At The Masters, there are no VIPs at Amen Corner. No suites. No phones. No shortcuts. For four days at Augusta National, celebrities and fans experience the game the exact same way — side by side, in the moment.

Saw mid-am champ Brandon Holtz hanging out by the oak tree. He changed into shorts after the round and promptly ordered himself a whiskey on the rocks. He told me he's just going to chill at the course for the afternoon with friends. First Masters at 39 years old. Why not?

So we asked Rory McIlroy what ~his~ five favorite shots from the 2025 Masters were. With @gabbyherzig.bsky.social, a deep dive on those five shots, some which might surprise you, and how he pulled off of one the wilder weeks in recent memory. @theathletic.com www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

come for Gabby's opening anecdote on the fickle world of player-caddie relationships. stay for a hell of a good read. via @gabbyherzig.bsky.social ... www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

In one infamous tale, a tour caddie takes a swing video for his player on the range, and a text pops up from the player's wife: "Did you tell him you're firing him yet?" Exploring the brutal realities of the caddie-player relationship: www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

This rocked @gabbyherzig.bsky.social ‘Did you tell him you’re firing him yet?’ The brutal reality of golf’s most intimate partnership www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

New on @theathletic.com, w/ @gabbyherzig.bsky.social Trump threatens to seize control of Washington, D.C.’s public golf courses www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...

Charley Hull’s Instagram tells a story. So does that viral photo of her smoking at the U.S. Open. This summer, I spent time with Hull at her home in England, and it revealed a different picture of the golfer — a much deeper one. www.nytimes.com/athletic/687...

A new story I'm pretty pumped to share. It's about words, and our pastime, and changing your traumas by changing your patterns. On Matt Berninger, and the baseballs of writing:

morning read from @gabbyherzig.bsky.social that I deeply enjoyed — and the comments are generally lovely, to boot. www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

From @theathletic.com: Tommy Fleetwood's win on Sunday was a long time coming. His arc, with 30 top-five finishes in eight years on the PGA Tour but zero wins, has been a relatable one because of how difficult it often felt to watch, our columnist writes. nyti.ms/4oQeZfy

Tommy Fleetwood finally did it. On Sunday, he wasn’t just a winner on tour, he was *the* winner on tour. I followed Tommy until I couldn’t anymore, as he went through all the stops, all the emotions of victory. For @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

The latest sports scam: Fans of a golfer are contacted by a fake account, lured to WhatsApp/Telegram, offered VIP access, dinner or investments for crypto or gift cards — then ghosted once payments stop. Inside the social media scheme turning fans against athletes: http://dlvr.it/TMVp5j

New for @theathletic.bsky.social and @nytimes.com Art Spander has seen everything. The Miracle on Ice. Kirk Gibson. The Catch. But nowadays? The view is changing and time is moving. On the life and love of a true original: www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

NEWS: Brian Rolapp of the NFL is expected to be announced soon as the PGA Tour’s new CEO, sources confirmed to @gabbyherzig.bsky.social and @andrewmarchand.bsky.social: He will lead the tour’s new for-profit arm, PGA Tour Enterprises. More details:

You probably did not know that Oakmont’s famed church pews (possibly maybe probably) trace back to a course 20 miles outside Philadelphia and a pioneering woman in golf course architecture Required pre-US Open reading from @gabbyherzig.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/641...

Plastic greens. A trip to Augusta National. Meditation in the dark. Over several interviews these past two months, I learned about how Luke became Luke Clanton. On the PGA Tour’s next star, for @theathletic.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/640...

What’s it like to play Augusta National the day after Rory’s win at the Masters? I found out. 3,200 words of Q&A on a day that simply felt fake. I have never been so happy to share a scorecard with a 9 on it: www.nytimes.com/athletic/628...

Now read @gabbyherzig.bsky.social on Justin Rose's Indian summer www.nytimes.com/athletic/627... And @brodymiller.bsky.social on Angry Jon Rahm www.nytimes.com/athletic/627... And the great Justin Ray www.nytimes.com/athletic/627... And today's live action www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

It's already inevitable. A Sunday that ends among familiar shadows, a long walk up Augusta’s 18th, a hat brim pushed up off his forehead, a final putt, a final roar, and a 44 Long. Hyperbole, of course. But not really. On Scottie Scheffler: www.nytimes.com/athletic/627...

Is scar tissue real? Ahead of the Masters, I talked to Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and top performance psychologists about confronting past failures — and the lengths players will go to process them. Rory: “I’ve been put in hypnotic states.” www.nytimes.com/athletic/626...

“I would equate Scottie Scheffler to an incredible handyman." Why does Scottie thrive at Augusta National? It's a three-part answer, but it all starts with his full set of tools. First 2025 Masters preview for @theathletic.bsky.social, here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/626...

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Jay Monahan and Tiger Woods are all meeting with Donald Trump in the White House today. News from @gabbyherzig.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/614...

In 2024, the WM Phoenix Open lost the plot. Event leadership has made big changes, but they’ve also cultivated a raucous party culture for years. Can “The People’s Open” really dial things back? www.nytimes.com/athletic/611...

I’ve been at the A T&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am all week for @theathletic.bsky.social. Here’s a thread of my coverage so far. First: Slow play is again the biggest tension point in golf. What can be done? www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

There's a list out there on the internet, one tallying h.s. basketball's highest single-season scorers. The name on top isn't a familiar one. It's one that was without a story. That's where we begin... www.nytimes.com/athletic/607...

The brand new TGL is just one event old, and Gabby and Mark already have suggestions! 🏌️‍♂️ @gabbyherzig.bsky.social thinks tour exemptions could be a potential incentive, but who would YOU want to see added to the teams? 🫵

Kevin Kisner was just announced as an assistant captain for the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team. I called up Kiz to talk about his new role, broadcasting for NBC and what he wants to see from the PGA Tour's top stars. New Q&A for @theathletic.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/604...

BREAKING NEWS: Today, editorial workers from @theathletic.bsky.social announced that they are organizing with us and have asked @nytimes.com to recognize them as part of the Times Guild. Read more here: www.nyguild.org/post/athleti...

Steve DiMeglio was funny, unpretentious and a master bullshitter. Happy to have called him a friend. Happy, too, that he's remembered here so perfectly by the great Michael Bamberger: golf.com/news/golf-wr...

BREAKING: The PGA Tour is in advanced discussions to revamp the Tour Championship format into a bracket-style event, sources tell @gabbyherzig.bsky.social. It could be reimagined as early as this year. Details: www.nytimes.com/athletic/603...

Breaking news: Sources tell @theathletic.bsky.social that the PGA Tour is in advanced discussions to change the Tour Championship to a bracket-style event. Conversations on the exact format are still ongoing, but the tournament could be reimagined as early as 2025: t.co/v6H2hARDdD

To kick off the 2025 PGA Tour season, I spoke with Xander Schauffele and his father, Stefan — about persistence, process and building the mind of a major champion. For @theathletic.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/602...

There's nothing subtle about TGL. However, its approach to purse size is the biggest reason for optimism about the league's chances of success. www.nytimes.com/athletic/600...

A young Dustin Johnson? @theathletic.bsky.social asked who I’m buying stock in for the 2025 PGA Tour season. I went with Michael Thorbjornsen: www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...

LPGA commish Mollie Marcoux Samaan is out. We took a deeper look at that the next commissioner inherits, what the problems are and what must happen at such a pivotal moment. W/ @gabbyherzig.bsky.social and @hughkellenberger.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/596...

In the wake of Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s departure, we dive into what issues the next LPGA commissioner will have waiting for them. With @brodymiller.bsky.social and @hughkellenberger.bsky.social for @theathletic.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/596...

Wow. LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down, effective Jan. 9. "The LPGA Board of Directors will work with an executive search firm to conduct a global search for the organization’s next commissioner."

Source — LIV Golf has identified longtime sports executive Scott O’Neil as its next CEO • SBJ's Josh Carpenter had it first • O’Neil's departure as Merlin Entertainments CEO finalized this morning • As CEO of the 76ers from 2013-21, O’Neil oversaw, yes, The Process www.nytimes.com/athletic/595...

Just some New York athletes.

"Now more than ever, we have all the evidence to prove why Bryson DeChambeau has the chance to win several more majors before the end of his career." via @gabbyherzig.bsky.social and @brodymiller.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/593...

Part two of our major over/under series with @gabbyherzig.bsky.social. This was a fun one debating Xander, Bryson, Rory, JT and Fitz. www.nytimes.com/athletic/593...

All the talk will be about Nelly Korda’s seven (and counting) wins in 2024 — and that’s for good reason. But what happened between them will ultimately shape her continued charge into the LPGA history books: t.co/7B8WF5xpGc @theathletic.bsky.social

Some news from the PGA Tour tonight: The Policy Board has officially approved the proposed changes to the tour, which include smaller field sizes and a reduced number of available tour cards, from 125 to 100. The changes will take effect starting in 2026.

Props to Charley Hull, who finished T2 at The Annika this weekend, for being honest about the LPGA's slow play problem. "It's ridiculous and I feel sorry for the fans how slow it is out there."

Very preliminary at this point, but here's a starter pack of golf media folks who have at least established profiles on this here app go.bsky.app/B8TcmP7

there are now 80 @theathletic.bsky.social writers on this Starter Pack, and it's growing every day go.bsky.app/MQzRVy8

Yesterday Caitlin Clark played in an LPGA Pro-Am. She has an awesome athletic move and we decided to ask a tour swing coach to analyze it. Dana Dahlquist, coach of Bryson DeChambeau, gives some really interesting lessons here for all amateur golfers. Caitlin has major potential.

Soooo…. anyone into golf over here?