Many of the hackers and duffers from all over the globe just tuned in for the very first major.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself completely glued to the television the first weekend in April. Instead of fishing or shoveling the spring snow, I usually lock myself in the basement with a loaf of bread and a two-liter of soda. It’s “a tradition unlike any other.”

MOM. DAD HIT A GOLF BALL INTO PAULA’S GARDEN. On purpose? NO. BUT I THINK HE SHOULD COME INSIDE. HE JUST DID IT AGAIN. MAN. HE SUCKS.

I have never been to Augusta National, and many of my friends say the HD television cameras don’t do her any justice. What? The rolling hills and magnificent Magnolias are pretty sharp on this new 65-inch Panasonic in our addition.

The layout is superb, and the course itself is flawless. Every blade of grass is just perfect, and the bunkers will never need an upgrade funded by the local taxpayers.

Yes. The views are splendid, and the golf is just as brilliant. The Masters brings out the very best in the world’s top players. No Tiger? No worries. There will always be a fantastic finish.

I WANT TO PLAY XBOX, BUT DAD IS WATCHING GOLF. Tell him to come upstairs. I CAN’T. HE LOCKED THE DOOR AND ISN’T RESPONDING TO ANY OF HIS TEXTS.

OK. Here is the scoop. The 2025 Masters will have already been played by the time you are all reading this. My editor needs her stuff by Friday morning. I usually make my deadline and pipe one 285 yards down the fairway. Then there are times I completely whiff and shank a wedge into the hedges. Last week, I submitted two articles.

That being said, it would be literally impossible to predict the 2025 champion. But I can almost guarantee it will be one of the eighty-seven golfers. We all have our picks, and my lovely bride’s money is on Scottie Scheffler. The 2024 winner’s game is perfect for Augusta, and if he can figure out that putter — checkmate. I can totally picture Scottie in Butler’s Cabin again.

I love Rory McIlroy, too. The long-hitting foreigner has been so close so many times, and he only needs a green jacket to complete the career slam. Rory is focused and is battle-tested.

Then there’s the scrappy Bryson Dechambeau. This freak athlete always finds himself in the mix.

I could probably name another twenty-five or so players who have a legitimate chance of winning. Ready? Corey, Ludvig, Tyrel, Max, Lefty, DJ, Patrick, Hideki, Ross, Mikey, Paul, Adam, Marc, Tony, Jason, Xander, Haotong, Henrik, Zach, Bubba, Brian, Tim, Will, Freddie, Rose, Jason, Rickie, and Jon might contend for a green jacket.

The Masters really inspires me to start playing, and I know that I am not alone either. There is something very special about this legendary tournament that moves the average golf fan.

Anyone else lock themselves in the basement for an entire weekend? Who went outside to hit a few backyard pitch shots during a commercial break? Do you watch all of action while stroking a few putts on the living room carpet? It’s completely normal, folks.

A tradition unlike any other. Cheers.