It's Officially Masters Season

I’m never not thinking about the Masters. But once THE PLAYERS is over, the anticipation builds tenfold. So now that TPC Sawgrass has come and gone, it’s officially Masters season.

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There are still a few good events left on the schedule. For years, I’ve thought the Valspar Championship doesn’t get as much love as the other stops on the Florida Swing. The golf course is good, the field is loaded—it should be a great week outside Tampa. And the two Texas events are solid, especially the Houston Open, which, thanks to Memorial Park, has turned into the unofficial warm-up for the year’s first major championship.

But in the end, the Masters will be at the forefront of my brain until the golf world heads down Magnolia Lane in three weeks.

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Of course, promotions like this one from the Green Jackets only make the wait that much harder.

Leaning into its history while the legendary James Brown serenades the soundtrack? That’s box office. To be honest, the Masters has never missed on one of these. The social team down in Augusta deserves a pay raise.

And there’s more to come.

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Rory McIlroy’s Champions Dinner menu is on the horizon. We should learn in the coming days whether Tiger Woods will make an appearance. Plus, the field will be finalized after the Valero Texas Open.

For players still on the outside looking in—Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau, and Tom Kim included—a win would take care of their problems. As would jumping into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking the week before the tournament.

As a fan, the Masters can’t come soon enough. But for those without an invite, time is not on their side.