literally showing s*** that I knew happened 10 minutes ago all day long. What are we doing, man? You have no commercials. Play live shots."

His comments on the Foreplay podcast obviously made headlines with him working for a competitor, and now he's used the same show to row back on his rant against CBS.

On the latest edition of Foreplay, Kisner issued a full apology and admitted he went too far in his stinging criticism.

"It's been an interesting few days to say the least, but I just have to apologize to the golf team at CBS," Kisner said.

"I crossed the line probably too much by talking about that whole content and I know from my short time in the business how wild production is.

"It is a very difficult thing to produce a live show and make it all work and everybody does their best, NBC screws up all the time and we're just trying to do our best.

"I went too far on being critical on them and I just want all the people associated with it to know I apologize."

Kisner wasn't the only one to criticize CBS's coverage of the final round at The Masters.

Rory McIlroy winning back-to-back Green Jackets meant that The Masters pulled in record-breaking viewership figures this year, but CBS drew plenty of negative comments about coverage.

Too many shots being aired on a delay was one theme, while McIlroy's final hole had a few glitches, as it wasn't immediately clear where his and Cameron Young's approach shots to the green hand landed.

Even the camera angle used for McIlroy's final putt was perhaps not as ideal as CBS would have wanted, as is the peril of broadcasting live sport.

Kisner is now a name in the industry though, so TV executives will not have taken his negative comments against a fellow broadcaster well.

It's a fine line Kisner and others tread with being mainstream broadcasters but also wanting to appear in the YouTube and podcasting space.

The Masters is an event unlike any other, but plenty of fans and figure within the game were not happy with the way CBS covered the tournament, particularly in the closing stages.

Witnessing Rory McIlroy's triumphant run down the back nine at Augusta National was a special moment, aside from the fact some of his crucial shots were missed on the television broadcast.

The Masters pulled in record-breaking viewership figures this year, but Kevin Kisner had pretty strong feelings about the way CBS operated throughout the tournament.

Appearing on the Fore Play podcast, the NBC analyst let rip in an expletive-filled rant laying into CBS for showing delayed footage of important shots from Augusta.

He said: "They were literally showing s*** that I knew happened 10 minutes ago all day long. What are we doing, man? You have no commercials. Play live shots.

"Our production team at NBC prides themselves on playing every shot that they possibly can live… I have no idea what they’re doing. Literally no idea. They’re showing every shot on tape. I don’t even know how the announcers call it.

"I don’t know how Colt [Knost] can act like he doesn’t know what’s happening when it’s already happened. There were a couple of shots in the two days that were seven to 10 minutes behind.

"It was unbelievable. I’m not trying to just kill them but being in TV and seeing what our production team does it was just fascinating to me."

Kisner wasn't the first to criticize CBS's coverage of the final round at The Masters.

Many cited the camera angles of McIlroy's final putt as spoiling the winning moment, while it was initially unclear where his and Cameron Young's shots ended up after hitting their approaches on the 72nd hole.

Continuing his rant, Kisner called out the legitimacy of the broadcast over on CBS, suggesting the timing of shots being shown has detracted from the natural reactions of those commentating on the event.

He went on to add: "Your entire Masters coverage is a fantasy world. It’s bulls***. Whatever we all watch has already happened seven minutes ago.

"Could you imagine watching the f****** Super Bowl and being like, 'Tom Brady threw that touchdown seven minutes ago, we’re going to act like it’s live so our announcers can sound really smart and we’re going to sit here and he’s going to throw it wide open down the middle but it actually happened seven minutes ago.'"

Jim Nantz, the lead at CBS for The Masters, has spoken out in defence of his team and the broadcast after the complaints around the final round.

When asked about the negativity, Nantz said: "It's live television. We all make mistakes. I can't speak to the difficulty and some of the decision-making, and some of the other things that people are responsible for.

"I just know that our crew is the best in the business."

It feels like The Masters went by in a bit of a blur this year, but the 2026 edition of the pretigious event will go down in history for a number of reasons.

Obviously, we saw Rory McIlroy claim his second Masters title, becoming only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back at Augusta National.

It was a special week for golf with plenty of talking points, including Justin Rose falling short, LIV Golf stars struggling, and garden gnomes selling for $30,000.

Whatever storyline you were glued to over the course of The Masters, it all culminated in that exhilarating final round on Sunday.

And, according to viewership data from Sport Business Journal, that pivotal final round attracted a mammoth crowd — the biggest recorded since 2013.

The coverage on Sunday peaked at 20.049 million, which is the highest peak for The Masters since 2013, when Adam Scott and Ángel Cabrera fought it out in a playoff, with the former prevailing.

When you look at the average viewer count for this year's event, which came out at 13.995 million, making it the highest-viewed final round in 11 years.

It was even 8% higher than last year's audience who tuned in to watch McIlroy secure his Career Grand Slam.

While CBS were criticized for their coverage of the final round, Sunday was actually the biggest day of golf ever for Paramount Plus.

It wasn't just the final round that proved popular, either.

CBS recorded 8.1 million viewers on Saturday, the highest crowd for a penultimate round in seven years. The figures for Thursday (+19%) and Friday (+14%) were much improved compared to last year, too.

So, while we can debate the winners and losers on the course at The Masters this year, the one thing beyond doubt is that the popularity of golf is growing rapidly, and Augusta National is at the heart of that rise.

In early 2025, Rory McIlroy outlined his three remaining career goals, telling BBC Sport: “Winning The Masters, winning an Olympic medal and another away Ryder Cup, they are my three goals for the rest of my career.”

Within months, he had achieved the first of those with The Masters title to complete his career Grand Slam. Less than six months later, the second was chalked off when he was an integral part of the European team that beat the US at the Bethpage Black Ryder Cup.

That left an Olympic medal, with McIlroy’s next opportunity to secure it coming around in 2028 at Riviera Country Club.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, he was asked for an update a year later in his press conference for the Dubai Desert Classic.

On that occasion, he said: "Yeah, Olympic medal. Open at St Andrews. Yeah, maybe like a US Open at one of those like old, traditional golf courses - whether it's Shinnecock this year or Winged Foot or Pebble Beach, Merion."

Following his first Masters win, McIlroy struggled to motivate himself for a time, but he admitted at Augusta National a year later that it took him some time to realise that the win wasn’t a destination, but part of his journey in the game.

Later that week, he sealed the title again, becoming the first player to win it back-to-back since Tiger Woods in 2002.

In his press conference following his latest win, McIlroy said: “I don’t think I'll go through that lull of motivation or the sort of things that I was feeling last year post-winning this tournament.”

It appears McIlroy seems as switched on as ever to the idea that, still in his prime, he can cement a legacy as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

So what else can he realistically achieve over the remainder of his career? Let's take a look...

A Masters ‘Three-Peat’

It’s early days since McIlroy’s latest Masters success, with even the man himself missing the RBC Heritage as he processes the magnitude of the victory.

Still, it didn’t take long for some to wonder whether, after becoming just the fourth player to win the title back-to-back, he might become the first to win it three times in a row.

The notion has even come into six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus’ thoughts. He wrote on Instagram: “The monkey came off your back last year, and now, all of a sudden, you are the only guy who has a chance to three-peat.”

Given the way he blew the field away to race into a six-shot lead at the halfway stage, plus the relatively assured way he dealt with the pressure in the final round of his latest win, you can’t write it off.

Winning An Olympic Gold Medal

The third opportunity of McIlroy's career to win gold at the Olympics representing Ireland comes around just two years from now.

McIlroy finished tied for third in his first Olympics appearance before losing in a seven-man playoff for the bronze medal.

At Le Golf National in 2024, he performed well again, placing T5 as Scottie Scheffler won the gold medal.

McIlroy will still be in his 30s when the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics comes around, suggesting that, even if he misses out again, there will be other opportunities.

However, with the Olympics in the US, where he plays most of his golf, it surely represents as good a chance as any, and he’ll be determined to get it done at Riviera, where he is still looking for his first victory.

Becoming The Top Ryder Cup Points Scorer

McIlroy earned 3.5 points at Bethpage Black, taking his overall Ryder Cup haul to 21.5 points. That leaves him seven behind the all-time leading points scorer, Sergio Garcia.

It’s debatable as to whether we’ll see the Spaniard play another Ryder Cup, while only Lee Westwood of the players between McIlroy and Garcia on the list of the highest points scorers still plays at the top level.

If McIlroy puts in another strong performance at Adare Manor in 2027, the gap to Garcia will shrink considerably if the LIV Golfer misses out, and surely the target would then come firmly into his sights, assuming it hasn't already.

Winning The Most Majors By A European

After winning his second Green Jacket, McIlroy’s name came firmly into the debate on whether he is the greatest European golfer of all time, including from Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald.

Even with so much of his career ahead of him, the numbers suggest his record is already more impressive than European legends Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo. However, surely Majors are where it really counts.

McIlroy’s latest Masters title drew him level with Faldo on six titles, with Jersey-born Harry Vardon the only other European to win more over his career, with seven.

With McIlroy two adrift of the lead and with surely dozens more Major appearances ahead of him before winning gets out of reach, it seems a matter of when, not if, he will surpass Vardon’s total.

Winning A Second Career Grand Slam

When McIlroy won his second Masters title, it took him halfway to his second career Grand Slam.

That’s because he had already won the PGA Championship twice, leaving him needing just one more US Open win and one more at The Open to collect all four for the second time.

McIlroy has a recent history of coming close in both events, with six top 10s in his last seven US Opens and three in his last four appearances at The Open.

He also arguably should have won The Open in 2022, having been four clear of eventual winner Cameron Smith after 54 holes, while he appeared to have one hand on the US Open trophy in 2024 before a back-nine collapse handed the initiative to Bryson DeChambeau.

McIlroy’s two Masters titles seem to have laid to rest any psychological demons he had in closing out Major titles, though, so next time he’s in a winning position in either, you would expect him to get it done.

Winning The Open At The Home Of Golf

Had McIlroy won The Open in 2022, he would now have a Major title to his name at the Home of Golf, the Old Course at St Andrews.

As it is, the one time he has won the Claret Jug so far in his career came at Royal Liverpool in 2014.

He won’t have to wait long until he gets another chance to win the title at the Old Course, though, with The Open returning in 2027.

Before that, he’ll get the opportunity to claim his latest Open win at the 2026 edition at Royal Birkdale.

Winning The Most European Tour Order Of Merits

McIlroy missed out on his fourth DP World Tour Championship title in 2025, with Matt Fitzpatrick take the honors, but his playoff defeat to the Englishman still earned him his latest Race to Dubai title.

That was the seventh time McIlroy has won the Harry Vardon Trophy, surpassing Seve Ballesteros, while only one player has won it more times, Colin Montgomerie, with eight.

Despite a busy PGA Tour schedule, McIlroy also takes the DP World Tour seriously, as evidenced by the fact that his most recent four Harry Vardon trophy wins have come in the last four years.

Given that, it’s barely conceivable that McIlroy won’t catch Montgomerie before passing him in the next few years.

He could even match his record in 2026, as he’s currently second behind Patrick Reed in the rankings.

Winning On Every Continent

McIlroy’s Masters win was the 45th of his pro career, with victories coming in North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia along the way.

However, he has yet to win on one continent that stages elite-level golf, Africa. That could all change down the line if he begins focusing more on his DP World Tour schedule, which stages some big events in South Africa, in particular.

Reaching The Top 10 Of All-Time PGA Tour Wins

McIlroy is unlikely to top the list of most PGA Tour wins, with Tiger Woods and Sam Snead out in front with 82 to McIlroy's 30.

However, it is likely he will reach the top 10. In the final position at the moment are Cary Middlecoff and Tom Watson, with 39 wins each.

McIlroy's most recent nine PGA Tour wins have come within the last four years, so if he continues at that pace, he'll make it before his 41st birthday.

Reaching The Top Of The PGA Tour Career Money List

There is a very strong possibility that McIlroy could become the PGA Tour’s career money list leader in 2026 – although whether he would keep the position for long is debatable.

Following his Masters win, he remained in second place, less than $6m behind leader Tiger Woods with career earnings of $114,696,641.

If Woods plays at all this season, it will likely only be in a few events, giving McIlroy every chance of surpassing him.

However, right behind McIlroy is Scottie Scheffler with earnings of over $105m, meaning that, in the not-too-distant future, he too could be within touching distance of the top spot.

What Else?

Some other achievements will be on McIlroy's radar too...

• Winning The Open at Royal Portrush
• Winning the Genesis Invitational
• Winning the Memorial Tournament and receiving a handshake from Jack Nicklaus
• Matching Nicklaus' record of three Players Championship wins
• Winning in Abu Dhabi
• Winning in continental Europe

Sergio Garcia has apologized for an incident during the final round of The Masters, which resulted in him receiving a conduct warning.

After a poor tee shot at the par 5 second, the 2017 champion slammed his club into the turf three times, taking a significant chunk out of the tee box. He then whipped the driver at the cooler box behind the tee, with the club wrapping around the metal leg and snapping in two.

The incident led to Garcia being spoken to by Augusta National member Geoff Yang, who is the Chairman of the Masters Tournament Rules and Competition Committees, and given a “code of conduct warning.”

Following his round, which he had to complete without a driver, Garcia admitted he was “not super proud” of his behavior, but that "sometimes it happens."

However, he has now gone further, issuing a statement on his social media platforms, where he admitted he acted in a way that has “no place in our game.”

The full statement reads: “I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday at The Masters tournament. I respect and value everything that The Masters tournament and Augusta National Golf Club is to golf.

“I regret the way I acted and it has no place in our game. It doesn’t reflect the respect and appreciation I have for The Masters, the patrons, tournament officials and golf fans around the world.”

Following the incident, Garcia went on to finish 52nd at the event with a round of 75. That continued a disappointing run at the Major since winning the Green Jacket nine years ago.

Since then, he has missed the cut six times, while the only other time he made it beyond the halfway stage was with a T23 in 2022.

Garcia's recent form has also been poor. In the five LIV Golf events leading up to the 2026 Masters, he had just one top-10 finish, in Hong Kong, and he also admitted in his post-round interview on Sunday that his outburst had been as a result of frustrations building “through the year.”

This week, Garcia will lead his Fireballs GC team at LIV Golf Mexico City, which begins on Thursday.

It wasn’t quite as dramatic as a year ago, when Rory McIlroy took fans on a rollercoaster ride before completing his career Grand Slam at The Masters, but his successful defence of the title in 2026 was still very special indeed.

As well as McIlroy’s latest Augusta National victory handing him his sixth Major title, which drew him level with Lee Trevino, Sir Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson, it was also the first back-to-back Masters triumph since Tiger Woods in 2002.

Not surprisingly, McIlroy’s victory generated plenty of reaction on social media, with fellow golfers and famous faces from elsewhere congratulating the 36-year-old on social media.

US president Donald Trump led the praise. On his Truth Social account, with a message reposted on X by The White House, he wrote: “Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on another Great Championship, The Masters!

“He performed tremendously under intense pressure, something which few people would be able to even think about doing. With each year, Rory is becoming more and more a LEGEND!

“I look forward to watching him compete in two weeks at Doral. The quality of Professional Golfers today has become extraordinary, each and every one of them. They should all be proud of the way they played at The Masters this weekend! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Trump wasn’t the only global figurehead with praise for McIlroy, with the British Royal Family’s X account posting: “Congratulations @McIlroyRory on your extraordinary back-to-back win at @TheMasters!”

Manchester United soccer club perhaps doesn't quite have the same influence, but it’s an institution close to McIlroy’s heart, who is a big fan of the Red Devils.

The official account posted: “So nice he had to do it twice.”

Staying in the soccer world, former England defender Rio Ferdinand also offered his congratulations, writing: “Back to Back @McIlroyRory. Love to see it! Congratulations.”

Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky had his say on McIlroy’s latest Masters win, too, writing: “Rory Best Euro ever? Top 10 golfer ever? What a stud.”

Naturally, high-profile figures from the golf world were also on hand to praise McIlroy, including six-time winner Jack Nicklaus.

As part of a lengthy post on Instagram, he wrote: “What a wonderful @themasters win for @rorymcilroy! Congratulations, Rory, on back-to-back Green Jackets! You played like a guy who has already won a Masters championship, which is relaxed, free, and confident.

"The monkey came off your back last year, and now, all of a sudden, you are the only guy who has a chance to three-peat!”

Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson had his say, too. He wrote on X: “Congrats to @McIlroyRory for an exciting @TheMasters win. Back to back is simply remarkable.”

The Golf Channel’s Paul McGinley wrote: “Terrific win again for Rory in a brilliant Masters - his resilience, for me, as impressive as his talent.”

McGinley was McIlroy’s captain at the 2014 Ryder Cup. Nowadays, that role is Luke Donald’s, and he also praised him, writing that he saying he is the best player Europe has ever produced.

He wrote: “Tying Seve with 2 green jackets will mean a lot to Rory. He is undoubtedly the best European golfer of all time now. Congratulations @McIlroyRory.”

One of the players McIlroy got the better of to win The Masters was the man he beat in a playoff a year ago, Justin Rose.

Rose is the nearly man of The Masters, having finished runner-up three times, while he led during the second round before letting his latest chance get away.

However, he vowed to keep on trying, and congratulated McIlroy, writing: “I’ll just keep knocking on that door. See you next year Augusta! Congratulations @McIlroyRory going back-to-back. Thank you for all the support.”

A year ago, Nike released an advertisement immediately after McIlroy’s victory that showed a Green Jacket hanging in a dry cleaner's with the winner’s name on it.

His apparel sponsor was quick off the mark again, this time with a video on winning more than one Green Jacket, alongside the caption: “No alterations needed. @McIlroyRory proves he is tailored for the moment, securing back-to-back jackets at Augusta.”

We've seen glimpses of Shane Lowry's talents this year already, but he's also shown an unwanted ability to collapse when it matters most.

Lowry went close at the Cognizant Classic but let his lead slip in the latter stages, with Nico Echavarria moving in to take the title.

Then, at The Masters, the Irishman was at -9 and had solo fourth place after three rounds, but he suffered a catastrophic final round.

In fact, while Haotong Li's nightmare on the back nine caught the eye and saw him end up with a +8 for the day, Lowry recorded an equally bad score on Sunday.

His final round of 80 saw him drop from fourth all the way down to T30 with a score of -1 for the week.

Lowry was in line for $1,080,000 had he remained in fourth place, but his final Masters payout was just $146,250. That's a whopping $933,750 less than he was tracking for, but such is the nature of Augusta National.

It was a final round that started with a bogey, and Lowry was plagued by visits to the bunkers throughout the rest of the day.

He also bogeyed on 4 and recorded a double bogey on 5, before another three bogeys and two doubles on the back nine cemented his downfall.

Unsurprisingly, Lowry skipped media duties after posting that 80 on Sunday.

Still, while Lowry's career earnings didn't receive much of a boost, he did get to see his best friend Rory McIlroy secure back-to-back Masters titles.

Just like last year, Lowry stuck around to give McIlroy a hug and congratulate him on his victory, despite probably feeling like disappearing as quickly as possible after his own poor round.

Lowry also notched his second hole-in-one at Augusta this week, adding to his previous aces at TPC Sawgrass, Pebble Beach and Houston's Memorial Park.

Sunday at The Masters lived up to expectations with a fascinating final round as numerous players contended for the title before Rory McIlroy eventually put the seal on his second consecutive Green Jacket.

While much of the focus was on the progress of the 36-year-old in his bid to claim back-to-back titles for the first time since Tiger Woods in 2002, stories were popping up all over the course.

Once the dust had settled, there were some clear winners and losers from the afternoon, with some able to leave Augusta National with their heads held high and others no doubt wishing they could turn back the clock to the start of the day and try again.

Here are the big winners and losers from the final round of The Masters.

Winners At The 2026 Masters

Rory McIlroy

Obviously, McIlroy tops the list of winners, and not just because he claimed the Green Jacket for the second consecutive year.

McIlroy also benefited hugely in a financial sense, with $4.5m in prize money as well as plenty of other perks.

But arguably more important than that is the manner in which he closed out the victory. A year ago, there was not just a maiden Masters title at stake for McIlroy, but his career Grand Slam as well as a first Major victory anywhere for over 10 years.

This time around, it was more of a “regular” Major challenge for McIlroy, with winning important, but not career-defining.

He admitted before the 2026 event that it took him some time to realise that winning the career Grand Slam wasn’t a destination but part of his journey, and that’s how it looked during his title defence.

Despite some wobbles along the way, in the end, McIlroy closed out the final few holes with less drama than a year ago, suggesting that the psychological roadblocks that have seen him falter when in winning positions at other Majors have now been fully overcome.

Scottie Scheffler

For a man as used to winning tournaments as Scheffler, anything other than his third Green Jacket probably feels like a failure now that the dust has settled, but he was 12 behind McIlroy at the halfway stage.

So impressive was Scheffler's surge that, ultimately, he was the only player who would have forced a playoff with McIlroy had he double-bogeyed the last.

Strong finishes after poor starts have been a recurring theme for Scheffler this season, so finding consistency for 72 holes is something he still needs to work on, but he demonstrated just how potent he will be if he can find that in the coming weeks.

Like McIlroy, Scheffler also banked huge prize money, with earnings of $2.43m.

Tyrrell Hatton

Overall, it was a disappointing week for the LIV Golfers in the field, with five failing to make the cut and those who remained largely unimpressive, with one exception – Tyrrell Hatton.

While the Legion XIII player is still waiting for his maiden Major title, he has emerged as one of the circuit’s most consistent performers at the big events. That was a trend that continued at The Masters with his tie for third, helped by a 66 in the final round, giving him his best finish at a Major.

While bigger names like Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm continue to struggle to bring their best golf to the Majors, Hatton appears to have grown into them since joining LIV Golf, and that surely bodes well for him in the remaining three this year.

Collin Morikawa

Collin Morikawa produced his second consecutive round of 68 on Sunday to leave Augusta National having tied for seventh.

That's only his third-best finish at The Masters, but it was extremely impressive considering his lack of preparation for the event.

Morikawa hadn't played since withdrawing after the first hole of The Players Championship with a bad back.

He was still struggling with the injury at Augusta National, so to finish as strongly as he did speaks volumes for his determination.

Afterwards, he said: "Trust me, it's going to be one of the best tournaments forever.

"I'm going to remember this one for many reasons, but just more how strong the mind is, to be able to go out and convince yourself that everything is going to be OK."

Max Homa

Two years ago, Homa moved into the world’s top 10 after a T3 at The Masters, but it’s a different story nowadays.

The six-time PGA Tour winner has suffered an alarming slump in form of late, but he will surely be encouraged by just his third top 10 at a Major with his T9 at Augusta National.

Even with that performance, which included a 67 on Sunday as he finished strongly, Homa only rose to 117th in the world rankings, but perhaps it can act as a catalyst for a resurgence over the coming months.

Jake Knapp

Jake Knapp just missed out on the top 10, with his 70 on Sunday leaving him one shot adrift in 11th, but he can look back on a job well done.

As well as guaranteeing his place at next year’s event, with the top 12 and ties all qualifying, this was Knapp’s best Major finish by far.

In his previous four Major appearances, he had missed the cut in three, with only a T55 at Augusta National two years ago to show for his efforts.

Gary Woodland

Gary Woodland’s return to top-level golf following serious adversity is one of the game's most inspiring stories.

The 2019 US Open champion had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in 2023, while in March he revealed a PTSD diagnosis.

Despite that, he won the Texas Children’s Houston Open to qualify for The Masters, where he saved his best round for Sunday, with a 66 for a placing of T33, his best in Major finish for three years.

Brooks Koepka

Koepka built a well-earned reputation as a Major specialist over several years, including five titles, but that has become tarnished by a poor run of late.

Koepka still doesn’t have a top 10 in a Major since his victory at the PGA Championship three years ago. However, his T12 at Augusta National, which included a one-under 71 on Sunday, represents his joint-best performance at the big events since.

Losers At The 2026 Masters

Haotong Li

Haotong Li began the day just four back of the leaders and dreaming of his maiden Major title, but not only did he fail to challenge, he dropped 20 places into a tie for 38th after a disastrous 13th hole that resulted in a 10.

Li went on to become one of only two players to card 80 on Sunday, and his implosion could have repercussions down the line.

If he doesn’t win an event, Li will need to be in the top 100 of the FedEx Cup standings to keep his PGA Tour card.

With elevated points, a strong finish at The Masters would have gone a long way to securing that, but he’s now down in 77th leaving plenty of work ahead.

The boost to both his FedEx Cup standing and world ranking would also have given him a greater chance of qualifying for future Signature Events while a finish of just a few places from his position of T8 at the start of the round would have qualified him for the RBC Heritage via the Aon Next 10.

Shane Lowry

The other player to shoot an 80 on Sunday was Lowry. Like Li, he was also in contention for his maiden Major title at the start of the day, just two off the leaders.

However, a nightmare final round that included three double bogeys left him in a tie for 30th.

That will hurt Lowry financially more than anything. Had he even maintained his position of fourth at the start of the round, he’d have won over $1m. As it is, he left Augusta National with $146,250.

Justin Rose

Rose appeared to be taking control of proceedings after consecutive birdies between the seventh and the ninth, leading by two at one stage.

Will the Englishman, who is now 45, ever get a better chance to win The Masters again?

Rose is no stranger to near misses at Augusta National, having missed out in a playoff twice, including to McIlroy a year ago.

As he explained afterwards, though, they come down to a “flick of a coin at times.”

This time, he had in his hands before Amen Corner got its teeth into him, leaving him lamenting his T3 as a “chance that got away.”

Sergio Garcia

Sergio Garcia was one of five LIV Golfers to make the cut at The Masters, but he didn’t cover himself in glory during the final round, smashing his driver and damaging the second tee box in a moment of frustration after a poor tee shot on his way to a 75 to place 52nd.

He later admitted that he was “not super-proud” of the incident, but regardless, it earned the 2017 champion a conduct warning.

CBS Sports

The CBS Sports broadcast of the final round received criticism online throughout, with shots and holes missed and the coverage seemingly behind proceedings at times.

It got even worse at the 72nd hole with questionable camerawork spoiling the moment for some as McIlroy was about to seal the title.

Many were upset that camera operators seemingly lost track of the location of the ball after McIlroy’s second shot as it dropped into the front-left greenside bunker.

To compound the frustration, the angle used to show McIlroy's winning putt wasn't ideal. Indeed, sitting at home, it was impossible to see whether he had actually sunk the one-footer as he was blocking the hole.

After enjoying the final round of The Masters last night, my colleagues and I were very keen this morning to jump on our usual start of week calls and discuss our opinions on Rory McIlroy's historic Green Jacket defence at Augusta National.

While widely impressed with McIlroy's resilience and ability to hit incredible golf shots under the most intense pressure, we also heavily debated Rory's struggles in finding fairways over the course of the week - and whether there was enough jeopardy in the course set-up to allow him to emerge victorious in spite of his off the tee troubles.

Features editor, Nick Bonfield, shared an opinion that erred on the side of scepticism - questioning whether you should be able to win a Major when driving the golf ball that erratically.

I, on the other hand, felt that Rory used every piece of creativity, course knowledge and skill on and around the greens to limit the damage of dodgy drives - an approach that I found immensley exciting and very impressive...

I Loved McIlroy's Swashbuckling Approach At Augusta National

The point that Nick was trying to make is that the course set-up at Augusta National should perhaps ask more questions of players who are inaccurate off the tee.

He makes a valid point, as often finding the trees at Augusta will still leave you with a route out - with a lack of 'rough' or hazards to really penalise poor tee shots.

While I, like many others, would hate to see the aesthetic or make up of Augusta National changed, as I believe it's pretty perfect as it is, I can appreciate the fact that a Major Championship should test every facet of your game.

That didn't seem to be the case this year, as McIlroy opened almost dead last over the first two days for driving accuracy while still posting a record-breaking 12-under-par halfway score.

His ability to find fairways did improve over the weekend, with his most consistent performance coming on Sunday when it really counted, yet he still finished the week ranking 52nd out of the 54 players to make the cut.

The challenge at The Masters is very different to a US Open style test, and rightly so as each Major has its own identity, but you could confidently say that McIlroy would have struggled to win (or even contend) with that sort of performance at 2026 US Open venue Shinnecock Hills later this year.

I must say, I found the whole thing incredibly gripping. I love that he can take on bunkers, cut corners and give himself opportunities to score well - but with that comes an inevitable tendency to bring trouble into play.

Rather than focusing on how wild he was off the tee, I like instead to appreciate how amazing he was with the rest of his game. He needed to be near-perfect around the green to scramble himself out of some tough positions - and he was (ranking 2nd).

He actually ranked 7th for the week for SG: Off The Tee, highlighting how important his length was in offsetting the misses, but his nouse and experience also helped him to know not only where to miss, but how to navigate his way back on track from those points.

Some of the most iconic shots at Augusta National have come from the trees. If you think about the iconic moments from Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson or even Rory himself - when out of position on the 7th last year and finding the green through a tight gap.

There is also more than one way to contend at The Masters, evidenced by Cameron Young finishing tied-3rd while ranking 2nd for driving accuracy.

In truth, a more balanced approach is probably the right play for most - but not McIlroy.

Four of the top-6 were above the field average for both distance and accuracy off the tee, but when you have a trump card like Rory - you have to use it and accept your fate.

Drastic measures like adding longer rough or changing the landscape around the trees would negatively impact the beautiful and iconic majesty of those pine-straw ladened Georgia pines - in my opinion.

I'm strongly against adding more penal features, like shubbery or other deterrents, as I believe The Masters is a tournament that allows you to be brave if you can back it up with creativity and resilience.

McIlroy did both of those things, and was certainly brave, so I personally don't have any issue whatsoever with him ranking so poorly in the driving accuracy category.

There is, after all, plenty of time for particularly penal tests like the one coming up at Shinnecock Hills.

Cameron Young came up short in his battle with Rory McIlroy on the final day of The Masters and had to watch the Northern Irishman claim the title at Augusta National right in front of him.

Going into Sunday, Young had gone level with McIlroy on -11 after three rounds. With the momentum behind the American, many fancied Young to go all the way.

However, a tricky final round, including three bogeys between holes six through nine, cost Young and saw him drop to T3 in the end.

Young was front and center for a moment of golfing history as McIlroy secured back-to-back Masters titles.

By the sounds of it, the pair didn't converse much in the process of that final round - but Young isn't taking it personally.

Speaking in the aftermath of the tournament, Young said: "I'm not one to talk a ton to begin with, and I don't think he really wanted to talk to me.

"Sunday at the Masters in the final group, you know, I don't wish anything poorly on the guy, but we're playing against each other. We're not trying to be best friends out there.

"It's just one of those times that you leave each other be and if there is a moment [you talk] - there were one or two but not many."

This is nothing new for McIlroy, of course. Last year, it was well-documented that McIlroy didn't speak to Bryson DeChambeau during their final round at Augusta.

For Young, it was a case of close but no cigar, but it sounds like the 28-year-old has learned a lot from the experience.

During his interview, he reflected on his performance, adding: "I think I handled it fine, just didn't make anything. That's the story of the week, if you look through all four rounds.

"I feel like I played the golf I needed to. I just didn't have the day making anything at all.

"There is no negative to take away other than obviously I would've loved a different result.

"But in terms of the golf, I played plenty well enough to win today and plenty well enough to win by a couple I think. So it was just one of those days."

Young has already qualified for the 2027 edition of The Masters, and if he plays like he did this weekend, he'll be right up there again next year.

The prestige of attending Augusta National Golf Club always seems to lead to some kind of controversy or another, and this year, the Egg Salad Guy was a surprising villain for golf fans.

As we reflect on another entertaining edition of The Masters, there have been lots of funny stories emerging from Augusta over the past week.

From young Frankie Fleetwood's inspiring efforts during the Par-3 contest to eye-wateringly expensive garden gnomes, The Masters has it all.

It's not particularly expensive to attend The Masters, but it is difficult to obtain a ticket. And that's largely why golf fans are so annoyed by the way one patron chose to dress at Augusta this week.

Here's all you need to know about the Egg Salad Guy, and what fans have been saying about him.

On the concession menu at The Masters, you'll find an egg salad sandwich for just $1.50. It's a bargain by any standard, and it's one of the most popular items for visitors to Augusta.

However, one man took his love for the sandwich to the maximum, by wearing a replica Masters cap with the slogan "EGG SALAD" emblazoned across the front of it.

He didn't just wear it once, he wore it every single day, in the same spot on the 16th hole, and he had it in different colorways to keep things fresh.

Masters merchandise is always a hot button topic, with everything from design choices to pricing under the microscope. But the 'Egg Salad' hat is in the same drawer as the 'Skip It' and 'Azalea' ones, with 'Big Letter' hats infuriating the more traditional golf fans on social media.

Based on the general reaction to 'Egg Salad Guy', it doesn't look like Augusta National Golf Club will be adopting this particular style for next year's event.

One golf fan on Twitter/X jokingly wrote: "I’m voting for whoever throws this man in jail."

Another said, "The Egg Salad hat guy is an absolute stain on this once-proud tournament."

Meanwhile, on Instagram others added that the patron was "gently poisoning the vibe," and questioned his attendance, writing, "How does he get that many days? I’ve tried for 15 years and can’t get one day."

However, some did admit they had a soft spot for his hat.

"Look, do I think this hat is stupid for The Masters? Absolutely. Do I have a slight desire to get one for the bit? Absolutely."

Another added: "I think the Egg Salad hat is so stupid that I love it."

While we hope the Egg Salad hate was all in jest, he is the one laughing after watching four days of world class golf at Augusta National. He parked his chair in a great spot and got to experience what many fans can only dream of.

Now, we wait to see if 'Egg Salad Guy' will be back at Augusta in 2027, sitting in that spot on the 16th hole again.

After a captivating final round at Augusta National, Rory McIlroy beat Scottie Scheffler by one at The Masters to become the first back-to-back winner since Tiger Woods in 2002.

While that is a notable achievement, it also means he has now won the Green Jacket the same number of times as another European great, Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros – a point not lost on Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald.

Donald even went as far as to say that the Northern Irishman is now the best golfer Europe has ever produced, writing on X: “Tying Seve with 2 green jackets will mean a lot to Rory. He is undoubtedly the best European golfer of all time now. Congratulations @McIlroyRory.”

Ballesteros made history with his first Masters title, which came in 1980, as he became the first European to win the Green Jacket, before taking the title at Augusta National again three years later.

Since then, several European players have gone on to claim victory in the Major, including German Bernhard Langer and Ballesteros’ compatriot Jose Maria Olazabal, who have also won it twice.

Meanwhile, another European, Englishman Nick Faldo, won it three times, as well as completing back-to-back titles in 1990.

Regardless of whether or not McIlroy is now the greatest European golfer of all time, Donald is undoubtedly correct that being in the same company as Ballesteros with two wins will mean a lot to him.

McIlroy’s admiration for Ballesteros, who passed away in 2011, was evident in November when he won his seventh Race to Dubai title, taking him beyond the Spaniard’s total.

At the time, he said: "He means so much to this Tour and the European Ryder Cup team. We rally so much around his spirit and around his quotes and everything he meant for European golf.

"To equal him last year was cool, but to surpass him this year, I didn't get this far in my dreams, so it's very cool."

The latest glorious moment of McIlroy’s career means he now has six Major titles, the same as Faldo, and, following his victory, he stressed that there is more to come, even if the debate over the greatest European golfer isn't settled.

He said: "Today I tied Nick, so yeah, there's obviously going to be that conversation, and that debate is going to be hard. But it's a cool conversation to be a part of.

"Again, it took me 10 years to win my fifth Major, and then my sixth one's come pretty soon after it. I'm not putting a number on it, but I certainly don't want to stop here."

He also said that he has plenty of ambition left to cement his legacy even more than he already has.

“I said at the start of the weekend here I felt like the Grand Slam was the destination, and I realized it wasn't,” explained McIlroy.

“I'm on this journey to - I don't know, I just won my sixth Major, and I feel like I'm in a really good spot with my game and my body.

“I don't want to put a number on it, but I feel like this win is just - I don't want to say a stop on the journey, but yeah, it's just a part of the journey. I still have things I want to achieve, but I still want to enjoy it as well.”

After Rory McIlroy won The Masters to become the first back-to-back champion since Tiger Woods in 2002, Justin Rose was left to reflect on what might have been for the second consecutive year.

In a final round where multiple players were in contention at Augusta National, Rose grabbed the solo lead during a run of three birdies in a row between the seventh and the ninth.

At that stage, he appeared well set to win his first Green Jacket at the age of 45, a year after agonizingly missing out in a playoff to McIlroy.

Unfortunately for Rose, his back nine wasn’t as assured, with three bogeys, and by the time he was walking up the 18th fairway on his way to making a par to finish tied for third on 10 under, he already knew his chance of glory had slipped away.

Following his latest near-miss, he opened up on that moment, which included an ovation from the patrons. He said: "Nice. It was nice. Felt like the crowd was amazing to me all week long. They pulled for me all week long.

"I felt their encouragement and support. At the end it kind of goes a little flat. It's more of a sympathy than anything. But it was still nonetheless very beautiful. But, yeah, another little stinger, yeah."

Rose admitted the walk up the 18th had left him looking back on the missed opportunity. He said: “I think just a chance that got away obviously. You know, I was by no means kind of free and clear and was nowhere kind of close to having the job done, but I was right in position.

He added: "Yeah, because I was really in control. First ten holes I felt like I was - yeah, I was. And the mentality was to run through the finish line not just try and get it done. I was playing great, but just momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner.”

Rose’s visit to Amen Corner began with back-to-back bogeys at the 11th and 12th, stalling his momentum.

Then, an eagle chance that would have brought him level with McIlroy at the top of the leaderboard got away at the 13th, and after he failed to make a birdie coming back, the writing was on the wall.

Rose admitted that moment was pivotal, adding: “Kind of hit the premium shot in there, and thought I was going to have a great eagle chance.

“I talked myself into having too much of a good eagle look. That green is a bit of a funny one. I feel like I was quite straight down the line and maybe got too... obviously clearly too aggressive with it.

“Just maybe off the back of two bogeys that was the one moment where four there really settles things down and gets me right back in it. It was kind of like a continuation of a lot momentum I felt. So, yeah, that three-putt probably, yeah, that was untimely for sure.”

Despite Rose’s latest close call at Augusta National, he remains optimistic there could be more chances for him in the years ahead.

He said: “You know, I hope so. You look at Freddy [Couples], the way he plays around here. Bernhard Langer. The guys get around this golf course.

"I don't know how they do to hitting woods into these greens. It does show this course maybe more than anywhere suits maybe personal style or knowledge or whatever it might be. But, yeah, I hope so, yeah."

TIme flies when you're having fun, and another edition of The Masters has now passed us by with a scintillating finish on the final day.

After taking a co-lead into the final round, Rory McIlroy was looking to go wire-to-wire and become only the fourth player to ever retain the Masters title. Despite Cameron Young matching McIlroy on day three, it was Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler who put up the strongest challenge in round four.

But, in the end, McIlroy stood firm and asserted his dominance once more to cement his status as one of the ultimate legends of the game.

We know that every golfer who finishes in the top 12 (including ties) at this year's Masters will get the invitation to return next year.

So, here are the players who have just booked their place at The Masters for 2027 thanks to their performance in this year's event (excluding those who already had exemption status)...

Justin Rose

Deep down, most neutrals would admit they wanted Justin Rose to finally end his Masters hoodoo and claim the Green Jacket this year. And, to be fair to him, he gave it a brilliant effort, but it just wasn't enough.

Ultimately, bogeys on 11, 12, and 17 cost the 45-year-old dearly and he ended up on -10 and a tie for third place. He'll be back next year to give it another go.

Tyrrell Hatton

After shooting +2 on the opening day, many had written Tyrrell Hatton off. However, he shot 66 on Friday and again on Sunday to put himself right in contention with a final score of -10.

That included an incredible run of four birdies from 13 through 16 to give Hatton the clubhouse lead for a while. It wasn't enough to win the day, but it guarantees the Englishman a return to Augusta next year.

Russell Henley

Russell Henley came out of nowhere on the final day at Augusta to surge up the leaderboard and end up with a tie for third.

A solid -4 for the day on Sunday was enough to see the 37-year-old finish on -10 and he'll be another one to watch next year.

Sam Burns

After shooting five-under on Thursday and four-under on Saturday, Sam Burns gave himself a great chance of challenging for the title this weekend.

However, a +1 on Sunday saw him slip out of contention and he'll have to settle for a T7 finish and an invite to The Masters for next year.

Max Homa

Max Homa played some pretty flawless golf this week at Augusta, with a 72-70-71-67 scorecard across the four rounds.

That final round of -5 was the second best of the day, with only Tyrrrell Hatton beating him.

Jake Knapp

Returning to Augusta this year for only his second Masters, Jake Knapp impressed many with his consistency.

He shot 73-69-69-70 to end up at -7 for the week and land in the top 12, meaning he will be back in 2027.

Jason Day

The best-dressed player in the field had a strong week, ending up on -5 overall and landing a place in the top 12, albeit tied with five other golfers.

Incredibly, a final round of +3 wasn't enough to push Jason Day out of the invitation spots.

Patrick Cantlay

Patrick Cantlay had solo 12th place right until the final hole on Sunday, but a bogey on 18 opened up the field and allowed five other golfers to join him on -5.

Obviously, past Masters champions have exemption status for life, so Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler already knew they'd be back next year, as did the likes of Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, and Patrick Reed, who all finished in the top 12.

Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, and Collin Morikawa also have exemption status thanks to winning the US Open.

Rory McIlroy held off a number of challengers to become the first player since Tiger Woods to win back-to-back Masters titles after a captivating final round at Augusta National.

After the event was blown wide open on Saturday, when McIlroy’s six-shot lead was wiped out, it left a host of players with a realistic chance of winning the Green Jacket.

Despite McIlroy’s advantage evaporating, he still had a better chance than most at the start of the day, sharing the lead with Cameron Young at 11 under.

However, there were some big names lurking not far behind them, including two-time winner Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose, who McIlroy beat in a playoff last year.

Even with so many potential champions in the mix, most of the attention was on McIlroy as he and Young reached the first tee box.

That was not only because he was bidding to become just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles, and the first since Woods in 2002. It was also because it was almost impossible to know which version of McIlroy would appear.

Would it be the explosive talent who made six birdies in his last seven holes on Friday to take control of the event, or the one who was erratic on Saturday as his grip on proceedings loosened?

One thing was clear: he didn’t seem as nervous as a year ago, when he lost a two-shot lead in short order against Bryson DeChambeau before eventually, via a nerve-shredding round for the ages, claiming his first Green Jacket.

He wasn’t rattled when Young took the solo lead on the second with his first birdie of the day. Indeed, he responded on the third with one of his own.

At that point, the two out in front led by three and it briefly looked as though they could slug it out between them.

Just when McIlroy looked to be settling, though, he three-putted at the par-3 fourth for his second double-bogey of the week and his playing partner led by two. Soon after, McIlroy was joined in second place by Russell Henley, who birdied the eighth.

Rose was about to make his move, and a brilliant recovery from the pine straw at the seventh gave him a tap-in for birdie to draw level with McIlroy and Henley.

It got worse for McIlroy with a bogey at the sixth, although one consolation for him was that Young did the same, before Rose took the solo lead with another birdie at the eighth.

McIlroy remained only two back of Rose, and that became one with an assured birdie putt at the seventh to move back to T2. However, the gap became two again shortly afterwards with Rose’s third consecutive birdie on the ninth.

To add to the noise, Tyrrell Hatton then got in on the act, joining McIlroy, Young and Henley with his fourth birdie in a row at the 15th.

McIlroy set up birdie number three at the eighth with a 225-yard approach, which Young also got down in four to arrest his run of two successive bogeys.

As McIlroy embarked on a run of pars, Young slipped up again at the ninth with his third bogey in four holes, while further on, Rose dropped shots at the 11th and 12th to give McIlroy the solo lead at 11 under.

At the par-3 12th,^, McIlroy converted a birdie putt after a stunning tee shot to pull two clear at 12 under, and suddenly, it was all eyes on Rose, who had an eagle chance at the 13th to tie the lead.

It strayed left, and when he missed his birdie putt coming back, the defending champion was officially back in the driving seat with the par-5 13th up next.

After a monster drive, McIlroy’s second went beyond the green, but at least it missed the water, unlike at the same hole a year ago.

After putting onto the green, he made a crucial birdie to depart Amen Corner with a lead by three moments after Young settled for par. Meanwhile, at the 15th, Scheffler holed a long birdie putt to join Young and three others in a tie for second.

One hole later, Scheffler moved solo second with another birdie to cut McIlroy's lead to two, with Rose joining the American with a birdie at the 15th.

Eventually, Scheffler finished with a par at the 18th to head to the clubhouse on 11 under, two behind McIlroy, and minutes later, the leader produced a beautifully judged putt onto the green at the 16th to leave a tap-in for par to maintain his cushion.

A bogey on the 17th saw Rose fall three back of McIlroy before finishing on 10 under, and with Young on the same score, the leader just needed to hold his nerve.

After missing the green right with his second, McIlroy almost chipped in for birdie before tapping in for par.

That left one remit: avoid disaster on the 72nd hole. He almost didn't, as his tee shot flew into the trees to the right of the fairway.

Crucially, he had an opening and found a bunker with his second before digging it out to leave two putts to take the title.

The first went right but it left a tap-in, which he converted to win the Green Jacket for the second consecutive year.

Many things set The Masters apart from any other tournament, with an array of quirks and traditions that you won’t find anywhere else.

Going hand-in-hand with those, the iconic course that hosts the Major each year, Augusta National, is also a haven of landmarks and features that have become synonymous with the occasion.

There’s the iconic tree-lined entrance to the property, Magnolia Lane, as well as the daunting three-hole stretch of Amen Corner between the 11th and 13th, while there’s also Rae’s Creek, which also helps define the back nine, along with its famous bridges.

There are several iconic buildings, too, not least the clubhouse, which houses the Crow’s Nest, where amateurs stay during the tournament. There’s also a series of cabins, of which surely the most famous is the Butler Cabin.

The Butler Cabin is best known as the place where, each year, the winner receives his Green Jacket from the previous champion in the presence of chairman Fred Ridley, broadcast for all to see on TV.

However, there’s more to it than that. Here are five things to know about the property...

It Didn't Always Host The Green Jacket Ceremony

The Butler Cabin didn’t come along until 1964, 30 years after the first edition of The Masters, and, originally, it hadn’t been intended as a place for the TV cameras.

In 1965, Jack Nicklaus became the first winner to have an interview in the Butler Cabin and the rest is history.

To this day, it serves as CBS Sports' broadcast headquarters during the tournament, as well as the place where the champion receives the Green Jacket.

What's Its Main Use?

For 51 weeks of the year, the Butler Cabin is used as it was originally intended – a place to stay for Augusta National members and their guests.

In keeping with the secretive nature of Augusta National, not much has been revealed about the layout, but, as well as the famous room where the ceremony takes place each year, it also has a couple of bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen.

Origin Of The Name

The cabin is named after a prominent former member of Augusta National, Thomas B. Butler.

One of his friends was former US president Dwight Eisenhower, who also had a cabin named after him at the course, Eisenhower Cabin.

A plaque bearing Butler’s name is on the front door of the Butler Cabin.

It Has A Hidden Entrance

The cabin, which is located just north of the 10th tee, has an entrance not many get to see.

The champion is not led through the front or back door of the property following his win. Instead, he is taken to the side of the building overlooking the Par 3 Course before being taken through a hidden side entrance.

A Rare Privilege

Very few players ever set foot in the Butler Cabin. One is the winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur, which takes place the week before The Masters, who is presented with the trophy there by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley.

After The Masters, the previous champion and his successor are guaranteed entrance to the property for the trophy presentation. There is room for one more player, too, but only if he makes the cut.

One player is named The Masters low amateur, as long as a non-professional makes it beyond the halfway point, and he is another invited to the exclusive ceremony following the event, which also includes Ridley and CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz.

There will be no leading amateur this year, however, as all six missed the cut.

The ceremony takes place in front of the fireplace at Butler Cabin, above which hangs a picture of the club’s co-founder, Bobby Jones.

On the subject of the fireplace, it also took center stage during the holiday season of 2023, when the official YouTube channel of The Masters presented footage of it decked out in decorations while a yule log burned.

After losing his cool and smashing up the a tee box on the final day of The Masters, Sergio Garcia has spoken to the press and admitted he's not happy with his own actions.

We haven't seen the best of the LIV Golf League star since his win in Hong Kong last year, but it's important to remember Garcia is still a former Masters champion after his victory at Augusta National in 2017.

However, his latest appearance at The Masters ended on a sour note, after a display of anger saw the Spaniard reprimanded by Geoff Yang, the chairman of the competition committee.

Starting the day 16 shots behind leaders Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young, it was always going to be tough for Garcia on Sunday.

He didn't help matters, though, when he sent his second tee shot spiraling into the bunker. Clearly unhappy with his effort, Garcia smashed the ground with his driver before hitting the water cooler at the side of the tee box.

Garcia's driver did not survive the incident, and the tee box had to be repaired quickly by staff at Augusta.

Speaking to the press after the round, in which he shot a 75 to finish +8 for the week, Garcia admitted an unsavory moment like that had been coming.

When asked about his frustrations, Garcia said: "Through the year. Yeah [that's been building]. Just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens."

Garcia was later spoken to on the course, but he was clearly not in the mood to talk about it when quizzed by the media. "I'm not going to tell you," he replied when asked what was said, before later insisting they skip to the "next question" when another journalist tried to probe.

In a brief and frosty interview, Garcia blamed "bad golf" and "bad shots" for his poor performances at Augusta since 2017.

He also shot down a question where a journalist asked if this is the result of what has been a disappointing year so far, saying: "No, it's not a combination of everything. It's fine. It's what it is. You've just got to deal with it."

This is not the first time Garcia has been guilty of a meltdown on a golf course, either. Back in 2019, he was disqualified from the Saudi International event after damaging a number of greens.

He also snapped his driver at The Open Championship last year during the final round. The solution is pretty simple, at least on the day, though. As Garcia says, "I just have to hit 3-wood all the time."

Never one to do things the easy way, Rory McIlroy successfully defended his Masters title by a single stroke in a tumultuous final round at Augusta National to become a six-time Major champion.

The Northern Irishman was ahead by as many as six shots earlier in the week but was pegged back on Saturday and started the final round neck and neck with Cameron Young.

An uncertain start saw the 36-year-old fall two off the lead before the turn, but McIlroy recalibrated and charged down the back nine as each of his rivals slowly but surely fell away.

In the end, Scottie Scheffler provided the closest challenge as he set the clubhouse target at 11-under-par.

But, despite a tour of the right-hand trees down 18 which jangled the nerves of his fans one last time, McIlroy holed out with a closing bogey to clinch the title on 12-under.

As a result of his second Masters title, one of the greats of the modern game has earned a colossal $4.5 million winner's check.

McIlroy's prize is up $300,000 from last year after The Masters confirmed its overall payout had increased from $21 million in 2025 to $22.5 million this time around. That makes it one of the most lucrative tournaments in the sport, but still not quite the richest.

Consequently, the man from Holywood, Northern Ireland also becomes the highest earner ever at The Masters, vaulting past Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and surpassing the $12 million mark.

The only other man to reach $10 million earned at The Masters is the player who ended second in 2026 - Scheffler. The World No.1 finished with a closing 68 (-4) to bank a cool $2.43 million as well as claiming a host of other perks as the runner-up.

Going a little further down the list, everyone who finished the week inside the top-40 has scooped a payout of over $100,000.

The riches don't stop there, either. Because even those professionals who missed the cut will take away a consolation prize of $25,000.

Below is the full prize money payout at The Masters in 2026.

THE MASTERS PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN

All professionals who did not qualify for the final 36 holes received $25,000.

THE MASTERS PRIZE MONEY THROUGH THE YEARS

In 2025 Rory McIlroy won The Masters, completing the career Grand Slam in the process.

A year on, and the defending champion was firmly in contention to win it again in his bid to become only the fourth player to claim back-to-back titles.

Another rare achievement that would come McIlroy's way with victory would be joining the list of wire-to-wire Masters winners (inclusive of co-leads).

McIlroy co-led with Sam Burns after the opening round, with both players on five under, before a late birdie blitz on Friday saw him open up a six-shot advantage – the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history.

While that seemed all but unassailable, even at that relatively early stage, McIlroy was pegged back in the third round, partly as he faltered around Amen Corner and partly because of some low scores from his rivals.

At one point, McIlroy even fell to second, with Cameron Young briefly holding the outright lead, but by the end of the day, he had wrestled back a semblance of control to share the lead with Young at 11 under.

So, which other players was McIlroy bidding to emulate in 2026?

In total, there have been five wire-to-wire winners of The Masters where they had the solo lead after each round, and six where they co-led for at least one round. Here are the details.

Horton Smith (1934)

The very first Masters, then called the Augusta National Invitation Tournament, saw a wire-to-wire winner, with Horton Smith co-leading after the first round, before opening a one-shot gap on two players at the halfway stage.

A round of 70 maintained that advantage over Billy Burke after 54 holes, before he held off Craig Wood by one with a 72 in the final round.

Craig Wood (1941)

The eighth edition of The Masters saw the first wire-to-wire winner that didn't involve a co-lead, courtesy of Craig Wood.

The American made a flying start, leading four players by five after the first round, and though his lead was down to three at the halfway stage, he only had Byron Nelson breathing down his neck.

A 71 was enough for Wood to maintain that gap after the third round, this time with Sammy Byrd in second.

In the final round, Wood had a scare when Nelson caught him on the front nine, but he went two under over the back nine to beat him by three.

Jimmy Demaret (1947)

Demaret’s second Masters title began with a 69 as he co-led with Byron Nelson after the first round.

A 71 in the second round gave him a share of the lead with Cary Middlecoff, with a two-under 70 in the third round seeing him take the solo lead by three.

He won the title with a final round of 71 to finish on seven under, two better than Nelson and amateur Frank Stranahan.

Arnold Palmer (1960)

Arnold Palmer claimed his second Masters title in three years with a wire-to-wire win in 1960.

A five-under 67 in the first round gave him a lead of two over Fred Hawkins, Claude Harmon and Jay Hebert, and he still held the solo lead after the second round despite a one-over 73, with Walter Burkemo his nearest rival.

A 72 in the third round maintained his slender advantage with five players right behind him, before he carded a two-under 70 in the final round to beat Ken Venturi by two.

Arnold Palmer (1964)

Palmer won The Masters for the fourth time in 1964 when he beat Bruce Devlin.

On the way to getting the better of the Australian, he shared the lead with four after 18 holes, before a 68 in the second round gave him an advantage of four over Gary Player.

Palmer led Devlin by five after the third round, and that remained the gap after the winning putt went in.

Jack Nicklaus (1972)

Jack Nicklaus won The Masters for the fourth time in 1972, helped by a four-under 68 in the first round to set him on his way, as Sam Snead lurked one back.

There was still little room for error for Nicklaus at the halfway stage as he moved to five under with Paul Harney just one adrift.

It remained that tight with 18 holes to play as Nicklaus led Jim Jamieson by one.

In the final round, Nicklaus went two over, but, even though it brought his score back to two under, he was the only player to finish under par, with Bruce Crampton, Tom Weiskopf and Bobby Mitchell three back on one over.

Raymond Floyd (1976)

Raymond Floyd claimed his one Masters title in some style in 1976. His challenge could barely have started any better, with a seven-under 65 to lead Andy North by one after 18 holes.

A 66 in the second round gave him a five-shot advantage over Nicklaus, before the gap grew to eight over the Golden Bear with a two-under 70 in the third round.

He never looked like letting it slip in the final round, with another 70 seeing him home by eight ahead of Ben Crenshaw on 17 under.

Floyd's 270 set a new 72-hole scoring record, which was finally beaten by Tiger Woods by one 21 years later.

Seve Ballesteros (1980)

Europe’s first winner of The Masters was the Spaniard, who shared a first-round lead of two with David Graham and Jeff Mitchell.

By the end of the second round, he had the lead to himself, by four over Graham and Rex Caldwell.

His third sub-70 round moved him to 13 under, seven clear of Ed Fiori.

In the final round, Ballesteros’s lead was reduced to two after he found the water at 12 and 13, before he composed himself to beat Gibby Gilbert and Jack Newton by four.

Trever Immelman (2008)

Immelman and Justin Rose shot rounds of 68 to co-lead after the first round of the 2008 Masters, but another 68 meant the South African had the solo lead at the halfway stage, with Brandt Snedeker in second.

A three-under 68 in the third round increased Immelman’s lead over Snedeker to two, before he beat Tiger Woods by three, despite going three-over in the final round.

Jordan Spieth (2015)

The first of Spieth’s three Major titles came at the 2015 Masters.

He led by three after a first-round 64 that included nine birdies, with Jason Day, Ernie Els, Charley Hoffman and Justin Rose in pursuit.

A 66 in the second round meant his lead remained five, with Hoffman in solo second.

After the third round, Spieth’s lead was reduced to four with a 70 as Justin Rose’s 67 made him the closest challenger.

The following day, another 70 matched Woods’ 72-hole scoring record to finish on 18 under, with Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose four behind.

Dustin Johnson (2020)

The 2020 Masters was held in November because of the COVID-19 pandemic, where Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey and Dylan Frittelli all shot rounds of 65 to lead by one in the first round.

After the second round, five players – Johnson, Abraham Ancer, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Cameron Smith – co-led, with Johnson carding a two-under round of 70.

The decisive move came from Johnson in the third round, with a bogey-free 65 to lead Ancer, Smith and Sungjae Im by four, with the winning margin over the two becoming five with a final round of 68 as Johnson finished on 20 under with a record score of 268.

It took him a while to do it, but Cameron Young is now adding victories to the huge potential that earned him the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award in 2021/22.

After 94 starts and seven runner-up finishes, Young claimed his maiden PGA Tour title in style, beating Mac Meissner by six at the 2025 Wyndham Championship.

At the time, many thought it would be the catalyst for more victories in relatively short order, and that was indeed the case, with Young winning the biggest event of his career just seven months later at The Players Championship.

Less than a year earlier, Young had been in a slump, falling out of the world’s top 50, but suddenly he was in the top five. So, could he live up to that billing in his next start, The Masters?

After three rounds, it certainly looked that way, with Young joining Rory McIlroy at the top of the leaderboard with 18 holes to play.

But who does Young rely on to help his game and keep his feet on the ground? Here are the key members of his team…

Cameron Young's Coach – David Young

Young’s coach is none other than his dad, David. Young Sr enjoyed a long and successful career as a PGA of America Golf Professional, and was the head professional of Sleepy Hollow Country Club in New York.

Therefore, it makes sense for David to assist his son in his career.

David told PGA.com what makes the arrangement so successful, saying: “It just works. We think a lot alike. When we golf together, when we hit balls together, it never feels forced, even when we work on his swing.”

Cameron Young's Caddie – Kyle Sterbinsky

Young’s career resurgence can be partly attributed to his decision to bring in Kyle Sterbinsky as his caddie.

Sterbinsky is a former Wake Forest University teammate of Young’s and came on board for the 2025 Truist Championship.

It was initially a temporary arrangement, but when Young placed T7, Sterbinsky, who had a professional career largely on mini tours, stayed on.

Just three months later, Sterbinsky guided Young to his maiden PGA Tour title at the Wyndham Championship, while in September 2025, he was alongside him as he impressed in his maiden Ryder Cup appearance.

In March 2026, the partnership had its biggest success to date, when Young held off Matt Fitzpatrick to win The Players Championship, before he went on to share the 54-hole lead with Rory McIlroy at The Masters.

Cameron Young's Wife - Kelsey Dalition

Young’s wife is Kelsey Dalition. The pair married in a private ceremony in 2021, but they’d known each other for most of their lives.

Dalition isn’t a big golf fan, but that appears to work to Young’s advantage. As he explained in an interview with The Journal News, later cited by Golfweek, it helps him switch off from the game.

He said: “It’s actually great for me, because the last thing I want to do when I get home is answer questions like, ‘Why’d you pull a 9-iron on 16?’ That would make my head explode, so that’s been a blessing.”

The pair’s private life is conducted largely out of the spotlight, although Kelsey has been seen with her husband at events, including the Masters Par-3 Contest.

They have three children, Henry and John and daughter Vivienne.

Cameron Young's Sports Psychologist – Dr Bhrett McCabe

Another key member of Young’s team whose arrival coincided with his upturn in form is sports psychologist Dr Bhrett McCabe, with the pair linking up in early 2025.

McCabe gave an insight into how he has helped Young in an interview on The Smylie Show after his win at The Players Championship, suggesting he needed to let go of perfectionism.

McCabe said: “One of the things I challenged him on was this idea that you have to hit perfect shots coming down the stretch.”

He added: “When you believe in yourself to face anything, you can face anything. When you believe it has to be perfect or it should be perfect, then you then you get down on yourself.”

The Masters concluded on Sunday as Rory McIlroy retained the Green Jacket at Augusta and you can watch replays of his win for free in the US thanks to Masters.com.

Rory McIlroy shot a 71 to secure the victory on -12 with Scottie Scheffler one shot behind him on -11.

So read on as we show you how to watch free Masters.com replays from anywhere in the world using a VPN.

The Masters 2026: Free Replay

In the US, golf fans are in massive luck as Masters.com are streaming replays of the final round for free. Every shot, every moment at no cost.

🌎 Outside the US? You need a VPN — NordVPN is our favourite to unblock Masters.com and stream the action free of charge.

Watch The Masters 2026 from anywhere

If you are outside your usual country, you can still access the free Masters coverage even when you're away from home, thanks to a handy piece of software known as a VPN.

Our expert colleagues over at TechRadar have tested loads of VPNs and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there right now.

The Masters Free Coverage: Need to Know

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The atmosphere at Augusta National always has a way of sharpening the mind, but it was Gary Player’s recent comments during the Masters press conference that truly set my brain whirring. When a legend of the game suggests the ball needs to be rolled back a staggering 60 yards, it’s impossible not to sit up and take notice.

However, while Player’s hyperbole grabbed the headlines, it prompted me to put pen to paper on a much more pressing concern: the sheer madness of implementing a universal rollback without a single real-world professional trial.

The powers that be have clearly made their move. They’ve decided the ball is the primary lever to pull to "protect" the game’s future. While I don’t doubt there is a mountain of R&D data and wind-tunnel research to substantiate this hypothesis, data is not a substitute for the heat of Sunday afternoon in a localized breeze.

What is stopping the governing bodies from hosting a trial tournament - or even a series of them - to test numerous options?

The Blind Spot in the Data

It seems as though almost every player and pundit within the game has weighed in on the topic at some point, with many expressing serious concerns that the ball rollback is a blunt instrument for a complex and nuanced problem. The community has offered up a buffet of alternative solutions, such as limiting driver clubhead size to reward precision, stricter MOI and COR limits to reduce forgiveness, or even increased fairway grass lengths to negate excessive ground roll.

I recently inadvertently put one of these theories to the test. For an upcoming Golf Monthly YouTube video, I competed in a GB&I PGA event using a 130cc driver.

The experience was eye-opening, and I have never been more convinced that this would be a better route for the authorities to take.

At that size, the penalties for missing the center of the clubface are so severe that I am certain they would immediately deter even the most elite professionals from "swinging out of their boots" without a care in the world on every tee box.

If a player did decide to go full tilt and caught it flush, the resulting reward would be a genuine reflection of elite skill, and the jeopardy of such a tightrope would make for fascinating watching, in my opinion.

Yet, despite these viable alternatives, to me, the authorities seem to have drawn their conclusions in a vacuum.

It strikes me as nothing short of arrogant to bypass the "beta testing" phase of such a seismic decision with wide-reaching consequences. A world-class stand-up comedian doesn’t head straight to an arena tour with a fresh script; they spend months in small, sweaty clubs performing warm-up gigs to see which jokes land and which ones tank. Why does golf's leadership think they can skip the "warm-up" for a rule change that affects every golfer on the planet?

Players like Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and Scottie Scheffler could probably tell you within 18 holes of tournament play whether a specific rollback has the desired effect for competitive professional golf. They are the ultimate barometers of the game and could offer far more nuance and tangible feedback than any wind tunnel could. Engaging them and a full field of tour professionals in an objective, tournament experiment would allow us to see exactly which swing speeds, delivery types, and archetypes of players are most adversely affected.

I truly believe, with so much at stake, many of the world's best players would be more than amenable to partaking in such an event, allowing them a platform to contribute to the decision, at least around the professional game.

Heck, we could even get creative. Why not a four-day experimental event where different solutions are tested each day?

Thursday: The proposed rolled-back ball.

Friday: Reduced MOI/small-headed drivers.

Saturday: A combination of both.

Sunday: Heightened course setup variables.

With so much unrest and division surrounding this topic, a transparent, televised experiment would help make the players and fans feel included. If the rollback is truly the savior of the game, prove it on the fairway first. To do otherwise isn't just a risk - it's madness.

Watch a replay of the Final Round of The Masters from anywhere in the world as Rory McIlroy secured a sixth Major of his career. Golf Monthly bring you all the information on TV channels, live streaming, free coverage, and how to watch a replay of the final round of The Masters 2026.

Rory McIlroy and drama at The Masters, he just cannot escape it. After a stunning 65 on Friday took the Northern Irishman to 12 under for the tournament, it looked like a procession might follow. But it is never that simple for the five-time major winner, and a one-over round on Saturday has allowed a raft of names back into contention heading into the final round.

Among those hoping to apply pressure are joint leader Cameron Young, one back Sam Burns, and the ever-reliable Justin Rose. Scottie Scheffler is not too far away either, trailing the co-leaders by just four shots after a brilliant seven-under in round three.

You are not going to want to miss this one. So read on as Golf Monthly shows you the best ways to watch the final round of the Masters Tournament.

Watch The Masters 2026 Final Round for FREE

The Final Round of The Masters is free to watch in the US on Masters.com.

🚨 Outside the US today? You can still get your usual access while abroad by using a VPN – more on that below.

Watch The Masters Final Round from anywhere

You can still access your usual streaming services even when you're away from home, thanks to a handy piece of software known as a VPN.

Our expert colleagues over at TechRadar have tested loads of VPNs and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there right now.

Watch The Masters Final Round in the US

The Final Round of The Masters in the US will be shown on Paramount Plus and CBS.

Final Round of The Masters on CBS and Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus will have the opening two hours of coverage of The Masters on Sunday before it shifts over to CBS. To watch CBS, you have multiple options: watch it on linear TV, use cord-cutting services like YouTube TV (10-day free trial) and DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial), or stream the simulcast on Paramount Plus...

▶︎ Find Out More: How To Watch Golf In The USA

Watch The Masters Final Round in the UK

The Final Round of The Masters will be shown on Sky Sports, with coverage starting at 4:30pm BST. Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event will be the go to channels.

Prices for Sky Sports start at £22/month, but you can also get access to it through NOW Sports for £14.99/day.

► Find out more: How To Watch Golf In The UK: TV, Streaming, Pricing For Sky Sports Golf And More

How to watch The Masters Final Round in Canada

In Canada, the final round of The Masters will be broadcast by TSN, specifically the main feed will be on the TSN1 channel.

You can get a TSN+ subscription for $8 per month which includes featured groups and select holes but to get the main TV coverage on TSN1 you'll need the standard TSN subscription, which costs CA$24.99 per month.

How to watch The Masters Final Round in Australia

In Australia, the final round of The Masters 2026 will be on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports in Australia.

Fox Sports will carry TV coverage on channel 503 with Kayo Sports the streaming home of Fox's coverage of The Masters. You can get a 7-day free trial or pay just $1 for your first month making it a cost effective option for the Masters.

The Masters Final Round Q+A

The Masters Final Round Tee Times

All times EDT

• 9.06am: Aaron Rai, Charl Schwartzel
• 9.17am: Gary Woodland, Kurt Kitayama
• 9.28am: Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia
• 9.39am: Si Woo Kim, Rasmus Hojgaard
• 9.50am: Keegan Bradley, Dustin Johnson
• 10.01am: Matt McCarty, Corey Conners
• 10.12am: Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas
• 10.23am: Alex Noren, Maverick McNealy
• 10.45am: Adam Scott, Marco Penge
• 10.56am: Harris English, Samuel Stevens
• 11.07am: Brian Harman, Jordan Spieth
• 11.18am: Sungjae Im, Hideki Matsuyama
• 11.29am: Sepp Straka, Jacob Bridgeman
• 11.40am: Chris Gotterup, Kristoffer Reitan
• 11.51am: Michael Brennan, Max Homa
• 12.13pm: Nick Taylor, Matt Fitzpatrick
• 12.24pm: Ludvig Aberg, Brian Campbell
• 12.35pm: Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood
• 12.46pm: Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark
• 12.57pm: Ryan Gerard, Xander Schauffele
• 1.08pm: Jake Knapp, Ben Griffin
• 1.30pm: Patrick Reed, Collin Morikawa
• 1.41pm: Patrick Cantlay, Russell Henley
• 1.52pm: Scottie Scheffler, Haotong Li
• 2.03pm: Jason Day, Justin Rose
• 2.14pm: Sam Burns, Shane Lowry
• 2.25pm: Cameron Young, Rory McIlroy

The Masters Final Round: Leaderboard

The Masters Final Round: TV schedule and timings

Saturday 12th April - Final:
US (ET): 12pm-2pm (Paramount Plus), 2pm-7pm (CBS)
UK (GMT): 4:30pm-12.30am (Sky Sports Golf) & 7pm-12.30am (Sky Sports Main Event) Australia (AEDT): 4am-9am (Fox Sports 503/Kayo) - Monday
Canada (ET): 2pm-7pm (TSN1)

Who are the featured groups for the final round?

9.28am: Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia

10.12am: Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas

12.35pm: Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood

1.30pm: Patrick Reed, Collin Morikawa

Can I watch The Masters Final Round for free?

Yes, as alluded to previously Masters.com will broadcast the final round completely free in the US.

You can also watch via the app with options to watch Featured Groups, Amen Corner and other broadcasts included.

Outside the US? NordVPN can help to unblock your free stream.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

After two rounds of The Masters, it appeared destined to have a very different feel to the 2025 edition, even if it seemed likely to have the same winner.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy took control of proceedings on Friday with a late birdie blitz that saw him move to 12-under with a lead of six – the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history.

During his seven-under 65, McIlroy appeared unburdened by the stresses that had hounded him at Augusta National during his long pursuit of the Green Jacket.

So, would we see more of the same on Saturday? Or were there more twists to come?

The answer was decisively the latter, as McIlroy’s erratic round of 73 bore more resemblance to his rollercoaster Sunday a year ago than the previous day’s brilliance.

The alarm bells began ringing early, as McIlroy bogeyed the first before making amends with a birdie on the third.

While that kept him on an even keel, the trouble for the champion was that others were eating into his lead, with the likes of Patrick Reed, Sam Burns, Cameron Young and Shane Lowry, who made a hole-in-one at the sixth, all closing the gap as McIlroy embarked on a run of pars.

At the start of the second nine, McIlroy remained at 12-under, the same score he began the day on, with Young, at the 15th, just one back.

McIlroy’s second birdie of his round at the 10th gave him breathing space, and soon after, it got even better for him when Young found the water with a misjudged third at the 15th, resulting in a bogey.

With the opportunity to reestablish control available, instead, on the 11th, McIlroy emulated Young, with his ball rolling into the pond, leading to his first double bogey of the week.

That pegged McIlroy back to 11 under, with Young just one behind, and on the 16th, he joined him at the top with his eighth birdie of the day.

Incredibly, soon after, McIlroy’s huge advantage at the start of the day vanished completely with a bogey at the 12th as Young took the solo lead by one.

Despite McIlroy’s struggles, he launched an encouraging recovery with back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th to regain the lead, but another bogey at the 17th put him one over for the day and level with Young, before his birdie putt at the 18th stayed out.

Afterwards, McIlroy remained determined to stay positive. He said: "I'm still tied for the best score going into tomorrow, so I can't forget that, but I do know I'm going to have to be better if I want to have a chance to win."

Like last year, McIlroy will be in the final group, albeit alongside Young rather than Bryson DeChambeau this time around.

He feels that it is a more comfortable pairing than the one he faced a year ago. He added: "I'd like to think that I'll play a little bit freer and I'll play, you know, like I've already got a Green Jacket, which I do.

"Sometimes I maybe just have to remind myself of that, but I think as well that the stakes in terms of, like, the pairing will be just a little bit easier.

"You know, the atmosphere out there will be a little bit easier. Yeah, I'm not worried about that at all. I wish I was a few shots better off, but I'm comfortable. I played with Cam the first two days. Playing with him again tomorrow. I think it's a comfortable group for both of us.

Right behind the leaders is Sam Burns, just one back, while Lowry is on nine under in fourth. Jason Day and Justin Rose are tied for fifth on eight under, three back of the leaders.

McIlroy and Young begin at 2.25pm local time on Sunday.

For many golf fans, Augusta National doesn’t need any introduction, with the Georgia course holding iconic status worldwide.

The venue is best known as the home of The Masters, with the course having held every edition since its inception in 1934. However, there is far more to the property than you might think.

Here are 30 things you might not know about Augusta National.

Augusta National Facts

1. The 365-acre property purchased to build Augusta National was called Fruitland Nurseries and was once an indigo plantation.

2. The property was acquired for $70,000.

3. The canopy of magnolia trees on Magnolia Lane was planted in the 1850s.

4. Some of the trees were lost, along with others on the course, when Hurricane Helene hit Augusta National in 2024.

5. Co-founder Bobby Jones suggested the name Augusta National.

6. Dr. Alister MacKenzie, who designed Cypress Point, was the course architect, with it opening in December 1932.

7. The Masters wasn’t held between 1943 and 1945 because of the Second World War, but during the conflict, cattle and turkeys were raised on the Augusta National grounds to help the war effort.

8. In 1941, an underground network of telephone cables was installed for the course’s scoring system.

9. Magnolia Lane used to be a dirt path until it was paved in 1947.

10. The first of three historic bridges, the Sarazen Bridge, was opened in 1955. Three years later, the Nelson Bridge and the Hogan Bridge opened.

11. The Par 3 Course opened 26 years after Augusta National, in 1958.

12. Each hole is named after flowers or trees found on that hole.

13. As revealed by Kevin Kisner on the Fore Play Podcast, there are underground tunnels at Augusta National. One goes under the driving range to the clubhouse. According to Kisner: “You take an elevator to your locker room from your car without ever seeing a human.”

14. There is no rough at Augusta National. Instead, there is a second cut, which is kept at 1 3/8in.

15. Rae’s Creek is named after John Rae, who died in 1789. Rae’s house on the Savannah River protected residents from attacks when Fort Augusta was out of reach.

16. The famous three-hole stretch between the 11th and 13 known as Amen Corner was named by Sports Illustrated journalist Herbert Warren Wind in 1958. He gave it the name in a report on Arnold Palmer’s Masters victory. Wind said the name came from the title of a jazz record he had heard in the mid-1930s called, Shouting in that Amen Corner.

17. If it's raining at Augusta National but you can't spot muddy patches while watching The Masters on TV, there's a good reason - green gravel on the patron walkways, which almost perfectly matches the color of the grass.

18. Augusta National’s 17th fairway once had a famous loblolly pine tree.. It was named the Eisenhower Tree after the US President Dwight Eisenhower lobbied to have it pulled down because it interfered with his game. He didn’t succeed, and it stood there until 2014, when it was removed because of damage from an ice storm.

19. One famous tree still at the course is the Big Oak Tree, on the golf course side of the clubhouse. It was planted in the 1850s and is known as a long-standing meeting place for members and officials during Masters week.

20. Famous cabins at Augusta National are Butler Cabin and Eisenhower Cabin, but there are other cabins, too, including Dogwood Cabin, Golden Bell Cabin, Payne Cabin and Jones Cabin.

21. The clubhouse is the home of the Crow’s Nest, a dorm-style accommodation on the third floor, where amateurs in the Masters field stay.

22. In front of the clubhouse is the Founders Circle, which features two plaques dedicated to founding members Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts.

23. The flowerbed at Founders Circle is of The Masters logo. It is filled with yellow chrysanthemums in the fall before giving way to pansies by Thanksgiving.

24. There is a bronze plaque dedicated to Arnold Palmer at a drinking fountain behind the 16th tee. Another, dedicated to Jack Nicklaus, is affixed to a drinking fountain between the 16th and 17th holes.

25. Other landmarks at Augusta National include Ike’s Pond, Record Fountain and the Par 3 Fountain.

26. Augusta National may value tradition, but there is modernity, too, including a SubAir system, which is used to regulate moisture levels and provide aeration and heat control.

27. The famous white sand bunkers of Augusta National are the color they are because they don't really contain sand, but granulated quartz.

28. There are no visible corporate logos anywhere on the course.

29. The club is only open for part of the year. It shuts after The Masters and reopens in the fall.

30. The course record is 63, set by Nick Price in 1986 and matched by Greg Norman a decade later.

The third round of The Masters at Augusta National is proving to be a thrilling affair, with leader Rory McIlroy facing early pressure from the likes of Sam Burns and Patrick Reed in his bid for back-to-back titles.

Another player well in the mix is Shane Lowry, and he did his chances no harm at all with a hole-in-one at the sixth.

Lowry's tee shot at the par-3 looked promising from the start, and from the moment the ball fell out of the sky and landed just a few feet in front of the cup, there was only one destination.

Naturally, its completion was met with euphoria, and no more so than from the man himself, with Lowry embarking on fist-pumping celebrations before being congratulated by playing partner Tommy Fleetwood and the caddies.

Watch: Shane Lowry's Masters Hole-In-One

The 39-year-old is in the hunt for his first Green Jacket, with his best Augusta National performance to date coming with a T3 in 2022.

The ace moved the 2019 Open champion to second, four behind leader Rory McIlroy on eight under.

Lowry is certainly no stranger to aces, and at iconic venues, too. In 2025, he made a hole-in-one at the seventh at Pebble Beach to add to previous aces at the famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass in 2022 and another at Augusta National, on that occasion the 16th, back in 2016.

As if to prove it's not just bucket list courses where Lowry collects his aces, he also made one at the Texas Children's Houston Open in March!

Lowry's latest hole-in-one is just the seventh at Augusta National's sixth in Masters history after Leland Gibson and Billy Joe Patton in 1954, Charles Coody in 1972, Chris DiMarco in 2004, Jamie Donaldson in 2013 and Corey Conners in 2021.

Thanks to his magical moment, Lowry will be awarded a large crystal bowl as a prize. However, he would surely trade that if it ends up being decisive in securing something even more precious - his first Green Jacket.

Rory McIlroy’s glittering career is going from strength to strength, with the Northern Irishman accumulating a near-endless list of accolades and achievements.

The huge success he has enjoyed in the latest phase of his career is partly down to the man who has been on his bag since 2017, his best friend, Harry Diamond.

Diamond was alongside McIlroy at the scene of his greatest triumph, when he overcame Justin Rose in the first playoff hole to win the 2025 Masters and complete the Career Grand Slam.

That came at the end of a draining afternoon that saw McIlroy squander a two-stroke lead early on, before regaining it and stretching the advantage to four, then, agonizingly, bogeying the 18th to miss out on the Green Jacket in regulation.

Despite their huge success, one thing McIlroy and Diamond had never achieved together was a Major title, with numerous heartbreaking near misses over the years.

As McIlroy faced the prospect of a playoff, surely he'd have had a fleeting thought that, once again, he might be denied, and this time in the most devastating manner of all.

That’s when Diamond stepped in with eight words that proved crucial at the most consequential moment of McIlroy's career: “We would have taken this on Monday morning.”

Afterwards, McIlroy said: “I’m like, ‘Yeah, absolutely we would have.’ That was an easy reset. He basically said to me, ‘Look, you would have given your right arm to be in a playoff at the start of the week.’ So that reframed it a little bit for me.”

We all know what happened next, as McIlroy steadied his nerves with a birdie to finally give him the Masters title - the last of the four Majors he needed to complete the set.

For any player, having the steadying influence of a man like Diamond would surely be invaluable, particularly at such a pivotal moment, but for McIlroy, their relationship goes even deeper than that.

McIlroy is well-known as a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, and that is no exception when it comes to his bond with Diamond.

When he returned to Augusta National to defend his title, he explained exactly what Diamond means to him.

“As an only child, he was like the big brother I never had, and I think that's what makes it so special," he said.

“Harry's got a little brother and a big sister, so he had that, but I always felt like Harry was my big brother. I think that's why, when I talk about it or - it's why it makes me emotional.”

After two rounds of the 2026 Masters, the pair were creating magic again, with McIlroy six clear – the largest 36-hole lead in the tournament's history.

With that huge advantage, it seemed almost certain that, over the closing 36 holes, McIlroy was set for a more comfortable time of it than a year ago.

There’s one thing for sure, though: if McIlroy does need some steadying words over the closing two rounds, in Diamond, he has the right man alongside him to deliver them.

After the first round of The Masters, there wasn’t too much in it at the top end of the leaderboard, with Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns leading the way on five under and seven others within three of the duo.

But what a difference a day makes, as a scintillating 65 from McIlroy in the second round moved him to 12 under, giving him an incredible six-shot advantage over Burns and Patrick Reed.

The defending champion clearly had the bit between his teeth in the opening round, particularly with a run of birdies between the 13th and 15th, but even in his wildest dreams, he surely didn’t anticipate the lead he would establish on Friday.

McIlroy got off to a lightning-fast start with birdies on the second, third and fourth to sweep into a three-shot lead.

A bogey at the fifth pegged him back, and when a run of pars followed, ending with another bogey at the 12th, his advantage had evaporated, with Reed joining him at six under.

Perhaps another year, when he was still chasing his first Augusta National title, he would have wilted, but not this time.

Instead, McIlroy reeled off six more birdies in his final seven holes to leave his rivals chasing shadows.

A year ago, McIlroy was two back of Justin Rose at the halfway stage before beating him in a playoff, but with the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history, he seems set for a far more comfortable time of it this year, even with so much golf still to play.

Following his round, McIlroy spoke to the press, where he revealed his preparation for the tournament was reaping rewards.

He said: "I've spent a lot of time up here over the past three weeks. Even though I haven't played tournament golf, I feel like being up here a lot and playing, I've prepared as well for this Masters as any other that I've played.

"I think all that work around the greens over the last three weeks has certainly paid off over the last two days."

Of course, there is still work to do, and McIlroy insisted he would concentrate on his own game, rather than others, over the remaining 36 holes.

He said: "I think the next two days for me is really about focusing on myself. It's hard to avoid those big leaderboards out there, but like I know that I've got a lead. So I don't need to keep checking it all the time.

"So for me, just really focusing on myself and staying in my own little world out there is the best thing."

In the top 10 at the halfway stage, the likes of Rose, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton await an unlikely McIlroy slip-up, while two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is tied for 24th.

He followed up and even-par 72 on Thursday with a two-over on Friday after his putter ran cold, saying afterwards: “I would like to hole a few more putts. I felt like it was rolling nice today, but just - balls just weren't dropping.”

Another player up against it is 2023 winner Jon Rahm, whose two-under 70 on Friday repaired some of the damage of a 78 on Thursday.

While they can at least prepare for the rest of the tournament, that isn’t an option for some big names, who missed the cut.

That includes one of the pre-tournament favorites, Bryson DeChambeau, who appeared to have done enough until a disastrous triple bogey on his final hole of the day saw him slip two shots beneath the cut line.

Other big names leaving Augusta National two days earlier than they would have liked include JJ Spaun, Robert MacIntyre and Cameron Smith, whose run of consecutive missed cuts at Majors now stands at six.

The Masters has the smallest field of all four men’s Majors, with just 91 teeing it up at the start of the week.

At the halfway stage, that has been reduced by 37, leaving 54 to progress to the weekend.

For the second consecutive day at Augusta National, the weather was warm and dry with plenty of sunshine as players sought to finish above the cut line, which was set at four over.

Safely into the third round are some of the pre-tournament favourites, including defending champion Rory McIlroy, the man he beat in a playoff a year ago, Justin Rose, two-time winner Scottie Scheffler and 2023 champion Jon Rahm.

Other stars preparing for the third round include 2018 winner Patrick Reed, 2015 champion Jordan Spieth, FedEx Cup winner Tommy Fleetwood and Cameron Young, who won The Players Championship in March.

As benign as Augusta National can look, swathed in the Georgia sunshine, it can still make even the world's best come a cropper, as several other stars found to their cost over the first 36 holes of The Masters.

Here are the big names who missed the cut at the 2026 Masters.

JJ Spaun: +5 (74, 75)

After winning the Valero Texas Open just four days before the opening round of The Masters, JJ Spaun would have been confident ahead of his third appearance. It didn't work out that way, though.

The US Open champion, who finished T23 in 2022 and 50th last year, got off to a poor start with a bogey on the opening hole.

By the end of the first round, he was two over – not incredible, but certainly not among the worst performers in the field.

However, needing at least the same again on Friday to make the cut, he instead performed slightly worse, making five bogeys and two birdies on the way to a three-over 75 to miss out by one.

Akshay Bhatia: +6 (73, 77)

The Arnold Palmer Invitational winner wouldn't have been too concerned after a one-over 73 on Thursday, but by the time his second round was drawing to a close, his place in the weekend looked in jeopardy.

After falling one beneath the cut line with a bogey at the 16th, Bhatia found himself in trouble in a greenside bunker at the 17th. He then did the hard work, getting out of jail with a brilliant birdie from the bunker to move back above the cut line.

He couldn't stay there, though, with a double at the 18th seeing him finish on six-over.

Bryson DeChambeau: +6 (76, 74)

If Bhatia's exit was a surprise, it was nothing compared to the shock of seeing Bryson DeChambeau miss the cut.

He came into the event after back-to-back wins on LIV Golf and as one of the tournament favorites.

DeChambeau, who placed T5 and T6 in the last two editions, didn't cover himself in glory on Thursday with some wayward iron play resulting in a four-over 76.

However, for much of the second round, he seemed to have done enough only for a disastrous triple bogey on the 18th to move him two beneath the cut line and out of the tournament.

Cameron Smith: +7 (74, 77)

The LIV Golfer's alarming run of consecutive missed cuts at Majors extended to six after a second round of 77 at Augusta National.

Smith began the day in a reasonable enough position, two over and looking to build on his overall excellent Masters record, which has seen him finish in the top 10 five times.

However, on Friday, Smith was two over by the turn, and it got even worse on the back nine, where he made two bogeys and a double to miss the cut by three on seven over.

That leaves him a month and a couple of LIV Golf events to try and iron out his problems before his next chance to end his poor run in recent Majors at the PGA Championship.

Robert MacIntyre: +7 (80, 71)

One of three players Spaun beat by one at TPC San Antonio a week ago was Robert MacIntyre. While narrowly missing out naturally left the Scot disappointed, all the signs pointed towards a solid week at Augusta National.

After all, he led for long periods of that event, while he has a good record in Majors, with five top-10s.

One nagging doubt was that The Masters is the only Major where he has yet to finish that high up the leaderboard, with a T12 five years ago his best performance.

MacIntyre was one under after his first four holes, but that was as good as it got. He suffered a nightmare at the par-5 15th on Thursday, with a quadruple bogey after finding the water twice on his way to an eight-over 80.

Later, MacIntyre was “reprimanded” by the Masters Committee after slamming his club down twice and gesturing with his middle finger at the 15th.

His mood won’t have been improved with a double-bogey at the first in his second round. He rallied from there, but ultimately finished on seven over to bring an end to his challenge after a frustrating two days.

Min Woo Lee: +11 (78, 77)

Min Woo Lee headed to his fifth consecutive Masters off the back of some excellent form, including three top 10 finishes since February.

His final event before turning his attention to the Major resulted in a T3 at the Texas Children's Houston Open, but there was no sign of that form at Augusta National.

Lee was up against it after a six-over opening round of 78 that included a double bogey at the 13th.

He was still in it heading to the back nine of his second round, but a dreadful run between the 12th and the 15th, when he went five over, meant he slumped to 11 over for the tournament and an early exit.

How All Six Amateurs In The Field Performed

There won't be a Masters low amateur in 2026 after all six in the field missed the cut.

Of the half dozen, Ethan Fang, who won The Amateur, and US Amateur runner-up Jackson Herrington fared the best, with both finishing eight over par.

Fang was just two over after the first round and eyeing up an extra two days. However, that ambition soon turned sour with a bogey followed by a double to begin his second round, eventually finishing with a six-over 78.

Herrington confidently said he was "aiming to win the tournament" beforehand, but he was up against it after a first round of 76 that included a double at the sixth. In the second round, he matched the score to leave with his head held high, but early.

Finishing on nine-over was the player who beat Herrington at the US Amateur, Mason Howell. He was grouped with defending champion Rory McIlroy in the first two rounds, but while McIlroy remained on course to claim back-to-back titles, Howell struggled at times.

He shot a five over 77 in the first round with a 76 in the second round to leave Augusta National early, too.

Thai player Fifa Laopakdee came from six shots behind to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and earn his Masters spot, but there were no similar heroics at Augusta National, with rounds of 80 and 75 as he went 11 over for the tournament.

Mateo Pulcini earned his spot by winning the 2025 Latin American Amateur, but the Argentinian found it tough going at The Masters, following a round of 81 on Thursday with a 78 on Friday for 15 over.

Joining him on that score is US Mid-Amateur champion Brandon Holtz, who also carded rounds of 81 and 78 to bow out early.

When Rory McIlroy has played his final round of competitive golf, likely several decades from now, there will be no shortage of highlights to look back on.

We already know they will include at least two Players Championship titles, Ryder Cup glory, and victories at the PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open.

However, even with so much time still to come in his career, it would have to be something very special indeed if completing the career Grand Slam at The Masters in 2025 isn't at the top of the list.

While the history books will show that McIlroy finally got to wear the Green Jacket for the first time after his 17th appearance at Augusta National, it doesn’t tell anything like the full story of his Masters career.

The Northern Irishman made his maiden Masters appearance in 2009, two years after turning professional. Even at that early stage, his talent was evident as he placed T20 in a highly creditable debut performance.

In 2010, McIlroy had what would turn out to be a rare failure at the Georgia layout, which most observers agree suits his game perfectly, when he missed the cut following rounds of 74 and 77, but a year later, that looked little more than a blip as he led by four going into the final round.

Fate had other ideas, though, with McIlroy suffering a disastrous capitulation that resulted in an 80 and finishing 15th.

Perhaps the demons of that lingered 12 months later, because, after solid rounds of 71 and 69 to reach the halfway stage of the 2012 Masters tied for third, he endured another unraveling, albeit not nearly as spectacular as a year earlier, ultimately placing in a tie for 40th.

A year later, there was more disappointment when any hopes McIlroy had of claiming the Green Jacket fell apart with a 79 in the third round, before he recovered with a 69 to finish T25 as Adam Scott won.

If the first five years of McIlroy’s Masters career had been mixed, to say the least, he was about to find a run of impressive consistency that suggested victory ought to be his one day.

That sequence began in 2014 when, after only making the cut by one, he went on to achieve his highest Masters finish at that point, with a T8.

A year later, he went closer still, improving as the week went on before placing fourth, six shots behind winner Jordan Spieth.

McIlroy again had one poor round to blame for not finishing higher in 2016, when a 77 in the third round put paid to his chances before he clambered back up the leaderboard to T10.

Another top-10 finish came in 2017 with a T7, where McIlroy’s final round of 69 was his best of the week as his good friend Sergio Garcia took the title.

In 2018, McIlroy was firmly in the hunt after a three-under 69 in the first round left him tied for fourth, and by the end of play on Saturday, he was second, three behind Patrick Reed.

However, in the final round, after missing a four-foot putt for eagle on the second that would have tied the lead, perhaps the writing was on the wall.

In the end, he slumped to a 74 to place tied for fifth as Reed took the title.

That brought a run of five consecutive top-10 finishes to an end for McIlroy, as a generally more subdued performance followed in 2019, until a four-under final round of 68 saw him finish in T21 as Tiger Woods claimed his fifth Masters title.

With one round to play of the Covid-19-delayed 2020 event, McIlroy had eight shots to make up on leader Dustin Johnson, but by the end, the gap had increased to nine despite a three-under 69 as he placed T5, with Johnson winning.

McIlroy was enduring a rare spell outside the world’s top 10 by the time the 2021 Masters came around, and he didn’t improve his ranking with a missed cut following rounds of 76 and 74.

A year later, we saw the return of the effervescent McIlroy that had come so close at The Masters before. This time, he began the final round tied for ninth before putting together a brilliant 64 that finished with a memorable birdie from a greenside bunker on the 18th.

That score tied the record for the low score in the final round of The Masters as he finished runner-up, as Scottie Scheffler cruised to the title by three.

Would 2023 finally be the year McIlroy conquered Augusta National? He certainly seemed cheerful enough as he went mic’d up during the first round on his way to an even-par 72, but a disastrous 77 in the second round saw him miss the cut for just the third time in his Masters career.

Despite a stacked schedule leading up to the tournament, there was never really a sense that McIlroy was firing on all cylinders going into the 2024 event, and so it proved, as he stuttered to a T22.

At that stage, it had been a decade since McIlroy’s fourth and most recent Major title, and he couldn’t add a fifth later that year, with a final-round collapse against Bryson DeChambeau at the US Open raising doubts as to whether he still had what it took to get over the line in the big events.

That brings us to the 2025 Masters, where two double-bogeys in an otherwise encouraging opening round saw McIlroy skip the media as another heartbreak seemed on the cards.

This time, though, he had other ideas, firing back with a 66 on Friday to move to T3, before repeating the score in the third round to lead Bryson DeChambeau by two.

This being McIlroy, he didn’t make it easy in the final round, putting fans through the emotional wringer as he quickly lost the lead, regained it, then extended it before letting it slip again in a rollercoaster final round.

Needing a par on the 18th to beat Justin Rose by one, he found a greenside bunker before missing a short putt that would have sealed the win.

After heading back to the 18th tee box for the playoff, this time, McIlroy made no mistake.

With his approach, he set up an inviting birdie chance, giving him a slight advantage over Rose, who was left with a longer putt for his birdie.

After Rose missed his chance, McIlroy steadied himself and rolled in the winning putt before sinking to his knees as the Green Jacket, finally, was his.

Rory McIlroy's Masters Record

For a lot golfers, The Masters is the best tournament on the planet. The reasons for this are plentiful and we don't need to delve into them right now.

But the long and the short of it is this - the year's first men's Major offers the greatest level of tradition, mystery and prestige. One of the biggest prize money payouts in the game probably doesn't hurt, either.

Nearly every pro dreams of making it to Augusta National at least once in their career, while a lucky few might even envisage slipping on a Green Jacket by the 18th green.

But, for each of the 91 professionals or amateurs involved this year, it's simply about making it through to the weekend in the first place before thinking about giving yourself half a chance come Sunday.

Before we look at the prize money involved, here is exactly how The Masters' cut rule works.

THE MASTERS CUT RULE EXPLAINED

After 36 holes are completed, the Masters field is cut to the low 50 players and ties.

This has changed over the years, with the first cut being put in place in 1957 - 23 years after the first edition of the tournament.

From 1957-61, the field was cut to the low 40 and ties before being changed the next year with the introduction of the 10-shot rule.

From 1962-2012, the field was cut to the low 44 and ties, with anyone within 10 strokes of the lead also making it through.

Over the next seven years, the 36-hole cut was expanded to the low 50 and ties - as well as anyone within 10 strokes of the leader.

More tweaks to the cut were made in 2020, which was when the 10-shot rule was scrapped.

Now, it's simply the low 50 and ties that earn the chance to play all four rounds and compete for that coveted Green Jacket.

But if the worst happens and a player's Masters week ends at the halfway mark, there is a pretty worthwhile consolation prize heading their way...

THE MASTERS CUT PAYOUT

The Masters is not like most other tournaments or championships, that much is obvious. But one of the ways the great invitational differentiates itself is by rewarding those who qualify regardless.

Most professional golf tournaments do not pay pros who miss the cut, but The Masters does.

In years gone by, anyone who fell at the cut stage was given $10,000 as way of consolation. The three other Majors in men's golf do likewise, with the amounts varying by championship.

However, since 2025, any professional who fails to make the cut at The Masters has earned a cool $25,000. Amateurs, by definition, do not qualify for the payout.

The trend of growing prize money purses at Augusta National has been steep of late, with the overall figure rising from $11.5 million in 2021 all the way through to $21 million in 2025.

Rory McIlroy won $4.2 million as a result of clinching his first Green Jacket while those who languished at the bottom of the leaderboard through four rounds took away more than $50,000 each.

The Masters prize money payout for 2026 is yet to be announced at the time of writing, but it wouldn't be a total shock to see that figure rise once more, even just by a modest amount.

Bryson DeChambeau ranks as the longest players in the world off the tee in the last twelve months, across all major tours, but his incredible power and distance couldn't save him from a disappointing four-over-par opening round at the Masters.

After playing in the final pairing with eventual champion Rory McIlroy last year, who famously went on to secure the Career Grand Slam at Augusta National, many expected another strong display from DeChambeau.

I backed him to finish in the top-5 in my Masters betting tips, as he was arriving off the back of consecutive wins on LIV Golf, but he fell short in more ways than one.

Shockingly, DeChambeau doesn't even rank as the longest player in the field (according to official Masters stats), with three players outdriving him in the early proceedings.

Unsurprisingly, one of those names is Rory McIlroy, but I could not believe that a player ranked 90th for driving distance in 2026 also hit it further than Bryson off the tee...

3 Players Outdriving Bryson DeChambeau At The Masters 2026

Outdriving Bryson DeChambeau is some feat, especially when you consider he averages 313 yards off the tee on LIV Golf this season - and his average at the Masters in 2026 is even longer than that.

In round one, Bryson averaged 338.7 yards off the tee across the two designated holes for this particular measure. Bizarrely, that was 0.6 yards shorter than the average of Corey Conners, who ranks outside the top-100 longest hitters on the PGA Tour.

With one particular drive measuring 368 yards, Conners average was slightly skewed by one mammoth effort - but you have to it, right?

I am not convinced this is the most accurate way to measure this particular stat, but that's how it's done at the Masters so let's present the data as it is intended.

Chris Gotterup ranked as the longest on day one, with an average of 363 yards, while McIlroy (341.4 yards) took silver with an average that was more than 20 yards less than the four-time PGA Tour winner.

McIlroy held of Cameron Young in third place by almost a yard (on average), with Young just breaking the 340-barrier at 340.5 yards.

Bryson's average was six yards longer than the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour, Aldrich Potgieter, who struggled on the opening day. Despite shooting a 12-over-par 84, Potgieter registered a driving distance average of 332.4 yards.

That was longer than Nicolai Hojgaard (331.4 yards), Xander Schauffele (330.7 yards), Jake Knapp (330.7 yards) and Marco Penge (330.4 yards) who round out the top-10 on the distance leaderboard.

With plenty of golf still to be played and a necessity to push hard in a bid to make the cut, we could be about to see Bryson DeChambeau adopt a more aggressive style of play.

I'd expect his driving distance average to go up in round two, which might give Corey Conners very little chance of holding on to this particular accolade (if you can call it that).

One of many long-standing traditions of The Masters is the distinctive white boilersuits and green hats worn by the caddies.

That is a practice that has been in place since the 1940s, when tournament co-founder Clifford Roberts first suggested it.

For many years, caddies at the tournament were provided by Augusta National, where they would wear the uniform.

That changed in 1983, when the Masters Tournament Committee gave the go-ahead for players to use their own caddies, but the boilersuits remained, hence why they’re still used to this day.

Fans may have noticed that, on the left breast pocket of each of the caddies’ uniforms, there is a green number. This year, Rory McIlroy’s long-term looper and friend, Harry Diamond, has the number one. But why is that?

A year ago, when McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam, he also had Diamond to assist him.

However, back then, the number on his boilersuit was 81. The number is allocated based on the order the players check in to register during Masters week.

That doesn’t mean Diamond’s boilersuit has the number 1 on it this year because McIlroy was the first to check in, though.

The reason Diamond has been allocated the number 1 is that McIlroy is the defending champion. This is another Masters tradition, where the previous winner’s caddie is assigned number one regardless of the order in which players check in.

Similarly, in 2025, the defending champion was Scottie Scheffler. As a result, on his way to placing fourth, his caddie, Ted Scott, had the number 1 on his uniform throughout the week.

But why do Masters caddies need numbers at all?

In most other tournaments, the golfer a caddie is working for is identifiable by the player’s surname on the back of their bib.

As with many things, though, Augusta National does things a little differently. Instead, the numbers on the caddies’ uniforms are entered beside the relevant player on the groupings sheets.

Returning to McIlroy, he and Diamond are currently plotting a way for him to become only the fourth back-to-back winner of the event.

After the opening round, Diamond seemed likelier than most to be sporting the number 1 again in 12 months, with McIlroy finishing the day as co-leader with Sam Burns on five under.

After a grueling opening round that saw Bryson DeChambeau uncharacteristically out of sorts, the predictable machinery of the golf world has whirred into motion.

Mainstream outlets and the "golf-twitter" peanut gallery have jumped on a familiar bandwagon, sharpening their knives to dissect the American’s unorthodox bag setup.

The whispers have become roars: Are the one-length irons a gimmick? Do the curved-face (bulge and roll) irons actually provide consistency, or just chaos? Are those extra-long wedges - which look more like mid-irons in the hands of a mortal - robbing him of the delicate touch required for major championship golf?

Short-Term Memory

Let’s be clear: yesterday was a poor performance. From a technical standpoint, Bryson’s iron play was objectively sub-par, and his distance control was erratic. This follows a trend some are eager to highlight, recalling his struggles over the weekend at last year’s Masters. When Bryson misses, he misses in a way that looks "different," and that difference is easy to blame on the tools rather than the mechanic.

However, the vitriol highlights how embarrassingly reactionary the golf world has become. We live in an era of 24-hour takes where a single bad round is treated as a definitive indictment of a decade’s worth of philosophy. To suggest that his equipment is the "problem" the moment he shoots over par is to ignore the reality of professional golf.

Where Was This Energy at Pinehurst?

The irony is palpable. I didn’t hear many critics crowing about the "flaws" of one-length irons when Bryson was staring down Rory McIlroy at Pinehurst No. 2 a couple of summers ago. When he hit that miraculous bunker shot on 18 to clinch the U.S. Open, he wasn't a "mad scientist with failed experiments” or using the wrong wedges; he was a genius.

When he was chalking off his recent victories on the LIV Golf circuit, dominating fields with the same equipment architecture, he was hailed as a visionary. Entering this week, almost every pundit and bookmaker had him dubbed as a tournament favorite, yet many of the same onlookers have suddenly decided his equipment is ill-suited for the task.

If his equipment were truly a handicap, he wouldn't be one of the most consistently threatening players in the world over the last five years.

The Double Standard of "Different"

This setup isn't a midlife crisis or a desperate last resort; Bryson has utilized this fundamental blueprint for years with phenomenal multi-major winning success. The golf world loves a disruptor until that disruptor hits a speed bump.

When it works, he is the "Scientist" who has decoded the game's DNA. When it doesn't, he is a "tinkerer" who has lost his way in the weeds of physics.

This binary view of his performance is incredibly lazy to me.

Every player on tour has weeks where their ball-striking metrics plummet. When Scottie Scheffler has a bad day with the putter, we call it a "cold streak." When Bryson has a bad day with the irons, critics call it a "failed experiment."

The Bigger Picture

Golf is a game of marginal gains and inevitable variance. To suggest that a Major winner and global superstar doesn't understand the physics of his own swing and equipment is the height of arrogance from the sidelines.

Bryson’s setup is designed to eliminate variables. While it may look alien to those of us used to a traditional set of clubs, it is a system tried, tested, and built on repeatable geometry.

The scrutiny he faces is less about his score and more about the golf world’s tiresome discomfort with anything that defies the "traditional" way of doing things. If you only praise the innovation when the trophies are being lifted, you don't really understand the process.

One bad round doesn't make the science wrong - it just makes him human. It's time we stopped being so reactionary and started appreciating the most interesting bag in golf for what it is: a proven winner.

In many fans' eyes, The Masters is the most prestigious and fiercely desired title of not only the four men's Major championships but also every other professional golf tournament on the planet as well.

It holds an array of fascinating traditions, it's image is akin to a golfing nirvana and it's also sometimes the one time of year where even your friends and family - who show no interest in the sport usually - ask you "who's winning the golf?"

It also has an interesting and, dare I say, refreshing relationship with money. Augusta National preaches affordability when it comes to tickets for patrons and the on-site refreshments, yet The Masters' overall prize money payout each year remains one of the highest in the men's game.

That dynamic has been true for decades now, but the ever-increasing inflation of prize purses in golf means that those who have performed well over the past 10-20 years have benefited most.

Jack Nicklaus has won the most Masters titles ever with six, yet his half a dozen victories secured him just $269,000. Even with the rest of his 37 made cuts included, the Golden Bear didn't even come close to collecting seven figures from the Augusta National championship.

On the flip side, six of the current top-20 highest earners of all time at The Masters have never pulled on a Green Jacket. Justin Rose is fifth on the overall list with just under $6.7 million from 20 appearances, yet the Englishman has twice been denied in a playoff and to date is still waiting for a richly deserved Masters victory.

The other non-winners populating the top-20 include Lee Westwood (13th - $3.7m), Cameron Smith (16th - $3.4m), Xander Schauffele (17th - $3.4m), Brooks Koepka (18th - $3.3m) and Jason Day (20th - $3.1m).

Conversely, everyone but Rose in the top-12 highest earners at The Masters has at least one Green Jacket to their name, including three-time winner and the man with the most money picked up at Augusta National, Phil Mickelson.

Lefty won in 2004, 2006 and 2010 and has accumulated a remarkable $9.87 million across 32 starts and 28 made cuts.

Mickelson began his Masters journey in 1991 and remains on the tee sheet to this day. His highest score remains 79 while his lowest 18-hole total is currently 65. Mickelson's scoring average at Augusta National is 71.44 from 120 rounds.

Remarkably, five-time champion Tiger Woods sits second on The Masters' all-time highest earners list with $9.64 million from 26 starts and an incredible 25 completed tournaments.

And to prove the earlier point about prize money having increased exponentially since even the mid 2000s, 2025 champion Rory McIlroy is third on The Masters' rich list courtesy of that famous win and seven further top-10 finishes since 2014.

McIlroy's tally of over $8.5 million has ensured he is hanging on to the bronze medal ahead of Scottie Scheffler, who has racked up an extraordinary $8 million from only six starts - two of which were of course victories.

Completing the top-10 ahead of the 2026 Masters tournament is Jordan Spieth (6th - $6.36m), Patrick Reed (7th - $5.46m), Jon Rahm (8th - $5.45m), Dustin Johnson (9th - $4.66m) and Bubba Watson (10th - $4.47m).

Below is the complete breakdown of The Masters' all-time money list, with players ranked from 1-20 as well as the total number of starts they have made.

THE MASTERS ALL-TIME MONEY LIST

After all the build-up, the 2026 Masters got underway with the honorary starters taking their ceremonial tee shots, before Johnny Keefer and Haotong Li led the 91-man field off at Augusta National.

By the end of the day, there was a familiar name at the top of the leaderboard, while some of the favorites faltered badly.

It was anyone’s guess how defending champion Rory McIlroy would fare in 2026, having finally rid himself of the burden of an 11-year wait to complete the career Grand Slam a year ago.

Would he ease his foot off the gas, with nothing more to prove at Augusta, or would it free him up, allowing his best golf to emerge?

On the evidence of the first round, it’s the latter, with the Northern Irishman carding a five-under 67 on Thursday, admittedly benefiting from the more forgiving course conditions earlier in the day, before it became drier and the greens became firmer and faster as the afternoon wore on.

McIlroy’s back nine was particularly strong with a run of birdies between the 13th and 15th to leave him on course to become only the fourth player to successfully defend the title.

He was joined at the top of the leaderboard by a man still looking for his first Major win, Sam Burns, whose round included an eagle on the second.

Other players with excellent Masters records in the hunt include Jason Day and 2018 champion Patrick Reed, who were joined in a tie for third at three under by Kurt Kitayama.

Just one back of them in T6 is another player still knocking on the door of his first Green Jacket, Justin Rose, whose fast start, like a year ago, will serve as a warning that he is a threat as he aims to go one better than his playoff defeat to McIlroy.

Another in the same position is two-time winner Scottie Scheffler, who will be just three off the lead after making a habit of starting slowly in several events leading up to The Masters.

While some of the tournament’s biggest names will be satisfied with their efforts in the first round, others faltered, not least LIV Golf pair Bryson DeChambeau and 2023 champion Jon Rahm, as none of the 10 from the circuit finished under par.

DeChambeau struggled with his irons all day to head back to the clubhouse on four over, but at least his predicament isn’t as bad as Rahm’s.

The Spaniard could only manage a six-over 78 to leave him 11 back of the leaders and with work to do to make the cut.

Other's who found it a struggle include Robert MacIntyre, on eight over, and Patrick Cantlay, who is 10 back of the leaders on five over.

The second round gets underway at 7.40am local time with Stevens and Sungjae Im. Burns begins at 12.32pm with McIlroy getting underway at 1.44pm.

The Masters began with the lowest number of LIV Golfers since the league's inception in 2022.

In total, just 10 players from the circuit were among the field of 91 as the Augusta National began, and at the halfway stage, that number has been halved after five LIV Golfers missed the cut.

Of the five who did enough to earn a third-round tee time, only Legion XIII player Tyrrell Hatton has something approaching a realistic chance of troubling runaway leader Rory McIlroy.

While the defending champion opened up a six-shot lead on Friday with a late birdie blitz, Hatton is in T7, seven back of McIlroy to keep his hopes of a maiden Major triumph just about intact.

Hatton followed a two-over 74 on Thursday with a near-immaculate 66 in the second round, with a bogey at the 18th the only blemish.

Dustin Johnson, who won The Masters in 2020, has reached the weekend for the first time since 2023 after his one-over 73 in the first round was followed by a 71 in the second round.

After the opening round, Sergio Garcia was the only LIV Golfer not over par with his even-par 72, but the 2017 champion could only follow that with a three-over 75 in the second round to stand in a tie for 45th ahead of the weekend.

One of the pre-tournament favorites was 2023 champion Jon Rahm, but he had it all to do after a six-over 78 on Thursday.

The Spaniard performed far better on Friday with a two-under 70, but with a 16-shot deficit to McIlroy on four over, it already looks like his chance of a second Masters title will need to wait another year.

The final LIV Golfer to make the cut is 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel, who is on the same score as Rahm after rounds of 75 and 73.

Of the five LIV Golfers to miss the cut, by far the most shocking is Bryson DeChambeau. The Crushers GC captain was expected to contend for the title, as he had in the previous two editions, particularly after back-to-back wins on LIV Golf leading up to the tournament.

He was four over after the first round, but appeared to be heading safely above the cut line, which was set at four over, until a triple bogey at the 18th on Friday saw him head for the exit.

The other LIV Golfers leaving Augusta National early are two-time winner Bubba Watson, Tom McKibbin, Carlos Ortiz and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith, whose run of consecutive missed cuts in Majors now stands at six.

LIV Golf Leaderboard At The 2026 Masters

• T7 -4 Tyrrell Hatton
• T24 E Dustin Johnson
• T45 +3 Sergio Garcia
• T47 +4 Jon Rahm
• T47 +4 Charl Schwartzel
• MC +5 Bubba Watson
• MC +6 Bryson DeChambeau
• MC +7 Tom McKibbin
• MC +7 Cameron Smith
• MC +11 Carlos Ortiz

Away from the sporting action at The Masters, there is one story which often peaks the interest of the casual golf fan every April - the extraordinary number of private jets at Augusta Regional Airport.

It is an airport which - for roughly 50 weeks of the year - sees no more than a few thousand people pass through its gates every seven days. As recently as 2022, just two airlines flew to four cities from there on a regular basis.

Yet, for up to a fortnight every Spring, little old Bush Field is transformed into an unrecognizable state - one which appears to mirror a smaller international airport.

The airport's website even has a specific section dedicated to special Masters-flight needs which include catering options, hotel transfers, and car services.

Remarkably, the number of private jets located around 12 miles from Augusta National Golf Club seems to grow every year, with 1,500 aircraft reported on site last year but more than 2,000 expected to be parked up during Masters week in 2026.

Many of the planes which touch down will belong to golfers and their teams as well as some of the most famous Augusta National members, with the club home to a number of billionaires and high-net-worth individuals.

A video uploaded to social media by The VIP Seat claimed The Masters turns Augusta Regional Airport into "one of the busiest [Instrument Flight Rules] hotspots on the planet, with Augusta Regional (AGS) seeing more than 2,000 private jets in a single week and tower hours stretched from dawn to late night to keep up with the flow of arrivals and departures."

Providing a little more context behind the scale of the operation, one of the runways at AGS is shut down exclusively for parking private jets.

And, currently, Bush Field charges between $150 - $4,000 per aircraft per day to park there - depending on the size of the plane - as well as a landing fee of $4.01 per 1,000 lbs if the aircraft weighs over 12,500 lbs. Loose change if you own a private jet, one would assume.

The VIP Seat went on to say the airspace sees "nonstop streams of Gulfstreams, Globals, and Citations shooting approaches in tightly managed IFR flows" and that "behind every leaderboard change there’s an invisible ballet of crews, controllers, and ground teams squeezing every minute of daylight to move aircraft safely, then flipping the field for night departures as patrons head home from Augusta National."

Speaking to Front Office Sports, Jet Linx VP of marketing Nicole Swickle said: “I feel like they keep getting there earlier and earlier every year.

“Because obviously golf is Thursday to Sunday, but you’re seeing people come in as early as Easter, which is kind of wild this year.”

As a result of the sheer number of planes arriving and departing the area, other local airports have to help out with housing aircraft during Masters week - such as Aiken Regional Airport in South Carolina.

And due to the growing demand, NetJets - which sponsors a number of PGA Tour golfers - is building a new private terminal at AGS specifically for The Masters.

NetJets claims it operated 580 arrivals and departures to and from 36 different US states in 2025. The year before, there was 430. In 2026, it expects to see 775 movements.

Discussing the new terminal, which does not yet have a completion date, AGS Executive Director Herbert L. Judon, Jr said: “The NetJets terminal marks a significant business development milestone for the Augusta Regional Airport.

“It will deliver premier customer service, increase airport activities, and provide a significant economic infusion for the airport and the region.”

In some ways, a visit to Augusta National for The Masters is reminiscent of a bygone era, with strict rules including a much-loved no-phones policy and a ban on branded clothing.

That sense of stepping back in time can be found at the concession stands, too, with prices stubbornly resistant to the inflation rates beyond the club's boundaries.

Of course, one thing that moves firmly with the times is the golf itself, with the world’s best teeing it up for the chance to slip on the Green Jacket on Sunday evening.

While the prospect of seeing world-class stars competing at any Major is hugely appealing, the aforementioned quirks and traditions of The Masters make it even more of a bucket list event for many fans.

Given that, you’d expect the price of a ticket to be comparable with most other iconic sporting occasions (ie, eye-wateringly expensive).

However, like the drinks and snacks served to patrons queueing at the concession stands during Masters week, they are actually considerably cheaper than you might expect.

Every year, fans wishing to attend either the practice rounds or the tournament days of The Masters are invited to enter a lottery via the official website.

There are certain criteria you need to fulfill to do it. For example, you have to be at least 21 to apply (although children can attend), while only one applicant per household is permitted.

For the 2026 tournament, not including any appropriate shipping and handling costs, tickets were charged at $125 for attendance on Monday and Tuesday, $150 for Wednesday, which featured the Par 3 Contest, and $160 for each of the tournament days.

All of those prices have increased from a year ago, but it’s still only $20 more per tournament day, while each non-tournament day was set at $100 in 2025.

The chances of getting a ticket are slim because, in another quirk of Augusta National, there simply aren’t nearly as many tickets available as there are at other tournaments with a similar stature.

Indeed, it is estimated that those who enter the lottery only stand around a one in 200 chance of being successful.

While the cost of tickets purchased via The Masters lottery remains reasonable, there are many other things to consider.

For example, accommodation costs need to be taken into account, and prices in and around Augusta usually surge around tournament week. The alternative is to stay further out, but that comes at the cost of more travel expenses, such as rental cars.

Don’t underestimate the lure of the Augusta National Golf Shop, either. It’s estimated Augusta National makes around $10m a day on merchandise sales alone during the tournament, while even a casual trip can soon lead to parting with hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars.

All of those things are worth factoring in when applying for tickets, even if, on the face of it, the cost of a trip to The Masters may seem like a bargain.

For those less concerned about costs, there is always the temptation to try and secure tickets on the aftermarket.

However, it is not recommended, because, as made clear on the Masters website: "Augusta National, Inc. is the only authorized source/seller of Masters tickets.

"The resale of any Masters ticket is strictly prohibited. Holders of tickets acquired from third parties, by whatever means, may be excluded from attendance to the tournament."

Despite the stipulation not to gift or sell tickets, some do still enter the resale market, where you can expect to pay several thousand dollars, no matter which day it's for.

One unlikely way of securing entry to all four days of the tournament is with a series badge. The badge is a prized possession costing just $525 per year (an increase of $75 on a year ago), but they're very rarely available, as anyone who gets one can renew it each year.

Children aged between eight and 16 can attend for free if a badge holder accompanies them. However, don't get your hopes up on getting one. as the last time Augusta National reopened the waiting list was in 2000.

Another way to attend is via Map & Flag hospitality tickets. A ticket offers week-long tournament access, although it's not cheap, costing around $17,000 in 2025. Those who would like a ticket can register their interest on the official website.

It seems as though not every patron who is on the ground at The Masters is adhering to Augusta National Golf Club's restrictive policy on cell phones and other electronic devices.

Per the official Masters guide for patrons: "laptops, tablets, beepers, drones and other electronics, including devices capable of transmitting photo/video, are prohibited."

And Augusta takes its rules very seriously. Just ask Mark Calcavecchia. Per Golfweek’s Adam Schupak, the 1989 Open champion was removed from the property by security on Tuesday after allegedly breaching the policy on no cell phones.

However, over the past couple of years, a handful of those people who are lucky enough to attend The Masters have been purposely circumnavigating the ban on technology.

They have been doing this by wearing smart watches, which can send and receive calls and texts, as well as putting on Meta glasses - eye wear that is capable of subtly recording whatever the user sees.

There is plenty of evidence online to prove this is the case, including several videos of the 2026 Masters tournament filmed using Meta glasses.

Other golf fans have commented on videos which have been uploaded to social media suggesting the glasses will surely soon be banned from the grounds of Augusta National.

Meanwhile, others have pointed out that there is every chance - should Augusta National discover the content - that those responsible for the filming could also face lifetime bans from The Masters.

Speaking to Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan on The Sports Agents podcast, golf reporter Dan Rapaport suggested Augusta National may well need to look at modernizing its technology policy for future editions.

Rapaport said: "I'm putting my old man hat on here. There's been a little bit of a of an issue, I would say, these last couple years. The Apple watches and the Meta glasses.

"I've seen a tonne of people with the Meta glasses this year and those things, you know you can send messages. So, I think they need to change the rule not just to no cell phones, but no wearable technology.”

It caused Chapman - who also works for BBC Radio 5 Live - to applaud and echo Rapaport's sentiments, with the sports anchor going on to air his frustration at people failing to simply enjoy "the purity of the moment" for once.

Chapman said: “No, I’m with you. I’m with you. Because that's the other thing with no phones. It's not that people can't communicate with each other, it means that they are – I mean, this is a very old man conversation – but it means they are in the purity of the moment. They're not filming anything. They're just watching it and enjoying it!”

On his own podcast earlier in the week, Rapaport had already touched on the subject of Meta glasses and was calling for them to be banned just like regular cell phones.

He said: "There's a no-phone rule at The Masters... people are getting around it. First it was Apple watches and now it's like these Meta glasses. Ban them. You've got to ban them.

"The rule should not just be no cell phones. We've got to keep up with the times. It should be no wearable technology.

"I've seen so many people with like vlogs of their day on the ground at Augusta National because of the Meta glasses.

"There's a rule. You're supposed to be there. You're supposed to be present. It's supposed to be the one day of the year where you're not worried about content.

"You want to take a digital camera out there, that's one thing. But the videos from the Meta glasses?

"There's a rule that says no cell phones. Just make the rule no wearable technology. No cellphones and no wearable technology. Let's do this the old-fashioned way."

What do you think? Should Augusta National update its no-cell-phone policy to include Meta glasses or give wearable technology a pass?

The lead up to the Masters never fails to conjure excitement among the golfing masses on a scale that is unmatched in our sport, but once again the television coverage has proven to be a let down.

I shared that I was fed up with the Masters tv coverage twelve months ago, and while there have been some improvements with the announcement of a new broadcast deal with Amazon Prime, I still spent the first few hours of day one feeling underwhelmed.

As I outlined in our Masters preview, which you can watch below, I can't believe we still censor our flagship event.

While I can appreciate the importance of tradition at the Masters and understand the part that exclusivity plays in the narrative, I believe shielding full coverage of our main event is not good for the game...

I Find The Masters TV Coverage So Frustrating

I may sound like a bit of a broken record, but I am tired of the excitement around the Masters being completely sapped out of me by the false start created by the early coverage.

I have said in the past that you wouldn't see the first twenty minutes of the World Cup Final or the Super Bowl being withheld or restricted to highlights only, so why are we holding back when other Majors in golf already offer wall-to-wall, first ball to last ball coverage.

My main gripe at the 2026 Masters Tournament is one that has lingered for some time - featured group coverage.

This isn't a criticism of Sky Sports, Amazon Prime or any other broadcaster - as I believe they do their best with the scope and content they are given. The problem lies with the current parameters set around the broadcasting of one golf's biggest events.

The Masters app is one of the best around, providing video coverage of every shot hit by every player and perhaps, bizarrely, represents the best option for how to watch the Masters.

It has its flaws, like the delay in getting the footage uploaded, but it still provides a greater insight to tournament play than the tedious early featured group coverage.

Also, I don't want to watch every shot on my phone. I want to sit back, turn the television on and watch the action unfold - including all the turbulence, jeopardy and drama.

The app is a great supplement, but it's not a suitable replacement for a fully immersive viewing experience.

In the early coverage today, Patrick Reed made two eagles to surge into a two shot lead after eight holes.

I only saw a handful of his shots because he wasn't part of the featured groups, instead having to make do with a fleeting appearance when he passed through the 'featured holes'.

The same can be said for top-10 player in the world Tommy Fleetwood, who was contending at the top of the leaderboard - but you could be forgiven for missing that based on the limited coverage.

The same thing happened last year, when golf fans fumed over a lack of Bryson DeChambeau on the tv coverage - meaning we missed one of the early leaders dazzling on the biggest stage.

I'd love to hear you thoughts on the matter again, as I'd be interested to see if your opinion has changed or remained the same twelve months on, so drop me a comment at the bottom of this article to join the conversation.

My stance is clear, while featured groups are a good option... they shouldn't be the default.

Coverage has to be reactive to the changing leaderboard, dynamic to the jostling of the field and able to abandon the plan of showing every shot from amateur Mason Howell or a struggling Fitzpatrick - in favour of following guys seven or eight shots better off on the day.

It's not that I don't want to watch those players, it's more that I want to watch more of the field - especially those that are surging... not just the 'golden boys' of featured group coverage.

At the time of writing this, I literally heard Butch Harmon commentate on how Fleetwood made another birdie to get to four-under, followed by a swift check of the leaderboard, but there was no actual footage of the putt that got him there for some time.

We know that modern golf television coverage has the ability and capacity to cover a larger pool of players, like it does at the Open Championship, and evidenced by every player in the field being recorded taking every shot on the app, so it really comes down to a conscious decision to prevent it.

In the US, viewers are expected to have multiple paid subscriptions to watch the entirety of the coverage this week - limiting inclusivity and increasing cost for the average golf fan.

It almost feels like an extension of the gatekeeping we see with the main feed coverage.

In reality, the television coverage is totally wrong for many reasons, but the fault lies with those making the decisions to protect this 'less is more' approach.

I am certain that just as many people would pay for a ticket to Augusta National if you were to show full coverage from ball one, as the majesty and beauty of the location is the stuff of dreams for so many. It's a true bucket list experience.

But, disadvantaging those who aren't fortunate enough to attend is unfair. Many will argue that the Masters doesn't need to change, because it's the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, and in many ways I am inclined to agree.

However, the television coverage is not befitting of the pinnacle of our sport. While I appreciate the additional two hours of full coverage on day one and two, as part of the new broadcast deal with Amazon, we still have a long way to go.

As I publish this, the full main coverage has just got underway and things have already improved drastically - I just question why we can't see the brilliance of the Masters in its entirety from the start.

Having defeated Justin Rose in a playoff and consequently become the 2025 Masters champion, Rory McIlroy finally achieved a lifetime ambition.

One of the greatest players of his generation had been hunting a Green Jacket for so long yet had often fallen just a couple of shots short in his ultimate quest.

Prior to his first Masters victory, the Northern Irishman had finished inside the top-10 on seven occasions from 17 starts. Mind you, he'd also missed the cut three times since making his debut in 2009.

The consolation tonic for most of those painful stings was a large check, but even the millions he had earned would no doubt have been traded away in a heartbeat for one more run at the title.

Thankfully, once that final putt dropped in 2025 and the four-time Major winner upgraded his record to five triumphs in the biggest championships, McIlroy didn't have to exchange his money. Instead, he was allowed to add $4.2 million to his career tally at Augusta.

And, as is so often the way, five Majors became six just 12 months later as McIlroy successfully defended his title - becoming the fourth man ever to do so and the first since Tiger Woods.

It was at that point McIlroy made more history. His $4.5 million winner's check took him past Woods and previous leader Phil Mickelson into top spot on the list of highest earners in Masters history.

In 18 appearances at Augusta National, McIlroy has earned an astonishing $13 million.

But, what has recently turned out to be a very lucrative week for McIlroy hasn't always been that way. The man from Holywood in Northern Ireland finished T20th on his debut in 2009 and then T15th in 2011 on his third trip.

The most McIlroy earned during his first five visits to Augusta National was $128,000, and even that would have been quite heavily reduced once all was said and done due to factors like taxes and sharing a bonus cut with his caddie, Harry Diamond.

It's worth keeping that in mind when looking at any prize money figure you might see - how much a pro golfer really earns from a tournament is almost always a lot less than the number quoted in payout articles.

Nevertheless, a pro golfer's earnings can rack up quite quickly, and that was true of McIlroy during the mid-2010s when the Northern Irishman was habitually inside the top-10 at Augusta National.

Between 2014-2018, McIlroy finished T8th, 4th, T10th, T7th and T5th and earned just over $1.6 million across those five years.

Strangely, he then missed two cuts in three years but was runner-up - consequently claiming a check for $1.62 million - in 2022.

Below is a breakdown of McIlroy's career results and prize money payouts at The Masters since he turned professional.

RORY MCILROY CAREER MASTERS EARNINGS

Watch The Masters 2026 for free wherever you are in the world, as Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young start the Final Round tied for the lead at 11-under par. The reigning champion had had a six-shot lead – eight clear of Young – but his errant driving caught up with him just as the American's luck came in. Golf Monthly will bring you all the information on TV channels and live streaming for the Final Round of the 2026 Masters.

McIlroy has found as many fairways off the tee as he's missed, but on Thursday and Friday the rest of his game more than made up for his mistakes. Yesterday, however, everything deserted him just as the rest of the field got to grips with August National. He was the only player in the top 10 to shoot over par. The other nine combined for an average of 4.4-under.

The momentum is very much with Young, although his run of outrageously good fortune surely can't be replicated on Sunday. After his ball ricocheted charitably off one of the patrons, and then a tree, when he found the water on the 15th you wouldn't have been surprised if the gulch drained away and sprouted a thicket of grass.

Sam Burns starts the Final Round one back and Shane Lowry on 9-under. How good is it, meanwhile, to see Jason Day back amongst it? The former world No.1, whose career has been derailed in recent years by chronic back issues, is right in the thick of it, level with three-time Masters runner-up Justin Rose on 8-under.

Lurking ominously in the shadows is Scottie Scheffler, tied with Li Haotong on 7-under after quietly carding the joint-best round of the tournament.

Scheffler and Li tee off at 6.52pm BST / 1.52pm ET, followed by Rose and Day at 7.03pm BST / 2.03pm, Burns and Lowry at 7.14pm BST / 2.14pm ET, and McIlroy and Young at 7.25pm BST / 2.25pm ET.

In this guide, Golf Monthly brings you all the details on how to watch The Masters 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere in the world. Scroll down for the Final Round tee times.

Watch The Masters 2026 for free

The Masters is free-to-air in the US courtesy of the Masters.com, which is live streaming the full main feed broadcast.

‼️ Outside the US at the moment? Use our No.1 VPN (try risk-free) to stream The Masters free-of-charge from anywhere in the world – more details below.

US Broadcasting Schedule

All times EDT

Watch The Masters 2026 from anywhere

If you are outside your usual country, you can still access the streaming services you subscribe to, even when you're away from home, thanks to a handy piece of software known as a VPN.

Our expert colleagues over at TechRadar have tested loads of VPNs and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there right now – it works perfectly with Masters.com too.

How to watch The Masters 2026 in the US

In the US, coverage of The Masters is spread across ESPN, Prime Video and CBS. The full TV schedule is listed just above.

The opening two rounds go out on ESPN and ESPN Unlimited, with early coverage on Prime Video. ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited are also showing Featured Holes 4, 5 & 6, Amen Corner, Featured Holes 15 & 16 and Featured Groups across all four days.

The final two rounds are on CBS and its streaming platform Paramount+, with early coverage on Paramount+. Paramount+ is also showing Amen Corner, Featured Holes 15 & 16 and Featured Groups across all four days.

All four rounds, plus Featured Groups and Featured Holes coverage, are also free-to-air on the Masters website.

If you don't have cable, you can watch the entirety of The Masters 2026 through Masters.com, or via ESPN Unlimited, Prime Video and Paramount+.

Another option is a cable alternative that carries ESPN and CBS. DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV and Fubo are the best options.

How to watch The Masters 2026 in the UK

Golf fans in the UK can watch The Masters on Sky Sports. The main feed is being shown on the network's dedicated golf channel, Sky Sports Golf, and some of the action will be available to watch on Sky Sports Main Event too.

Sky Sports+ will show Featured Holes 11, 12 and 13 at Amen Corner.

Prices start at £22/month for Sky Sports on top of an existing Sky TV plan, while you can also stream all the action on NOW Sports. Prices start at £14.99/day.

How to watch The Masters 2026 in Canada

The Masters is being shown live on TSN in Canada. The main feed is being shown on TSN1, Featured Holes 11, 12 and 13 at Amen Corner are on TSN3, and Featured Groups are on TSN4.

All of the action, plus coverage of holes 4, 5 and 6 and extended Featured Groups coverage, can be live streamed on TSN+. Prices start at $8/month and rise all the way to $80 for a full annual plan.

How to watch The Masters 2026 in Australia

Golf fans in Australia can watch The Masters on Fox Sports and Kayo. The main feed is being shown on Fox Sports 503, while Featured Holes 11, 12 and 13 at Amen Corner are on Fox Sports 505.

All of the action can be live streamed on Kayo Sports. Kayo Sports plans start at AU$30/month, though you can get a 7-day trial for just AU$1.

The Masters Tee Times: Final Round

Times in EDT (Add 5 hours for BST)

• 9.06am (2.06pm): Aaron Rai, Charl Schwartzel
• 9.17am (2.17pm): Gary Woodland, Kurt Kitayama
• 9.28am (2.28pm): Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia
• 9.39am (2.39pm): Si Woo Kim, Rasmus Hojgaard
• 9.50am (2.50pm): Keegan Bradley, Dustin Johnson
• 10.01am (3.01pm): Matt McCarty, Corey Conners
• 10.12am (3.12pm): Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas
• 10.23am (3.23pm): Alex Noren, Maverick McNealy
• 10.45am (3.45pm): Adam Scott, Marco Penge
• 10.56am (3.56pm): Harris English, Samuel Stevens
• 11.07am (4.07pm): Brian Harman, Jordan Spieth
• 11.18am (4.18pm): Sungjae Im, Hideki Matsuyama
• 11.29am (4.29pm): Sepp Straka, Jacob Bridgeman
• 11.40am (4.40pm): Chris Gotterup, Kristoffer Reitan
• 11.51am (4.51pm): Michael Brennan, Max Homa
• 12.13pm (5.13pm): Nick Taylor, Matt Fitzpatrick
• 12.24pm (5.24pm): Ludvig Aberg, Brian Campbell
• 12.35pm (5.35pm): Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood
• 12.46pm (5.46pm): Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark
• 12.57pm (5.57pm): Ryan Gerard, Xander Schauffele
• 1.08pm (6.08pm): Jake Knapp, Ben Griffin
• 1.30pm (6.30pm): Patrick Reed, Collin Morikawa
• 1.41pm (6.41pm): Patrick Cantlay, Russell Henley
• 1.52pm (6.52pm): Scottie Scheffler, Haotong Li
• 2.03pm (7.03pm): Jason Day, Justin Rose
• 2.14pm (7.14pm): Sam Burns, Shane Lowry
• 2.25pm (7.25pm): Cameron Young, Rory McIlroy

• 9.31am (2.31pm): Kurt Kitayama, Alex Noren
• 9.42am (2.42pm): Charl Schwartzel, Rasmus Hojgaard
• 9.53am (2.53pm): Jon Rahm, Si Woo Kim
• 10.04am (3.04pm): Brian Harman, Corey Conners
• 10.15am (3.15pm): Sergio Garcia, Maverick McNealy
• 10.26am (3.26pm): Keegan Bradley, Viktor Hovland
• 10.37am (3.37pm): Justin Thomas, Gary Woodland
• 10.48am (3.48pm): Samuel Stevens, Adam Scott
• 11.10am (4.10pm): Marco Penge, Matt McCarty
• 11.21am (4.21pm): Jordan Spieth, Sepp Straka
• 11.32am (4.32pm): Aaron Rai, Jacob Bridgeman
• 11.43am (4.43pm): Patrick Cantlay, Sungjae Im
• 11.54am (4.54pm): Dustin Johnson, Russell Henley
• 12.05pm (5.05pm): Harris English, Ryan Gerard
• 12.16pm (5.16pm): Ludvig Aberg, Scottie Scheffler
• 12.38pm (5.38pm): Collin Morikawa, Brian Campell
• 12.49pm (5.49pm): Nick Taylor, Matt Fitzpatrick
• 1pm (6pm): Hideki Matsuyama, Michael Brennan
• 1.11pm (6.11pm): Jake Knapp, Xander Schauffele
• 1.22pm (6.22pm): Ben Griffin, Max Homa
• 1.33pm (6.33pm): Chris Gotterup, Brooks Koepka
• 1.55pm (6.55pm): Jason Day, Cameron Young
• 2.06pm (7.06pm): Haotong Li, Kristoffer Reitan
• 2.17pm (7.17pm): Wyndham Clark, Tyrrell Hatton
• 2.28pm (7.28pm): Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood
• 2.39pm (7.39pm): Patrick Reed, Justin Rose
• 2.50pm (7.50pm): Rory McIlroy, Sam Burns

Preview

The azaleas, the ambience, sunlit memories of Rory McIlroy slipping on that Green Jacket – they've all got us in the mood for romance at the 90th edition of The Masters, and there wouldn't be a more popular winner than Justin Rose, a two-time runner-up who last won a Major in 2013.

Aged 45, it's unlikely that Rose will get too many more opportunities to stake his claim for the title, an added pressure that's of no concern to his rivals this week.

Scottie Scheffler hasn't been at his peerless best and is coming off an extended break due to the birth of his second child, but he's still the pre-tournament favourite. Victory would make him the fourth player, after Tiger Woods (2001, 2002, 2005), Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1965, 1966) and Arnold Palmer (1960, 1962, 1964), to earn three Green Jackets in five years.

2023 champion Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, who collapsed down the stretch last year, have brought strong form and words into The Masters, while Ludvig Aberg, Cameron Young and Tommy Fleetwood are in good company. 38 winners of The Masters had never won a Major previously.

The Masters 2026 TV Schedule

Saturday 11th April – Final Round:

US (ET): 12pm-7pm (Masters.com) / 12pm–2pm (Paramount+), 2pm-7pm (CBS, Paramount+)
UK (BST): From 4.30pm (Sky Sports Golf, Now)
Australia (AEDT): 12am-9am (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Canada (ET): From 10am (TSN4, TSN+)

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The Masters is one of the richest events in golf, which makes it one of the richest in sport, but you don't need to pay a fortune to get a slice of the action this week - we'll show you how to watch The Masters ALL week long for free.

In fact, if you're looking to tune into the golf from Augusta for as cheap as possible, a free trial will see you through. However, you'll likely need to be a new customer – if, like Rory, you've 'been there, done that', you may not be eligble.

New customer? Good news – YouTube TV, which is one of the most advanced live TV streaming services in the States, will let you access its 21-day free trial. That means you can watch CBS, ESPN and all the best channels for the Masters... at no cost.

It's an online service do you just need to log onto tv.youtube.com or download the YouTube TV app. Even if you don't fancy the 21-day free trial, you usually get a 20 min preview viewing session completely free! No credit card required.

With McIlroy eyeing back-to-back Masters titles, Golf Monthly will show you where to watch The Masters 2026 with a free trial – and from anywhere, even abroad.

How to watch The Masters 2026 with a free trial

Live coverage of the 2026 Masters is split between Prime Video, ESPN, ESPN Select, CBS and Paramount Plus in the US. Luckily, there are a handful of free trials that let you watch The Masters free ALL week long. Here are our favourites...

Traveling outside the U.S.? Just use a VPN to access your usual Masters free streaming trial from anywhere in the world, including the U.K. and Australia.

Watch The Masters 2026 with a free trial from anywhere

If you are outside your usual country, you can still access the free trial you've gigned up for, even when you're away from home, thanks to a handy piece of software known as a VPN.

Our expert colleagues over at TechRadar have tested loads of VPNs and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there right now.

What is the Masters 2026 TV schedule?

Times in EDT

Thursday, April 9
1pm-3pm – Prime Video
3pm-7.30pm – ESPN

Friday, April 10
1pm-3pm – Prime Video
3pm-7.30pm – ESPN

Saturday, April 11
12pm-2pm – Paramount Plus
2pm-7pm – CBS, Paramount Plus

Sunday, April 12
12pm-2pm – Paramount Plus
2pm-7pm – CBS, Paramount Plus

• How to watch The Masters 2026 Day 3 for Free
• The Masters Round 3 Tee Times
• Rory McIlroy Career Earnings

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The Masters returns today and Golf Monthly has got you covered on just how you can listen to every minute of the action live from Augusta.

Last year, we saw Rory McIlroy finally complete the career Grand Slam with his first triumph at Augusta. However, he will be hard-pressed to win it again this time, with no player having retained the title since Tiger Woods in 2002.

Among the favourites are Scottie Scheffler, a resurgent Xander Schauffele, and Bryson DeChambeau. But don’t discount the European contingent either, with Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, and serial runner-up Justin Rose sure to be in the conversation.

In this guide, Golf Monthly brings you all the details on how to listen to Masters 2026 coverage wherever you are in the world.

How to Listen to Masters 2026 coverage in the US and UK

In the US, SiriusXM will broadcast coverage of The Masters from 2pm ET to the close of play each day.

To access SiriusXM, you have multiple options: the SiriusXM satellite radio in vehicles, the SiriusXM app (iOS/Android), and the SiriusXM web player.

Taylor Zarzour will handle lead play‑by‑play, with Kevin Kisner providing weekend analysis, while Brad Faxon and Brendon de Jonge cover Thursday and Friday, and on‑course reporting comes from Emilia Doran, John Maginnes, and Brian Katrek.

In the UK, BBC Radio 5 Live and sister station 5 Live Extra will have the UK feed.

Their feed is not quite as comprehensive with live radio commentary available from 8pm BST every day. Find the full UK schedule at the foot of the page.

To access you have multiple options BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website, and the BBC Sport app (iOS/Android) are also available.

To listen, you will need a BBC account — register here.

Outside either the US or UK this weekend? You need a VPN — NordVPN is our favourite to unblock SiriusXM or BBC Radio 5 Live.

Listen to The Masters 2026 from anywhere

If you are outside your usual country, you can still access the listening services you subscribe to, even when you're away from home, thanks to a handy piece of software known as a VPN.

Our expert colleagues over at TechRadar have tested loads of VPNs and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there right now.

UK Radio Schedule

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Ethan Fang is one of the biggest names in college golf, and with a record like his, it’s easy to see why.

The 20-year-old, who was born in Plano, Texas, had amply demonstrated his ability before embarking on his college career, including reaching the Round of 16 at the 2022 US Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes.

He also finished sixth at the 2022 PGA Junior Championship and third at that year’s AJGA Junior Players Championship.

After signing a letter of intent to attend the University of California, he spent his freshman year there before moving on to Oklahoma State University for his sophomore year. That’s where things really started to take off.

One huge moment came when he helped his team win the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship, while he was also part of the successful US team at the Walker Cup.

To say he also excelled individually would be an understatement, with Fang winning one of the biggest non-professional events of all, The Amateur, during his first visit to Europe.

Fang’s 1up win over Gavin Tiernan at Royal St George's meant he also became the first American in 18 years to claim the title.

The victory ensured places at both The Masters and The Open, with Fang saying afterwards: “Getting to play The Masters and an Open Championship is pretty sweet. I had signed up for a couple of amateur events but I think I'll have to cancel that and go play The Open."

Fang missed the cut in his maiden Major appearance at Royal Portrush in 2025, but now it's on to his first start at Augusta National.

For the first two rounds of the Major, he’ll have the chance to gain an invaluable insight into what it takes to conquer Augusta National from one of his playing partners, Danny Willett, who won the event in 2016.

However, Fang seemed determined not to get too ahead of himself, saying: “I don't really like to set too many expectations going into the week. I feel like that can put unnecessary pressure on yourself.”

Despite that, he still wants to meet expectations as the highest-ranked of six amateurs in the field.

He said: “Obviously my goal is to be low am for the week. That would be really cool, getting to go up there at the trophy presentation. But yeah, I'm going to go out there and just try to play my best, do my best, and see what happens.”

Ethan Fang Facts

1. Ethan Fang was born in Plano, Texas and went to Plano West High, graduating in Spring 2023.

2. He was a member of the Oklahoma State University team that won the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship.

3. He is sponsored by Callaway Golf.

4. He won The Amateur in 2025, beating Gavin Tiernan,

5. That win earned Fang places at The Open and The Masters.

Cell phones are among the items patrons can't bring to Augusta National.

However, one famous attendee reportedly broke that particular rule during Masters week, which led to him being escorted from the premises.

Per Golfweek’s Adam Schupak, 1989 Open champion Mark Calcavecchia was removed from the property by security on Tuesday, where patrons watched members of the field prepare for the Major with practice rounds.

According to Schupak, when contacted by phone, Calcavecchia didn't deny the incident, instead saying: “I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now.”

Calcavecchia, whose one Major win saw him beat Wayne Grady and Greg Norman in a playoff at Royal Troon 37 years ago, also achieved two top-five finishes at the Masters, including runner-up in 1988.

However, it appears there was no special treatment given to the American for his alleged breach of the no-phones policy.

Any patron found with a cell phone at Augusta National faces not only removal from the grounds but the permanent loss of credentials.

Like many aspects of Augusta National, the policy is not typical of big golf events.

However, in 2019, chairman Fred Ridley defended the rule, saying: “This I think that’s something that does set us apart.

“I think our patrons appreciate our cell phone policy. I know that we have now become an outlier, if not the only outlier in golf.

“I don’t believe that’s a policy that anyone should expect is going to change in the near future. I can’t speak for future chairman, but speaking for myself, I think we got that right."

The policy has received praise from players, too, with one high-profile example being Ludvig Aberg, who, before the 2025 event, said: “I think just because of the fact that the patrons don't have their phones out, it actually makes it feel like they're so much more engaged.”

With cell phones banned, patrons wishing to make a call instead need to use the phones available on-site.

Phones are not the only banned electronic devices at Augusta National, with laptops and tablets also on the prohibited items list.

A good player-caddie partnership is crucial at Augusta National, with it one of the toughest layouts on the calendar both mentally and physically.

Providing lots of undulation and ever-changing winds, the winner of The Masters will have to earn it and, ahead of the 90th edition, we have taken a look at which player-caddie partnerships are searching for a victory at one of golf's big four championships.

Caddies can be seen on the course via their white boiler suits and, below, we take you through the 91 bagmen at The Masters.

Player-Caddie Partnership At The 2026 Masters

As we know, player-caddie partnerships vary in lifespan and, prior to Augusta National, Wyndham Clark split with his long-time caddie John Ellis.

If you were to look down the list, the most successful player-caddie combo is Scottie Scheffler and Ted Scott, who have secured two wins at The Masters.

Winning player-caddie partnerships in the 2026 field are Jon Rahm and Adam Hayes, Jordan Spieth and Michael Greller, Dustin and Austin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama and Shota Hayafuji, and Patrick Reed and Kessler Karain.