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The Masters Preview 2025

Posted on by Duncan Hughes

The end of March sees the beginning of Spring as golf fans prepare for the biggest competition of the year: The Masters. The first of the men’s four Major golf championships, The Masters will attract the best golfers from around the world as they take to the famous Augusta National Golf Club in a bid for the green jacket. Here at Engage we talk you through everything you need to know including what to expect and who may challenge for the first title of the year!

Last year it was the American, Scottie Scheffler who took home the green jacket with astonishing consistency throughout his four rounds. A brilliant first round score of 6 under par, paved the way to victory for Scheffler as he won the competition for the second time, having previously won in 2022. It was Scheffler’s second Masters title and despite his successful form in recent years, it was only his second Major title, with the American likely to be gunning for yet another victory in 2025.

The Masters 2025

This year, The Masters will take place from the 10th until 13th April 2025 at its usual venue, Augusta National Golf Club. The tournament has taken place here since 1934 with some of the best golfers in history including Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo all taking victory here!

With an exciting weekend of action in store, in arguably the most iconic golfing competition in the world, thousands of fans from all over the globe will flock to Augusta. But who will walk away with the green jacket in 2025 and pick up the first Major of the year?

As mentioned Scottie Scheffler will be keen to defend his title from 2024. Scheffler currently sits at the top of the Official World Golf Rankings as he looks to solidify himself as the best golfer on the planet in two weeks time. Scheffler has two top ten finishes in 2025 as well as an Olympic Gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics making him the definitive man to beat. However, his competitors will not make it easy for him.

Runner-up in 2024, Ludvig Åberg will be keen to make amends for his defeat from last year as he is in the hunt for his first Major. The Swedish talent made his debut in Majors last year and has started 2025 strongly with victory in the Genesis Open last month. Åberg will have a task on his hands to get the better of the competition in Augusta next month, however, after impressive performances and announcing his name on the world stage over the last year, a victory is certainly not out of the question.

World number 2, Rory McIlroy will be desperate for victory in April to eradicate his 10-year Major drought. Having come so close to extinguishing his long wait for a Major title in 2024 at the US Open, McIlroy will be determined to get his hands on the green jacket for the first time. McIlroy’s illustrious career includes four Major titles, but his best finish at The Masters remains runner-up in 2022. Considering the Northern Irishman did the Open and PGA Championship double in 2014, to not win anything since then has been painful for McIlroy to say the least. Can he fight off the bad luck and strike gold in Augusta this time?

Elsewhere, American counterparts Colin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau could all challenge for the title as they carry good form into 2025. In terms of English hopefuls, Tommy Fleetwood will hope to compete having been runner-up to Scheffler at the Paris Olympics last summer, while Tyrell Hatton will also be amongst the world’s best. If either Fleetwood or Hatton are to pull off a victory next month, it will be a big upset, and one that will earn either golfer their first Major title.

So who do you think will take the honours in 2025? Enquire with Engage Hospitality for your chance to watch one of the biggest competitions on the golfing calendar in 2025. Enjoy fantastic hospitality for The Masters as well as other competitions including the Genesis Scottish Open, The 153rd Open Championship, the AIG Women’s Open and the BMW PGA Championship!

See your heroes from the best seats in the house as they hunt for Major titles in 2025!

Looking ahead at a huge year of Golf

Posted on by Harry Howes

This year’s PGA Tour is already underway and after a thrilling 2024, the world’s best golfers will be looking to make a strong start to the new campaign. We’ve got countless competitions to look forward to, including the four major championships.

First up is The Masters, which gets underway in just under two months, and as the golf season starts to swing into gear, here’s everything you need to know.

When are the four majors?

The Masters – 10th to 13th April
Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia

PGA Championship – 15th to 18th May
Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina

US Open – 12th to 15th June
Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania

The Open Championship – 17th to 20th July
Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland

Last year saw all four major championships won by American golfers for the first time since 1982, as Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau shared the glory. The top prizes were also shared by US stars in 2020, although the Open Championship was cancelled that year due to the pandemic.

Scheffler claimed the Masters for the second time last year, having also won it in 2022. They remain the 28-year-old’s only major titles – he finished four strokes ahead of Ludvig Åberg to secure the green jacket at Augusta last April.

Meanwhile, Schauffele was at the double as he claimed the first major titles of his career in the PGA Championship and the Open Championship. The 31-year-old broke the scoring record in his PGA win as he finished 21 under par, just one stroke ahead of DeChambeau.

While DeChambeau just missed out in Kentucky, he made up for it as he came out on top at the US Open in North Carolina. It was the second time he’s triumphed in the competition after winning by six strokes back in 2020.

Who could challenge for glory this year?

While last year’s four winners will be hoping to add more titles to their name, there are plenty of challengers looking to claim glory this year. Rory McIlroy has four majors to his name, with the Masters the only one to evade him so far.

He’ll be keen to put that right this year, having come so close back in 2022. McIlroy also came close to securing a fifth in last year’s US Open, narrowly missing out at the death to DeChambeau. The Northern Irishman has already won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this year and he’ll hope to have many more titles under his belt by the time 2025 comes to a close.

Åberg will also have his eyes on his first major after missing out at the Masters. The 25-year-old is fairly new to the tour, having made his professional debut less than two years ago, and he’ll be desperate to prove that he’s the next big thing in the sport.

Elsewhere, Brooks Koepka always carries a threat and has five major championships to his name, including the 2023 PGA Championship. The likes of Max Homa and Shane Lowry could also challenge – Homa tied for third at the Masters in 2024 while the vastly experienced Lowry could repeat his Open Championship heroics from 2019 as it returns to Royal Portrush.

Outside of the major players, there are often a few surprises in the final leaderboards as up and coming stars look to make a name for themselves. Rasmus Højgaard is only 23 but is already one to watch after beating McIlroy by one stroke to win the Irish Open back in September. Meanwhile, his twin brother Nicolai is also highly rated and was part of Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup winning side.

What are the other big tournaments?

As well as the majors, there are plenty of other big tournaments that the world’s best players will want to win, including the Ryder Cup. Europe are the reigning champions after beating the USA 16 ½ – 11 ½ back in 2023. The biennial competition returns to the States this year and Europe will be looking to become the first side to win on foreign soil since 2012.

Arnold Palmer Invitational – 6th to 9th March
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida

The Players Championship – 13th to 16th March
Players Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

The Memorial Tournament – 29th May to 1st June
Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio

Genesis Scottish Open – 10th to 13th July
The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland

AIG Women’s Open – 30th July to 3rd August
Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Porthcawl, Wales

Tour Championship – 21st to 24th August
East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia

BMW PGA Championship – 9th to 14th September
Wentworth Golf Club, Surrey, England

Ryder Cup – 26th to 28th September
Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale, New York

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The AIG Women’s Open 2024: Preview

Posted on by Duncan Hughes

After what has been a long-winded season of Women’s Golf Majors in 2024, the AIG 2024 Women’s Open closes the curtain on a fantastic campaign. With an exciting battle expected to commence, the best players in the world will compete for the famous trophy at St Andrews’ Old Course on the 22nd August. Here at Engage we’ll provide everything you need to know including the favourites and any British contingency involved.

Setting her up well for this weekend’s contest, Lauren Coughlin took the win at the Women’s Scottish Open on Sunday. Winning by 4 shots, Coughlin took the title at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire securing her place in the USA team for the Solheim Cup. Coughlin’s third round score of 66 (6 under par) set herself apart from the rest of the field, beating Germany’s Esther Henseleit to the trophy. Although Henseleit matched Coughlin’s third round score, the American’s consistency across the weekend was pivotal in her victory.

Coughlin, who has never won a Major, was excellent throughout the whole weekend and a class apart from the rest of the field which will boost her confidence for The Open starting this Thursday.

Meanwhile, in the 2024 Men’s Open, it was fellow American Xander Schauffele who took the title back in July beating Justin Rose and Brian Horschel by two shots. Will Coughlin be able to make it an American Double on Scottish ground once again?

Favourites for 2024

Walton Heath Golf Club in Tadworth hosted the 47th version of the event in 2023 and witnessed a dominant display from Lilia Vu. The American won by six shots last year with an astonishing final round going 5 under to beat England’s Charley Hull. After two Majors wins in 2023 but a back injury hindering her 2024 season, will she be able to defend her title at St Andrews?

As mentioned, fellow American Lauren Coughlin will be keen to carry on her momentum after victory at the Scottish Open while, World Number One, Nelly Korda is also a keen favourite. Korda won the 2024 Chevron Championship to add the second Major of her career back in April, the same competition Vu won back in 2023. Korda boasts impressive form in 2024 aside from Majors as the Chevron Championship was her fifth consecutive victory in 2024. In May she won the Mizuho Americans Open, marking her sixth victory in seven starts and she will certainly be the woman to beat this weekend.

Ayaka Furue is another favourite to look out for in Scotland at the weekend. The Japanese talent won her first Major this year at the 2024 Evian Championship in dramatic style. Furue scored an eagle on the final hole to take victory by one stroke from Stephanie Kyriacou.

New Zealander, Lydia Ko, may also be a woman to watch out for on the Old Course. Although she has not won a Major since 2016, she boasts three Olympic medals and was recently crowned Olympic Champion in Paris. She also claimed her first LGPA Tour Title since 2022 back in January. Ko may not be the favourite, but her quality should not be underestimated.

Other possible challengers for the title include Lin Xiyu, Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist eyeing up her first Major title while Olympic silver medalist and Scottish Open runner-up, Esther Henseleit, will also look to challenge for her fourth professional win and her first Major.

TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 7th green during the second round on day two of the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 15, 2016 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

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British Hopefuls

In terms of British hopes of a victory at St Andrews, Charley Hull leads the line as she hopes to cause an upset. Hull was second in last year’s competition and was also fifth in the Scottish Open on Sunday. Having never won a Major, Hull looks to be the first British winner of the AIG Women’s Open since 2018 when Georgia Hall was victorious.

Lily May Humphreys is another of the Brits looking to cause an upset on the Old Course. Humphreys won her maiden Ladies European Tour title in 2023 winning the Joburg Ladies Open and was joint 20th on Sunday. Can she do the unthinkable and pull off a shock victory at the Home of Golf this weekend?

So who do you think will take the title at St Andrews this weekend? In one of the most iconic competitions, on one of the most iconic courses, can Nelly Korda cement her place as World Number One? Or will we see an upset? How will the British contingency get on? Watch The AIG Women’s Open 2024 from the best seats in the house with Engage Hospitality. Find out yourself who will be crowned champion of this world-renowned competition!

Ultimate Guide to 2025 Golf Majors: Locations, Venues and Dates

Posted on by Duncan Hughes

After an exciting last few weeks, golf fans have been enjoying riveting action with numerous competitions taking place. Xander Schauffle’s Open victory rounded off the 2024 Men’s Majors calendar while Scottie Scheffler won Olympic Gold for Team USA. Meanwhile, the women’s AIG Open is still to come with the Solheim Cup also on the horizon in September. After a thrilling 2024 golf season, here at Engage we take a look ahead to 2025 and provide you with the key dates and locations of the 2025 Golf Majors.

2025 Men’s Golf Majors

As far as Major golf tournaments go in 2025, the men have got it all to play for. First up on the 2025 Majors Golf calendar, and perhaps the most famous of the men’s individual Majors, is the 2025 Masters Tournament. Taking place every year at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club, players battle it out for the renowned green jacket. Jack Nicklaus has won the competition the most times with six wins, with Tiger Woods his closest competition on five wins. The 2025 Masters will take place from the 6th-13th April with Scottie Scheffler looking to defend his title, targeting his third win in the competition.

Next up on the calendar will be the 2025 PGA Championship taking place from the 12th-18th May 2025. This year’s venue will be the Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. For only the second time ever, the 107th PGA Championship will return to Quail Hollow, a course that is well-renowned as one of America’s most famous golf courses. Xander Schauffele won the first of his two Majors victories in 2024 with his brilliant -21 at Valhalla Golf Club beating Bryson DeChambeau by one shot.

DeChambeau got his own back when the US Open came around at the start of June as he took victory at Pinehurst. After a heartbreaking Rory McIlroy collapse in the fourth round, DeChambeau took victory by one shot to break the Northern Irishman’s hopes of ending a 10-year Majors drought. 2025’s competition will take place at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont Pennsylvania from the 7th-15th June 2025 as the best players in the world will battle it out for the third major of the year.

Schauffele’s second major of the year came at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland, as the American won the famous event ahead of Justin Rose and Billy Horschel. A fantastic win for the American with two Majors in one year, can he improve on that feat in 2025?

The 2025 Open Championship will take place at the famous Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland in its 153rd edition as the iconic golf tournament will attract golf fanatics from each corner of the globe. Taking place from 17th-20th July 2025, can Schauffele take the title once again or will Rose get revenge? Find out how it will pan out with Engage Hospitality, offering some brilliant opportunities for you to watch the Open from the best seats in the house.

2025 also means it’s a Ryder Cup year. The famous team competition, arguably the most prominent on the golf calendar, will take place from the 22nd-28th September as Team Europe go up against Team USA in the 45th showing of the event. The 2025 Ryder Cup will take place at Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale in New York as Team Europe will go for their second consecutive victory. Team USA have dominated the competition since its inception in 1927 with 27 wins to Europe’s 14. Can Europe build momentum after their win in 2023 and start to close the huge deficit?

2025 Women’s Golf Majors

Plenty of actions in the 2025 men’s golf Majors calendar, but what about in the women’s game? Although this year’s season isn’t finished just yet, it’s safe to say you won’t be disappointed next year with the Chevron Championship in April kicking off the 2025 campaign at The Club at Carlton Woods, USA, the first of five Women’s Majors.

From there the best players the women’s game has to offer will travel to Erin Hills Country Club also in America. Erin Hills will play host to the Women’s US Open from the 29th June until the 1st May. Japanese golfer, Yuka Saso took the honours last year for the second time in her career and she will be gunning to do it again in 2025.

Staying in The States, PGA Frisco in Texas will host the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Taking place from the 19th-22nd June, this relatively new golf course has played host to the Senior PGA Championship and is expected to host more championships in the future. The current title holder of this competition, also from Asia, is Amy Yang winning her first ever major in 2024. The South Korean will also be looking to build on her first major during the 2025 season.

Moving back over to Europe, the Evian Championship is the penultimate women’s major of the year in July. Taking place annually in France at the Evian Resort Golf Club, Ayaka Furue took the win in 2024 also marking her maiden major victory.

In August, players will come together for perhaps the most iconic of the Women’s Majors, The AIG Women’s Open. The Open will mark the end of the 2025 Women’s Golf Majors and will take place at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. Yet to take place this year, the famous competition will take place from the 22nd-25th August on the legendary Old Course at St Andrew’s Golf Club in Scotland. Lilia Vu was the 2023 winner, winning her second major of the year. With no Major titles so far in 2024, can she do it at the home of golf? Find out with Engage Hospitality if she can win two in a row!

With some brilliant competitions expected in 2025, who do you think will come out on top? Check out Engage’s range of fantastic hospitality options to watch your favourite golfers in action including The Open, The Masters, The AIG Women’s Open, The Scottish Open and more! Watch the Majors from the best seats in the house in 2025!

Can Rory McIlroy bounce back at the Open Championship?

Posted on by Harry Howes

They say major golf championships are like buses and after the excitement of the US Open last month, we head to Scotland next weekend for the Open Championship.

The fourth and final major of 2024 takes place at the Royal Troon Golf Club, with four days of thrilling golf getting underway on Thursday 18th July. It’s the 10th time the South Ayrshire course has hosted the competition – Henrik Stenson won it last time back in 2016.

Last year’s Open Championship saw the unlikeliest of winners crowned champion as Brian Harman stunned the sporting world. The 125-1 outsider claimed the Claret Jug across a phenomenal weekend, finishing 13 under in a performance that saw his lead never drop below three.

Few expect Harman to repeat the feat this year, with Rory McIlroy among those expected to challenge. But he’ll face stiff competition from the world’s best, with Americans dominating the majors so far this year.

Bryson DeChambeau narrowly won the US Open last month as he made a late charge to capitalise on McIlroy’s mistakes. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler claimed the Masters while Xander Schauffele came out on top in the PGA Championship.

Ahead of the Open Championship, we’ve taken a closer look at the main contenders.

McIlroy looks to put US Open behind him

It’s been 10 years since McIlroy last tasted success in a major championship and after coming so close at the US Open last month, he’ll be desperate to reclaim the title that he won back in 2014.

McIlroy claimed his third major in the Open Championship in Liverpool all those years ago, finishing two shots ahead of Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia. His drought almost came to an end in June but with one hand on the trophy, a late collapse saw him surrender his lead.

McIlroy led by two shots with five holes left but it all went downhill from there. He bogeyed in all but one of the final four, missing two close-range putts to put DeChambeau in the ascendency.

And the American graciously accepted the opportunity, taking full advantage to win the competition by one shot. McIlroy has now finished second in the US Open in two consecutive years.

Yet despite the disappointment of throwing away another title, his performance showed that he’s still more than capable of competing with the elite. With the next major back on British soil, he’ll be determined to go one better and claim the major that he last won a decade ago.

The 35-year-old finished sixth in this competition last year at his spiritual home in Liverpool, seven shots behind champion Harman. And the fact that the Open Championship comes so soon after McIlroy’s US Open heartbreak gives him the perfect opportunity to bounce back and prove he’s still one of the best in the world.

TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 7th green during the second round on day two of the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 15, 2016 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

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Who are the favourites?

While McIlroy sits near the top of the bookies’ favourites as usual, the clear contender to go all the way is world number one Scheffler. The American is yet to win the Open Championship and only has two major titles to his name, winning the Masters both this year and in 2022.

But the 28-year-old is in strong form and has won two of his last three tournaments. Despite his credentials, he struggled at the US Open as he tied way down in 41st. Yet with one major already in the bag this year, he’ll fancy his chances of adding to his collection.

After winning the US Open for the second time last month, DeChambeau will be full of confidence going into the Open. The 30-year-old has never won the competition though, with his best finish of eighth coming back in 2022.

Meanwhile, PGA Championship winner Schauffele is also looking to claim a second major of the year. He’s finished in the top 10 in all but one of his appearances since winning at Valhalla in May and he’ll be looking to go one better than the second-place finish he achieved at the Open Championship back in 2018.

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Who are the favourites for the PGA Championship?

Posted on by Harry Howes

They say golf majors are like buses and after waiting so long for the Masters to come around, we’ve already got the PGA Championship to look forward to.

The second major golf event of the year gets underway next weekend, with four days of world class action set to take place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s the fourth time the course has hosted the tournament, with the last time coming back in 2014 when Rory McIlroy stormed to victory.

This time around, competition veteran Brooks Koepka is looking to defend his title after winning in New York last year. He knows exactly what it takes to go all the way but he’ll face stiff competition from world number one Scottie Scheffler, who was on fire as he secured his second win at the Masters earlier this year.

This year’s PGA Championship gets underway on Thursday 16th May, with the tournament culminating with the final day on Sunday 19th May. Ahead of the action, we’ve taken a look at the likely contenders, as well as a few dark horses that will fancy their chances of coming out on top.

Scheffler looks to build on Masters success

Following a stunning performance to win at the Masters last month, Scheffler is in red-hot form and is targeting a second successive major title. The 27-year-old claimed his second Augusta title in three years a few weeks ago and all eyes will be on him next weekend.

Scheffler tied for second at last year’s PGA Championship along with Viktor Hovland. The pair finished two strokes behind eventual winner Koepka, and Scheffler will be hoping momentum can help him go one better this time around.

Elsewhere, world number two McIlroy is looking to bounce back following a disappointing showing at the Masters that saw him tie for 22nd. The Northern Irishman’s last major title came at the PGA Championship way back in 2014 as he won the competition for the second time in three years. In fact, his 2012 win saw him set the record for the highest-ever winning margin, seeing off runner-up David Lynn by eight strokes.

It remains the only major he’s won more than once and he’ll be desperate to fly back into form by claiming a hat-trick. McIlroy hasn’t enjoyed the best of years so far, although he did start strongly as he followed up a second-place finish in the Dubai Invitational back in January by winning the Dubai Desert Classic a week later.

Jon Rahm is looking to add the PGA Championship to his majors collection having won the US Open in 2021 before claiming the green jacket at the Masters a year ago. His best PGA showing to date was a fourth-place finish back in 2018 where he was five strokes shy of Koepka. That result is made all the more impressive when you consider that Koepka set the record score in PGA Championship history that day, winning the tournament with just 264 in 72 holes.

Speaking of Koepka, the 34-year-old has made the PGA Championship his playground in recent years and he’s looking to continue his dominance by claiming a fourth title since 2018. A win at Valhalla would be his sixth major having also won the US Open twice but he’s yet to taste victory at the Masters or the Open Championship.

Last year, Koepka became just the third person to win the PGA Championship three or more times in the open era, following in the footsteps of Jack Niklaus and Tiger Woods. He goes into this year’s competition in strong form having claimed his first LIV Golf title of the year in Singapore at the weekend.

TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 7th green during the second round on day two of the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 15, 2016 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

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Who are the dark horses?

It seems slightly disrespectful to label Ludvig Åberg a dark horse following his performance at the Masters, but he’ll have a tough job repeating the feat at Valhalla. The Swede made his major debut in Augusta and shocked the golfing world by finishing second, four strokes behind Scheffler.

At just 24 years old, Åberg clearly has a huge future ahead of him. He only turned professional last summer and was picked for the Ryder Cup just a few months later, helping Europe overcome Team USA.

Also looking to build on strong Masters performances are Max Homa, Tommy Fleetwood and 2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa. The trio tied for third at the Masters, four strokes under and seven off the champion. They’re all outsiders based on the pre-tournament odds but form is everything going into these competitions.

Bryson DeChambeau is also slightly unfancied but the American finished sixth at the Masters and he has a decent history at the PGA Championship. He tied for fourth last year as well as back in 2020, which is the year he won his only major title at the US Open.

Scottie Scheffler dominates The Masters to claim second green jacket

Posted on by Harry Howes

Following four days of thrilling golf at Augusta, we have a new Masters champion. Scottie Scheffler was the clear favourite going into the tournament and he didn’t disappoint, winning by four strokes to reclaim his title from last year’s winner Jon Rahm.

Rookie Ludvig Aberg almost pulled off a shock as he secured second place, while Tommy Fleetwood was the UK’s finest performer. Rory McIlroy struggled to get going, while five-time winner Tiger Woods finished bottom of the pile.

Scheffler claims second green jacket

Having started the tournament as the clear runaway favourite, it was no surprise to see Scheffler being presented with the green jacket on the 18th hole at Augusta. The 27-year-old was clearly emotional and it was touch and go whether he would finish the competition with his wife due to give birth.

The world number one dazzled on the final day to finish 11 under, four strokes clear of second-placed Aberg. Scheffler won the competition for the second time in three years, having finished three clear of McIlroy back in 2022.

Scheffler led by just one stroke going into the final day and continued where he left off on Sunday as he eventually broke into a four-stroke lead. But it wasn’t all plain sailing as a disappointing bogey on the seventh saw Aberg and Collin Morikawa draw level.

But three consecutive birdies saw Scheffler edge ahead and after that there was no stopping the 27-year-old. Having already won the Arnold Palmer and Players Championship this year, he’s in the form of his life.

This year’s Masters was just the second major title of Scheffler’s career but the world number one will be targeting further success, starting with the PGA Championship next month, which he tied for second in last year.

TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the 7th green during the second round on day two of the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 15, 2016 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

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Aberg shines on major debut

Scheffler’s imperious performance in the final round made his victory an inevitability – but there was almost a shock winner. On his debut in a major tournament, Aberg finished seven under and was just four strokes behind the eventual champion.

The Swede was looking to become the first Masters debutant to win since 1979 and he’d have been the second successive underdog story following Brian Harman’s shock US Open glory last year,

Aberg is just 24 years old but he has excellent pedigree and was picked by Luke Donald for Team Europe in the Ryder Cup back in the autumn. He showed his class at Augusta and was putting pressure on Scheffler throughout but a double bogey on the 11th saw him drop back.

He finished just ahead of a third-placed trio that included Max Homa and surprise 2021 Masters winner Morikawa. The pair finished alongside Tommy Fleetwood, who made a late charge for the green jacket in his best ever Masters finish.

He’s yet to win a major title but has come second in the US Open and Open Championship previously. He’s now finished in the top 10 in three consecutive majors and will fancy his chances at finishing top of the pile before the season comes to a close.

McIlroy’s Grand Slam woes continue

Ahead of the Masters, McIlroy maintained hope of finally completing a career Grand Slam. The prestigious tournament is the fourth and final major he needs for his collection but he ultimately finished 22nd in this year’s edition, four shots over.

McIlroy has won all three of the other majors, although he’s not tasted victory in one since his PGA Championship and Open Championship double 10 years ago. The world number two never really got going at Augusta and ultimately finished 15 strokes behind Scheffler.

His 71 on the opening day was his lowest at the Masters since 2018 but he followed it up by failing to get a single birdie in the second round. McIlroy went into the final day with slim championship hopes as he needed to make up a 10-stroke deficit but Scheffler’s form made it an impossible task.

Following a disappointing showing, McIlroy is well aware of where he needs to improve as he looks ahead to the rest of the season. But while there are plenty more tournaments waiting to be won during the rest of 2024, he’ll already be dreaming of claiming the elusive green jacket in a year’s time.

Watch golf in style with Engage

If the Masters tickled your fancy, we’ve got plenty of opportunities to watch golf from the best seats in the house this year. Take advantage of our exclusive hospitality packages at the Open Championship, the Scottish Open and the PGA Championship.

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Can Rory McIlroy secure the Grand Slam at The Masters?

Posted on by Harry Howes

You know summer is just around the corner when the major golf championships come back. Luckily, we’re in for a treat because The Masters returns to Augusta next week for its 88th edition.

The world’s best golfers will flock to Georgia for four days of top-class sporting action, with one superstar set to receive the iconic green jacket. The Masters kicks off at Augusta National Golf Club next Thursday, with the final day taking place on Sunday 14th April.

The tournament features the smallest field of all four majors as it’s an invitational event, with strict conditions around who can compete across the four rounds of 18 holes. It kicks off a succession of major competitions each month, with the PGA Championship coming up in May before the US Open in June and the Open Championship in July.

Jon Rahm is looking to defend his title having come out on top last year, although he’ll face stiff competition from the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. If you fancy seeing the best golfers on the planet up close, there’s still time to take advantage of Engage’s exclusive hospitality packages.

You can join us in The Foundry at Rae’s Creek or in Augusta Country Club, with both facilities located just minutes from the action. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a premium bar and TV screens so you don’t miss a second of the action.

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Who are the favourites?

The runaway favourite ahead of the tournament is world number one Scheffler, who’s enjoyed a strong start to 2024. The American has already won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship and became the first ever player to win the latter in consecutive years.

Scheffler won The Masters back in 2022 – it remains his only major win and he’ll be hoping to continue his form and add another one to his collection. Standing in his way will be McIlroy, who is yet to claim the green jacket at Augusta.

McIlroy came second to Scheffler in the 2022 competition and The Masters remains the only major that he’s yet to win. Although he’s claimed the other three, he’s not won one since landing the PGA Championship and the Open double back in 2014. Can he end his drought in Georgia next week?

Meanwhile, reigning champion Rahm will fancy his chances at defending his crown. The Spaniard is ranked third in the world and finished four strokes ahead of runners-up Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson a year ago. It would be just his third major title having claimed the US Open three years ago.

Who are the dark horses?

Hideki Matsuyama is an outsider for this year’s Masters title but he’s got history, having come out on top back in 2021 despite being ranked 25th in the world. He became the first ever Japanese golfer to win a major championship as he finished one stroke clear of Will Zalatoris.

Elsewhere, the likes of Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele will be hoping to upset the odds and win The Masters for the first time. Both golfers finished just one stroke behind Tiger Woods as he shocked the world by claiming a fifth title back in 2019.

Is LIV Golf ruining the game?

Posted on by Duncan Hughes

Golf is a game filled with tradition and history. However, in the last few years a so-called ‘imposter’ version of the game has been sprouting and with it has brought fallouts, controversy and many questions. LIV Golf was launched last year as a new innovative format of the sport as an alternative to the PGA Tour and other big competitions.

Funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund it is designed to modernise the world of golf attracting the best players, with big paychecks as well as a team format. As a result of it’s Saudi Arabian links there is much controversy around the possible sportswashing nature of the format, making it not quite as popular as first predicted.

LIV Golf has been described as an innovative version of golf. A way to revitalise and reinvigorate the sport attracting new audiences while getting fans even closer to the action. With 14 events across the league season, the league will incorporate both an individual competition and a team competition.

For the individual competition, the best score on 54 holes will decide where you rank whereas for the team competition the scores for each team’s top three players for the round, all count towards the total team’s score. In a game where every shot counts, there is little margin for error.

With some of the best players in the world taking part such as Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Sergio Garcia to name a few you would think it would have plenty of attention. However, this has not been quite the case.

According to reported viewing figures for the first broadcast event, in Sunday’s final round it gained a disappointing 291,000 viewers. Compared to the Honda Classic on the same date which gained a reported 2.4 million viewers for the final round, it was a pretty poor showing. And according to further reports it has seen further dips in viewing figures as the season went on with the second event averaging almost 2 million viewers less than the PGA Tour average.

SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND - JULY 23: Jordan Spieth of the United States and Matt Kuchar of the United States on the 18th green during the final round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 23, 2017 in Southport, England. (Photo by Warren Little/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
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So what is the reason for this decrease in viewership? Well, many of the traditionalists are not keen on this new format of the sport. Coupled with the links to Saudi Arabia and sports washing, the bad press it has gained has been obvious.

Vast amounts of cash invested by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund does raise the question of sports washing and how LIV Golf is yet another possible way to cover up for the questionable human rights record. Many will have questioned the morality of players competing in the league for essentially the big paychecks, making golf fans less inclined to watch it.

According to GolfShake, viewers of LIV Golf tended to be younger, were more likely to have a lower handicap and watch golf on the TV every week; further reiterating the fact that the golf traditionalists do not like this newly imposed change.

So is LIV Golf a bad thing and what does the future hold for the competition? Well there are many divided opinions on LIV Golf amongst professionals with Rory McIlroy claiming he ‘would rather retire than play the format’.

After players such as Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson have made the move to LIV Golf it has cost them entry into Majors and team selection for the Ryder Cup. Should there be a way for LIV golfers to qualify for other events or once they have made the decision to move, should they be kept away?

With the first LIV Golf event of 2024 on the horizon in February, low viewing figures along with speculation around players not being picked for Major Championships, it’s hard to see how it can continue. With that said, the immense amount of wealth from investors will keep the new format going, money certainly won’t be a cause for concern.

A new era for golf but perhaps one that won’t affect the love for the Major Championship events anytime soon. More of a traditional golf fan? Watch some of the biggest golfing events the sport has to offer with Engage Hospitality.

Europe win Ryder Cup as the USA fail to impress

Posted on by Harry Howes

Europe have reclaimed the Ryder Cup after masterminding a remarkable victory over the USA at the weekend.

Luke Donald’s side won the prestigious competition at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in style, beating their American opponents 16 ½ – 11 ½. The hosts were in control from the outset and finished both of the first two days with a five-point lead.

With the points shared during Sunday’s singles matches, Europe got their hands on the iconic cup for the first time in five years. The result means that the last five Ryder Cups have been won by the home side and the USA are still without a win on European soil since 1993.

The 2023 Ryder Cup story

With the embarrassment of a 19-9 defeat two years ago still fresh in the memory, Europe were keen to make an impression. And whatever Donald said in his pre-match teamtalk certainly seemed to work.

Europe dominated the foursomes on the morning of day one, going in for lunch 4-0 ahead for the first time in history. In fact, it was the first time Europe had held a lead after the first morning session since 2006 and they had barely broken a sweat, with the USA not leading at any point in any match.

Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton set the standard with a 4&3 win over Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns and their team-mates followed suit. Rickie Fowler had a disappointing weekend and a missed putt from eight yards in the third match summed up his experience.

Team USA rallied for the afternoon fourballs and the points were shared in the first three matches. But Matt Fitzpatrick claimed his first Ryder Cup point alongside Rory McIlroy in a 5&3 win over Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele, giving Europe a 6 ½ – 1 ½ advantage.

It seems the USA didn’t learn from their day one mistakes as Europe once again started strongly in the foursomes. Only Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka didn’t claim a point in another dominant session that the hosts claimed 3-1.

But Donald’s side were pegged back after lunch. The USA came out on top in the Saturday fourballs, with Burns and Morikawa claiming the first point of the afternoon. A 3-1 win for the visitors levelled the day but still left them with a lot to do going into the final day, with Europe 10 ½ – 5 ½ ahead.

Sunday’s agenda was 12 singles matches and with Europe needing just four points to win, Rahm went head-to-head with world no.1 Scheffler in the first face-off of the day. It was a battle for the ages as the pair matched one another, continuously swapping the lead.

Scheffler had the chance to claim the point on the 17th but he failed to take it, missing the hole from 15 yards. And as Rahm pulled it back to claim a half point, Europe started to close in on a famous victory.

Viktor Hovland claimed the first win of the day against Morikawa and the points went back and forth for another four matches. With Europe needing just half a point to win, the USA held firm and claimed three consecutive wins through Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Schaffele.

But the stubborn Americans were unable to stop the inevitable and the Ryder Cup was eventually settled. Captain’s pick Tommy Fleetwood went two up against Fowler on the 16th, taking Europe over the magic 14 ½ points.

Fleetwood went on to win, as did Robert MacIntyre, and with Lowry sharing the spoils in his match, Europe eventually ran out 16 ½ – 11 ½ winners. They’ve now won eight of the last 11 Ryder Cups and with the competition heading to New York in two years’ time, they’ll have their sights on a first away victory since 2012.

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 21: Tommy Fleetwood of England plays a shot on the second hole during the final round of the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 21, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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Who shone for Team Europe?

The victory was very much a team effort, with almost everybody on top form. Hatton, MacIntyre and Rahm all finished unbeaten, claiming nine points between them.

McIlroy was Europe’s highest points scorer with four as he won four of his five matches, with his only defeat coming in the Saturday fourballs. Similarly, Hovland more than played his part. The Norwegian secured 3 ½ points in his five matches and set the tone by claiming Europe’s first singles victory on Sunday.

Nicolai Højgaard was a captain’s pick and will have been hoping for a better Ryder Cup debut. The Dane lost two of his three matches, claiming just half a point in Friday’s fourballs.

Where did it go wrong for the USA?

Having dominated the 2021 Ryder Cup, Team USA looked a shadow of their former selves in a limp showing in Italy. Nobody in their team went unbeaten and their main man Scheffler didn’t win any of his four matches. The 27-year-old earned just two half points and set the tone for a forgettable American showing.

In the same vein, Jordan Spieth lost two and halved two of his four matches. Fowler was drafted in as a captain’s pick but failed to justify his selection, losing both of his games and returning zero points.

America’s main bright spark was Max Homa, who secured 3 ½ points from his five matches. Meanwhile, Open champion Brian Harman won twice and lost twice on his Ryder Cup debut.

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If you loved the Ryder Cup and fancy taking in some live action, we’re already taking bookings for exclusive hospitality packages at next year’s and 2025’s Open Championship.

And if you play yourself, why not join us at one of our ICON golf days in 2024? Get in touch for more information.

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