A lot of the chat forward of The Masters has centred on Rory McIlroy’s newest try and win at Augusta Nationwide and full the profession Grand Slam.
There has additionally been give attention to defending champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, who will likely be trying to safe a 3rd Masters title in 4 years.
However what else – and who else – must you regulate on the first main of the 12 months? Listed below are some attention-grabbing tales to observe reside on Sky Sports activities from Thursday…
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Sky Sports activities Information’ Jamie Weir explains how this could possibly be Rory McIlroy’s greatest likelihood to finish the profession Grand Slam
Cabrera again for first time since jail sentence
The 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera will return to Augusta for the primary time in six years with a 30-month jail sentence for varied offences together with assault, theft and intimidation towards ex-girlfriends adopted by visa points inflicting a prolonged keep away.
The 55-year-old, who instructed the Day by day Mail earlier this 12 months that “I regret everything I have done wrongly in my past”, gained a PGA Tour Champions occasion on Sunday for his first stroke play title since being launched after a match play victory within the UK final summer time.
Cabrera gained the Inexperienced Jacket in 2009, two years after victory on the US Open
Cabrera mentioned after Sunday’s triumph: “Everything I’ve gone through the last few years, being here, having a chance to win, is very emotional.”
Masters chairman Fred Ridley spoke forward of the 2024 Masters about Cabrera, telling reporters: “We’ll definitely welcome him back if he’s able to straighten out those legal issues,” calling the Argentine “one of our great champions”.
Langer returns one remaining time
Forty years on from the primary of his two Augusta titles, the good Bernhard Langer will play at The Masters for the forty first and remaining time – a 12 months after he was supposed to do this.
The German, 67, missed the 2024 version as a consequence of a torn Achilles tendon however is again now to attempt to bow out from this prestigious event in model.
Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer will compete on the occasion for the ultimate time
Langer, who additionally clinched a Inexperienced Jacket in 1993, remains to be being troubled by that damage and admits strolling the prolonged course will likely be a difficulty as he makes an attempt to interrupt Fred {Couples}’ report because the oldest participant to make the minimize at The Masters.
He mentioned: “I’m hoping to play great, and I have to play great to make the cut because the course is so long for me that nothing but great will do.”
Let’s hope for some Langer magic earlier than he waves goodbye.
Seeing double as Hojgaard twins put together for historical past
From an Augusta stalwart in Langer, we transfer to a rookie in Rasmus Hojgaard, who has certified for The Masters for the primary time by dint of being on this planet’s prime 50 on the cut-off level final December.
If the Dane finds himself a bit nervous, then he can not less than ask twin brother Nicolai for pointers, with the opposite Hojgaard inside the highest six after every of the primary three rounds final 12 months and briefly main on the Saturday earlier than ending in a share of sixteenth spot.
Rasmus Hojgaard (proper) and brother Nicolai would be the first twins to play in the identical version of The Masters
Rasmus and Nicolai – the latter securing a particular invitation for 2025 – would be the first twins to play on the identical Masters, so could have brotherly bragging rights on their thoughts.
The larger aim, in fact, is changing into the fourth European winner at Augusta within the final 10 years, after England’s Danny Willett in 2016 and Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm, in 2017 and 2023 respectively.
Can Garcia increase Ryder Cup hopes in a hundredth main?
Garcia will rack up a century of majors when he tees it up in Georgia this week, with the veteran hoping a powerful efficiency can proceed his push for an eleventh Ryder Cup look for this September’s event at Bethpage Black.
The 45-year-old – the report factors scorer in Ryder Cup historical past with 28.5 – has re-signed with the DP World Tour to make himself eligible for choice and could possibly be a real contender for a spot on Luke Donald’s group.
Sergio Garcia will make his a hundredth main look this week – and is hoping for an eleventh Ryder Cup this September
He gained LIV Hong Kong in March and simply final week got here third at LIV Miami, capturing beneath par throughout every of his three rounds and ending up two strokes behind winner Marc Leishman.
Garcia mentioned about The Masters: “I want to go there and enjoy the week no matter what. I’m hoping that I play great, make the cut and have a chance at winning but even if I don’t, I want to enjoy it because I think I deserve it – 100 majors is not a small feat.”
Will Mickelson push for main No 7?
Loads of Garcia’s LIV buddies will assume they’ve a shot at Masters glory, too, together with Phil Mickelson – the Augusta champion in 2004, 2006 and 2010 and the oldest winner of a significant in historical past when he triumphed on the PGA Championship in 2021 aged 50.
4 years on, may Lefty break his personal report?
Will Phil Mickelson contend for a fourth Masters Inexperienced Jacket?
Do not fully low cost it as Mickelson is aware of this place so nicely, got here tied second in 2023 after a surprising seven-under remaining spherical and has discovered type on the LIV tour of late with two top-six finishes throughout his final 4 occasions.
He mentioned: “I’m playing good golf. I’m driving it well. I’m hitting good iron shots, putting it well. I feel like I have the game now and am hitting the shots to compete.”
Do not forget about Schauffele
Whereas Scheffler ended 2024 as world No 1 and gained seven PGA Tour titles alongside the way in which, the person with probably the most majors final season was Xander Schauffele.
The Californian adopted PGA Championship success at Valhalla in Could with Open Championship victory at Troon in July – however just isn’t heading to Augusta in classic type.
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Watch highlights from the ultimate spherical of The 2024 Open Championship as Xander Schauffele clinched his second main of the 12 months at Royal Troon as Xander Schauffele shot a surprising six-under-par 65 to assert the Claret Jug
Schauffele has solely featured in 4 PGA Tour occasions this time period as a consequence of a rib damage and shot 81 on the ultimate day of The Gamers en path to ending 72nd.
Nonetheless, he continues to be on a record-extending run of 60 cuts made on the PGA Tour – the longest stretch since Tiger Woods – and has completed no decrease than 18th in every of his final 11 main begins. Outstanding consistency.
When is The Masters reside on Sky Sports activities?
Sky Sports activities Golf will present report hours of reside protection from the 2025 contest – the place Scottie Scheffler returns as defending champion – together with extra motion over the ultimate two rounds than earlier years.
Wall-to-wall protection from the event begins at 2pm on Thursday, with Featured Group motion and common updates from across the course accessible to take pleasure in on Sky Sports activities Golf till the worldwide broadcast window begins at 8pm.
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Sky Sports activities’ Jamie Weir seems to be at golf’s small checklist of Grand Slam winners as McIlroy tries to affix that unique membership
The identical timings will apply on Friday, whereas a brand new addition to this 12 months’s protection sees a Masters build-up present reside from 3pm over the weekend forward of full protection beginning at 5pm, overlaying all of the motion till after the shut of play.
Sky+, Sky Q and Sky Glass will present loads of bonus feeds and mean you can observe gamers’ progress by way of varied elements of Augusta’s well-known structure, together with Amen Nook and extra.
Watch The Masters reside on Sky Sports activities from April 10-13. Protection of the opening spherical begins with Featured Teams on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream on NOW.
