The Masters: Fore Please! Now Driving...: Recent Episodes
The Masters Tournament
The official Masters Podcast invites patrons and fans to follow-along as host Marty Smith explores Tournament storylines and visits with notable guests from the worlds of sport, entertainment and pop-culture. Episodes published daily from Augusta National Golf Club and the 2019 Masters Tournament.
Another chapter of the history and tradition of the Masters has been written. 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm speaks about what joining Seve Ballesteros as a Masters champion means to him and how he surprised himself by coming so close to crying over winning a golf tournament. Runner-up Brooks Koepka discusses his disappointment over finishing second at the Masters for a second time. Koepka’s fellow runner-up Phil Mickelson was much happier with the final-round 65 that made him the oldest competitor ever to finish in the top 5 at the Masters. Low Amateur Sam Bennett describes walking up 18 on Sunday as “the coolest experience of my life” and expresses gratitude for the love the Masters shows amateur golfers.
The second round was completed on Saturday morning and the third round began before Mother Nature intervened for the second consecutive day. In the morning action, Tiger Woods made the cut at the Masters for a record-tying 23rd consecutive time. One of the men he tied, Fred Couples, broke the record as the oldest player ever to make the 36-hole cut.
1987 Masters champion Larry Mize completed his final Masters appearance on Saturday. He describes how that win changed his life. 1988 champion Sandy Lyle, also making his final competitive appearance this year, joined Mize at the No. 18 green to help say farewell.
Finally, Marty chats with two-time World Cup winner, Golden Ball winner and two-time Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd about her first time experiencing the traditions of the Masters.
The second round of the 2023 Masters will resume on Saturday morning but before the weather delays on Friday, Brooks Koepka shot a bogey-free 67 and currently holds the lead by himself. He reflects on his recovery from multiple knee injuries.
Amateur Sam Bennett, from Texas A&M, is just four strokes behind Koepka and speaks of the confidence that led to his success over the first 36 holes of his Masters debut.
After wrapping up the state of play when the second round was suspended, Marty chats with Michelle Wie West about what she’s experienced in her first visit to Augusta National this week.
Finally, Marty sits down with Wright Thompson who explains why the Masters is like a magic trick and shares his favorite memory of Augusta National.
Marty joins Billy Horschel on his drive to work prior to the first round of Horschel’s ninth Masters. Billy discusses his preparation for this year’s Tournament and how it differs from his first year at Augusta National.We hear from the three men that share the lead following the first round: Viktor Hovland, Brooks Koepka, and Jon Rahm, as they break down their strong starts and the challenges that lay ahead. Tiger Woods recaps his first-round performance.
Then the Honorary Starters, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson express the gratitude they feel about their remarkable careers at the Masters.
Finally, Iona Stephen shares her view from broadcasting at Nos. 15 and 16 all day.
Host Marty Smith recaps all the important moments from two Masters Wednesday traditions: Chairman Ridley’s press conference, where the Chairman announced Augusta National’s commitment to elevate public golf in the Augusta area, and the Par 3 Contest, which was once again a family affair.
On the day groupings for the first two rounds are announced, we hear from four of the top five players in the Official World Golf Rankings – Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Max Homa – plus five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods and three-time champion Phil Mickelson.
Also, Scott Van Pelt joins to discuss what makes the Masters different from every other sporting event, before educating Marty about what constitutes a proper crab cake.
First, we take you to Amen Corner to hear what Sepp Straka’s hole-in-one on No. 12 in today’s practice round sounded like. Then we hear from some of the competitors in the 2023 Masters: Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, and Cameron Smith.
Next, Marty Smith looks back at the events of the past weekend. 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion Rose Zhang talks about enjoying every single moment in Augusta this year, including her interactions with Tiger Woods and what she learned from her final round on Saturday. Golf commentator Hally Leadbetter looks back this year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur and swaps Masters shopping tips with Marty. Finally, content creator Roger Steele describes the golf journey that led to his victorious participation in the EA Sports PGA Tour: Road to the Masters event on Sunday.
Host Marty Smith is joined by defending champion Scottie Scheffler, who reflects on the experience of winning the Masters and shares a preview of his menu for the Champions Dinner. Then, on the eve of broadcasting his 38th Masters, Jim Nantz offers his pick to win the 2023 Tournament with Marty. Finally, Marty previews Sunday night's Road to the Masters Invitational event.
Scottie Scheffler compares the reality of winning the Masters to dreaming about this moment since childhood. Scheffler goes on to credit his caddie, Ted Scott, for his role in the victory. Rory McIlroy reflects on the record-tying, final-round 64 that earned him second place. At the end of a physically and emotionally demanding week, Tiger Woods recaps his return to the Masters. Then host Marty Smith talks to Harry Kane, who flew to Augusta following Tottenham’s 4-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday to experience the Masters in person for the first time on Sunday. Finally, Marty shares one last story from Amen Corner today.
Host Marty Smith asks two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson to draw on his experience to describe what Scheffler is going through on the eve of the final round. Scottie Scheffler breaks down his day before Tiger Woods speaks with Marty about perseverance following a third round made difficult by the cold and the wind. Cameron Smith looks ahead to the better scoring weather forecast for Sunday. Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas, and Collin Morikawa describe the blustery conditions the field faced today. Finally, Marty gets a cross-sport perspective on playing in the wind and the aura of Augusta National from NFL quarterbacks Josh Allen and Sam Darnold.
Scottie Scheffler builds a record-tying 5-stroke lead after 36 holes. Among those chasing him remains 5-time Masters champion Tiger Woods, who made the cut in his return to Augusta National. Host Marty Smith guides you through all of the day’s key action, including Woods breaking down the physical toll the second round took on his body and players detailing the difficulties posed by the windy conditions on Friday or, in Shane Lowry’s case, how he prefers and thrives in such conditions. Then, Stewart Cink describes what it was like to make a hole-in-one on No. 16 on the birthday of his son, and caddie, Reagan.
Thursday was electric at Augusta National Golf Club as Tiger Woods returned to competition. Host Marty Smith brings you the sounds of the first round and the players’ analysis of their play, the course, and the conditions they’ll face in pursuit of Sungjae Im. Plus, the Honorary Starters – Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson – talk about what their participation in this Masters tradition means to them. Then, Marty catches up with Augusta native Charles Kelley of Lady A to hear about his experiences working at the Masters in high school.
A weather-shortened Par 3 Contest still produced an ace, put the joy of fatherhood on display, and allowed patrons to connect with legends of the game. Augusta National Golf Club and Masters Tournament Chairman Fred Ridley shares the philosophy behind course improvements made in advance of the 2022 Masters, recognizes the inaugural recipients of the Lee Elder Scholarships at Paine College, and pays tribute to the late Lee Elder and 1968 Masters champion Bob Goalby. Marty Smith gets first impressions of the Masters from seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star David Wright. Finally, 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples describes playing practice rounds with Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas this week.
Listen to Marty Smith’s one-on-one interview with Tiger Woods about his hard journey back to Augusta National. Several players share their thoughts about changes made to Nos. 11 and 15 in advance of the 2022 Masters Tournament. Also, Bryson DeChambeau reveals how wrist and hip injuries have impacted him, physically and emotionally, over the last several months.
Host Marty Smith covers the excitement patrons and players feel with Tiger Woods back on the course at Augusta National. Then Jim Nantz and Scott Van Pelt join Marty for a conversation about the meaning of the Masters.
In this episode, host Marty Smith and voice of Masters Digital Jimmy Roberts discuss Hideki Matsuyama’s historic Masters win. Also hear from the champion himself as well as Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris, who both gave chase.
In this episode, players discuss moving day at the Masters. Then, host Marty Smith breaks down the day with the voice of Masters Digital, Jimmy Roberts. Marty also visits with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and NBC Sports broadcaster Mike Tirico before two-time champion Bernhard Langer talks about his experiences playing in 38 Masters Tournaments.
In this episode, players describe their second rounds at the Masters. Host Marty Smith sits down with the voice of Masters Digital Jimmy Roberts to anticipate the weekend's action. Then, ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter describes his first time at the Masters and 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson shares his favorite Augusta National stories.