The week golf fans have been waiting for has finally arrived and there will be wall-to-wall coverage for everyone to savour as five Australians strive to win the iconic green jacket.
The 150th Open champion Cameron Smith leads the Australian charge as he did last year when he faced off with world number one and this year’s defending champion Scottie Scheffler in the final group on Sunday, but he is not the lone Australian contender.
The resurgent Jason Day returns to Augusta National after missing the 2022 edition as a potential champion following a hot streak on the PGA Tour where he has finished inside top 20 in each of his seven starts this year.
Intrigue also surrounds rising star Min Woo Lee who proved he can handle the big stage with a record-equalling front nine 30 in the final round of his Masters debut last year. The 24-year-old West Australian again attracted global headlines at The Players Championship last month when he faced off with eventual champion Scheffler in the last group before finishing tied sixth himself.
This year’s Masters marks a special anniversary for Adam Scott with it being ten years since he became the first, and so far only, Australian to don the green jacket and create a special moment in Australian sporting history by defeating Angel Cabrera in a playoff.
In contrast to Scott making his 22nd appearance at The Masters, amateur Harrison Crowe make his debut this week.
The Sydneysider earned his place in the field courtesy of winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur last October and he underwent a reconnaissance mission to Augusta National ahead of attempting to defend his title at last month’s NSW Open.
The official tournament website masters.com provides a wealth of the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage including being able to see every shot from every player from every round.
The television coverage on free-to-air, Fox Sports and Kayo Sports is also extensive with 9Gem and 9Now providing live coverage from the Par 3 Contest on Thursday morning and all four rounds of the tournament.
Live TV coverage AEST
Tuesday
- 2am-4am On The Range on Fox Sports 503
- 6.11am Aussies At The Masters on Fox Sports 503
- 9am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
- 11pm On The Range on Fox Sports 503
Wednesday
- 9am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
- 11pm On The Range on Fox Sports 503
Thursday
- 5am Par 3 Contest on 9Gem and 9Now
- 5am Par 3 Contest on Fox Sports 503
- 8am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
- 10.30pm On The Range on Fox Sports 503
Friday
- 12.30am Featured Groups – Round 1 on Fox Sports 503
- 12.45am Amen Corner – Round 1 on Fox Sports 505
- 1.45am Holes 15 and 16 – Round 1 on Fox Sports 506
- 5am The Masters – Round 1 on Fox Sports 503
- 5am The Masters – Round 1 on 9Gem and 9Now
- 9.30am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
- 10.30pm On The Range on Fox Sports 503
Saturday
- 12.30am Featured Groups – Round 2 on Fox Sports 503
- 12.45am Amen Corner – Round 2 on Fox Sports 505
- 1.45am Holes 15 and 16 – Round 2 on Fox Sports 506
- 5am The Masters – Round 2 on Fox Sports 503
- 5am The Masters – Round 2 on 9Gem and 9Now
- 9.30am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
Sunday
- 12am Featured Groups – Round 3 on Fox Sports 503
- 1.45am Amen Corner – Round 3 on Fox Sports 505
- 2.30am Holes 15 and 16 – Round 3 on Fox Sports 506
- 5am The Masters – Round 3 on Fox Sports 503
- 5am The Masters – Round 3 on 9Gem and 9Now
- 9am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
- 11pm Featured Groups – Final Round on Fox Sports 503
Monday
- 1am On The Range on Fox Sports 505
- 2.30am Holes 15 and 16 – Final Round on Fox Sports 506
- 3am Amen Corner – Final Round on Fox Sports 505
- 4am The Masters – Final Round on Fox Sports 503
- 4am The Masters – Round 1 on 9Gem and 9Now
- 9am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
Australian Player Profiles
Cameron Smith
- World ranking: 5
- Age: 29
- Major wins: 1 (2022 Open Championship)
- PGA Tour wins: 6
- Best finish at The Masters: T2 in 2020
- Best finish in 2023: T5 at LIV Golf Mayakoba
- The background: With top-10s in four of the past five Masters, Smith has become Australia’s perennial Augusta favourite. The adulation for the Open champion in his home country over summer rivalled that of Scott in 2013 and he responded with victory at the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland. His move to LIV Golf makes this year’s preparation far less intense than years gone by and it will be intriguing to see what effect that has on his performance.
- The quote: “I feel like I’ve played my best golf I’ve ever played around there. I feel like I’ve got a pretty good record around there.”
Jason Day
- World ranking: 33
- Age: 35
- Major wins: 1 (2015 US PGA)
- PGA Tour wins: 12
- Best finish at The Masters: T2 in 2011
- Best finish in 2022: 5th at WM Phoenix Open
- The background: The former world No.1 enters his 12th Masters – and first since 2021 – as a genuine contender with form on the board. He has risen 82 spots in the world rankings this year and has twice flirted with Masters victory, including in 2013 where he led by one with three holes to play. For a player who has faced repeated questions about injury and longevity, Day is now back, fit and firing.
- The quote: “I feel like I’m learning more and more about my overall game and how my body works, especially through the swing and obviously off the golf course too because I’ve battled injuries. I’ll probably think the same way going all the way through to the end of my career. It’s more about the journey and enjoying that process, and then the wins hopefully get in the way.”
Adam Scott
- World ranking: 38
- Age: 42
- Major wins: 1 (2013 Masters)
- PGA Tour wins: 14
- Best finish at The Masters: Won in 2013
- Best finish in 2022: T21 at Sony Open
- The background: On the 10-year anniversary of his 2013 victory, Scott is still chasing that elusive second major championship. Making his 22nd start at Augusta National, Scott has played 28 of his 80 rounds at Augusta under par and comes in with two decades of experience to call upon. Although results in 2023 might suggest otherwise, he believes his form is sound enough that an anniversary green jacket is not out of reach.
- The quote: “I think (the anniversary) is going to be a motivation. I’m a little surprised I haven’t come close to winning since, but I feel like I have a lot of opportunities in front of me. I’ve been chipping away at a lot of things and if I put myself in the right head space this week and get out of my own way a little bit and get on a run I can move my way to the top of the leaderboard,” Scott told NCA NewsWire’s Russell Gould.
Min Woo Lee
- World ranking: 47
- Age: 24
- Major wins: 0
- PGA Tour wins: 0
- Best finish at The Masters: T14 (2022)
- Best finish in 2023: T2 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
- The background: After equalling the record for the lowest front nine at Augusta National in the final round on debut in 2022, Lee’s tie for 14th was one shot shy of automatic qualification for the 2023 Masters. The Perth native had to wait a further 50 weeks to confirm his second invitation to Augusta National, his place inside the top 50 in the world ranking after the WGC-Match Play clinching his second straight appearance.
- The quote: “It was a great debut and not many people have done that and having the equal record gives me a lot of confidence that I can go out and shoot that number.”
Harrison Crowe (a)
- World ranking: 501
- Age: 21
- Major wins: 0
- PGA Tour wins: 0
- Best finish at The Masters: First appearance
- Best finish in 2023: T29 at Play Today NSW Open
- How he qualified: 2022 Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion
- The background: Conjured a brilliant up-and-down on the final hole to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Thailand last October and secure starts at both The Masters and The Open Championship in 2023. Currently 33rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and has been as high as 23rd. Won the 2022 NSW Open to become the first player since Jim Ferrier in 1950 to win the NSW Amateur and NSW Open in the same year.
- The quote: “I want to play good enough to go back next year. Go as a pro. So that’s top 12. That’s the goal.”
FULL MASTERS COVERAGE:
https://www.australiangolfdigest.com.au/tournaments/themasters
