Golf's very best set to be tested by Augusta National in 90th edition of Masters

[p]Longer rolls on the fairways will be countered by difficulty keeping approach shots on Augusta's undulating greens, which promise to be lightning-fast.[/p][p][b]"It's about patience like it always is around here,"[/b] defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]Rory McIlroy[/a] said, adding that if the dry, windy conditions persist [b]"double digits under par would be an amazing (final) score."[/b][/p][p]Honorary starters [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nicklaus-jack/6qVIRQU3/"]Jack Nicklaus[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/player-gary/IJYMQppA/"]Gary Player[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watson-tom/2ZvKxtjs/"]Tom Watson[/a] tee off at 7:25 a.m. (12:25 BST) to launch the battle for the green jacket, with McIlroy off at 10:31 a.m (15:31 BST).[/p][p]World number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scheffler-scottie/bXfIuBYu/"]Scottie Scheffler[/a], a four-time major winner and two-time Masters champion, tees off at 1:44 p.m. (18:44 BST) in the penultimate group.[/p][p][b]"I'm excited to get the week going,"[/b] Scheffler said. [b]"The golf course looks like it's going to get pretty firm and fast, so it should be an exciting tournament.[/b][/p][p][b]"Feeling pretty prepared. My prep work is mostly done. Just get out there and start competing."[/b][/p][embed guid="1b37d272-3bd2-4a31-8df3-3e360636f1ed" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2041673532086640858" social-type="twitter" /][p]Two-time major winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rahm-jon/h41jCwka/"]Jon Rahm[/a] of Spain says players must "embrace it and go out there and play good golf" on the formidable layout under the Georgia pines.[/p][p][b]"With how much control they have over the agronomy here they can do whatever they want. Most likely going to go with firm and difficult,"[/b] Rahm said.[/p][p][b]"It's in such good shape and so healthy they could make it one of those Masters where the winner is six-, seven-under."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/couples-fred/rs2aQOcJ/"]Fred Couples[/a], the 1992 Masters champion, sees a shotmaking premium in such conditions.[/p][p]"It's such a demanding course. You can make a bogey any hole," Couples said.[/p][p]It won't take much to send shots rolling off target, and that's when the trouble starts.[/p][p]"When you get out of position around this golf course, that's one of the greatest challenges -- getting the ball back in position and trying to make your par," Scheffler said.[/p][embed guid="2b162d30-4e82-49e9-bd68-3bc48c650ca2" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2041996859158220828" social-type="twitter" /][p]It won't help that breezy conditions are expected for round one, adding to the pressures for the field of 91.[/p][p]"When it's windy it's all you could want," Couples said. "It's spectacular. The greens are getting faster. That's what you want - to play as tough as it can."[/p][p]As 2017 Masters winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-sergio/fRIZumKj/"]Sergio Garcia[/a] put it: "This course tests you every single hole. When it's windy the wind switches and it's really tricky."[/p][p]Sweden's Alex Noren likes the risk versus reward decision-making that Augusta demands.[/p][p]"It's always a lot of thinking here, but it's even more when it's dry," he said. "It's going to be interesting."[/p][h2]'You know what'[/h2][p]Two-time US Open champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dechambeau-bryson/vZG7Cn7s/"]Bryson DeChambeau[/a], who edged McIlroy at the 2024 US Open only to lose to him in Sunday's final Masters group last year, wants to build his rivalry with the five-time major winner from Northern Ireland.[/p][p][b]"Do I respect him as an individual, 100 per cent. Do I want to beat him every time I see him? Absolutely. There's no question about it," [/b]DeChambeau said.[/p][p][b]"What's so brilliant about the game of golf is that juxtaposition, having that sportsmanlike respect and then wanting to just absolutely beat the living you know what out of him."[/b][/p][embed guid="3513bd58-7030-4642-aff4-108295f02509" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2042044826678349959" social-type="twitter" /][p]McIlroy enjoyed hosting the Masters Champions Dinner, admitting to nerves before his speech.[/p][p][b]"I wanted it to be about all of us as a collective group. I wanted to convey how grateful I was to be there,"[/b] said McIlroy, who admitted putting a dent in the Augusta National wine cellar.[/p][p][b]"It put more of a dent in my wallet,"[/b] McIlroy joked.[/p]