KSR Golf: Masters Tournament

The best week in professional golf has arrived. The game’s best players will make the drive down Magnolia Lane to participate in the 88th edition of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club to begin major championship season this weekend.

Green jackets, pimento cheese sandwiches, peach ice cream sandwiches, Hogan Bridge, Amen Corner, the greenest grass in the world, piped-in bird noises, and some more LIV vs. PGA storylines. This tournament will have it all.

The fun begins on Wednesday with the Par 3 tournament before things officially kick off on Thursday. KSR Golf is here to help you find some winners.

Broadcast Schedule

To consume the event, viewers will need a combination of streaming services and traditional broadcast television. Or feel free to just download the Masters app to consume the coverage.

ESPN+ will get the show started on Wednesday with coverage switching to traditional television later in the day before Nantz and the crew at CBS take over on the weekend.

Wednesday

Masters On the Range: 9-11 a.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Masters Par 3 Contest: 12-5 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App); 12-3 p.m. ET (ESPN+), 3-5 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Thursday

Honorary Starters: 7:45-8 a.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Round One: 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Featured Groups: 9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (4, 5, and 6): 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (Amen Corner, 11, 12 and 13): 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (15 and 16): 11:45 a.m.-7 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)

Friday

Round One: 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Featured Groups: 9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (4, 5, and 6): 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (Amen Corner, 11, 12 and 13): 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (15 and 16): 11:45 a.m.-7 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)

Saturday

Round 3 CBS Telecast: 3-7 p.m. (CBS)
Featured Groups: 10:15 a.m.-7 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (4, 5 and 6): 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (Amen Corner, 11, 12 and 13): 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (15 and 16): 12:30-6:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)

Sunday

Round 4 CBS Telecast: 2-7 p.m. (CBS)
Featured Groups: 10:15 a.m.-7 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (4, 5 and 6): 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (Amen Corner, 11, 12 and 13): 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
Featured Holes (15 and 16): 12:30-6:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)

Masters Layout

The Masters is played at Augusta National Golf Club on a 7,545-yard Par 72 course that will feature bentgrass greens and 89 players in the field. The top 50 plus ties will make it to the weekend.

The par 5 at No. 13 has recently been lengthened to provide a bigger tee shot challenge for the players. Golfers will now have a tougher approach shot often which should force some longer irons to come into play at this pivotal hole. Augusta is looking to toughen what has been one of the easiest holes on the golf course. That showed up some last year with only nine players getting to five-under or lower.

The 7,545-yard length is the longest in this tournament’s history as the Masters attempts to evolve with the current players that can bomb off the tee. Augusta National still does not allow green books so players with experience playing this tournament and those who are good both on and around the green could find an on-course advantage this week.

Key Metric

Despite the layout adding distance continually since Tiger Woods obliterated Augusta National in 1997, the tournament has remained an event that rewards golfers for strong second shots. Due to a bunch of fast greens with heavy slopes and run offs, hitting your strike zone on second shots is critical.

Driving distance won’t matter much unless players are locked in with their short irons and wedges. I’ll be focused on the players who have excelled to this point in the year in strokes gained approach.

Scottie Scheffler is the best golfer in the world and owns a green jacket. The 27-year-old with 11 professional wins is nearly unbeatable when the putts are falling in. With a No. 1 ranking in strokes gained approach, he deserves heavy consideration this week. A top-10 finish almost feels like a lock.

Shane Lowry is the No. 36 player in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and currently sits at No. 3 in strokes gained approach on the PGA Tour. The 2019 Open Championship winner owns nine top-25 finishes in his last 12 major championship starts with a T-3 finish at Augusta in 2022. The 37-year-old should be given some consideration in matchup plays.

Corey Conners has recorded three consecutive top-10 finishes at Augusta National. How? The 32-year-old is one of the best second-shot players in the world. Conners’ ball striking is excellent, and that shows up at Augusta. Conners is No. 4 in strokes gained approach and could find himself in contention on Sunday again.

Luckett’s Locks: The Masters

Looking for some winners on your FanDuel app? These are the four plays I like the most this weekend at Augusta National.

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Win: Xander Schauffele (14/1)

Is Xander Schauffele ever going to break through? If he does, I bet it will be at Augusta. The No. 5 player in the world is top-20 in strokes gained approach and already owns a pair of top-three finishes at the Masters. Scottie Scheffler (+450) is the safe play, but Schauffele will have a chance.

Top 10: Corey Conners (+450)

Corey Conners is a great ball striker and consistently plays well at Augusta National. A top-10 finish for the Canadian pro is my favorite play on the board this week. Conners will wrap up his fourth consecutive top-10 Masters finish on Sunday.

Top 20: Tony Finau (+130)

Tony Finau is No. 26 in the OWGR, No. 7 in strokes gained approach, and owns three top-10 Masters finishes in six career starts. Finau has the game to be in position to win on Sunday. A top-20 play feels like a safe play this weekend. Finau has logged four top-20 finishes in nine starts this season.

Matchup: Will Zalatoris (+115) over Matthew Fitzpatrick

Will Zalatoris is starting to look more like himself this season with a pair of top-10 finishes. The Wake Forest product also owns two top-10 finishes in his only starts at Augusta while ranking in the top 10 in strokes gained approach. Fitzpatrick does not have the greatest track record at Augusta. Take the plus money for Willy Z.