Sam Torrance: McIlroy not Scheffler the man to beat at 2025 Masters
It’s Masters week and that means the start of the short but lucrative major season, with one a month from now until the Open Championship in July.
It can be a hectic period with little downtime for players but I think it’s great from the golf fan’s point of view.
Although the US PGA Championship is just five weeks away, the only thing that those at Augusta National will be thinking about is donning the Green Jacket.
And it will need their full attention. To win the Masters you can’t afford to let your thoughts wander to the future, you have to be focused on now.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is the bookmakers’ favourite and he is unquestionably a magnificent talent. He’s still in his 20s but is already one of just 18 men to have won here twice.
Augusta demands a cool head and Scheffler has that; in fact, course management might be one of his best attributes. Even when he misses he misses on the right side and you barely ever see him make double bogeys.
He is yet to win this year, however, having claimed nine titles last season. For players of his calibre it is not a big issue arriving at the Masters without a win but it does show that he hasn’t found it quite as easy this time around.
For me, the man to beat this week is not Scheffler but Rory McIlroy. Regular readers will know what a fan of Rory I am and I just get the sense that the timing is right.
Firstly, he is playing the golf of his life, which has already swept him to success at the Players Championship and Pebble Beach in the first three months of 2025.
McIlroy’s all-round game is so much better now. His distance is immense and his control with the driver is so good.
Secondly, he seems to be very happy on and off the course. I get the impression he has matured a lot in the past few years and is such a rounded guy.
Of course, his painful experiences at the Masters would be tough for anyone to deal with, but Augusta is a course built for him and I do think he is ready to complete the career grand slam.
Xander Schauffele is another player I like, although he has only returned from injury relatively recently so it’s difficult to predict how he will fare.
Bryson DeChambeau is yet to win this season in LIV Golf but showed in the first round last year that he can be unbeatable when he gets it right.
Will Zalatoris is one of my fancies. I do like his game and he has finished in the top 10 on all three of his appearances at the Masters.
Of the Brits, Tommy Fleetwood was third last year and is a beautiful player. His achilles heel has been putting but I think he could win a major.
Tyrrell Hatton has a win under his belt in 2025, from the Dubai Desert Classic. A career-best ninth last year, he has a big chance.
Ludvig Aberg, a runner-up on his major debut last year, is a huge talent even if he hasn’t been at his best over the last few weeks. He’s certainly a contender.
You can’t discount Jon Rahm. The 2023 Masters champion hasn’t been outside the top 10 in his five LIV events this year and is such a formidable competitor.
Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas have both shown some good form. Cam Smith has a strong record at Augusta. Hideki Matsuyama is another former winner who is off the mark this year.
History shows us that anyone who has won on this course can do so again. Once you have found out its secrets, it can be a big advantage.
As always, it looks immaculate. Barring some showers tomorrow, the weather forecast is fine. I think we could see a four-, five- or even six-way fight on Sunday, and that’s exciting.
Sam Torrance OBE is a former Ryder Cup-winning captain and one of Europe’s most successful golfers. Follow him @torrancesam