Masters 2016: Complete Guide to This Year's Tournament at Augusta National
It's a tradition unlike any other—the Masters.
Every spring the happenings at Augusta are highly anticipated, but 2016's iteration is can't-miss TV.
History is within reach for 20-somethings. One can cement a legacy by joining an exclusive career fraternity, while another can become the first repeat winner in 14 years.
And if those two aren't good enough, there's always the world's No. 1 player.
Jordan Spieth will try to defend his green jacket, a feat no man has pulled off since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002.
Ditch the remote. Fluff the pillows. Click the cellphone ringer to silent.
Here's everything you need to know to get ready for Augusta.
All About Augusta National
1 of 7
Other majors rotate. But the Masters is the Masters.
It's always held on the exquisite track at Augusta National Golf Club.
The course opened in 1933 and hosted the Masters for the first time a year later. It was designed by Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie and was built on the site of the former Fruitland Nursery.
Thus, each hole is named after a tree or shrub.
The club has taken a lot of non-golf shots over the years, and for good reason.
It didn't allow black members until 1990 and admitted its first two female members—former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore—in 2012.
That said, it remains one of the most challenging, and visually pleasing, courses in the world.
Where to Watch on Television
2 of 7
Throughout the tournament, you can go to Masters.com for live streaming and CBSSports.com for coverage from the driving range.
But to watch the action on television, here's the skinny (all times in ET).
Thursday
3-7:30 p.m., ESPN
Friday
3-7:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday
3-7 p.m., CBS
Sunday
2-7 p.m., CBS
Biggest Storylines
3 of 7
Can Jordan Spieth Defend His Title?
Last year, as a 21-year-old, Jordan Spieth entered the realm of golf superstardom with a four-stroke win at Augusta. With a do-over as a 22-year-old, he'd join a short list of repeat winners that includes Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2001-02).
Will Rory McIlroy Complete a Career Grand Slam?
Gene Sarazen. Ben Hogan. Gary Player. Jack Nicklaus. Tiger Woods. The names link superstars from era to era. And should he continue what's been a four-year Augusta progression from 40th to 25th to eighth to fourth, Rory McIlroy will have a real chance to immortalize his name at the tender age of 26.
How Much Will Tiger Be Missed?
Even though he hasn't been at his best for years, Tiger Woods remains among the world's most recognizable golfers, so his absence means the tournament is missing one of sports' biggest stars. While others in golf have picked up the slack lately, nothing would move the TV needle like a Tiger sighting on a major Sunday.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The Top Pairings
4 of 7
There are some notable pairings for Thursday and Friday at this year's Masters.
Here are just a few (tee times are Eastern):
Thursday 9:48 a.m./Friday 12:55 p.m.: Jordan Spieth, Paul Casey, Bryson DeChambeau
Joining the reigning champions of the Masters and the U.S. Amateur on the opening two days is an Augusta tradition unlike any other. But this year, it could be the opening salvo of a four-round duel in Georgia and rivalry between talented youngsters that could last a generation.
Jordan Spieth knows the value of performing in the first 18 holes, and if Bryson DeChambeau wants to fulfill the premonitions of some who believe he's got the stuff to contend, he'll have to be ready.
Thursday 9:59 a.m./Friday 1:36 p.m.: Justin Thomas, Emiliano Grillo, Dustin Johnson
He may not be the best player in the world, but Dustin Johnson is certainly among the most compelling. His heartbreaks at past majors are the stuff of weekend legend by this point, but he still manages to shake off disappointments well enough to return to contention.
Meanwhile, Justin Thomas is a compelling dark horse pick this week and Emiliano Grillo, though his world ranking has slid four places since the season's start, is one of the many players who's perceived to be on the brink.
Thursday 2:01 p.m./Friday 11:05 a.m.: Martin Kaymer, Bill Haas, Rory McIlroy
History starts here for a 26-year-old guy from Northern Ireland. And if Rory McIlroy is to make a serious run at completing his career Grand Slam, he'll surely recognize that no one in the last 10 years has won the tournament after finishing the first 18 holes outside of the top 10.
Elsewhere, Martin Kaymer already has a pair of major championship trophies on the mantel, and Bill Haas is in the world's top 30 and has four top-10 finishes already this season. It'd be no surprise if someone from this group led into Friday, and it'd be only a mild surprise if it isn't McIlroy.
The Top Contenders
5 of 7
Jason Day
At this time last month, Jason Day had gone half a year without a win and was giving precious little indication that he was a substantial force to be reckoned with heading into Augusta.
Now, at least according to the folks at Odds Shark, he's the top choice to win the whole thing.
The world's new No. 1 player has earned wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Match Play in his last two starts, and his head-to-head downing of career Slam pursuer Rory McIlroy in the latter event's semifinals suggests he's going to be a factor come Sunday evening.
Jordan Spieth
If your two most recent results at any tournament are a tie for second and a four-stroke win, one thing is for certain regardless of what the rest of your resume looks like: You're a contender.
And if the rest of that resume for 2015 alone reveals a win at the U.S. Open, a tie for fourth at the British Open and a second at the PGA, one other thing is certain: You're a favorite.
At least one qualified observer likes his chances.
"I love to see the way his putts are holed in an aggressive manner," Colin Montgomerie told Golf Digest. "The Masters is always 75 percent on the greens and I love the way that Jordan approaches the putts at the Masters in that very confident way. Everyone can hit the ball; it’s the guy who can get the ball in the hole who wins the Masters."
Rory McIlroy
It's hard to envision the No. 3 player in the world springing from the weeds to pull a Masters surprise. But given the rapid ascent of Day and the preposterously good season Spieth is coming off, it's easy to forget just how good Rory McIlroy is.
For refresher's sake, he was a top-shelf pick to complete his career Slam at this time last year, having completed a dual-major 2014 with wins at the British Open and the PGA.
He aced the 16th hole in a Monday practice round at Augusta, which could signal the beginning of a dominant week.
The Dark Horses
6 of 7
If guys like Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy were unable to compete this week, the field would be in no way bereft of favorites. But when you have such a complement of recent major winners on hand, someone's got to be a dark horse.
As far as that goes, who better than Adam Scott?
The 2013 champion has finished tied for 14th and tied for 38th in the two years since his win at Augusta, but he's shown significant signs of life this season with wins at the Honda Classic and WGC-Cadillac Championship and a tie for second at the Northern Trust Open.
Meanwhile, if not for the aforementioned Spieth, perhaps Wayne Gretzky's son-in-law to-be—Dustin Johnson—would have hoisted a trophy or two last year.
Johnson tied for sixth at the Masters, tied for second at the U.S. Open and tied for seventh at the PGA in 2015, and he heads to Augusta this time with top-five finishes in three of his last four events.
Last but not least, give more than a passing glance to 35-year-old Tennessean Brandt Snedeker.
Though his last two trips to Augusta have been less than memorable, Snedeker does have a tie for third (2008) and a tie for sixth (2013) in his Masters scrapbook. He's finished in the top 10 seven times overall at majors, and he has a win, a second, a third and a ninth in eight outings in 2016.
If he's standing alongside Spieth in Butler Cabin on Sunday evening, remember where you heard it.
The Favorite
7 of 7
It may not be the first rule of prognostication, but it's close: Don't overthink it.
Translated to 2016 Masters terminology, that means Rory McIlroy.
At this time last year, he was the world's No. 1 player, was coming off two straight major wins and was cast by nearly everyone with a keyboard as an odds-on favorite. Though he may not have the 2016 results of some guys and the 2015 trophy collection of others, he's still Rory McIlroy.
That's pretty good no matter the field.
The 26-year-old from Northern Ireland is but 72 holes away from joining a select group of the game's most legendary players with a career Slam. And he'll benefit this time around by being a stride or two out of the spotlight that'll be directed toward Jordan Spieth.
The 54-hole lead McIlroy held in 2011 proves he's got the game for the course, and his four major trophies from elsewhere show he's got the mettle for the final-day grind.
Put them together and it spells green jacket.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
