Masters - dates, tee times, favourites & how to follow on the BBC

A sign at Augusta National Golf Club showing directions to Amen Corner, the 18th tee, concessions, the clubhouse and restroomsImage source, Getty Images
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The Masters was first contested in 1934 and won by American Horton Smith

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The 89th Masters takes place 10-13 April, with defending champion Scottie Scheffler among a field featuring an in-form Rory McIlroy looking, once again, to complete the career Grand Slam.

BBC Sport will have live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra across all four days.

There will also be live text commentary, in-play clips, video highlights, reaction and analysis on the BBC Sport website and app.

When is the 2025 Masters?

Round one: Thursday, 10 April

Round two: Friday, 11 April

Round three: Saturday, 12 April

Round four: Sunday, 13 April

The tee times and groupings for rounds one and two will be announced on Tuesday, 8 April.

Who are the favourites and how many LIV players?

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler at the 2024 US OpenImage source, Getty Images
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McIlroy has won four majors but none since 2014 and is yet to win the Masters, while Scheffler's two major triumphs have come at Augusta National

The general feeling in the golfing world is that if a player finishes above both Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy this week then they will probably be donning the Green Jacket.

American Scheffler is the world number one and turning into something of a Masters specialist. He is looking for a third victory in four years, while McIlroy is seeking to win the title for the first time.

Scheffler had a standout year in 2024, winning nine events including the Masters, and while he has not enjoyed the same stellar start to 2025, he is yet to finish outside the top 20 in five previous appearances in the first men's major of the year.

McIlroy, ranked second, needs this title to become just the sixth player to win the career Grand Slam of all four majors. It will be his 11th attempt to join a pantheon of greats including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and Gary Player.

For the first time, the Northern Irishman has won twice on the PGA Tour before arriving at Augusta, including last month's prestigious Players Championship, which has only intensified the hype.

But there are potential winners everywhere in the 96-man field.

Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg finished runner-up to Scheffler last year in a debut major to remember. Could he go on to emulate Jordan Spieth, who finished second in his debut year, before winning the title 12 months later in 2015?

England's Tommy Fleetwood will be encouraged by his joint third last year, while his compatriot Matt Fitzpatrick is a proven major winner and Wolverhampton's Aaron Rai is making his Masters debut after rising through the rankings.

Scotland's Bob MacIntyre is making his first start in three years but made the cut in his first two attempts, with a best finish of joint 12th. He arrives in Augusta with five top-15 returns in 2025.

Xander Schauffele has had four top-10 finishes in his previous six Masters and is coming off the back of a breakthrough 2024 in the majors where he won his first and second titles.

Collin Morikawa, ranked one place below Schauffele at fourth in the world, also enjoys Augusta and has had three top-10s in his past three starts, finishing joint third in 2024.

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is enjoying something of a renaissance in his career and is 14th in the world rankings.

The 38-year-old has never finished inside the top 20 at Augusta but won his seventh PGA Tour title at last year's BMW Championship and has had two top-10s this season, making the cut in all seven events he has played.

LIV Golf is well represented, with a dozen players from the Saudi-backed circuit heading to Georgia.

Jon Rahm won this title in 2023 and perhaps has a better chance of adding to his tally than Dustin Johnson (2020), Patrick Reed (2018) and Sergio Garcia (2017) who are all recent champions.

Chile's Joaquin Niemann has won twice on the LIV circuit this year and is once again being touted as a potential winner, while Bryson DeChambeau showed playing the 54-hole LIV tournaments had not harmed his major aspirations as he won his second US Open title last year

And finally... although he is not a favourite to win, many eyes will be on Germany's Bernhard Langer this week as the 67-year-old makes his 41st and final start on the 40th anniversary of the first of his two wins.

Is Tiger Woods playing at the 2025 Masters?

Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods will not be playing at Augusta National this year because he is still recovering after rupturing an Achilles tendon in March.

On 1 April the 15-time major champion wrote on X: "I can't believe I am saying this, but a few weeks after rupturing my left Achilles, the sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber plus the explosive lifts, my doctors and trainers have me ready to play the Masters next week! Can't wait! See y'all on the course."

However, minutes later, he added the message: "P.S. April Fools my Achilles is still a mess :)"

Woods had surgery on the injury, which also kept him out of the PGA Tour's flagship Players Championship, on 11 March.

He had been hoping to make his comeback at Augusta, having not competed in a PGA Tour event since last July's Open at Royal Troon.

The 49-year-old then had his sixth back procedure in 10 years in September 2024.

Woods planned to return at the Genesis Invitational in February but withdrew following the death of his mother, Kultida.

What is the weather forecast for Augusta?

The BBC weather forecast for Augusta, Georgia is predicting drizzle and light rain on the Monday and Wednesday practice days of Masters week, with a sunnier day on Tuesday and maximum temperatures of 15C.

There is little to no rain and light winds forecast for the Championship days. The temperature is set to warm up throughout the week with a maximum of 18C for the final round on Sunday.

Why do Masters winners get a Green Jacket?

2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm helping 2024 winner Scottie Scheffler into his Green JacketImage source, Getty Images
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Masters tradition dictates that the new champion is helped into his Green Jacket by the previous year's winner

It is arguably the most sought-after jacket in sport.

The great Bobby Jones, founder of the Augusta National Golf Club in 1933 and co-founder of the Masters which began in 1934, came up with the idea of a members' jacket.

The American amateur, who won seven majors, took his lead from Royal Liverpool, after winning The Open in 1927. He liked the red hunting jacket worn by the club's former captains.

Red, yellow and 'Georgia peach' colours were all floated between Jones and his business partner Clifford Roberts before the latter, inspired by the colour of the leaves on the azalea bushes that dominate Augusta National, suggested green.

The idea was that members wore the jacket and were therefore easily recognisable by spectators visiting the course.

Sam Snead was the first Masters winner to be awarded a Green Jacket, in 1949.

It is made of an inexpensive wool-polyester mix and costs about £195 to make each one. The colour is known as 'Pantone 342'.

Each jacket is kept permanently in the Champions Locker Room and only worn during Masters Week, strictly within the confines of Augusta National's clubhouse.

Initially, only first-time winners were allowed to remove the jacket from the property and then just for the first 12 months. Recently, winners have been given a replica jacket they can take away.

Is the Par 3 Contest taking place at Augusta?

Canadian trio Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin and Corey Conners celebrate with their families on the ninth green of Augusta National's par three course.Image source, Getty Images
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The Par 3 Contest is a relaxing Wednesday-afternoon event with families and friends heavily involved

First played in 1960, the Par 3 Contest has become the traditional fun curtain-raiser to the Masters.

It will start around 17:00 BST on Wednesday, 10 April. Most players have their wives, girlfriends, children, or even grandchildren as caddies and dressed in the traditional white boiler suits.

Non-competing past champions such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson still play in the nine-hole event that criss-crosses DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike's Pond.

Famously, no player has won the Par 3 Contest and then gone on to win the Green Jacket in the same year.

How to follow The Masters on the BBC

BBC Sport will have live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra across all four days.

There will also be live text commentary, in-play clips, video highlights, reaction and analysis on the BBC Sport website and app.

Monday, 7 April

21:00-22:00 BST - BBC Radio 5 Live preview show, also on BBC Sounds and via BBC Sport website

Thursday, 10 April

12:30-01:00 - live text commentary on round one on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips

20:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds

Friday, 11 April

12:30-01:00 - live text commentary on round two on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips

20:30-22:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds

22:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds

Saturday, 12 April

17:00-01:00 - live text commentary on round three on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips

21:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Sunday, 13 April

17:00-01:00 - live text commentary on round four on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips

20:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds

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