The Masters begins on Thursday at Augusta National, where azaleas bloom and legends are made. Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win the tournament, but Tiger Woods has his own thoughts

Tiger Woods has made his feelings clear on each of the five Masters favorites this year(Image: Getty Images)

Golf’s most esteemed major, the Masters, is set to begin on Thursday at the iconic Augusta National, where history is made amidst blooming azaleas. This edition sees Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Collin Morikawa, and Jon Rahm entering as top contenders, all eyeing the iconic green jacket.

But even in his absence, one name casts a long shadow: Tiger Woods. The five-time Masters champion is missing this year due to a recent Achilles operation.

Though he won’t be on the course, his thoughts on this year’s Masters favourites offer a rare perspective on who may have earned his quiet support. In this piece, Mirror Sport explores Woods’ views on the aforementioned stars and why skipping Augusta this month is especially painful for him.

Scottie Scheffler

Woods, like many of Scheffler’s peers, has spoken glowingly of the current World No. 1 and reigning Masters winner. After Scheffler, 28, amassed seven PGA Tour titles in 2024, Woods admired his reliability.

“If he putts decent, he’s going to win. If he putts great, he blows away fields,” Woods, then 49, told NBC Sports. He also praised Scheffler’s elite ball-striking and noted the uniqueness of his ball flight.

“If you just watch ball flight… There’s something… different about his,” Woods said, continuing with admiration for his movement through the swing: “His iconic foot movement belies what the club is actually doing through the golf ball – how good it is, right? How stable it is, how solid he hits it. It’s just so consistent and he works it both ways.”

Scottie Scheffler is often compared to a young Tiger Woods(Image: Getty Images)

Woods’ admiration underscores how much he respects Scheffler’s complete skill set, drawing parallels to his own early-career focus. He also pointed out how both approached course management with patience.

“We shot shots into the greens very similarly. How we ‘miss’ balls in the correct spots. It’s not always pretty, but it’s not about the here and now,” he said. “It’s playing the long game. It’s over 72 holes. It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. I think that’s the similarity between how we play the game.”

Rory McIlroy

Woods’ dynamic with McIlroy, 35, has grown from rivalry to genuine friendship, especially amid the disruption of LIV Golf. Back in 2022, Woods commended McIlroy’s loyalty to the PGA Tour: “Rory has been a leader in this fight. He’s taken on a lot, and he’s handled it with grace.”

He has consistently admired Rory’s poised swing, noting during the Hero World Challenge: “Have you ever seen Rory off balance on a shot? Not ever. That’s one of the things my dad instilled in me, is that you should be able to balance and hold your finish until the ball rolls and stops. You can swing as hard as you want, but you need to have balance.”Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods have been close for years(Image: Photo by Megan Briggs/TGL/TGL via Getty Images)

After McIlroy’s heartbreaking collapse at the 2024 US Open, where he bogeyed three of his final four holes, Woods reached out to console him. “[I texted him] just basically, as you know, I’m your friend. I know this is a difficult moment,” he said.

“We’ve all been there as champions. We all lose. Unfortunately, it just happened and the raw emotion of it, it’s still there and it’s going to be there for, I’m sure, some time. The faster he’s able to get back on a horse and get back into contention, like he did last week [in the Scottish Open], the better it is for him.”

Woods has respected McIlroy for years, once saying in 2013: “He’s got such a wonderful talent and he’s a good kid too. He’s got a lot of things going for him.”

McIlroy, a lifelong admirer of Woods, has often expressed his admiration. If Rory finds himself in contention on Sunday, there’s little doubt Woods will be watching – and pulling for him.

McIlroy is aiming to clinch a career Grand Slam by winning his first ever Masters title this month(Image: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Bryson DeChambeau

Woods has long found DeChambeau’s unique methods fascinating. Ahead of the 2020 Masters, Woods endorsed his radical transformation: “What Bryson’s doing is incredible.”

Commenting on DeChambeau’s physical overhaul and added power, Woods said: “To transform his body and game like that – it’s historic.” He also applauded his US Open triumph and long-drive capabilities: “Long-drive players aren’t Tour players, but he’s bridged that gap.

“He’s finding different ways to do it, and it’s interesting to see how he’s going about it. He’s certainly one of the longest hitters out here, and he’s using that to his advantage.” Earlier that year, Woods stated: “What Bryson has done is no easy task. He’s put in the work, and he’s increased his ball speed tremendously.”

Woods is a fan of Bryson DeChambeau and his innovative approach(Image: Getty Images)

In 2021, Woods acknowledged DeChambeau’s intellect on the course: “He’s a very cerebral player,” adding, “He’s very calculated in what he does, and he’s committed to it.”

Once one of the Tour’s most fearsome power player himself, Woods views Bryson’s inventive mindset as a disruptor in the sport. DeChambeau has echoed the respect, naming Woods as a major influence on his analytical style.

Jon Rahm

Woods and Rahm once shared mutual admiration through their Ryder Cup connections. In 2022, Woods described Rahm as “a phenomenal talent” with “the passion to match.”

Following Rahm’s Masters triumph in 2023, Woods was full of praise: “He’s playing some incredible golf right now. He’s got a great all-around game, and he’s doing it consistently.” He emphasised Rahm’s mental strength: “When somebody is that good, it’s what’s in between the ears that’s the biggest asset.”

Tiger Woods’ relationship with Jon Rahm hasn’t been the same since the Spaniard’s LIV Golf defection(Image: Getty)

But Rahm’s high-profile switch to LIV Golf in 2024 created a rift. After Signing a $500million (£390m) deal, Rahm acknowledged: “Tiger and I were close. I don’t know where we stand now.”

Woods hasn’t publicly spoken about Rahm since, and his silence has raised eyebrows. Rahm, for his part, tried to explain the move in a personal message to Woods. “[Have I heard from] Tiger? No, not really,” he said.

“I mean, Tiger, I texted him and the people that try to reach out, you know, the process, when I signed and I just let him know, ‘Hey, you know, this is a personal decision. I have nothing against anybody’.”

Collin Morikawa

Back in 2021, Woods described Morikawa as “super consistent, an unbelievable iron player,” drawing a comparison to “an athletic Jim Furyk.” While seemingly modest, it’s high praise coming from Woods, who values accuracy and finesse.

Even in 2020, he recognised Morikawa’s potential: “He hits solid and has a very bright career ahead of him.” After the young star’s PGA Championship breakthrough, Woods offered further praise: “He’s a hell of a player. He’s going to be around for a long time.”

Colin Morikawa and Tiger Woods share a deep mutual respect(Image: ©Icon Sportswire (A Division of XML Team Solutions) All Rights Reserved)

In later years, Woods remarked on Morikawa’s tight control and technique: “His ball-striking is so consistent, and he’s got that ability to control it, which is something special.”

For his part, Morikawa has never hidden his admiration for Woods. In 2022, he told CNN: “Tiger’s the greatest. His influence on me, on golf, is unmatched.”

Woods on the Masters

Missing the 2025 Masters hits Woods harder than most. His deep affection for Augusta is rooted in decades of memories. In 2024, he said: “I love this game, this tournament, this place. It’s where I fell in love with golf.”Woods has won the Masters five times(Image: Getty Images)

His record-setting streak of 24 straight cuts and five wins – most recently in 2019 – cements his legacy here. “Every year I come back, it’s like coming home,” he said.

“This tournament has meant so much to me in my life and my family. I think I’ve been playing here for, what, 29 years now… It’s been a part of my life to have won here as my first major as a pro. Hugging my dad, as you saw; then a full circle in 2019 to hug my son… It’s meant a lot to me. I always want to keep playing in this.”

For Woods, Augusta isn’t just a tournament – it’s the core of his legacy. Though injury keeps him away, his presence still lingers. The tournament continues, but for many fans, it feels a little emptier without him.