The 16th is one of golf’s most recognisable holes, displayed vividly each year during The Masters in a colourful glade of pines across a beautiful reflection pond. Page 42
5 Georgia On Our Mind
The build-up to the year’s first major begins here.
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
the starter
6 Belek’s Original Championship Test Rolling terrain, mountain views, and a long history of international tournament golf located in Turkey.
voices
8 Jack’s Fairy Tale Nicklaus stunned the world and this young announcer. BY
JIM NANTZ
10 Last Stand of the Masters Gnomes
Is this the end for this merchandising juggernaut?
BY SHANE RYAN
14 Quick 9 With DP
Getting to know all there is about what is instore for eGolf Megastore in the Middle East.
INTERVIEW BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
66 The Most Popular Masters Wins
I’ve spent 40 years covering professional golf. These were the most well-received victories.
features
52 ‘My Rhythm Fooled Everyone’
On the eve of his 25th Masters, 2013 champion Adam Scott reflects on nerves, swing envy and the big changes at Augusta.
INTERVIEW BY MAX ADLER
60 Driving the UAE forward Faycal Serghini talks about the rapid growth of UAE golf.
INTERVIEW BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
62 South Africa Stuns Dechambeau wins again as LIV Golf South Africa delivers historic crowd.
how to play
16 Hook It Out of Trouble
I’ve had plenty of practice on this particular shot, especially when I was younger.
BY TIGER WOODS
18 Rory’s Swing, Pre-PGA Tour
The defending Masters champion demoed it for us shortly after turning pro.
BY RON KASPRISKE
what to play
22 Re-rack Your Hybrids
Here are the best long-range tools to help you get to the green. BY PETER MORRICE
24 How Far Would Tiger at His Peak Hit It Today? We robot-tested Woods’ driver from 25 years ago. BY JONATHAN WALL
hot list Part 3
29 Fairway Woods 36 Hybrids BY MIKE STACHURA
where to play
42 Buried Treasure
The forgotten history behind the overhaul of Augusta National’s 16th hole. BY DEREK DUNCAN
the gulf club
64 Club News
A handful of the local amateur tournament winners within the Middle East.
editor-in-chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer
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group content director
Thomas Woodgate
editor Harry Grimshaw
art director Clarkwin N. Cruz
editorial assistant Londresa Flores
sales manager Abdel Djeebet
general manager - production
S. Sunil Kumar
production manager Binu Purandaran
assistant production manager
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THE GOLF DIGEST PUBLICATIONS
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international editor Ju Kuang Tan
GOLF DIGEST USA
editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde
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managing editors Stephen Hennessey, Ryan Herrington, Jonathan Wall
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playing editors Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth
Georgia on our mind
The build-up to the year’s fi rst major begins here
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
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HIS MONTH , we turn our attention to Augusta National with a Masters Preview special, one of the most anticipated weeks in golf. Our cover star, Adam Scott, arrives on the eve of his 25th Masters appearance. The 2013 champion reflects on the nerves that never quite go away, the swings he still admires, and the subtle but significant changes that continue to shape Augusta National.
We also revisit one of the course’s most fascinating stories, the evolution of the par 3 16th. It remains the only hole not originally designed by Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones, and while it is now one of the most recognisable scenes in golf, the version we know today did not appear until 1948.
Elsewhere, we look back at some of the most popular Masters victories, the wins that resonated far beyond the leaderboard and captured the imagination of fans around the world.
Closer to home, Faycal Serghini, Head Coach of the Emirates Golf Federation’s elite squad, shares his insight into the rapid growth of the game in the UAE. From developing young players to building a pathway towards international success, his perspective highlights just how quickly the landscape is evolving.
We also sit down with Dyootiman Pal, better known as DP, General Manager of eGolf
Megastore, to understand what lies ahead for the region’s largest golf retailer and how the modern golf consumer is changing. There is still plenty more to catch up on. Bryson DeChambeau claimed another LIV Golf title in South Africa, edging Jon Rahm in a playoff as the event delivered one of the most significant crowds the league has seen. We also look ahead to the return of the Turkish Airlines Open at the National Golf Club in Belek, a venue with a long history of championship golf.
Our Hot List equipment coverage continues, focusing on the latest woods and hybrids making their mark this season.
As ever, there is something for every golfer in this month’s issue!
Rolling terrain, mountain views, and a long history of international tournament golf
THE NATIONAL COURSE at Belek’s National Golf Club, opened in 1994, remains one of Turkey’s standout layouts.
Designed by David Feherty and David Jones, the 18-hole championship course winds through rolling terrain lined with pine and eucalyptus, with the Taurus Mountains framing the backdrop.
A regular host of elite events, it staged the European Seniors Open and this month welcomes the 2026 Turkish Airlines Open, reinforcing its status as a premier stop on the DP World Tour among the region’s top venues.
Jack’s Fairy Tale
40 years ago, Nicklaus stunned the world and this fi rst-year announcer
BY JIM NANTZ
EVERY SPRINGTIME THERE seems to be a special anniversary awaiting us at Augusta National. This year marks one of the greatest of all—40 years since Jack Nicklaus’ epic sixth Masters triumph, the most anyone has won.
All these decades later, for the sevenmillion TV viewers and those fortunate enough to witness that Masters in
person, the surreal events of Sunday, April 13, 1986, still seem like a fairy tale. Did it really happen? How did Jack do it?
I was in the CBS tower behind the par-3 16th hole that day, but the story for me began almost two years earlier. In June of 1984, I caddied for Jack Nicklaus during an exhibition at Park Meadows C.C., a course in Park City, Utah, that he designed. Jack invited
his good friend Johnny Miller to join him for the 18-hole debut round before several thousand fans. Two local sports broadcasters were invited to serve as bag toters for the afternoon. I was one of them and assigned to the great man. You can imagine the honour of carrying Jack’s big MacGregor tour bag for 18 holes. The thrill was enormous, and Jack occasionally even sought my input on yardages and green reads. Jack was warm and kind to his rookie caddie, even though I steered him to a birdie-free 73 that featured 17 pars and one three-putt bogey.
I was hired by CBS Sports the following summer. I was 26 and only four
years removed from a dormitory on the University of Houston campus. Soon after, I was informed that CBS’ legendary golf producer Frank Chirkinian had asked the brass at the network to include me as part of his broadcast team.
Frank usually got what he wanted, and in January I was at Pebble Beach for our first event of the season. Upon arriving, Frank told me three things: First, I wouldn’t be calling the action that weekend. “You are here only to observe how we present a telecast,” he said. Second, the Lodge at Pebble Beach was sold out and CBS would instead stash me in a villa off the left side of the first fairway that once was the home of 1940’s
GOLDEN BEAR ANNIVERSARY
Nicklaus rallied from six strokes back to win the 1986 Masters.
golf great Lawson Little. My roommate: The curmudgeon reporter and famed golf writer, Bob Drum. Lastly, Frank dropped a bomb: If things went well in the coming weeks, including an on-air premiere at the Doral Open, he planned to include me in the Masters broadcast 10 weeks later.
My first glimpse of Augusta National came that March when Frank asked me to record network promotional spots for the tournament. When April finally arrived, my learning curve was short. The tower was so close to the action that I learned to lower my voice to not distract the players. I noticed late in the day how the setting sun was at my back and shone brightly on the players as they hit
was only two shots behind the leader, Ballesteros. As Jack prepared to play the par-3 16th, I quickly dispensed information about his rich history on the hole, including his pivotal birdie in 1963 on his way to his first green jacket and his 40-footer for birdie up the hill in 1975 to fend off Miller and Tom Weiskopf. As he addressed the ball with a 6-iron, it now was time for me to “lay out,” broadcaster parlance for not saying anything at all.
“It now was time for me to ‘lay out,’ broadcaster parlance for not saying anything at all.”
their tee shots. The intense light made the golf balls appear larger than they were. It felt like I was tracking beach balls, not objects 1.68 inches in diameter.
On Sunday, the leaderboard was filled with iconic hall-of-fame names. Greg Norman, the third-round leader, and Nick Price, who had shot a courserecord 63 on Saturday, were in the final pairing. One group ahead of them were Seve Ballesteros, seeking his third green jacket, and Bernhard Langer, at the time seeking a repeat victory. Tom Kite was in the mix, as were Corey Pavin, Tom Watson and Sandy Lyle. Nicklaus was tied for ninth, six strokes back. Jack didn’t figure to have any chance at all. He was 46 and hadn’t won a major in six years. As far as I could tell from the 73 I’d witnessed in Park City, his best days were behind him.
Jack came alive with birdies at the ninth, 10th and 11th holes. He bogeyed the 12th but then birdied the 13th. When he eagled No. 15, he suddenly
The next thing I knew, the beach ball was flying toward me. I could tell, after four days of watching numerous shots, that this one was going to be close. As the ball drifted down the slope and trickled toward the cup, thoughts of a hole-in-one danced in my head. Coincidentally, I had asked Frank earlier that morning about how I should handle a situation in which someone knocked in an ace. In typical tough-love fashion, he’d said, “Son, this is a visual medium. If you ever talk over a moment like that, I will walk out of the truck, come down to 16 and personally throw you out of the tower!” With that thought circling my brain, I said only, “right at it” as the ball was in the air. When it settled three feet below, I exclaimed, “Oh, my!”
For the next five minutes I pretty much remained silent. Frank, directing brilliantly, let the camera linger on Jack as he walked along the water’s edge toward the green. Jack centre-cut his putt for birdie, and as he strode off the green, I exclaimed against the roar in the background, “There is no doubt about it, the Bear has come out of hibernation.”
Jack went on to win, of course, and after the broadcast concluded, I walked up the hill to the CBS compound. A cart suddenly pulled alongside. Our lead golf analyst, the legendary Ken Venturi, was behind the wheel. Ken was downright giddy. He said, “Jimmy, you may be lucky enough to one day broadcast 50 Masters tournaments, but I can promise you this, you will never see a day greater than this around Augusta National.”
I’ve been blessed to see many things through the years: Tiger in 1997, Tiger again with his “return to glory” in 2019, Rory last year. But 1986 in many ways stands alone. We remember it as the day Jack Nicklaus composed a golf fairy tale that somehow came true.
Last Stand of the Masters Gnomes
Could 2026 be the final year for this merchandising juggernaut?
BY SHANE RYAN
It’s no exaggeration to call Ryan Carey, founder and owner of Golden Age Auctions, the biggest player in golf memorabilia. He has all kinds of sale-price records from clubs to trophies to green jackets. But for most of the last decade, Ryan Carey has refused to deal in gnomes.
You might forgive his skepticism. In 2016, when Augusta National sold its first gnome exclusively at Berckmans Place—the fancy, semi-secret food-andmerch playground tucked beyond the tree line of the fifth and 16th holes that sometimes serves as a testing ground for new products—none of its market-
ing wizards thought it would become a phenomenon. Sure, gnomes are cute, and at 13.5 inches look nice on a mantle. Who could’ve foreseen they’d be treated by early rising Masters patrons the way rabid teens once treated John Lennon and Paul McCartney? Augusta didn’t even bring gnomes back for 2017. They returned in 2018 and gained notoriety and collectible value during the pandemic, but Carey considered them a fad. The memorabilia he prefers is “investment grade” meaning it should accrue value over time. He figured buyers would eventually come to their senses, and the gnome bubble would burst.
MAGICAL MONEYMAKERS
Complete sets of Masters gnomes have been listed for more than $20,000.
This April, for the first time, Carey will auction an Augusta National gnome. It’s the original 2016 model, which originally retailed for even less than the current going rate of $49.50. Carey predicts it will sell for more than $10,000.
“I will admit that I’ve been proven quite wrong,” Carey says.
So wrong, Carey explains, that the gnome now claims the highest resale of anything ever sold in the Masters merchandise tent, measured both as a multiple of the original cost and the highest dollar amount. As for previous high watermarks, Carey once sold a Scotty Cameron putter that cost $1,000 in the Masters shop for over $5,000. If his 2016 gnome fetches what he thinks, it will be more than 300 times the original.
Yet, just as Carey is embracing gnomes as they achieve maximum desirability, rumour has it that Augusta National is poised to do the unthinkable. If you believe the whispers, the ceramic bearded totem that appears in shops this April will be the last of his line.
To all of this, we have just one bewildered word: Why?
Why did Augusta make gnomes in the first place? On the surface, we don’t know, and the most predictable sentence of this story is the following: “Augusta National declined to comment.”
We don’t know who makes the gnomes or where, how many are produced, or who came up with the idea. Through a well-placed source, we know approximately 1,000 were released each day of the 2025 Masters, with about 500 in the main North Shop and others spread between the South Shop by the fifth hole and Berckmans Place. That was about double the volume of previous years, an attempt to restore some sanity to the bedlam surrounding the creatures— people lining up outside the gates at 4 a.m., secondary-market buyers profithunting, and a scene more reminiscent of Black Friday at your local Target than the bucolic serenity Augusta National cultivates.
Nikki Dunagan identifies as a “Masters nepo baby,” and you should prepare to
• O icial EGF Handicap (GHIN), recognised worldwide
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AL ZORAH GOLF CLUB, AJMAN
be jealous: Her grandfather was an Augusta native who bought tickets for the first time in the late ’50s (price: $12.50), and went back so many times that he became part of the “series badge program” which under certain circumstances can be passed down to children. Nikki has been to every Masters since ’97 except the COVID November Masters of 2020. She and her family didn’t even know about the gnomes until 2021, when they lucked across one during the Drive, Chip and Putt competition. She mostly bought that first one because it looked like her dad. Now she has five, including the 2020 Santa gnome that her husband bought as a gift (she didn’t ask him how much it cost). The rest of the on-site purchases have taken considerably more planning, as well as an earlier alarm.
“It’s just kind of become a thing,” she says. “Let’s try to keep getting them because we can.”
Brandon Greene is the General Manager of the Augusta GreenJackets, the minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and he’s made a point to attend every Masters since moving to Augusta in 2015. He missed out on the gnomes in 2016 and 2018, but a year later, as Tiger Woods was pulling off a miracle, he walked to the shop “like a normal person” and bought one as a piece of decor for his new house. The next year, he bought the COVID gnome from a catalog, and then it was off to the races. Now he’s got seven of the nine, and like Dunagan, he’s had to get more resourceful each year. One year, at the point of hopelessness when a trip to the shop came up empty, a security guard tapped him on the shoulder and hooked him up with a gnome that had been held for someone who never came.
Greene has no intention of selling them—the seven dwarves occupy a prideful spot on his mantle, with the most recent featured on his TV stand— but when he needs to amuse himself, all he has to do is fire up the Internet.
“Sometimes I’ll get on eBay and be like, man, these things are going for $20,000 for a whole set!”
As with Dunagan, I pressed Greene about what made these gnomes so attractive. He spoke about the ties to the city and the general Masters motif that
predominates, but he came back to the same rationale:
“Once you get a few things, it gets addicting. Now I want it just to say I have it.”
Other amateur collectors I spoke with echoed the same idea. The gnomes are popular because the gnomes are popular. People want the gnomes because people want the gnomes.
Well, OK, but something had to spur this. According to Carey, that “something” was the pandemic.
“COVID really put a spotlight on all collectibles,” Carey says. “The greater sports-collectibles industry all of a sudden doubled or even tripled. It was a perfect storm of being stuck in your house watching ‘The Last Dance’ documentary, having more time to be on websites like mine and revisit nostalgia, go back to the roots of what made you happy. That was the fire that got it started.”
ing, the gnome is the only one that merits its own sign limiting purchases to one per customer. The resale prices speak for themselves and the mania shows no signs of relenting. “We sold Tiger’s irons from the Tiger Slam for over $5 million,” Carey says, “and I get more emails about these damn gnomes.”
Why on earth would Augusta get rid of them? Most companies, after launching a product that sends the consuming public into hysterics as they line up in the predawn hours praying just for the chance to throw $49.50 into your coffers, would respond by producing as many as possible as quickly as possible. But as Carey says, only Augusta National would get upset that it was selling too well.
The year 2026 would serve as the 10th anniversary and a convenient milestone on which to conclude the franchise. Our merchandising source put his certainty at “95 percent plus.” Augusta would not confirm this and could always pivot, but the writing on the wall seems to spell doom for our bearded friends.
“Gnomes have become a glaring symbol of the hyper-consumerism the club is trying to curb.”
Carey has no memory of anybody caring about the gnomes at the 2019 Masters, but by 2021 everyone wanted one.
“It’s the tail that wags the dog,” Carey says. “It’s more about the collectible and the collecting aspect. You can’t dislike the item, but the frenzy is about collecting.” (Note: Golf Digest has a business relationship with Carey’s company, Golden Age Auctions.)
Carey gives credit to Augusta for changing the style every year. The first gnome was a golfer who wore an argyle green-and-white sweater. Then in 2018 it was a Masters caddie, and the years since have showcased various patrons with lawn chairs and backpacks and ice cream sandwiches and all kinds of funky hats, even a gallery guard. (On that note, an actual gallery guard told me he amuses himself by telling patrons who ask about the mysteries of Augusta—“What’s down that road?”— it’s where the gnomes live.)
Of all items in Masters merchandis-
In the end, it’s about self-image. Our merchandising source says the club is concerned about longer wait times. (Golf Digest Senior Manager of Social Media Will Irwin spent 50 minutes in line to get his gnome last year). Waiting in line detracts from the ideal patron experience but, perhaps more importantly, reads as gauche. Whatever money is generated isn’t a sufficient counterargument to what it costs in prestige. This isn’t just about gnomes—it’s been estimated that Augusta National grosses about $70 million in merchandise for the week— but the gnomes have become a glaring symbol of the hyper-consumerism the club is trying to curb.
If 2026 is indeed the last stand of the Masters gnomes, they can go to their Valhalla with a smile in their hearts and a glow on their ruddy cheeks. How many of us are lucky enough to be made obsolete because we were just too good? The truth is, nixing the gnomes means they’ll never die—rarity drives value, and these little guys will live on in the nooks and crannies of the Internet. Even if exiled from Augusta, their prices will rise to staggering heights that a simple little gnome could never achieve on his own.
Quick 9 with... Dyootiman Pal (or “DP” as he’s known!)
Getting to know all there is about what is instore for eGolf Megastore, the largest golf store in the Middle East.
WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
DP, when you reflect on your journey in the golf industry, what moment makes you most proud?
To have played a role in elevating the standards of the game in our region, to consistently serve golfers with worldclass equipment and experiences and to push the industry forward in even the smallest way—that’s what truly stands out.
In an industry built on precision, discipline, and passion, I’ve always believed that excellence is not a milestone—it’s a responsibility.
And if, through our work, we’ve helped golfers play better, experience more, and expect higher standards— then that, to me, is something worth being proud of.
How does your role as General Manager of eGolf Megastore allow you to combine your love of golf with your entrepreneurial mindset?
As General Manager of eGolf Megastore, I’m uniquely positioned at the intersection of the golfer, the product, and the evolving ecosystem of the game. That vantage point allows me to think beyond transactions and focus on transformation.
Golf in the Middle East is at an inflection point. Participation is expanding, formats are evolving, and expectations are shifting rapidly. My role allows me to actively influence that evolution.
We are not just responding to demand; we are helping create it.
By integrating technology, reimagining retail experiences, and building deeper customer engagement models, we are redefining how golf is discovered, accessed, and enjoyed. From first-time players to seasoned golfers,
the goal is to elevate every touchpoint. At its core, this is where my entrepreneurial mindset comes alive; identifying where the game is going, not where it has been, and building platforms that can scale with that vision.
Because the real opportunity is not just to grow within the industry, it is to expand the industry itself.
DYOOTIMAN PAL General Manager of eGolf Megastore.
Dubai has a unique lifestyle—how does living here influence the way you approach golf, work, and leisure?
Dubai elevates your mindset; it pushes you to think bigger and execute faster.
In golf, it showcases how the game can be both premium and accessible, reinforcing the need to evolve formats and experiences.
In work, the pace and ambition demand constant innovation and global standards.
Even leisure becomes purposeful, driven by exposure, networking, and ideas.
Ultimately, Dubai shifts your perspective from limitations to possibilities and in a growing industry like golf, that makes all the difference.
What’s the most luxurious or memorable golfing experience you’ve enjoyed, either locally or abroad?
Two experiences stand out—Apogee Golf Club and The Grove XXIII.
Both represent golf at its absolute pinnacle—not just in terms of course design, but in the overall experience.
Apogee delivers a pure, performancedriven environment built around serious golfers, where every detail is designed to elevate the game.
The Grove XXIII, on the other hand, redefines exclusivity and hospitality— seamlessly blending luxury, privacy, and innovation.
What makes these experiences truly memorable is not just the infrastructure, but the intent behind them; a relentless focus on excellence, personalization, and pushing the boundaries of what golf can be.
When it comes to building the perfect team or store experience, what’s your personal philosophy?
At the core of everything I believe is simple: business is people.
My philosophy is rooted in servant leadership; if you take care of your team, they will take care of your clients.
Building the perfect team or store experience isn’t about control; it’s about empowerment. It’s about creating an environment where people feel valued, trusted, and inspired to deliver their best every day.
Because when your team believes in what they’re doing, that energy naturally translates into how they serve customers.
Ultimately, great customer experiences are not engineered, they are a byproduct of a strong, aligned, and cared-for team.
Outside of the organisation, how do you stay connected to the game and improve your own swing?
It’s been over a decade with eGolf and the journey still feels as exciting as day one.
While we’ve grown into an established SME, we’ve consciously retained an entrepreneurial mindset. That curiosity and hunger to evolve is what keeps us connected to the game, we truly love what we do, and that reflects in how we operate.
More recently, as we build the next generation of leaders within the business, I’ve made a conscious effort to step out of the office and get closer to the ground, spending more time with our clients, understanding their needs, and experiencing the game through their lens.
For me, improving my “swing” is not just technical, it’s contextual. It’s about staying immersed in the ecosystem, listening, learning, and continuously refining how we serve the golfer.
Because the closer you are to the player, the sharper your understanding of the game becomes.
As someone who appreciates the finer things, which aspects of golf gear or apparel do you personally gravitate toward?
We’re fortunate to represent some of the finest global brands in the region—so choosing just one has never been easy.
I often find myself rotating between 3–4 mixed bags, each bringing together the best of different worlds. It keeps the experience fresh and reflects the diversity of innovation across the industry.
I’m also naturally drawn to vibrancy and expression. Brands like Peter Millar, G/Fore, J.Lindeberg, Greyson, and Puma consistently excite me—each season pushing boundaries and raising the bar in design and performance.
It’s been over a decade with eGolf and the journey still feels as exciting as day one.
BIGGER IS BETTER eGolf Megastore is the largest golf store in the Middle East.
That said, I’ve always gravitated towards limitededition pieces; especially those with a touch of exclusivity and subtle “bling.”
For me, it’s not just about performance—it’s about identity. The finer details, craftsmanship, and uniqueness of a product elevate the entire experience.
Because in golf, as in life, it’s the details that truly define the standard.
Looking ahead, what’s your vision for taking eGolf Megastore to the next level?
The vision is clear—grow with strength, scale with intent, and elevate the standard of retail.
Our immediate focus is on expanding across the GCC, establishing a stronger physical presence while staying true to what we do best, delivering exceptional product and service.
At the same time, we’re actively looking at integrating AI and datadriven systems to enhance decision-making, personalize customer experiences, and build a more intelligent retail ecosystem.
Equally important is investing in people, developing a strong second generation of leaders who can carry the vision forward and scale the business sustainably.
Ultimately, this is not just about growth in size, it’s about raising the bar for what golf retail can and should be in the region.
And finally, when you need to unwind, what’s your go-to Dubai spot to relax after a busy week in golf retail?
For me, unwinding is about simplicity and perspective.
It’s either a quiet round of golf— where you can reset and reconnect with the game—or a bike ride with close friends along the mountain highways, away from the city’s pace.
Both offer a different kind of clarity; one grounded in focus, the other in freedom.
And in a fast-moving environment like Dubai, that balance is essential.
EDITED BY RON KASPRISKE
Hook It Out of Trouble
“I’ve had plenty of practice on this particular shot, especially when I was younger and had less control of my driver. Regulate the amount of hook by how much you toe-in the club at address, not by manipulating the clubhead with the hands during the swing. A general rule of thumb: I aim my body lines (feet, hips, shoulders) at a point where I want the ball to start, and I aim the clubface where I want the ball to finish.”
—TIGER WOODS, excerpted from How I Play Golf, his book that debuted in 2001, not long after he completed the “Tiger Slam” at that year’s Masters (pictured here).
Rory’s Swing, Pre-PGA Tour
The defending Masters champion demoed it for us shortly after turning pro BY RON
KASPRISKE
RORY MCILROY’S VICTORY at last year’s Masters, which completed a career grand slam (winning all four majors), made us a little sentimental about the then 20-year-old fledgling pro who appeared in Golf Digest’s July 2009 issue. John Huggan interviewed him and his longtime instructor, Michael Bannon, for the piece. Here’s what they had to say about Rory’s still-developing swing.
Rory McIlroy: “People are always amazed by how far I hit the ball off the tee. I’m not the biggest guy out here, at 5-feet-10, 160 pounds, but I’ve always been long for my size. I have a lot of natural speed. In the gym, I work on mostly
core stability and flexibility, which has helped make me longer. Plus, I like to swing with no fear. I’m a grip-it-andrip-it guy. I’ve always played that way, and I’ve quickly found out that nearly everyone on tour does, too.
“Over the ball, I think about nothing other than the target. I don’t focus on technique. But under pressure, I do use one simple swing thought: I pick a spot a foot in front of the ball and hit over it—hard. That takes my mind off the outcome of the shot and keeps me in the process.”
NOW AND THEN McIlroy debuted with a hard swing—and still had it at the 2025 Masters (above).
Michael Bannon: “Rory’s swing does have a lovely flow to it; always has. You can tell how comfortable he is by the speed at which he plays. We always focus on Rory’s posture, alignment and ball position. They are where we want them, but we keep a constant eye on them. If he’s been playing in windy conditions, he sometimes lets the ball creep back in his stance. He also has a tendency to narrow his stance a wee bit too much for the short irons. I like the width to stay constant so he can stand into his right leg on the backswing.”
Turn the page to see Rory’s swing, circa 2009.
(Comments from Rory’s coach, Michael Bannon): “Halfway back, his right elbow starts to fold and his wrists continue to hinge. He already has made a big shoulder turn, no part working without the others.”
“As Rory turns back to the ball, the club is lowered into a ‘holding’ position by the movement of his lower body. He’s making a very strong move here, with the wrist angle between his club and left arm retained.”
“I love that his left arm has stayed so straight and his turn is so full, about 110 degrees. Also, you can see the club is parallel to his left arm—that’s square.”
“Like a natural throwing motion, his left side has cleared so his right side can complete the ‘throw’ to the target.”
“This is a lovely finish. You’ll never see him fall back off a shot.”
“Just after impact, his right leg tends to lock up—that’s something we’re working on in his driving. I’d like to see it stay softer, as it does with his iron shots.”
Re-rack Your Hybrids
For years, hybrids were the obvious choice to replace harder-to-hit long irons, but the influx of new 7- and 9-woods has pushed them to the side. Rethink that. With stronger iron lofts turning 6-irons into 4-irons these days, hybrids can reach deeper into your bag. Many companies now offer 5-, 6- and 7-hybrids, and even Callaway’s 8-hybrid (right) has a cult following. Hybrids give your mid-range approach game more height, distance and forgiveness. One other benefit: A high-lofted hybrid makes for a nifty chipping club, too.
EDITED BY PETER MORRICE
How Far Would Tiger at His Peak Hit It Today?
We robot-tested Woods’ driver from 25 years ago (with his impact specs back then) against his current gamer. Here’s the full breakdown
BY JONATHAN WALL
WITH HIS BIRTHDAY ON December 30, Tiger broke 50. To celebrate that milestone—and his second Masters win 25 years ago— we’re rewinding to the driver and golf ball he used during arguably the greatest run the game has ever seen. In 2000, Woods won nine times, including three straight major championships, followed by a win at the next year’s first major, the
2001 Masters—a first-ever achievement dubbed the Tiger Slam.
What’s easy to forget is that while Woods was rewriting golf history, the equipment world was undergoing its own revolution. Persimmon was on the endangered list, and titanium drivers, like the Titleist 975D that Woods used during his historic run, were in every bag. Plus, wound, liquid-filled golf balls were on their last legs as solid-core designs like Nike’s Tour Accuracy TW began their takeover.
At the 2000 Masters, one month before Woods put the Tour Accuracy ball in play, 59 of 95 competitors were still playing wound balls. A year later, when Woods closed out the Tiger Slam at Augusta National, only four players in the field used a wound option. Things were changing fast, and Woods had the accelerator pressed to the floor.
He already had more speed than almost anyone on the planet. Pairing the 975D with a modern solid-core ball gave him yet another gear. While he certainly didn’t need more firepower, it’s impossible not to wonder, How far would Tiger have hit it in 2001 if he’d had access to today’s technology?
To find out, we devised a test using a swing robot with Golf Laboratories in San Diego to compare Tiger’s drivers and golf balls over 25 years of innovation.
We started by re-creating Tiger’s legendary 975D driver exactly as he played it: 7.5 degrees of loft with a True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shaft at 43.5 inches. That setup might look prehistoric now, but it powered perhaps the greatest golf ever played.
While most of his peers were dabbling with graphite shafts in the early 2000s, Woods trusted the consistency of steel.
specs with a Graphite Design Tour ADVF 6X shaft and a Bridgestone Tour B X ball. Testing was done on a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor, with centre, heel and toe strikes included to mimic realworld results—and to show how forgiveness and dispersion have changed.
Here’s where it got really fun. We set the robot to Tiger’s 2000 launch, speed and spin blueprint—the DNA of the Tiger Slam. That year, he averaged 298 yards in driving distance, second only to John Daly.
Just holding Tiger’s 975D sent us back in time. With a head measuring 260 cubic centimeters, it looks tiny, almost fairway-wood size by today’s standards. While most of his peers were dabbling with graphite shafts in the early 2000s, Woods trusted the consistency of steel.
The steel adds weight, stability and nostalgia but not swing speed. Testing the 975D driver with the Tour Accuracy ball produced launch and spin numbers that are pedestrian today: a 9.9-degree launch (lowest of the test), a surprisingly high 109-foot peak trajectory and a steep 42.4-degree descent angle. Efficient? Not by modern tour standards.
DEFINING
DRIVER Woods used a Titleist 975D with a steel shaft during the Tiger Slam.
With help from someone who worked closely with Woods, we gathered accurate launch characteristics to dial in Tiger’s impact specs on the robot. At the time, Woods’ clubhead speed was estimated between 118 and 120 miles per hour. From there, we tested his 975D with both the Nike Tour Accuracy and the current Titleist Pro V1 to see how distance would change simply by swapping golf balls. For a truly modern benchmark, we tested a TaylorMade Qi10 LS built to Tiger’s current
Heel and toe strikes reduced carry distance by 10.5 yards on average, which is solid by today’s benchmarks and shockingly good for a 260cc head. In fact, the 975D with the Tour Accuracy delivered the lowest distance loss on mis-hits of all three combinations.
Switching to a current Titleist Pro V1 golf ball generated some of the most intriguing data. While Tour Accuracy was already a solid-core ball, Pro V1’s current aerodynamics and multilayer design unlocked a noticeable performance bump. Spin rate dropped to 2,532 rpm; ball speed and launch both nudged higher; peak height (102.6 feet)
Tiger 25 Years Ago vs. Technology Today
Using a swing robot set to Tiger’s impact specs in 2000, we compared the driver and ball he used then to two other scenarios: (1) switching to a modern Titleist Pro V1 ball and (2) with his current TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver and Bridgestone Tour B X ball.
and descent (39.3 degrees) shifted to more optimal numbers.
In short, if Tiger were hitting a current Titleist Pro V1 with his 975D driver back in 2001, he would’ve added about 17 yards. Off-centre shots lost 13.6 yards on average, a bit more than with the Tour Accuracy, but still respectable given the 975D’s compact footprint and gear-effect-heavy DNA.
If we could have given Tiger in 2001 his TaylorMade Qi10 LS and a Bridgestone Tour B X ball, his driving stats would have been out of this world. He’d have been 29 yards longer than Daly and nearly 40 yards longer than with the driver-ball combo he was using. The launch was higher; the spin was much more efficient; and the total distance was on another level.
Just as telling were the mis-hits. Toe
strikes produced the same ball speed and distance as centre shots, which is an almost unbelievable testament to how far forgiveness in drivers has come. Heel misses, on the other hand, still lost 22 yards (more than either 975D combo), and dispersion widened to 17.4 yards.
Interestingly, the tightest heel-toe dispersion of the entire test came from the 975D-Pro V1 combo at just 5.5 yards,
an interesting topic of discussion for those who think tour pros should play drivers with smaller profiles. Maybe there’s more to accuracy than head size.
Tiger turned 50 with a body that has taken more hits than most athletes could endure—and with gear that looks nothing like what he used during his record-setting Tiger Slam. Our testing acted like a time machine, showing the gap between eras and offering a glimpse at an alternate history.
The Titleist 975D remains iconic, and the TaylorMade Qi10 LS demonstrates what two decades of engineering brilliance can produce. Most of all, our test results reinforce a simple truth: Tiger wasn’t great because of his equipment. If he’d had today’s technology during his prime, there’s no telling what other records he might have smashed. If we could have given Tiger in 2001 his TaylorMade Qi10 LS and Bridgestone Tour B X ball . . . he’d have been nearly 40 yards longer.
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WOODS
• It doesn’t matter if you lace up your shoes in the parking lot or have your own reserved space, hitting good shots from long distances is never easy. Even PGA Tour pros hit 20 percent fewer greens from 205 yards than from 165. Still, there is reason for optimism. The latest fairway woods and hybrids are easier to launch and hit straight thanks to faster faces, weight-saving materials and soles that glide through the turf like they’re on a Slip ’n Slide. Lay up if you want, but there’s less and less reason to do so. Here are the best long-range tools to help you get to the green.
LIST 2026
CALLAWAY Quantum Max
• The shallow-face design of this club facilitates launch and boosts confidence.
• Max o ers the most loft options in the Quantum family.
• A light carboncomposite crown and a 30-gram, “floating” tungsten bar positioned low and forward in the
CALLAWAY Quantum
• Built with a tourfocused, compact shape and deeper face, this model produces less spin and a lower launch.
• The carboncomposite crown lowers the centre of gravity to reduce spin.
• A 30-gram, “floating” tungsten bar low and forward in the head rests slightly above
the sole to allow the lower part of the face to flex freely.
• Trailing-edge sole relief yields more centreface contact and fewer thin shots.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• 15, 18, 21 degrees (with a six-way adjustable hosel on the 15- and 18-degree)
head yield a lower centre of gravity for less spin and free up the lower part of the face to flex better.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• 15, 16.5, 18, 20, 21, 24, 27 degrees (with a six-way adjustable hosel on the 15-, 16.5and 18-degree)
RRP 2,195
CALLAWAY Quantum Max D
• A larger address profile distinguishes the Max D, the most forgiving model in the lineup, and a draw bias and upright lie angle help counteract a slice.
• The carboncomposite crown helps lower the centre of gravity for higher launch. Expect this club to take o
higher than the Max.
• A 30-gram, “floating” tungsten bar low and forward in the head creates a lower centre of gravity and allows for better flexing in the lower part of the face.
• 15, 16.5, 18, 21.5 degrees (with a sixway adjustable hosel on the 15-, 16.5- and 18-degree)
RRP 1,975
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
CALLAWAY Quantum Max Fast
• The lightweight build of this model helps players with moderate swing speeds move the club faster and with more control for higher launch and greater distance.
• Lighter shafts and slightly weaker lofts make this ideal for players wanting to boost launch.
• A “floating” tungsten bar in the head yields a lower centre of gravity for less spin and more distance while allowing for better flexing in the lower part of the face.
• 16, 19, 22, 25 degrees (with a six-way adjustable hosel on the 16- and 19-degree)
• The most versatile option in the OPTM fairway-wood line, the X uses adjustable front and rear sole weights (11 and 3 grams) to control spin, launch and forgiveness.
• Internal weight pads that distribute additional weight to the rear perimeter and the hosel create a
built-in draw bias.
• Another key to consistent performance is how the internal weighting and sole weights are balanced to stabilise the head.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
COBRA OPTM LS
• The most compact head in the lineup uses a titanium body, carbon crown and three sole weights to optimise mass and reduce spin with a low centre of gravity.
• The titanium face boosts ball speed.
• A 37-gram pad of heavy tungsten fuels Cobra’s lowest, most forward centre of
MIZUNO JPX One
• With a loft range from 13 to 26 degrees, this single model has a wide sole channel at the heel and toe for more face deformation on mishits, leading to less distance loss.
• The head width from heel to toe gets progressively smaller as lofts increase to improve workability
and ease of use on uneven lies.
• A weight-saving carbon-composite crown piece wraps into the skirt on the toe side of the head to save mass.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
PING G440 SFT
PING G440 LST
• Better players with faster swing speeds will benefit the most from this model’s use of multiple materials to reduce spin.
• The rounded head shape and taller clubface facilitate use o the tee.
• A lightweight titanium alloy in the face is stronger (and 8 percent thinner) for
• With the shallowest face height of the three Ping fairway woods, this model targets players who use these clubs more o the ground than from the tee.
• The high-strength steel-alloy clubface wraps around the crown and sole for greater rebound.
• Extra loft on the 3-
more resilience.
• The bottom of the club has an 85-gram tungsten soleplate to increase launch angle and lessen spin.
• Top 5 in Forgiveness, low-handicaps
• 15, 19 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
and 7-woods and a shorter shaft on the 5-wood help golfers with average to below-average swing speeds launch the ball higher.
• A slimmer rear weight ensures that the clubhead rests closer to the ground.
• 16, 19, 22 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
TAYLORMADE Qi4D
• Designed for players with average to above-average swing speeds (even tour pros), this club has the most e cient shaping, fastest face and broadest loft range in the lineup.
• A larger, lightweight carbon crown shifts the centre of gravity lower for more e cient launch.
• The sole channel, which boosts face flex on lower impacts, extends further toward the toe for more speed.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
TAYLORMADE Qi4D Max
RRP 1,895
• This model’s bigger footprint at address (18 percent larger than Qi4D Tour; 5 percent larger than Qi4D) inspires confidence and adds forgiveness for average golfers struggling with inconsistent contact.
• With the sole weight in the rear, the centre of gravity sits further
TAYLORMADE Qi4D Max Lite
• Built on the Qi4D Max’s platform, this club’s lighter head and shaft (up to 21 grams lighter than the Qi4D Max) increase distance potential and shot control for players with moderate to slower swing speeds.
back for a higher moment of inertia and higher launch.
• The sole channel extends to the toe for added ball speed.
• The 3-wood is 200 cubic centimeters (18 percent larger than the Qi4D Tour) for more stability on mis-hits.
this club and get a custom fit at eGolf
TAYLORMADE Qi4D Tour
• The Tour’s compact shape and internal weighting (extremely low and forward) deliver high energy transfer with low spin for fast-swinging, highly skilled players.
• A lightweight carbon crown and titanium body and face save mass for a 60-gram tungsten block in the front of the sole.
• Three movable sole weights, for the first time in a TaylorMade fairway wood since 2007, allow players to tweak ball flight by moving weight to the heel, toe or rear.
• Top 5 in Look, lowand high-handicaps
• 15, 18, 21 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
2,195
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Demo
Megastore
TITLEIST GT1
• Built for players with moderate swing speeds, this lighter design features a shallower clubface and focuses on higher launch and increased stability.
• A deeper centre of gravity (the deepest in the GT lineup) fuels that enhanced stability.
• Front and rear sole
TITLEIST GT3
• This model is designed for golfers who have a slightly downward attack angle and often use a 3-wood o the tee.
• The taller face height leads to a flatter ball flight than the GT2.
• An adjustable weight track in the sole distributes weight to one of five locations from heel to toe
weights allow the player to tweak ball flight and spin.
• A new thermoplasticpolymer-matrix crown weighs onefifth as much as the surrounding steel.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
CALLAWAY Quantum Max
• This midsize hybrid will serve the needs of a wide range of players looking for a neutral flight and improvements in launch and distance.
forward than in previous models. This feature allows the lower part of the wraparound cupface to flex more freely.
• Screws in the sole suspend a 24-gram bridge of tungsten that “floats” within the head to move the centre of gravity lower and more
CALLAWAY Quantum Max OS
• The distinctly oversize footprint and larger face of this club will resonate with players who have inconsistent impact patterns and are looking for more forgiveness, higher launch and built-in slice-fighting capability.
• The Max OS is as much as 24 percent larger by volume than the standard Max models.
• The adjustable hosel allows players to tweak loft and lie, the latter by plus/minus 2 degrees to better fit more types of swings.
• The shallowest face in the Quantum family also is Callaway’s lightest hybrid and adds control and distance and a higher flight for moderate-speed players.
• Screws in the sole suspend a bridge of tungsten that “floats” within the head to move the centre of
gravity lower and more forward than in previous models. This allows the face to flex more e ciently.
• The sole’s slight step down from front to back promises a cleaner turf interaction.
of the head attaches to the sole to push the centre of gravity forward, letting the face flex better.
• The L-shape face insert on this club wraps around the leading edge and into the sole to maximize rebound, particularly on low impacts.
COBRA OPTM
• This easier-to-hit model assumes a larger footprint for more forgiveness and helps average golfers launch shots higher, with more backspin and a steeper angle of descent.
• Balanced internal weighting reduces the way the head sometimes wobbles during the swing
• The face’s thickness varies across 15 regions for better ball speeds.
• A bridge-like structure in the front
and at impact for more consistency in distance and trajectory.
• 17, 19, 22, 25 degrees; one-length versions in 19, 21, 24 degrees (with a 33-way adjustable hosel)
MIZUNO JPX One
• This conventionalsized hybrid will work for golfers at various levels who are looking for the maneuverability of an iron with higher launch and more forgiveness.
• The channel at the front of the sole has expanded sections in the heel and toe so that the face can flex
more e ectively on o -centre hits.
• The high-strength maraging-steel face insert is thinner than a nickel to further boost flexing.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
PING G440
• This model’s lower face height and thinner design promote centre hits for higher launch and more ball speed.
RRP 1,695
section wraps around the back half of the crown to save weight for improved stability.
PXG Lightning
• Compact and highlaunching, this club uses a carboncomposite crown to free up mass for a lower centre of gravity and adjustable weights to customize ball flight.
• The squared-o face (thinner than last year’s) provides a larger low-face area, pushing weight
• The redesigned interior section of the hosel removes mass, lowering the centre of gravity by 12 percent.
• A lightweight, carbon-composite
low and forward to create opportunities for more ball speed where average golfers most often make contact.
• Three movable sole weights increase fitting options.
For many years, players at the Hot List Summit tested equipment using a variety of golf balls. All were multilayer, urethane-cover, tour-caliber models. Recently, we went to a single ball to enhance the consistency of our testing process. That said, there’s a reason ball manufacturers offer multiple models at the high end of their lines: Ball-fitting matters.
So we took things to the next level this time by having each of our 32 player-testers go through Titleist’s ball- fitting process to identify a ball that matches their swing and short-game characteristics. The goal was to eliminate as many variables as possible during testing.
Each player was informed of the right ball for them—Pro V1 or Pro V1x—and they exclusively hit that ball during testing, as each hitting station was fully stocked with both models. The final breakdown was 14 players using Pro V1 and 18 using Pro V1x, underscoring the importance of the undertaking and ball-fitting in general.
Titleist provided a total of 500 dozen golf balls, but that’s not enough to get us through a testing day when our players collectively hit thousands of shots. So we had dedicated assistants collecting, washing and replenishing the supply on a regular basis throughout each session. In fact, two of our helpers had the sole job of sorting Pro V1 from Pro V1x models.
As our methodology continues to evolve, we think this upgrade is an important step in delivering to you the most accurate equipment reviews. —E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
TAYLORMADE Qi4D
• With its weighting slightly forward in a more midsize shape, this model will attract players wanting the control of an iron with appealing higher launch and increased ball speed.
composite crown saves mass for a forward sole weight that lowers the center of gravity to promote more speed o the face.
1,545
• Designed for golfers with more of a downward angle of attack at impact.
• The light, carbon-
TAYLORMADE Qi4D Max
• This larger-profile head uses an 8-gram weight in the rear for added stability and higher dynamic loft, a benefit for players with inconsistent contact looking for forgiveness and height.
• The design targets players who prefer a small, fairway-wood shape and hit hybrids
with a sweeping swing.
• The sole channel extends toward the toe and heel to enhance ball speed on impacts low on the face.
• Relief pockets on the club’s sole (rear of the heel and toe) improve turf interaction.
• Adjustable heel and toe sole weights help players dial in trajectory and ideal energy transfer.
• A flatter leading
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• 19, 21, 24 degrees (with a 16-way adjustable hosel)
Demo
Megastore
Demo
fit
Megastore
EDITED BY STEPHEN HENNESSEY
Buried Treasure
The forgotten history behind the overhaul of Augusta National’s 16th hole
BY DEREK DUNCAN
TH E ONLY HOLE AT Augusta National that was not designed by Alister MacKenzie and founder Bobby Jones, who created the course in 1932, is the par-3 16th. As we know it, the 16th is one of golf’s most recog-
nisable holes, displayed vividly each year during the Masters in a colourful glade of pines across a beautiful reflection pond. However, this version wasn’t put into play until 1948, 14 years after the first Masters in 1934 and three years after the tournament resumed follow-
ing a three-year hiatus during World War II. MacKenzie and Jones’ original 16th, also a par 3, was shorter, continuing in the same direction as the previous hole, the par-5 15th. The tee was to the right of the 15th green and the 145yard shot was hit over a small creek (the
RECONFIGURED AND RETHOUGHT
The 16th hole looked very different when it debuted in 1934.
OLD POSITION
The first version of the 16th hole was built against the hillside to the left of the current green.
same Rae’s Creek tributary that crosses in front of the 13th green) fronting a green banked against a hillside behind it and cocked significantly so that the left side was closer to the tee than the right side. Any shot that came up short, to any part of the green, would be in the creek.
THE ORIGINAL 16TH HOLE
Members who played the hole from about 120 yards enjoyed the 16th and thought it one of the most attractive on the course. Jones and Augusta National chairman Clifford Roberts, however, worried that it wasn’t sufficiently challenging for Masters competitors, and indeed the 16th surrendered the first holes-in-one, three of them in fact,
in 1934 (Ross Somerville), 1935 (Willie Goggin) and 1940 (Ray Billows). Jones also thought it was too similar to the more respected par-3 12th. Both had similar-length shots over water to angled greens, with right-hand hole locations more challenging than those on the left or middle, with the 16th lacking the intimidation and infuriating winds of the former.
The club tried to give the 16th more teeth in 1937 by building a new Masters tee to the left of the 15th green, extending the hole to 170 yards. This altered its character by shifting the angle of attack, so golfers were hitting more into the deeper axis of the green and placing the creek hazard to the right than directionally in front. That tee was extended to 190 yards in the early 1940s— it would have been located somewhere close to the current concession stand off the 14th tee.
A JONES COLLABORATION
The wartime pause gave Jones and Roberts a chance to reassess the hole, and Jones brought in Robert Trent Jones to consult on a possible remodel. Trent Jones, incidentally, also went by Bob Jones at that time but began using his middle name when the two began working together out of deference and to avoid confusion. He had emerged from the Great Depression and war years as the commanding figure in American golf course design, and Bob Jones had recently hired him to design and build Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta. Given the limitations of the 16th greensite between the creek and the hill, the two considered rotating the hole by relocating a new green to the right, or to the east, of the creek, and shifting the tees even further to the left of the 15th green, at a distance of 190 yards.
Construction crews excavated a large basin between the tee and the new green, then dammed the creek and filled the area with water, giving the hole a distinctive water fairway that ran up to the front of the green and around the left side. Prior to World War II, architects were happy to incorporate naturally occurring water hazards in their designs, but it wasn’t common practice to create artificial ponds and lakes. After the success of Peachtree and Augusta National, Trent Jones and every architect after him included this type of water feature in their arsenal of tools.
TRANSFORMATIVE TIME
The new green had a major influence on course design.
The most important aspect of the new 16th was the green. The original green was wide and shallow; the modern green was deep, curving toward the back left
with a distinct high back section and a lower front-left level creating diverse hole locations, protected on the left by water and the right by two bunkers.
It was put into play for the 1948 Masters. The following year, Trent Jones rebuilt the green, accentuating the high/ low levels, and added a bunker in the crook between the putting surface and the water. Small modifications would continue through the years including extending the putting surface back left, deepening the bunkers and grading the area behind the green. Cliff Roberts began adding copper sulphate to the water in 1950 to turn it blue. But the fundamentals of the hole were set from the beginning.
THE NEW LOOK
Curiously, Roberts was reluctant to give any credit for the hole to Trent Jones. At the time he told reporters that the
hole was entirely the vision of Bobby Jones, suggesting Trent Jones was merely a contractor. But everything about the 16th points to Trent Jones. The runway tees (the hole would later be shortened to 170 yards), the manmade water feature, the massive green, 45 yards front to back, one of the largest on the course, with the dividing tier and formulaic hole locations—these would all become RTJ design signatures in the coming decades. It wasn’t until shortly before his death in 1977 that Roberts fi-
The green design at Augusta National’s 16th hole is nearly scientific in the way that it can control scoring.
IN CONTROL
Scoring at the Augusta’s final par 3 will change dramatically depending on pin positions.
nally acknowledged Trent Jones’ role. The green design is nearly scientific in how it can control scoring. The ridge defining the upper-back section and lower front runs diagonally through the putting surface. There are four basic hole locations, two on the upper level (front right and back right) and two on
the lower, and each is used during the Masters. Effectively, these comprise four internal greens with small pinnable areas that put acute pressure on players to execute line and distance control with their tee shots, pressure exacerbated by hole’s position late in the round and late in the tournament.
Quite simply, when the hole is cut on the upper level, 16 can be a difficult hole. Shots that come up slightly short will catch the ridge and drift back down
to the lower tier leaving 30- to 40-foot putts back up the slope. Missing right or over the green into one of the bunkers also leaves a delicate recovery that can easily drift down the slope.
When holes are placed on the lower level it’s an easier tee shot because the backing slope will redirect and contain balls. Basically, there’s more margin for error, even though these left-hand hole locations bring the water into play.
Since 2018, the scoring average for
the two upper hole locations are 3.04 and 3.07. As expected, the lower hole locations are marginally easier, 2.96 for the back-left location and 2.97 for the front left. That might not seem like much of a difference, but those scoring averages don’t tell the whole story. In the same period going back to 2018, the two upper hole locations have given up just 152 birdies, or an average of 19 per tournament. The lower-tier hole locations have seen 279 birdies, almost twice as many.
On the other side of the coin, there have been a near identical number of bogeys on both the upper and lower tiers, 176 to 173. Bigger numbers come into play when the hole locations are down below, close to the edge of the water where they encourage players to go flag-hunting, knowing there are birdies to be made. There have been 38 double bogeys or worse carded to the lower pins during the past eight Masters, compared to just 18 when the holes are up high.
Austere one day, flirtatious the next, the 16th is the last best chance to pick up a stroke en route to a green-jacket run.
Of course, those lower hole locations have provided some of the Masters most memorable Sunday moments, especially the traditional back-left pin. Players know if they get the yardage right and get the ball to land on the slope just past hole high, the green will feed the ball to the hole leaving a short birdie putt, if not a tap-in. It might even go in.
Since the hole was created in 1948, there have been 21 holes-in-one on 16, by far the most of any of the other par 3s. There were multiple aces during the final rounds in 2004, 2010 and 2012. In 2016, Shane Lowry, Davis Love III and Louis Oosthuizen all sank their tee shots, banking the ball off the ridge. Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau doubled up in 2019, and Tommy Fleetwood dialed the right number in 2021, though that was the last time anyone recorded an ace at 16.
Balls don’t even have to hit the green for the slope to be a factor. In 1999, two shots behind leader Jose Maria Olazabal, Love hit his tee shot over the green. He played his chip into the slope and then watched as it slowly trickled down to the hole and dropped. In 2005, leader Tiger Woods hit his tee shot just 10 feet right of where Love was. He bumped his ball into the bank where it began its slow, familiar path to the hole, dangling on the lip before falling, giving him a much needed two-shot cushion over Chris DiMarco. Though it may have come from a different vintage than the other holes at Augusta National, the 16th is similar in the way it can either give or take away. It is austere one day, flirtatious the next, and the last best chance to pick up a valuable stroke on a Sunday green-jacket run.
The ‘Augusta Method’ of Fixing Ball Marks
How the club uses this ball-mark trick to maintain perfect greens BY DREW
POWELL
How does Augusta National maintain spotless greens with no imperfections?
Money and manpower, for one, but the club also uses a unique method of repairing ball marks. In a social media video, PGA Tour winner Ben Crane explained how he learned this “Augusta method” from members at the club, so we caught up with Steven Aspinall, head superintendent at Watchung (New Jersey) Valley Golf Club, who discussed how everyday golfers can use the method.
Golf Digest: Steve, could you explain how this method of repairing ball marks works and why it’s important?
Aspinall: One of the most important things is you need to be using either
I’ve found that it eliminates the entire ball mark. If you do it right, there’s no ball mark left. There’s no ripping the roots. You’re just trying to put it back the way it was.
From an agronomic standpoint, what makes the method work so well?
Aspinall: It’s because you’re putting the grass back exactly as it was before, or as close as possible to that. The more grass that’s there, the more healing and photosynthesis can occur. When you have dirt pitch marks, you’re won’t be able to grow grass back through that. When you stick your tee in the middle of the pitch mark and push toward the outside, you’re creating a hole with a level surface around it. Then, when you push the grass back in from the sides, you’re filling in that hole.
That’s so interesting. So how does this method compare to other ways you’ve seen golfers repair pitch marks, and what are the things we’re doing wrong?
FIND THE MIDDLE
This is how pros fix ball marks without leaving any brown spots.
a tee or a singlepronged ball-mark repair tool to do it properly. You go vertically down into the middle of the deepest part of the ball mark, and you do a circular motion. As you’re doing that circular motion, you’re trying to push the grass up and out toward the edge of the mark.
When your ball hits the green, the impact creates a wedge of grass on the backside of the pitch mark. Once you have that hole in there, you pat that grass back into the middle of the pitch mark to fill it in and get it back to the same level. You’re pushing that back in, trying to repair whatever grass you can.
Aspinall: The biggest issue with how many people repair pitch marks is that they twist with a two-pronged tool. That rips the roots and damages the grass, creating those brown spots you see on some greens. With this method, you’re not disrupting the root zone at all. You’re almost making an aeration hole, but the roots are still intact. There’s no twisting motion, which is the worst thing. As soon as you rip the roots, you’re damaging the grass.
Why isn’t this method used more often?
Aspinall: It’s a great question, and I’m not sure. Until a couple years ago, I’d never seen it, but when someone showed me, I’ve done it ever since. I’ll never fix a ball mark a different way again. There’s no better way to repair a ball mark.
On the eve of his 25th Masters, 2013 Champion Adam Scott reflects on nerves, swing envy and the big changes at Augusta
Rhythm ‘My Fooled Everyone’
by Max Adler
Interview
Photographs by Stephen Denton
For perspective on the Masters and majors this century, is there a wiser voice than Adam Scott’s? Of all the accomplishments that place him at the door of the World Golf Hall of Fame—a Masters, a Players, a Tour Championship, 11 weeks at World No. 1, 32 global wins—it’s his longevity that seizes attention. The 2026 Masters will mark Scott’s 98th consecutive major start. That is second all-time behind none other than Jack Nicklaus (146). In third place is Tom Watson with 87, and the next longest active streak belongs to Jordan Spieth who hits 50 this April. Tiger Woods has had so many pauses, of course, and recall even Rory McIlroy sat out the 2015 Open Championship with a ruptured ligament in his ankle. Because, rather than in spite of its pace, golf is a hard game in which to not blink. Year after year for a quartercentury, as strong and hungry new talent has come through, Adam Scott has never relinquished his seat at the big table. At 45, the father of three has stayed fit and relevant, even making the final pairing at the U.S. Open last summer. No doubt a textbook golf swing has kept his joints oiled, but the secret to all the success might be his mentality.
You’re about to play in your 25th consecutive Masters, an impressive streak for a golfer still in his prime. You debuted with T-9 in 2002. What’s a most vivid memory from that week? There are many, but birdieing the 16th on Sunday stands out. I hit one past the back-left pin and tickled it down the slope by the cup. The hillside makes the echo louder there anyway, but at that moment in my career, it was the loudest roar I had ever heard. Maybe I’m romanticising it all these years later, but it was very cool to get a feeling like that in my first year at Augusta.
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You were paired early with Fuzzy Zoeller, rest in peace. How was he to play with?
Fuzzy was a great first Masters pairing. Off the first, I hit it straight into the right fairway bunker, which I considered a good result because I couldn’t feel my hands. Meanwhile, he’s whistling his tune walking off the tee box, puts his hand on my shoulder and tells me, “It’ll be OK from here.”
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It’s natural to imagine how one’s comfort level at Augusta National evolves. In the beginning I played well, probably making heaps of mistakes I was unaware of but still getting rewarded for my good play. Then there was this long period when I played on edge. You learn about all the trouble spots, like never go left on No. 2, but every hole has somewhere disastrous not to go, and I started to steer away from them all. The turning point for me was 2010. My putting was a shocker that year but from teeto-green I managed the course really well and thought, Right, I have this under control.
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What about key changes away from the course, like where you stayed or how you managed your time?
For a number of years, I stayed at the Augusta Marriott as I had developed a relationship with the manager. Butch [Harmon], who was coaching me then, stayed there, too, and I remember lots of Monday nights in his room watching the NCAA basketball championship game, just the two of us and a couple beers. Butch is a big sports guy—so fun to watch a game with. Then in 2011, I decided to change it up and rented a house with my good friend, Tim Clark. I didn’t much like the house rental thing, weirdly pushing aside clothes in somebody’s closet to make room for your own— but I finished tied for second that year. I rented that same house for 13 years thereafter.
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Alongside the Masters, Wimbledon is talked about as possibly the bestrun sporting event in the world.
How would you compare the two?
Well, it’s different because I go as a spectator. It’s an incredible experience, and I hear that’s how it is for the patrons going
to the Masters. The comparisons must begin with the traditions, starting obviously, with perfectly manicured grass. And then there are rules that create this fantastic environment to play in. At Augusta, people have their favourites, and we can all tell the difference between the roar for a Tiger eagle or a Rory birdie, but it’s so rare for anyone to get out of line. Credit here for the Open Championship as well. For the tennis players, I imagine winning Wimbledon must feel similar to winning the Masters. I’m biased as a champion, but there’s something about the Masters that resonates with golfers and people beyond golf. No disrespect to the other majors, I’d be thrilled to be champion of any of them, but it’s the yellow Masters flags I see every week for autographs, everywhere I go. They just keep coming.
You’ve witnessed the scale of the facilities and the golf course undergo dramatic changes in your quarter-century.
Do you have a favourite version?
Well, we all know how the pre- and post-round experience, the range and the media center and so
‘I won all the money both practice rounds . . . Ernie told my coach at the time, ‘Your boy is ready.’’
PERFECT ACTION
Adam Scott‘s swing resembled Tiger’s when Scott won the 2013 Masters.
forth have changed in ways that seemingly only Augusta National can pull off. But the on-course experience has remained the same, in keeping with the values of the tournament that I think have always been there. Playing-wise, that period of 2010 to 2016 matched up best for me. But if I had a time machine, I would love to go back and see early 1990s Augusta. There were far fewer treelined fairways, more width and more angles, and the ball ran a lot more. I think it played faster with balls bounding up onto greens. I would’ve liked to have experienced no first cut of rough, like, drives leaking right on 14 scurrying deep into the pine straw, whereas now it takes a very bad shot to get there. That’s what I have in my head anyway, but I can’t really know if it’s true. I understand it’s a difficult balance setting the course with how the game is played today.
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Your tenure has overlapped the eras of three chairman—Hootie Johnson, Billy Payne and Fred Ridley. Who did you get to know best?
As I wasn’t a champion during Hootie Johnson’s time, there wasn’t any reason for him to be hanging around talking to me. Billy Payne was an imposing and intimidating figure, although I had nothing but warm and friendly experiences personally with him. At the champion’s dinner, he had his way of representing the club while Fred—rather Mr. Chairman, I should say—has his way. Not in a difficult way at all, but with Chairman Payne, we players were guests of the club. With Chairman Ridley, it’s as if he is a guest of the champions. Both ways are absolutely fine. I’m older now, so I’m sure I see things differently. I’m happy just to have the privilege to enjoy that evening, which I’ll never take for granted. The club can host the dinner however they like.
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Close your eyes and remember 2013 early in the week. Was there anything like a premonition?
Well, I won all the money both practice rounds. Didn’t miss a shot for two days. I played with the South African boys—Ernie [Els], Charl [Schwartzel], Louis [Oosthuizen] and Branden [Grace]. Ernie said to my coach at the time [Brad Malone], “Your boy is ready.” I’m quite close with Ernie, and he could maybe tell I had the bit between my teeth. Obviously, the summer before I had lost The Open that Ernie won, and he knew I wanted to go get it while I was playing my best.
● ● ●
In retrospect, being grouped Thursday and Friday with Angel Cabrera, who you’d face in the playoff, was a bit auspicious. (Sergio Garcia, who’d finish T-8, was their third). Angel and I had played together a fair amount over the years. On Friday he was just getting it around OK, sort of survived holes 9, 10, 11 and 12, that troublesome area of the course. Then on 13, he pounds this driver over the corner, and I see
‘If I had a time machine, I would love to go back and see early 1990s Augusta.’
him immediately start talking with his caddie, his son. I was just close enough to see the exchange. It was like his eyes suddenly locked in. He had found what he needed and knew he was going to be on the rest of the way. He’s such a tough competitor who never backs down when he’s on. At that point in the tournament, it wasn’t necessarily something that impacted me, but it’s something I remember clearly.
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Did you interact with Cabrera last year when he returned after a five-year absence?
Yes, we spoke. It was great, so great. And he played so well. How did he do that? The guy’s so talented.
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Apart from the playoff, was there a most critical shot you pulled off that maybe doesn’t get remembered?
I remember standing on the top of the hill on 15 on Sunday as it was raining. Jason [Day] has just made birdie. I hadn’t yet thought about winning, rather the question was being asked: “Are you going to go with him?” What I had done was not enough, and I just had to keep going. I had 4-iron in from the right side. I was either gonna stay in the tournament, or I was gonna bow out. That was my make-or-break moment. It wasn’t until I was on the 17th fairway that I allowed myself to think, Right, I’m in position to win. In a way, it was a blessing that thought didn’t occur until the 71st hole of the tournament. Playing the entire day with the lead would’ve been much harder, but there always comes a moment when you can’t shy away from the reality of what it’s going to take to win a tournament, whether that’s going birdie-birdie or par-par, or whatever the situation demands. You need to be able to handle that. Somehow my brain switched to, OK, now I win.
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As a leading face of the Internationals, is it a ridiculous question to ask if the pressure you’ve experienced in the Masters is comparable to the pressure you’ve felt in Presidents Cups?
Unfortunately, I’ve never been, or have yet to be, in that pressure situation on a Sunday where it’s my singles match with the Cup on the line. Someday, one of us is going to do it and I’d love to
IDEAL SETUP
Adam Scott’s address position has been emulated all his career, though he says it has changed. “In my youth, my spine line and angles were all very straight. As I’ve gotten older, they’ve softened, a natural evolution that I like. My key now is proper hip hinge. With age, it can sometimes feel natural to sit with a sloppy back and too much knee bend. So, I make sure to hinge forward from my hips. You want the hips to feel out of the way so you can swing freely.”
ADAM SCOTT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT AUGUSTA
There are 35 people alive today who have won a green jacket. One is Adam Scott. The 2013 champion was a recent guest in our “Ask The Expert” series, answering fansubmitted questions.
—JAMIE KENNEDY
Q. Who do you sit next to at the Champions Dinner, and who had the best menu?
Scott: We don’t have assigned seating but I sit next to Trevor Immelman every year. Hideki sits near us as well as Mark O’Meara, down the far left side of the table. There have been lots of good [menus]. I think the Texans always serve a good barbecue meal. I like it when the Texans win.
Q. How much have you spent in the Augusta pro shop?
Scott: That’s a lot over the years now. Everything looks so good with the Masters logo on it, you could pretty much take anything out of the pro shop. One year, they released a leather ottoman with the Masters logo embossed on it, and I had to have it. That was probably $1,000 or so.
Q. At home, did you ever just put the green jacket on and have a cup of coffee?
Scott: Every day.
be that guy. It’d be sick. I’ve heard guys who play Ryder Cups say they never feel anything like it. I don’t play Ryder Cups, so I can’t compare. For me, the Masters is the most nervous I get, but it’s a nervousness from buildup and anticipation. My nerves are always strongest on the first tee, when it’s been eight months since the last major, and there’s so much expectation, from others but mainly yourself, to perform well this week. Of course, there are nerves coming down the stretch, but after three and a half hours on the course, you’ve mostly got your mind and body under control, especially if you’re in contention. If the Presidents Cup came down to me on Sunday at Medinah later this fall, I do think the feelings would be comparable. I think Ernie [Els] would say he felt an incredible amount of pressure in South Africa in his playoff against Tiger, because he had 11 other blokes riding his back. (The 2003 Presidents Cup at The Links at Fancourt in South Africa resulted in a 17-17 tie).
Your longevity, consistency and lack of injuries is a testament to the soundness of your golf swing, but at 45, are you starting to feel your age?
Golf-wise, I really don’t feel my age. You could convince me that I’m 35, so hopefully I’ve got a few more years in me. Then again, there’s no doubt that when I do other things, the body doesn’t respond as well as it used to. I used to surf three times a week during tournaments. I’d like to do that, though I’m not sure the reason is my age as much as we’re all way more professional than we once were. Nowadays, it’s staying on top of your daily putting drills and making sure your chipping is OK. Am I hitting my irons well and have I dialed the wedges? What’s the driver doing? And then there’s your gym and your physio, and pretty soon you’re spending all day at the course.
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Compliments are wonderful, but over time they can also become burdens. What’s it been like carrying the mantle of world’s prettiest swing?
Early on when I was compared to Tiger, my rhythm fooled everyone. Tiger’s positioning in 2000 was just so pure, and so even if my swing looked like his, the positions didn’t match. But my rhythm and the way I moved were similar. I do have pretty nice flow in my swing, if I can give myself that compliment. But if you look closely, my swing has evolved over the years, and there’s been a lot of variance in where the club is moving, not that I was necessarily trying to make those changes. To people who tell me I have the world’s prettiest swing or say that they try to copy me, I tell them right back there are days when it feels absolutely awful. Like, I have no idea how I’m going to get it around the course, and I get mental images in my head that I need to swing like Fred Couples or swing like Jack Nicklaus, along with a host of other band-aid moves. But I’ve maintained this flow that’s appealing. Of course, I wish my results would’ve stacked up to the banner of world’s prettiest swing.
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Maybe similarly, among a lot of female fans, you’ve had the label of best looking man on tour for a long time. Is that attention nice, or do you get sick and tired of that?
I think because of my personality, how I’m generally reserved, I didn’t seek the attention that much. And at this point, at 45, I don’t think I get that much attention anymore.
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You might be surprised. There’s a whole new generation, including many younger staffers at Golf Digest, who are positively infatuated with you. I’m talking screen savers on phones.
Well, that’s good for the old self-confidence to hear. I’ll be walking tall the rest of the week.
Driving the UAE forward
WE SPOKE WITH FAYCAL SERGHINI, Head
Coach of the Emirates Golf Federation’s elite squad, about the rapid growth of UAE golf. From player development to international success, he shares his perspective on how the Federation is shaping the future of the game in the country.
Faysal, it feels like the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) has really progressed on in the last few years. What do you put that down to?
I have only been with the EGF for three years and honestly, the growth has been very clear. It’s not just about results, it’s the whole structure, the mindset, the way everything is being approached now.
A lot of that comes from the leadership. General Abdullah Al Hashimi and his team have a very clear vision of where they want to take golf in the UAE. They’ve worked extremely hard to build relationships internationally and to bring big events to the country. That gives the players exposure and belief.
You can really feel that things are moving forward with purpose.
• • •
When you look at the national players coming through, both men and women, how much have you seen them develop since you started?
They’ve come a really long way. Technically, mentally, physically, you can see the improvement in every area.
But first of all, it’s down to them. The players are working hard, they’re committed, and they want it. As a coach, you guide them, you share your experience, but they are the ones putting in the work every day.
It always starts with the players, their discipline and how much they’re willing to push themselves.
At the same time, the structure around them has improved a lot. The training programmes are more organised, the tournament schedule is stronger, and the Federation is supporting them properly.
When you combine all of that, it creates a great environment for them to grow.
•
• •
Ahmad Skaik turning pro is a big moment. What does that mean for him, and for golf in the UAE?
Faycal (right) at the 2025 GCC Championship with UAE Mens team
2023 World Amateur Team Championship UAE Womens team
For Ahmad, it’s a big step. Turning professional is where things become very real. Now it’s about competing week in, week out and trying to earn your place on the big tours.
For UAE golf, it’s also very important. It shows the pathway is working. The goal is to have more Emirati players, both men and women, competing at that level. Ahmad is one of the first to take that step, and hopefully others will follow.
You’ve obviously worked closely with him, how proud are you of what he’s done and the journey you’ve been on together?
I’m very proud of him. From the beginning, you could see he had something a bit different. Not just talent, but also the mindset he has.
Winning the GCC Championship at 17-under was a big moment, and also when I was on the bag for him at the APGC at Emirates Golf Club, that was special for me.
You are able to see how he handles himself in those situations and those moments confirm the level he can reach.
•
Are there any performances or moments that really stand out to you from the past few years within the UAE National Players?
There have been quite a few, to be honest.
Ahmad winning the GCC Championship at 17-under stands out straight away. Then we also won the team title there in Saudi as well, that was a proud one for everyone.
Jonathan Selvaraj winning the Arab Professional Championship in Morocco was also very special.
Rayan Ahmed qualifying for the U.S. Junior Amateur was a big achievement, and as a team, when they finished second at the Pan Arab in Al Zorah, that showed a lot of character.
And of course, the girls winning the Pan Arab in Tunisia was huge. It shows the depth we are starting to build.
•
How’s this season looking for the national team, especially with a few events being pushed back?
The season was looking very good, but with what’s happening in the region, we’ve had to adjust our plans.
Like everyone, we hope things settle soon. For now, we stay ready. The players are still working, still preparing, and when the opportunities come again, we’ll be ready to compete.
•
You took the team out to Morocco for a training camp last summer. Is that something you’re looking to do again, and how useful are those trips?
That camp was very important for us. Morocco offers great conditions, good weather, and strong facilities.
We’re still deciding what to do this year, maybe Morocco again, maybe somewhere else, but these trips are always valuable. You step away from the usual routine and really focus on the work.
At the same time, it helps the group come closer together, and that’s something you see later in competition.
•
How do you see Arab golf as a whole right now? It feels like it’s in a strong place.
Yes, it’s in a very strong place right now. You can see more players from the region getting top results internationally, and that gives confidence to the next generation.
From the UAE you’ve got Adrián Otaegui finishing third recently in South Africa on the DP World Tour. Then as well Ahmad Skaik, Joshua Grenville-Wood, Jonathan Selvaraj, Mohamed Skaik and Rayan Ahmad are all making good progress and gaining experience. Within the UAE women’s programme you have Sara Ali Abubaker, Aassiya Saleem, Intissar Rich, Jamie Camero, Hannah Alan, Lara El Chaib and Anca Mateiu all pushing forward.
Then from Morocco, you have players like Adam Bresnu, Hugo Trommetter, Ayoub Lguirati and Mehdi Fakori are all progressing very well, while on the women’s side Maha Haddioui and Ines Laklalech continue to perform at a high level. From Egypt, Issa Abou El Ela is another great example.
It’s improving throughout the whole Arab region. There’s more structure now, more opportunities, and most importantly, the players believe they can compete at that level.
Mohamed Skaik
General Abdullah Al Hashimi
Jonathan Selvaraj
Lara El Chaib
Anca Mateiu
Rayan Ahmed
Ahmad Skaik
SOUTH AFRICA STUNS
DECHAMBEAU WINS AGAIN AS LIV GOLF SOUTH AFRICA DELIVERS HISTORIC CROWD
CRUSHER GC captain Bryson DeChambeau defeated skipper of Legion XIII, Jon Rahm, on the first playoff hole at LIV Golf South Africa, to win his second consecutive LIV Golf individual title via playoff.
Bryson’s Crushers GC team rallied to beat the home favourite Southern Guards GC by one stroke for the team title, a victory which was their leaguerecord ninth regular-season trophy.
The victory at Steyn City left DeChambeau in tears, a fitting end to an emotional tournament from multiple perspectives, driven in large part by the passionate South Africans fans that turned the event into the country’s biggest golf tournament.
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa was on hand to congratulate DeChambeau on his victory, with DeChambeau responding by congratulating the country’s leader on the success of the tournament, with more than 100,000 tickets sold.
The country and the league plan to build on that momentum as the League announced a return to Steyn City in 2027, with the dates set for April 22-25.
“This is more than golf. This is about our country,” said Gayton McKenzie, the South African Minister of Sport, Art and Culture who was instrumental in bringing the league to his homeland. “What LIV Golf has done, they’ve showcased our country like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
“ SOUTH AFRICA WAS UNBELIEVABLE. I MEAN, IT HAS GOT TO BE THE BEST LIV EVENT WE’VE EVER HAD.”
–BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
“IT WAS THE GREATEST THING I’VE EVER FELT ON THE GOLF COURSE. I’M JUST PROUD TO BE SOUTH AFRICAN.” –DEAN BURMESTER
“THIS ACTUALLY BLEW OUT OUR EXPECTATIONS. IT’S JUST AMAZING.” –CHARL SCHWARTZEL
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Despite persistent rain throughout Sunday evening, thousands of fans packed the concert grounds at Steyn City for LIV Golf’s After Play concert to watch global superstar DJ Calvin Harris deliver a setlist jam packed with chart-topping hits from his repertoire.
CELEBRITY SPOTTED
The week saw a host of international sports stars in attendance. Springboks Handre Pollard, Willie le Roux and Andre Esterhuizen were all present in the Southern Guards hospitality venue, while ex-Bafana hero Mark Williams and Zakhele Lephasa were joined by comedians Vafa Naraghi and Primo Baloyi spotted enjoying the spoils in Club 54.
Sana Tufail
Abu Dhabi Mixed Amateur Open Abu Dhabi Golf Resort, UAE
John Fitzmaurice
OMA Monthly Medalford Jumeirah Golf Estates, UAE
Jayshree Gupta
Ladies Club Championship Emirates Golf Club, UAE
Dehan Ungerer
Dimos Monthly Stableford Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, UAE
Gayan Fernando, Racchitt Khanna, Gaurav Anand, Sasi Nathan
The Memorial Emirates Golf Club, UAE
Thomas Stephenson
Jumeirah Golf Estates Amateur Open Jumeirah Golf Estates, UAE
The Most Popular Masters Wins
I’ve spent 40 years covering professional golf. These were the most well-received victories
BY E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
RORY MCILROY’S WIN AT the Masters was a lot of things: His first green jacket. His first major in more than a decade. The completion of the career Grand Slam. One of the most popular wins in the history of the tournament. But was it the most popular? As you read, remember, we’re talking about the popularity of the win, not the enormity of the achievement.
5. JACK NICKLAUS, 1986
It was my first year in golf publishing, and I wasn’t there, but it was no doubt a very popular win. A 46-year-old in tootight slacks shooting 30 on the final nine for an all-time sixth jacket is the stuff of legend. Yet Nicklaus wasn’t always the most warm and fuzzy of players, and much like the New York Yankees, his consistent greatness almost worked against the likability factor.
4. TIGER WOODS, 1997
Say what, No. 4? I know, you’d like to have a word. Hear me out. The Tiger of 1997 was a young phenom who we were interested in, in awe of and fascinated by, but we did not yet have the personal connection with him as golf fans that we did later in his career. Not even close. The 1997 Masters was a master class in dismantling a championship golf course and field and ushered in a new era of golf, but all the feels were between Tiger and Earl, not Tiger and us.
3. TIGER WOODS, 2019
OK, I’m about to duck . . . and I agree this is where it gets razor close. I was at this Masters, and the energy from the 12th hole on was off the charts. The comeback of a lifetime, check; a feel-good story for the ages, check; a redemption of
REJOICE
Mickelson’s maiden win was deeply personal for patrons at Augusta.
massive proportions, check. But it was missing one thing for me: If Tiger had lost, I don’t think golf fans as a whole would have been crushed— disappointed severely but not crushed. He had four Masters and 14 majors, and let’s face it, some people simply don’t like Tiger. Not many, but some.
2. RORY MCILROY, 2025
I was really, really, REALLY tempted to place this in the top spot, but that might be recency bias speaking. However, there is no doubt the win, while sloppy beyond belief, was and is hugely popular for many reasons: the angst every golfer can relate to, the filling in of an important last line on the résumé, the coughing up of leads but coming back
to salvage everything. Golf fans are invested in McIlroy at the Masters in a way that resonates very personally. Add in the fact it looked like he lost the tournament a couple of times late only to come up big in the playoff—and oh, that reaction—made it all the better.
1. PHIL MICKELSON, 2004
Much like McIlroy, pre-LIV Philly Mick was a fan favourite. Unlike Rory, Lefty had yet to win a major and had endured some crushing losses, the kind that both sting and make for a sympathetic figure who is easy to root for. Plus, his style of play was riveting. Being on the grounds for the final round was unlike anything I had ever seen. It wasn’t just the backnine play and the winning birdie and mini-jump, but the pure joy that ensued. Long after the ceremony folks were wandering around, not wanting to leave.
