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Scottie Scheffler (+510) is chasing a third green jacket with a 9-day-old son named Remy in tow. Bennett was born before the 2024 PGA Championship, and Scheffler won. He's been off since The Players, his approach play has dipped to 82nd on Tour in strokes gained, but his putting has been lights out. Augusta has a way of resetting what matters. Don't overthink this.

Rory McIlroy defends as champion and hosted last night's Champions Dinner — Wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon, yellowfin tuna carpaccio to start, bacon-wrapped dates as a nod to his mom, and a 1989 Château d'Yquem from his birth year for dessert wine. When asked why he didn't go more Irish, he said "because I want to enjoy the dinner as well." That's your defending champion.

Ludvig Åberg (+1700) has finished second and seventh in his first two Masters. He hasn't finished outside the top 5 in his last three Tour starts. The 26-year-old Swede is the guy everyone respects but nobody picks. That's usually the guy.

Bryson DeChambeau (+1050) is the biggest liability at BetMGM — meaning the public is hammering him. He was in contention most of last year's Sunday at Augusta. The LIV crowd wants a coronation. Augusta doesn't care what you want.

Jon Rahm (+900) shortened from +1000 to +900 in the last 48 hours. He won on LIV earlier this season, breaking a dry spell. The 2023 champion knows every blade of grass on this course. Quiet confidence is dangerous at Augusta.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are both out — Tiger stepping away from professional golf indefinitely following a DUI arrest and car accident in March, and Phil citing a family health matter. 33 of 35 living champions attended Tuesday's dinner. The portrait had an empty feeling even in a full room.

Thursday featured groups to watch: Scheffler goes off at 1:44 PM with Robert MacIntyre and Gary Woodland. McIlroy at 10:31 AM with Cameron Young and amateur Mason Howell. Rahm, Gotterup, and Åberg at 1:08 PM. Set your alarms.

"Georgia On My Mind" — Ray Charles → YouTube — The only song that could open this section. Charles recorded it in 1960, Georgia made it the state song in 1979. It still stops a room.

"Simple Man" — Lynyrd Skynyrd → YouTube — "Be a simple kind of man, be something you love and understand." Your mom told you that before anyone else did. Rory put bacon-wrapped dates on the menu as a nod to his. Same energy.

"Peaceful Easy Feeling" — Eagles → YouTube — Sunday afternoon, leader by two, back nine at Augusta. This is the soundtrack for the walk from 11 green to 12 tee.

"Coming Home" — Leon Bridges → YouTube — Fort Worth soul that feels like a warm Georgia evening. Bridges wrote this in his bedroom before anyone knew his name. It still sounds like it.

"Harvest Moon" — Neil Young → YouTube — Technically an autumn song. Don't care. The tempo is Sunday walk-up-18 energy. Play it while the sun sets over Magnolia Lane.

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" — John Denver → YouTube — No explanation needed. Every road trip, every round of golf, every Saturday morning that feels like this one.

"Let It Be" — The Beatles → YouTube — Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop pressing. Let the course come to you. Let the week breathe. Let it be.

Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio — Rory's first course last night. Paper-thin tuna, olive oil, capers, lemon, arugula. Fifteen minutes, zero cooking, restaurant-quality → Recipe

Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Manchego — The nod to Rory's mom on the Champions Dinner menu. Medjool dates, manchego, almonds, thin-cut bacon, 15 minutes in the oven → Recipe

Peach and Ricotta Flatbread — Augusta is peach country. Whipped ricotta, sliced peaches, honey, balsamic glaze, fresh basil. Fifteen-minute appetizer that looks like you tried way harder than you did → Recipe

Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce — Nobu's most iconic dish, and one of Rory's picks for the dinner. Ice-cold batter, 355°F oil, toss in the sauce. Worth the effort → Recipe

Wagyu Filet Mignon — The main event from last night's menu. Salt, pepper, screaming-hot cast iron, 2 minutes per side, finish in the oven. Let it rest. Don't overthink it → Recipe

Irish Colcannon — Rory's roots on a plate. Buttery mashed potatoes folded with cabbage, scallions, and Irish butter. Kerrygold or nothing → Recipe

The Full Champions Dinner Spread — If you're hosting a Masters watch party this weekend, run the whole menu: carpaccio to start, dates and shrimp tempura on the side, wagyu or salmon as the main, colcannon underneath, and something with peaches for dessert. You don't need a green jacket to eat like you have one.

The Champions Dinner exists because Ben Hogan started it in 1952. One man decided that the people who came before him deserved a seat at the table. The tradition outlived him by decades. Start something for the people you love — a dinner, a trip, a tradition — and watch it take on a life of its own.

Rory chose a 1990 Château Lafite Rothschild because it was his drink the night he won the Masters. The bottle isn't about the wine. It's about the moment it represents. Find ways to mark the moments that matter — not with a post, but with something you can return to.

Scottie Scheffler brought his 9-day-old son to Augusta on Sunday. There he was, in a stroller under the famous oak tree by the clubhouse. You don't wait for the right time to include the people you love. You bring them along now.

33 of 35 living champions showed up on Tuesday night. That's not obligation. That's reverence. Show up for the traditions that matter to your people — even when it's inconvenient. Especially then.

Tiger's absence from Augusta this week is a reminder that the people you admire are fighting battles you can't see. Check on the strong ones. They're usually the last to ask for help.

The green jacket ceremony only lasts a few minutes. The winner is presented the jacket by the previous year's champion in Butler Cabin. Then they walk outside. The whole thing is quiet, dignified, understated. The biggest moments in your relationships should feel the same way.

Call your dad this weekend. Ask him who he's picking. It doesn't matter if he says Scheffler or some 200-1 longshot. The conversation is the point.

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Why: Receive 6 free koozies, enlighten your friends, spread a movement

Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 is the most locked-in pick since Trevor Lawrence. The Heisman winner out of Indiana led the country in touchdown passes and powered Indiana to its first football national championship. Vegas just signed Kirk Cousins to mentor him. The table is set.

The Jets at No. 2 are looking at David Bailey or Abdul Carter as an edge rusher — a franchise that desperately needs someone who can get to the quarterback. Bailey from Ohio State is the consensus pick, but don't sleep on a trade-down scenario.

Dallas and the Rams are the two teams most likely to trade into the top 10. The Cowboys want to compete now, and the Rams are pushing every chip to the middle of the table in the Stafford window — the Trent McDuffie trade was just the latest move.

Jeremiyah Love, the Notre Dame running back, and Carnell Tate, the Ohio State receiver, are the skill players generating the most buzz in the 5-12 range. Love could go as high as 5 to the Titans.

Keep your eye on Ty Simpson as a potential first-round surprise at QB2. He doesn't have Mendoza's ceiling, but evaluators love his processing speed and pocket poise. A team picking in the 15-25 range could bite.

The draft is in Pittsburgh for the first time — April 23-25. If you're within driving distance, the fan experience at the NFL Draft is genuinely one of the best free events in sports. The city is going to be electric.

Two weeks from now, half the league's fan bases will be convinced they won the draft. By October, we'll know who actually did. Enjoy the speculation while it lasts — it's the most fun part of the offseason.

Augusta, GA — Even if you don't have a badge, Masters week turns the whole city into something different. Washington Road comes alive, the Patch (Augusta Municipal) just reopened after a full redesign on April 15, and the energy doesn't travel through a TV screen. Go once.

Hilton Head Island, SC — The RBC Heritage is the week after the Masters, and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful courses on Tour. Shoulder season means fewer crowds, better rates, and golf weather that doesn't try to kill you.

Kiawah Island, SC — The Ocean Course is a bucket-list track. Spring is the sweet spot — before the summer humidity and tourist traffic hit. Pair it with Hilton Head for a Lowcountry golf trip that checks every box.

Monterey Peninsula, CA — Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay. The Monarch Beach Resort Stay & Play package ranked in the top 10 nationally for golf trips in 2026. Spring fog burns off by noon and you're playing the most scenic holes in America.

Scottsdale, AZ — The Whirlwind courses at Wild Horse Pass both ranked in the nation's top 50 public courses this year. Pair them with Ak-Chin Southern Dunes for a three-day trip that's all golf, no filler. April temps hover around 90 — hot but manageable.

The Algarve, Portugal — If you want to go across the pond, spring in southern Portugal is hard to beat. Championship layouts, warm weather, and resort golf without the UAE price tag. The exchange rate is working in your favor right now.

Bermuda — Shoulder season means cheaper flights and empty pink sand beaches. Seven golf courses on the island, whale watching through April, and the fish sandwich on raisin bread is a thing you need to experience before you die.

ugusta National plays 7,545 yards. Walking 18 with the elevation changes covers roughly 5-6 miles. Your Saturday assignment: get outside and walk that distance. No music. No phone. Just walk and think. The caddies at Augusta don't get golf carts. Neither do you.

Sunday morning mobility — your hips have been in a chair or on a couch watching coverage all week. Do 10 minutes of hip openers, deep squats, and thoracic spine rotations before you do anything else. Your golf swing (and your back) will thank you.

Farmer's carries — one of the highest ROI exercises in strength training. Grab two heavy dumbbells or kettlebells, walk for distance. Core, grip, posture, mental toughness — all in one brutal set. Do 4 rounds of 40 yards.

The 12th hole workout — Amen Corner is three holes, so give me three exercises: 10 burpees, 15 push-ups, 20 air squats. That's one round. Do it three times. Rest 90 seconds between rounds. Takes less than 15 minutes.

Hill sprints — find a hill, sprint up, walk down, repeat six times. Nothing else comes close for conditioning in a short window. The climb from the 18th fairway to the green at Augusta is one of the steepest in golf. Train accordingly.

Spring sport re-entry plan — if you haven't swung a golf club since November, don't go straight to the course. Hit the range twice, do some light stretching and rotation work, and ease back in. The ache of coming back is better than the ache of never returning.

Take a Sunday afternoon walk this week. Not a workout. A walk. Augusta on a Sunday afternoon is one of the most peaceful places in sports. You don't need a badge to find your version of that. Find a park, a trail, a quiet neighborhood. Walk it slow.