Tiger’s new course, a Champion withdraws, a Masters record broken… Monday at Augusta

Things you missed from Monday at The Masters 2025.

There wasn’t much golf played on day one of the 2025 Masters, but there was still plenty happening at the year’s first Major.

As a British journalist covering the Masters, I spent much of Monday smiling politely as the rain poured and people thanked me for bringing the weather to Augusta. The old ones are the best. But while the downpours and threat of storms ended the patrons’ day, it was still a hectic start to Masters week. Let’s dive into everything you missed from the first day of the first Major of 2025.

Monday finished

As I’ve already mentioned the weather, let’s start there. A loud cheer from patrons when gates were opened at 8am was replaced by groans as the threat of storms saw them back outside again before midday. By mid-afternoon, Augusta announced that the course would remain closed for the day for the “safety of everyone”.

Affected patrons will receive refunds and be guaranteed tickets for Monday’s practice day next year. A consolation, I guess.

See how the weather looks for the rest of Masters week.

A changed landscape

Damage to a golf course is of little significance when a hurricane leads to the loss of lives and livelihoods. Augusta was among the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Helene in 2024 with 52 lives lost and millions of pounds of damage caused across the region. Augusta National played a big role in providing support, physically and financially, in the aftermath, as shown in the video released by the golf club over the weekend.

It was only once on site on Monday that we could see the impact the hurricane had had on the golf course. Of course, in true Augusta National fashion, the damage was quickly repaired or removed, but it’s the gaps where trees fell that tell the story within the gates of the world’s most exclusive club. Areas previously heavy with towering pines are now noticeably more sparse, and the fairways of neighbouring Augusta Country Club, usually hidden by the woodland, are now clearly visible as you walk along the 10th hole.

There’s also significantly more space behind the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th greens, and clear gaps around the 16th green.

Read more from The Masters

• Hole-by-hole: A champion’s guide to Augusta
• Who will win: We rank all 95 players in the field
• These eight players will make Masters history this week

Tiger to design new Augusta course

Tiger Woods might not be at this year’s Masters as he recovers from his latest injury setback, but his presence is always felt in Augusta, and with Masters Chairman Fred Ridley’s announcement on Monday, it will be even greater going forward. The five-time Masters champion has been charged with designing a new course in the city, while his TGR Foundation will develop a new education facility. Read the full story here.

Gnome Sweet Gnome

It’s ten years since the Masters gnome made his first appearance in the merch shop at Augusta and no one could have predicted just how coveted they would become. With a new outfit every year, 2025’s design features Masters concessions food and thousands of patrons queued, hoping to part with their $49.50 for one of the limited-edition figures. Within a couple of hours, today’s stock had run dry, but there’s even more gnome merch in 2025, including salt and pepper shakers. Read the full story here.

Xander’s honest assessment

It’s odd for a man who has won two of the last three Majors to go into the Masters somewhat under the radar but Xander Schauffele’s injury absence across the start of the season means he’s been absent from a lot of people’s considerations. While he’s fit and raring to go now, the American star went through a period of honest assessment during his enforced time away from the game.

“I felt dumb, I felt unprofessional, I felt irresponsible, and I felt sad,” he revealed in an open and honest interview, which you can read here. Thankfully he’s now in a better place, and it would be foolish to bet against him.

Out with the new, in with the old

As well as his honest admission, Schauffele also revealed he’s gone back to last season’s Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond driver as he looks to move one step away from the career grand slam.

“I just haven’t had a lot of reps with the new (Elyte) driver, so I kind of crawled back to my old one, knowing what it’s done, just for the time being,” the American said.

When what it’s done is help you win two Majors in three starts, it’s hard to criticize (unless you’re Callaway’s financial manager, probably).

Read more from The Masters

• Meet the 2025 rookies
• Our betting expert’s top tips
• Everything you need to know about the Par-3 Contest

A champion withdraws

Masters Monday was barely an hour old when Vijay Singh, the 2000 Masters champion, withdrew. The 62-year-old finished T18 in the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational on the Champions Tour last week but informed the Masters committee that a back injury had forced his decision to pull out.

Assuming there are no further withdrawals, Thursday’s opening round will be contested by 95 players with 16 threeballs and one twoball heading out. Tee times and groups will be announced on Tuesday afternoon. See the full field and how they qualified.

Langer’s bittersweet farewell

Bernhard Langer will make his 41st and final appearance at The Masters this week having been denied the opportunity due to Achilles surgery in 2024, and was treated to a trip down memory lane with a video of his special Augusta moments when he came to the Interview Room on Monday.

“It’s very emotional,” the 67-year-old German said. “You can tell already my voice is breaking a bit just realizing it’s going to be my last competitive Masters. After four decades, it’s going to be bittersweet.

“The course is just getting too long and I’m getting shorter and shorter and I’m hitting hybrids where the other kids are hitting 9-irons and 8-irons, maybe even wedges. I knew it was time.”

The 1985 and 1993 winner will have a special bag for the week, adorned with 41 Azaleas.

Lefties out in force

The first Masters record of the year has been broken. The 2025 tournament will see a record number of left-handed players tee it up on Thursday morning. There are eight of them and the previous record is six (2008, 2018). We’ve given you the most obvious one, above, but see if you can name them all, then click here to find out if you were right and find out loads more fascinating facts about lefties at Augusta.

A family affair

Scottie Scheffler warmed up for his bid to become join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back Masters winners with a very special guest for his practice round.

Playing in the sunshine on Sunday afternoon, the World No.1 was joined by his mother Diane, who was allowed to tee it up as one of the perks for past champions.

On Sunday before Masters Week, Augusta National encourages previous winners to bring a guest to play the course, and with Scheffler having previously extended the invite to his other immediate family members, it was Mom’s turn.

“This is so special,” Scottie’s father, Scott, said aloud to fans at No. 1 tee. “I’m getting emotional.”

Big brands’ bag battle

Speaking of bags, we got a first glimpse of TaylorMade and Callaway’s first Major bags of the season. I like them both, but Callaway have just pipped it for me… and we’ll even have one to give away later in the week.