Well, if there’s one thing Augusta loves doing, it’s reminding us that no stat, model, or spreadsheet can fully capture the magic — or madness — of The Masters.
The first round is in the books, and while some of my picks held strong, others were quickly humbled by Rae’s Creek and Augusta’s ever-so-polite chaos.
Let’s get into it.
🎢 Jordan Spieth: The Rollercoaster Rolls On
Full Jordan Spieth mode was engaged from the first tee. It was everything we love (and fear) about Jordan — thrilling birdies, wild scrambles, and the occasional “what just happened” moment. My model picked up on his birdie streak potential, and boy did that show. But can he keep the wheels on for three more rounds? Stay buckled in, folks.
🕶️ McNealy Looked the Part (Mostly)
I called Maverick McNealy my dark horse, and honestly? He didn’t disappoint. He gave himself a ton of birdie looks — they just didn’t fall. That’s Augusta for you. If he keeps finding fairways and greens, the putts might start dropping tomorrow.
🔥 Scottie: The Model and The Moment
Let me say it loud for the people in the back:
Scottie is so back.
My model gave him the top Strokes Gained Score for a reason, and today, he proved why. Even when he’s not flashy, he’s just relentlessly good. Augusta is built for his game.
🧙♂️ Conners: That Augusta Magic Again
Corey Conners continues to be the Augusta Whisperer. Not flashy. Not loud. But steady, composed, and sneakily climbing the leaderboard. He was one of my favorite “sleeper” picks — and now everyone else is noticing too.
🔥 Rose Starts Red-Hot (Again)
Justin Rose put on a clinic in Round 1. It’s not new — we’ve seen him go low here before, especially early. But history tells us he cools off in Round 2. Will this year be different? The model says “probably not,” but Augusta has a way of rewriting scripts.
❄️ My Hottest Take? Now the Coolest One.
I had Ludvig Åberg missing the cut. I know, I know. The numbers weren’t kind to his opening-round history. But what does Ludvig do? He steps in and silences the data like a true star. That’s what great players do — they bend the game to their will.
Consider me happily wrong on this one.
💔 Rory’s Rough Finish
Rory McIlroy was right there… until he wasn’t. That closing stretch? Tough. Painful. Augusta can go from hopeful to heartbreaking in a flash. But don’t count him out just yet. My model still loves his form this year, and all it takes is one great Friday.
💭 Final Thought
Thursday reminded me — and maybe all of us — that this isn’t just a numbers game. It’s a nerves game. And Augusta has more tricks up her sleeve.
Tomorrow, the pressure cranks up. Cut line drama, leaderboard shuffles, and a whole new wave of takeaways.
I’ll be here for all of it.