The world's best players head to Augusta National for the 90th edition of the Masters Tournament and the season's first major, where Rory McIlroy will return to defend the title that sealed his career Grand Slam.

Here’s everything else you need to know ahead of the Masters.

FIELD NOTES: McIlroy returns to Augusta National having finally won the green jacket and his first major since 2014. This has been a different kind of start to the year for McIlroy versus 2025, however. McIlroy won twice prior to the Masters a year ago, but this year he's been winless– and withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard with a back injury. This is the first time McIlroy will tee it up at the Masters without the biggest question in golf lingering over his head. He will look to become the first golfer since Tiger Woods to repeat at the Masters since 2001-02 … Scottie Scheffler returns to action after the birth of his second son, Remy, just 10 days ago. Scheffler, like McIlroy, hasn’t had his best stuff of late (merely as compared to his own incredible results’ body of work) but did win his first start of the year and has won the Masters in two of his last four starts at Augusta National … There are 22 golfers making their Masters debut in 2026, including two-time winner this season Chris Gotterup along with Jacob Bridgeman, who currently leads the FedExCup standings … Collin Morikawa returns to action after withdrawing after just one hole from THE PLAYERS Championship. Morikawa, who won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, finished T14 at the Masters last year … Matt Fitzpatrick and Cameron Young are likely to be part of the conversation at the first major of the year as they were in back-to-back weeks in Florida. Young defeated Fitzpatrick in a playoff to win THE PLAYERS and the winner of THE PLAYERS in both 2024 (Scheffler) and 2025 (McIlroy) have gone on to win the Masters. The loss did not sting for very long for Fitzpatrick, however, as he won the next week at the Valspar Championship. Both Young and Fitzpatrick’s best result at the Masters is a T7 … J.J. Spaun will head to Augusta National after winning the Valero Texas Open Sunday – his second such triumph at TPC San Antonio. It was an important win for the 2025 U.S. Open champion, who has had four missed cuts this season and whose best result so far this year was a T24.

HIGHEST RANKED PLAYERS IN THE FIELD

AMATEURS AND SPECIAL INVITES: Reigning U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell arrives at Augusta National Golf Club as one of the youngest in the field, fresh off a dominant 7-and-6 victory to earn his title and a summer that included qualifying for the U.S. Open at Oakmont with back-to-back rounds of 63. The Georgia commit has continued his strong play into 2026, highlighted by a solo-third at the Junior Invitational and narrowly missing the cut at the Texas Children’s Houston Open … Ethan Fang, the The Amateur Championship winner at Royal St. George’s, enters as the highest-ranked amateur in the field at No. 7 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings after a standout 2025 that also featured team victories at the NCAA Championship and Walker Cup … Jackson Herrington, the U.S. Amateur runner-up, brings momentum from a T6 finish at the Cabo Collegiate and a T14 at the Pauma Valley Invitational, with the Tennessee sophomore also notable as the lone left-hander among this year’s amateurs … Brandon Holtz earned his place by winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur at age 39, completing a unique journey from former college basketball player to real estate agent now set to compete inside the ropes at Augusta … Fifa Laopakdee secured his spot by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur in dramatic fashion with a playoff victory and becomes the first player from Thailand to compete in the Masters, also arriving off a recent individual win at the Desimone Invitational for Arizona State … Mateo Pulcini claimed the Latin America Amateur Championship in January via playoff, continuing a run of strong form that included three amateur victories in 2025 … There are no special invitations extended for this year’s Masters.

SIGNATURE EVENT STORYLINES: The next Signature Event on the schedule is the RBC Heritage … Following the Valero Texas Open, the following five players earned a spot in the RBC Heritage via the Aon Swing 5: Johnny Keefer, Jordan Smith and Chandler Blanchet all earned spots despite missing the cut at the Valero Texas Open … David Lipsky was tops on the list … rocketed up the standings with a T2 at TPC San Antonio and finished second in the standings … The Aon Next 10 will feature the top points earners through the Masters, who will earn spots in the RBC Heritage. Jake Knapp continues to lead the way, while Ryo Hisatsune moved to No. 3 in the standings after his T8 finish at the Valero Texas Open … Sudarshan Yellamaraju finished T14 at TPC San Antonio – his third top-15 result in a row – and remained in the No. 8 spot, while Patrick Rodgers is still No. 10 in the standings despite missing the cut in Texas.

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 750 FedExCup points.

COURSE: Augusta National Golf Club, par 72, 7,565 yards. The 17th hole is 10 yards longer this year after the tee box was moved back. In 2025, there were no yardage or other overarching changes. The course remains one of the most iconic in the world and will challenge the game’s best with its entirety.

72-HOLE RECORD: 268, Dustin Johnson (2020)

18-HOLE RECORD: 63, Nick Price (third round, 1986), Greg Norman (first round, 1996)

LAST TIME: Rory McIlroy finally did it, capturing the Masters in a playoff over the 45-year-old Justin Rose and becoming just the sixth male golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam. McIlroy, who opened with a double bogey on the first hole of Sunday’s finale, went back and forth with plenty of chasers before it was finally just Rose left standing. McIlroy had a short par putt on the 72nd hole to try to win in regulation, but it slid by. He had an even shorter putt for a birdie and the win on the first playoff hole, and this time, he converted – and McIlroy's emotional release was more than appropriate.

Rose fired a 6-under 66 to rip up the leaderboard and finish at 11 under for the week after he held the Thursday lead thanks to a 7-under 65.

Scottie Scheffler finished fourth in his title defense.

How to follow (all times ET)

Click here for full coverage from Masters.com. (Note: All live coverage simulcast on Masters.com/Masters app.)

TUESDAY

• "On the Range": 9 a.m.-11 a.m.; CBS Sports Digital, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, Masters.com and Masters app
• Tuesday at the Masters (practice round live coverage): noon-2 p.m.; ESPN App

WEDNESDAY

• "Mornings at the Masters": 9-9:45 a.m., Masters YouTube
• "On the Range": 9 a.m.-11 a.m.; CBS Sports Digital, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, Masters.com and Masters app
• Tuesday at the Masters (practice round live coverage): noon-2 p.m.; ESPN App
• Par 3 Contest: noon-4 p.m.; ESPN app, Masters.com and Masters app; 2-4, ESPN
• "Welcome to the Masters": 1-2 p.m., ESPN

THURSDAY-FRIDAY

• Honorary starters ceremony (Thursday only): approx. 7:30 a.m.; Masters.com, Masters app
• "On The Range": 8:30-10:30 a.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
• "Mornings at the Masters": 9-9:45 a.m., Masters YouTube
• "Welcome to the Masters": 10 a.m.-noon, ESPN
• Rounds 1-2 broadcast
  • 1-7:30 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app
  • 1-3 p.m.; Prime Video
  • 3-7:30 p.m.; ESPN, ESPN app, ESPN Deportes
• Holes 4, 5, 6
  • 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, ESPN app
• Featured groups
  • 9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Amen Corner: 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Inside Amen Corner: 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, Prime Video
• Holes 15, 16: 11:45 a.m.-7 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Radio coverage: 2-8 p.m., SiriusXM

SATURDAY

• "Mornings at the Masters": 9-9:45 a.m., Masters YouTube
• "On the Range": 10 a.m.-noon; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
• Round 3 broadcast
  • noon-7 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, Paramount+
  • 2-7 p.m.; CBS
  • 5-6 p.m.; ESPN Deportes
• Holes 4, 5, 6
  • 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, ESPN app
• Featured groups
  • 10:15 a.m.-7 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Amen Corner: 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Inside Amen Corner: 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, Prime Video
• Holes 15, 16: 11:45 a.m.-7 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Radio coverage: 2-8 p.m., SiriusXM

SUNDAY

• "Mornings at the Masters": 9-9:45 a.m., Masters YouTube
• "On the Range": 10 a.m.-noon; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
• Round 4 broadcast
  • noon-7 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, Paramount+
  • 2-7 p.m.; CBS
  • 5-6 p.m.; ESPN Deportes
• Holes 4, 5, 6
  • 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, ESPN app
• Featured groups
  • 10:15 a.m.-7 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Amen Corner: 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Inside Amen Corner: 11:45 a.m.-6 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, Prime Video
• Holes 15, 16: 12:30-6:30 p.m.; Masters.com, Masters app, CBS Sports Digital, DirecTV, ESPN App, Paramount+, Prime Video
• Radio coverage: 2-8 p.m., SiriusXM