The Masters: Touch of India even as Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy set for duel

AUGUSTA: No Indian professional has teed off at the Masters Tournament since 2018 when Shubhankar Sharma did so. Yet, the past few days and the ones that follow have had a fair touch of India. The overwhelming favourites for the 2025 Green Jacket will doubtless be Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

Texan Scheffler is bidding to become only the fifth player ever to successfully defend the Masters, and McIlroy needs the Jacket to complete a career Grand Slam, achieved so far only by five players in history.

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As for the India angle at the 2025 Masters, there is the Indian-American duo of Sahith Theegala (in pic) and Akshay Bhatia, whose parents came to the US in search of a better future; they successfully raised two world-class golfers, who Indian fans and companies have embraced.

There is also the Indo-British Aaron Rai, whose origins go back from India to Kenya and currently to Wolverhampton in England. Like Theegala and Bhatia, he is also a PGA Tour winner. This week Theegala and Bhatia also embark on a new journey as Global Brand Ambassadors of an Indian company. They are the first since Tiger Woods to be given that role.

Wait, there was a little – only in physical size – more of India in Augusta.

Gairat Kaur Kahlon, yet to touch double digits in terms of age, and hailing from the same city as Sharma, became the first Indian to play the Augusta National Golf Club’s unique Drive Chip and Putt (DCP) National Finals. A former US Kids Golf Junior winner, Gairat came through a local qualifier, which featured 348 events across 50 states in the US. She then won the age 7-9 category and further won in one of the 62 Sub-Regional Qualifiers. She was in Top-10 of her age group in DCP finals and finished fifth. She has a future for sure.

In 2023, Theegala was in top-10 at his debut Masters. Both made the cut last year and have been ranked inside world’s top-25. Left-hander Bhatia idolises the original ‘lefty’, Phil Mickelson, 54, who just two years ago was tied-second. Mickelson has been Bhatia’s mentor and has advised him on how to play each hole at Augusta National.

Toss-up between Scottie and Rory
Scheffler’s last win came at Hero World Challenge and McIlroy last won at the Players. Between them they have six Majors. Scottie’s two in that have come at Augusta and Rory has none.

Scheffler has never been out of top-20 in his five Masters starts; been in top-10 last three and won in 2022 and 2024. McIlroy has seven top-10s and countless heartbreaks at Masters.



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