By Frank Pingue
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) – Anticipation for the year’s first major was building at Augusta National as defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and Grand Slam-seeking Rory McIlroy get ready for a potential Green Jacket showdown.
The pristine Augusta National layout may look different when the opening round begins on Thursday as the course is believed to have lost some 1,500 trees to Hurricane Helene last September but the visual changes will do little to curb excitement.
Tournament favourite and world number one Scheffler is looking to become only the fourth player to retain a Masters title while a win for McIlroy would make him only the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors.
Unlike last year at this time, Scheffler has yet to earn a win on the season but appears to be rounding into form right in time having arrived at Augusta National fresh off a runner-up finish at his Masters tune-up in Houston.
“I’m feeling good, ready to roll,” Scheffler said this week.
McIlroy, who counts a runner-up showing in 2022 among his seven top-10 finishes at the Masters, has endured his share of Augusta heartbreak in his career but has been the sport’s best player all year and seems poised for a Green Jacket fitting.
But should the Northern Irishman find himself in contention come Sunday he will not only have to focus on his game but also on not letting the potential to join an elite club weigh on him.
“Just trying to block out that noise as much as possible,” said McIlroy. “I need to treat this tournament like all the other tournaments that I play throughout the year.”
World number three Xander Schauffele has been flying under the radar much of the week but should not be discounted as he seeks a third win in four majors following triumphs at last year’s PGA Championship and British Open.
The Masters will also provide a brief respite from the ongoing divide in the sport given it will be the first time since last July’s British Open that players from the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf will compete against each other.
A dozen LIV players, including seven former Masters champions and fan favourite Bryson DeChambeau, are in the 95-player field this week.
Twice champion Bernhard Langer, 67, is in the field for what he said will be his final Masters, while 2009 champion Angel Cabrera returns for the first time since serving a 30-month prison sentence for domestic abuse.
The opening round at Augusta National is scheduled to begin on Thursday when the forecast is for a low of 48 degrees Fahrenheit (8.9 degrees Celsius) and a high of 76 F with a 70% chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms during the night.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Augusta, Georgia, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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