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If it's supposed to be hard to win the Masters Tournament, no one told Scottie Scheffler.
The World No. 1 claimed his second Masters at age 27 last year, at the outset of a thoroughly dominant season. He has yet to win a tournament of any kind in 2025, but Scheffler could join Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win three green jackets in four years when the first major of the season tees off in Augusta, Ga.
"At the end of the day, when I tee it up on Thursday, I start the tournament even par just like everybody else," Scheffler said. "... Let's say I get off to a bad start on Thursday, and I can use some stuff that I've done here the past few years as confidence to kind of turn things around. But at the end of the day, when I step on there on Thursday, we're at even par, and it's a totally new golf tournament."
Scheffler's chief competitor, whether you base it on the betting markets, talent on paper or recent form, is Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman is off to something of a dream start this season, winning both the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship.
Once again, McIlroy arrives at Augusta National Golf Club aiming to both end his 11-year major championship drought and complete the career Grand Slam, something only Tiger Woods, Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen accomplished.
McIlroy is known to tinker with how he prepares for the Masters year to year. This season, he tied for fifth at the Houston Open before taking last week off.
"Definitely you're going to face particular shots on this golf course that you don't really face any other week of the year," McIlroy said of Augusta, a par-72 that was lengthened to 7,555 yards last year. "So coming up here a couple of times, doing a little bit more preparation on some of those shots on the golf course I think is important."
Statistically, the best golfer on tour this season not named Scheffler or McIlroy has been Collin Morikawa, though he doesn't have a win to show for it yet. He played in the final Sunday pairing with Scheffler last year and stumbled to a final-round 74.
Morikawa also lost the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month a few holes after Russell Henley overtook him with a chip-in eagle.
"You keep knocking at the door," the two-time major champion said this week. "Look, I'm not giving up tomorrow. I hope to play a long, long time. You've got to learn how to lose and you've got to learn how to win. It's just part of it."
Twelve members of LIV Golf are in the field, led by 2023 Masters champ Jon Rahm. The Spaniard had a disappointing major season in 2024, something he's eager to prove was a fluke and not related to his $350 million move to LIV.
"I think last year the state of my game was being unfairly judged based on how I played here and at the PGA compared to how I really played throughout the whole year," said Rahm, who has top-10 finishes in every LIV event this year. "While I understand why, I don't think it was the most fair state of my game."
The field of 95 has no shortage of recognizable names, including recent major champs Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Kopeka, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama plus a host of top players vying for their first major.
Bernhard Langer of Germany (1985, 1993 champion) will make his 41st and final Masters start at age 67. Angel Cabrera (2009 champion) will compete for the first time since 2019 after serving two years in prison in his native Argentina for assault on two ex-girlfriends.
Augusta National took some damage during Hurricane Helene last September, mainly in the form of downed trees that could cause certain shots to look less familiar. But the course is otherwise expected to be in its usual peak condition.
More must-reads:
- Rory McIlroy's controversial decision leaves PGA Tour 'very concerned'
- Lions CB undergoes shoulder surgery, will miss 2025 season
- The '2024-25 NFL passing-yard leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Ranking the five worst NFL QB situations
Quarterback is the most important position in the NFL — possibly the most important position in sports. Teams with inferior quarterback rooms don't stand much of a chance to compete in 2025, so it could be a long year for these five organizations. (QB situations are ranked in inverse order.) 5. New York Jets QBs: Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, Adrian Martinez, Brady Cook The Jets were happy to rid themselves of Aaron Rodgers this offseason, but Fields isn't much of an upgrade. The 2021 first-round pick has a completion percentage of 61.1 percent in the NFL, and he's thrown for only 45 touchdowns in 44 career starts (plus 31 interceptions). Fields, who went 4-2 with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, is reportedly struggling in training camp, which is nothing new based on his first four years in the NFL. New Jets coach Aaron Glenn recently was asked if he was concerned about Fields' play. "I don’t because it’s early," he said. Expect the Jets — who open at home Sept. 7 against Rodgers' Steelers — to be one of the most run-heavy offenses in the league this season. 4. Tennessee Titans QBs: Cam Ward, Brandon Allen, Tim Boyle, Will Levis (IR) The Titans are a tough team to rank heading into the season. Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, has the potential to become a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. But it's much more likely that the rookie struggles to adjust to NFL speed in the first few months of the season. The good news for Ward is that expectations are low for his first year in the NFL and he plays for a franchise off the radar. "You've probably seen that there's not enough focus on him being the first pick or whatever," Ward's father, Calvin, told Fox Sports' Ben Arthur in a story published Monday. "He honestly does not care. That's the honest truth. He doesn't care. "He just wants to work, get better, help his team improve." This season is more about getting Ward valuable reps and him improving with each start. The Titans better hope Ward stays healthy, because Allen and Boyle aren't NFL-caliber quarterbacks. 3. Indianapolis Colts QBs: Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, Riley Leonard, Jason Bean The Richardson experiment is a catastrophe for the Colts. The fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft completed just 47.7 percent of his pass attempts last season and threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (eight). His rocket arm and athletic ability near the goal line are still tantalizing, but none of that will matter until he learns how to hit a five-yard slant consistently. Richardson suffered an ugly-looking finger injury during the first quarter of the Browns' preseason opener. If the backup plan for Richardson is Jones, who is 24-44-1 in his career, this offense could be a trainwreck. 2. Cleveland Browns QBs: Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Tyler Huntley, Deshaun Watson (IR) Cleveland's quarterback room is a mess. Watson, who won't play this season because of a torn Achilles, carries a $35.9M cap hit in 2025 and an $80.7M cap hit in 2026. With Watson out, the Browns signed 40-year-old Flacco, traded for Pickett and added Sanders and Gabriel in the 2025 NFL Draft. As if that wasn't enough, the Browns recently signed Huntley to give themselves five active quarterbacks. Good luck predicting how the snaps shake out this season, but it won't be pretty. In May, an anonymous NFL executive said of Cleveland's QB situation: "I look at their (quarterback) room and I don’t know what they’re doing." 1. New Orleans Saints QBs: Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, Hunter Dekkers With Derek Carr retiring, the Saints could start a 25-year-old, oft-injured rookie at quarterback this season. Or perhaps New Orleans will go with Rattler or Haener, who combined to go 148-for-267 (55.4 percent) with five touchdown passes and six interceptions last season. Rattler may have the upper hand now, but he's not going to excite New Orleans fans, who endured a 5-12 2024 season. Rookie head coach Kellen Moore, a former NFL backup QB, has his hands full with this uninspiring QB room.
Steelers Now Have A Surefire Solution To End Cam Heyward's Hold-In
The Pittsburgh Steelers got hit with quite a bit of interesting news on Thursday. It started when NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that veteran defensive lineman Cam Heyward was staging a hold-in, attending training camp but not fully participating as he seeks a new contract. Not long after that, kicker Chris Boswell was also reported to be interested in a new deal, adding another contract situation to the team’s growing list of concerns. As for Heyward, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly quickly suggested a possible solution that could effectively end the hold-in without requiring a full contract extension. Kaboly proposed the idea of adding incentives to Heyward’s existing deal, which would reward performance while avoiding a long-term financial commitment. He believes this compromise would allow the Steelers to show respect for Heyward’s contributions while keeping the team’s salary cap in check. Kaboly explained that the Steelers used a similar approach in 2016 with star wide receiver Antonio Brown. At the time, Brown was also seeking a new deal, and instead of offering an extension, the team added incentives to his contract to keep him satisfied for the season. The move kept Brown on the field and productive, and Kaboly believes this method could work just as well for Heyward, helping resolve the situation without complicating the team’s financial outlook. "Steelers don't restructure contracts until a year out, but Cam Heyward has 2 years remaining on his deal," Kaboly posted on his social media. "Here is the kicker and this is what I would use if I were Heyward: The Steelers worked some funny math with Antonio Brown in 2016 to get him a $4 million raise." Heyward just received a new deal ahead of the 2024 season. Now, Kaboly is pointing out that with two years remaining on his contract, the Steelers typically don’t restructure deals until there’s only one year left. However, Kaboly believes that if the team follows the same approach they used with Brown, it could help resolve Heyward’s situation. "They moved $4 million of AB's 2017 money to 2016, then tore up the contract in 2017 and made him the highest-paid WR in the NFL," Kaboly said. "AB got a $4 million raise, and the Steelers were able to keep their long-standing policy intact." Both sides could technically come out ahead with this approach. The money was going to Heyward anyway, but by advancing a portion of it to this year, he gets earlier financial recognition without requiring a full extension. Then, when the time comes to negotiate a new deal, both parties can do so in good faith, working toward a contract that makes sense for everyone involved. For now, moving some money forward would be a clear sign of appreciation for Heyward’s contributions and an acknowledgment of how the market has shifted for elite defensive linemen. It would also allow the Steelers to maintain their long-standing policy of waiting until a player enters the final year of his contract before negotiating an extension. Ultimately, it’s a short-term financial gesture that builds trust and buys time for a more permanent solution. Steelers And Cam Heyward Both Could Come Out As Winners This approach not only benefits Heyward financially in the short term but also helps preserve the relationship between the player and the organization. It shows the Steelers value his contributions and want to keep him motivated without rushing into long-term decisions prematurely. By handling things this way, the team retains flexibility in managing their salary cap and future roster moves. It also avoids the potential pitfalls of a large extension that might limit options later. For Heyward, it offers a sense of security and respect while keeping open the door for a more comprehensive agreement when the time is right.
Cardinals All-Star Addresses Future; Hints Time In St. Louis Is Ending
The St. Louis Cardinals made changes this summer but the winter is going to be even more transformational. Trading away guys like Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton certainly hurt. But, these were necessary moves with the Cardinals' chances at a playoff spot just barely hanging on for dear life. The Cardinals are one game below .500 at 57-58 right now through 115 games played as of writing ahead of their showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon. Sure, the Cardinals could go on some long winning streak and change the perception around the club once again. That would be great, but right now, the odds of the club making the playoffs are slim and that's why the Cardinals traded the three relievers before they could hit the open market in free agency. Once the season ends, bigger changes are coming, though. Cardinals at crossroads that will start to be answered this winter The Cardinals used the trade deadline to move on from some of the team's players heading to free agency that didn't have no-trade clauses. The Cardinals opted against trading players under team control beyond this season and guys with no-traded clauses made it clear that they wanted to stick around, including Miles Mikolas, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras. Nolan Arenado also reportedly didn't expand his list of approved teams from this past offseason. Of the no-trade clause guys specifically, Gray, Contreras, and Arenado still control their destiny beyond the season. Mikolas will be a free agent and spoke about his future and noted he wants to continue pitching, but made it sound like he won't be back with Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I want to finish strong," Mikolas said. "And I want to do my best to be a good example for the young guys. There are some young guys in here who I’ve seen from their rookie years, seen them mature and get better. Hopefully, I’ve left a little bit of an imprint on them. Show the younger guys what it’s like to go about your work – day in, day out, rain or shine. I’ll be in here tomorrow working out, busting my tail in the gym, getting my work done with the trainers, watching video, trying to get better. Bottom line: I want to finish strong and show teams that I’ve still got a lot of good baseball left in me... "I know teams look beyond that. They’ll look at everything. Teams are going to sign you after they go back and look at all of your starts and go, ‘What was the difference? Can we fix him? Can we help him? Can we do this? Can we do that?’ If my stuff is good – and the ball is coming out of my hand good – and I’m available wire to wire, that’s something. That’s something I take a lot of pride in...I’ll play as long as I can. The ball is still coming out of my hand pretty good for being almost 37. I’ll play as long as they let me." Mikolas has been with the Cardinals since 2018 and has earned two All-Star nods with the team, but his future is in question now.
Lions CB undergoes shoulder surgery, will miss 2025 season
Ennis Rakestraw will not play in 2025. The second-year corner was already known to be a candidate to miss time, but the Lions placed him on injured reserve Thursday. Only players released via an injury settlement are eligible to play after being moved to IR at this point in the offseason. Given his status as a 2024 second-round pick, that will obviously not be the case for Rakestraw. After what was essentially a redshirt rookie season, this news is a significant blow for team and player. Lions head coach Dan Campbell recently said Rakestraw was going to miss time due to a shoulder injury. Surgery took place on Thursday, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz notes the procedure was a success. That is of course only a small consolation considering the fact Rakestraw’s rehab process will cost him the entire campaign. The 23-year-old logged just 141 total snaps across eight games last season. A starting cornerback role was not in play since Detroit still has Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson in the fold and replaced Carlton Davis with D.J. Reed via free agency. Still, Rakestraw was in position to occupy a backup spot on the perimeter, so an injury to Arnold or Reed could have elevated him to first-team action. Now, the Lions’ secondary depth will be tested after the unit dealt with numerous injuries last season. Luq Barcoo and D.J. Miller were signed earlier this week. Veteran Avonte Maddox represents an experienced option amongst the team’s remaining backups, although he is best suited for slot and/or safety duties. Rock Ya-Sin has spent his entire career as a corner, but the Lions have tried him at safety this offseason. In the wake of Rakestraw’s injury, it will be interesting to see that plan changes and Ya-Sin’s attention turns back to the cornerback position. With nearly $48M in cap space, Detroit can easily afford a one-year deal amongst the remaining free agents at the CB spot. Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas and Kendall Fuller are some of the veterans still looking for a gig at this point in the offseason. With a vacancy in the secondary, it will be interesting to see if the Lions pursue a contract with any member of that trio or another cover man on the market.
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