Masters Tournament 2015: Mobile Updates for Thursday Leaderboard Scores
Forget groundhogs—it's the Masters that marks the beginning of spring. And with the 2015 edition finally here, the world of sports can finally rejoice.
Legends are made at Augusta National Golf Club over the year's first major. Whether we'll see a golfer add to his own legend or begin crafting one remains to be seen, but the spotlight and the stage will inevitably make for a memorable four days.
Before we can get to the heart-pounding back nine on Sunday, contenders will have to start strong not only to avoid the cut line but, most importantly, to build momentum and low scores on the course. Action has already started, so take a look below to get filled in.
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2015 Masters Leaderboard
Tee Times: Full list of golfers' tee times at Masters.com.
Day 1 Golfers to Watch
Rory McIlroy: 10:41 a.m. ET
There isn't much of a doubt entering 2015 that Rory McIlroy is the world's best golfer at the moment, but nobody knows better than him what opportunity lies ahead at Augusta.
The Northern Irish star can put his dominance into focus this weekend by not only completing the career Grand Slam but winning his third straight major after sweeping the last two of 2014. He would become just the third golfer to do so since the Masters began in 1934.
McIlroy has shown an ability to run away with majors in his young career, but he also stays around the top of the leaderboard as well as anyone, per Sky Sports:
His pairing would be a must-watch group regardless of who filled it, but playing alongside three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson and upstart Ryan Moore will only add to the intrigue surrounding McIlroy in the opening two rounds.
But as the field favorite at 6-1, per Odds Shark, all eyes will be on the 25-year-old as he chases history.
Matt Kuchar: 1:04 p.m. ET
It feels like nobody is talking about Matt Kuchar entering the Masters, but that's not an unfamiliar position for one of the world's best golfers.
Still, it's hard to figure out exactly why Kuchar is being overlooked after what he's done at Augusta over the last several years. In the last three years, he's booked finishes of third, eighth and fifth while being on the short list of contenders on Sunday for all three.
His game is in the right place entering the year's first major, he told The Atlanta Journal Constitution's Chip Towers: “I’m really excited about my game. I’m playing some pretty good golf right now. I’m pretty pleased with the way things are rounding into shape at the present time.”
Kuchar seems to sniff around the top 10 of leaderboards when he really wants it, shooting a combined 46-under par during a span of three tournaments early in 2015. His experience in the major spotlight—especially at Augusta—should pay dividends for him this weekend.
Tiger Woods: 1:48 p.m. ET
A near two-month injury/recovery break threatened to force Tiger Woods to miss his second straight Masters, but it sounds like his game and his health both came around at the perfect time.
If he's going to return to his form of old—or even a level of play that will allow him to contend—though, Woods will need to shake off a considerable amount of rust awfully quick. Time off the course has plummeted his world ranking, as ESPN's Jason Sobel cleverly addressed:
One course that Tiger could potentially step right onto and not miss a beat is Augusta, the magical course that he's won at four times dating back to 1997.
Even amid his painful major drought, Woods has remained dangerous at the Masters. Since his last win there in 2005, he's posted finishes of third, second, second, sixth, fourth, fourth, 40th and fourth. That's absurd.
Golf's close followers will be watching Tiger with more curiosity than the feverish excitement his game normally breeds, but that will change very fast if he comes out strong on Thursday and Friday.
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