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My dad passed away in April 2022, five days after the Masters. During those final few years, his health had worsened to a point where he needed around the clock care. My brother and I often talk about how that week in Augusta was the last time Dad was really “still there.” Sure, he needed tons of naps and caretaking, but he was fully lucid, attentive, and grateful those few days. It’s how we both choose to remember him. That place is absolute magic. — Marc Sawyer, San Diego, California

A solo stroll at Augusta National

I was lucky enough to attend the Wednesday practice round in 2025. What’s really funny about this is that I was inspired to apply for only 1 ticket in the lottery based on your tweet about your dad (see below). I told myself I’d do this for the next go around thinking I didn’t have anything to lose, since I probably wouldn’t get selected anyway. Turns out, that may be the secret. When I got the email that my application had been selected, I had to read it three times and logged into my Masters account just to make sure it was real. I really did end up going alone and had such a great time!

I flew into Atlanta from Tulsa, picked up a rental car and stayed in Aiken, S.C. Aiken has a really great Masters week setup in their downtown area and the energy during that time is really special. I would definitely stay in Aiken if I ever get the chance to attend the Masters again.

One of the coolest moments was watching Tom Hoge make a hole-in-one during the Par 3 contest (with his newborn crying in his backswing!), but my absolute favorite memory from the trip was later during the Par 3 Contest. After walking those 9 holes, I found a spot under the big tree overlooking the green on No. 9 and took a seat underneath it. It was so peaceful sitting under that tree in the shade, with a slight breeze, and finally taking a seat after walking the main course, with a Crow’s Nest in hand.

From that spot, I got to watch Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, and Rory McIlroy’s group finish up their round.

I watched Poppy McIlroy made her famous long putt during the Par 3 Contest. Because I was there for a practice round, I didn’t think I’d get to experience the roars of a tournament day, but the entire place just exploded. Legitimately one of the coolest moments of my life. I still get chills thinking about it.

I feel so blessed and fortunate to have been able to attend the Masters. Everything is obviously so well put together, but the people everywhere are really what made it. Some patrons, like me, are there for the first time, others have been going for decades. Regardless, nobody is having a bad day. It really is a tradition unlike any other. — Stephen Shin, Tulsa, Oklahoma

When the leaders come through No. 8, we’d head to No. 11 to find a spot about halfway down the fairway. Eventually, we’d made our way to the tee on No. 14, which affords a great view of the 13th green, even when it’s crowded. Then, we’d take a few steps backward down the downslope of 15 for yet another stunning view. No. 16 has that great stadium feel, especially from the hill on No. 6. Then it was time to mosey on back up to the clubhouse. We made that perfect trek many times as a family, and I feel so fortunate to have done so. My mother and father both passed away in 2023, and I miss them dearly. My father had a rich history with the Masters, having worked the scoreboards as a high schooler. He was the biggest fan of the Masters and an extremely knowledgeable patron. It was his heaven on earth, and I said that in his eulogy. — Ben Casella, Augusta, Georgia

A memorable call from the pay phones

My Masters experience was a dream come true. I grew up in a family of golfers and watched the Masters every year as a kid in the 1980s. My dad caddied in his youth, and so did my siblings and I. However, I am the only one that got to Augusta. I remember calling my Dad from the phones behind the 3rd green at Augusta. I wanted him to know he was getting a call from Augusta National during Masters week. That was the last time I would pick up a phone specifically to talk to him (outside of a holiday) as he passed away unexpectedly a few months later. It’s a happy memory, as it was a great moment I could share with him.

I also remember saying the same phrase over and over as I walked the course. Most of my sentences began with “I had no idea.” I had no idea how big the hill to the 9th green was. I had no idea how small the 12th and 15th greens were. When were standing on No. 11 just right of the fairway, I had no idea that I’d be able to see all of Amen Corner. To experience it all with my wife made it all the better.

I am a lifelong college basketball fan and a graduate of the University of Kansas, who won the National Championship later that evening. Possibly the best day of my life. — Ray Janowski, Chicago, Illinois

A grandmother’s death and a love realized

I was first introduced to the Masters in April 1997. My grandmother died that week. While our house was full of family grieving, 11-year-old me sat in front of the TV watching Tiger Woods steamroll his way to his first Masters victory. It was strange. I had just a woman who meant so much to me, but when I look back, it’s also when I fell in love with golf and with the Masters.

I traveled from Cohasset, Mass., to attend the Tuesday practice round in 2024 with some friends. My favorite memory is simply walking around the course and taking everything in. We were near the front of the line to get in early that morning and watched Tiger, Justin Thomas, and Fred Couples play the front nine. And we stayed until they basically kicked us out that evening — most everyone had left the course, but Bryson DeChambeau was doing Bryson DeChambeau things on the driving range, so we stayed until the staff politely told us it was time to go. — Stephen McDonald, Cohasset, Massachusetts

Experiencing the Masters with my best friends

My mom and dad are my best friends. I say that only partially in jest. I’m blessed to have many incredible people in my life, but I’m the second of four children in my family and the only one without a spouse and kids of my own. As a result, I’ve been able to travel with my mom and dad more than my siblings, and it’s become a running joke for me to quip ‘just me and my best friends!’ when we’re driving around a foreign country, boarding a plane or turning out the lights in our tiny hotel room at the end of the day. So while it’s hard to choose a favorite moment from the Masters (from lightning delays to the kindness of strangers to spotting Scott Van Pelt in the wild), my favorite memory is who I got to do it with.

My mom is the one who loves golf the most in our family. The joke is that we grew up in a household where my mom was shouting at the TV watching golf while no one else really cared. It wasn’t until adulthood that I became interested in the sport after my mom converted me during a Ryder Cup. I now know all of the players and consider golf one of my favorite sports to watch. Our trip to the Masters in 2024 was so special because my dad gifted it to my mom, who deserves it more than anyone I know, and because I was invited along. — Emily Kinard, Washington, D.C.

A father-daughter day at Augusta National

I attended the 2023 Masters with my dad, Bill. After hitting the merchandise shop and shipping our purchases home, we walked across the first fairway. I’ll never forget the way my dad’s eyes welled up with tears as he took in the fact we were at Augusta National. We walked the whole course trying to beat the potentially impending rain and tried every food item along the way. We both must’ve said “this is unbelievable” a thousand times. 

I was so thrilled to share the moment with my dad who had never even dreamt of stepping foot on Augusta. So seldom do children get to make their parent’s dreams come true and I was so lucky to do so. Now every spring, we share a flurry of texts about the beauty of Augusta National, the meal we shared the night before we attended, the sneaky view of No. 16 that felt like secret to everyone but us and how lucky we were to get to do it together. 

Augusta has a way of making everyone feel as if the course was made, staffed, and opened just for you. It’s different from any other experience I’ve had. Getting to experience it with the person who did the very same for me growing up was a dream come true. — Cate Remphrey

A returned check from Augusta National

I attended the Wednesday practice round in 2006 with my older brother and a bunch of our friends. We drove an RV down from the Philadelphia area that Monday, picked one guy up near DC & went all the way to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where we stayed overnight and played 36 holes of golf on Tuesday. We stayed over again and left at 5 the next morning to drive from Myrtle Beach to Augusta. We parked in an independent dirt lot off Washington Road and walked over to the course. This was when the practice range was still small and adjacent to the clubhouse. Our first stop was the merchandise tent.

When checking his receipt when he got home, my brother realized that they didn’t charge him for a sweater he bought. So he wrote a letter to Augusta National and enclosed a check for the correct amount. Seven weeks later, he got a letter back from the club, thanking him for his honesty and telling him that’s exactly what makes the Masters so special. They returned the check too. He’s had that letter framed in his office ever since. — Pete Thompson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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There is a lot of information out there on how to putt and how to putt better. After all, putting is, without a doubt, the most important part of the game.

For many amateur players, it can be difficult to narrow down which information is worth following.

With putting tips, you don’t necessarily need to follow them all. Instead, it’s about getting a simple thought or feeling that can change the way you look at the game. Sometimes all it takes is one tip, and things start to fall into place on the golf course.

Putting has always been the weakest part of my game; however, by working through issues with routine, rhythm, and alignment, it’s become one of my strong points. With putting, there is always room for improvement.

Dave Stockton: How To Sink Putts

As a kid, Dave Stockton was my favorite golfer. He was at the top of the leaderboard week after week, was a solid player to watch, and for the time being, won more money than any other player on the senior PGA Tour.

When it comes to winning money on tour, one thing that seems to be a trend is being a good putter.

In this video, Dave Stockton goes through all of his best tips on how to approach putting. There is a lot of information here, and I recommend going through it in steps.

However, the tip most golfers will benefit from is how Stockton relates putting to shooting pool. He talks about standing behind the ball as you approach. In pool, you never come from beside the ball to line up your shot; you must be behind it, looking down the line.

Clay Ballard: 2 To 1 Putting Stroke

Clay Ballard is a top instructor and great golfer that knows how to instruct the best golfers in and around the putting greens. One of the best tips that Clay gives is that the pendulum putting stroke can be a little misleading.

With a pendulum type stroke, golfers often think you will take the club as far back as you swing it forward. This is not the case.

After doing quite a bit of studying of professional golfers, they found that these players take the club back about half as far as they swing the putter forward. If you were going to time this, it wouldn’t be one for the backswing and one for the follow-through; instead, one on the backswing and two on the follow-through.

We learn from this tip that acceleration in the putting stroke is incredibly important and something that professional golfers focus on.

For you, as an amateur player, it will feel like a shorter backswing and extended follow-through. The putts should come off the clubface with a bit more jump.

Matt Ballard: Keep Moving To Make Short Putts

Mall Ballard is another PGA Teaching Professional that has a unique approach to teaching the game of golf. We loved his tips in this video about making those shorter putts that matter even when money, scores, or trophies are on the line.

One of the issues that players face when trying to sink shorter putts is tension. You know in your mind that you must make the putt, so tension starts to creep in. Instead of your stroke feeling smooth and confident, it feels forced and almost jerky.

The best way to deal with this is to learn to get the tension out.

Of course, you can tell yourself to relax, but we know that doesn’t work all that well. Instead, Matt Ballard says to keep moving. Don’t stand over the ball for so long that you feel locked in and stuff.

Move your feet around, get the blood flowing, and keep yourself more dynamic. This is the best way to ensure that your golf putting stroke has less tension. Even in your hands, the tension will decrease.

Lag putts are important and help you get close to the hole, but these short putts allow you to score, and Mall Ballard’s tip makes it much easier to get that done.

Dave Pelz: Circle Putting Drill

Dave Pelz is a short game and putting expert. His information and knowledge have led to some of the best putting drills in the game. Pelz talks about everything from distance control to speed control to alignment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk8ma48F-UE

However, in this particular drill, Pelz wants players to work on making a series of 3-foot putts. These putts are set up in a circle around the hole from a distance of about 3 feet. Try to get ten golf balls to fit in this circle.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have been known to do this drill and have had tremendous success with it.

When making these putts, you will immediately know your putting stroke and alignment are correct. When you miss one, there is a chance that your putter face is not lined up correctly or your stroke is not consistent.

One of the most important aspects of becoming a better player is knowing where your mistakes come from; this drill will help narrow that down for players. If you get really good from 3 feet and want to move to 4 feet, it’s only going to help you the next time you try to shoot lower scores on the course.

Rickie Fowler: Take The Same Amount of Time

We know that consistency in putting is important. You will want to ensure your putting stroke is about the same each time you swing it. In addition, making sure the setup is perfect will help increase the number of putts that go into the hole.

However, there is another important aspect here, and that is the timing of your routine. In this video, Ricki Fowler talks to coach Butch Harmon about his putting routine and how he does it the exact same way every time.

What is so important about this video is that the putting routine does not change even on the shorter putts. The time it takes to line up, get into the address position, stare down the hole, and eventually make a stroke is the same for short putts as it is for long putts.

For golfers to get the feel of the putt down and shoot lower scores, this consistency in the timing of the routine is incredibly important. This is what trains our brains to make more putts. If you watch golf professionals on the putting green, you will see that they remain incredibly consistent in their actions and motions.

Tiger Woods: Right Hand Only Putting

Tiger Woods is arguably one of the best putters the game of golf has ever seen. In fact, his putting under pressure was something that didn’t even seem human for a while. One thing we know about Tiger is that he puts a lot of time on the putting green. He knows that this is where tournaments are won.

One of the most important aspects of putting, according to Tiger, is ensuring that the putter’s face is square at the address. Some golfers take an arc-style stroke and rotate the putter head open and the square at address.

Others will take the club straight back and straight through.

Tiger’s point is that it doesn’t matter which way you take the club back as long as you can consistently return to square every time.

He sets up a drill on the putting green using two tees that will be a guide for a square putter face. In addition, Tiger likes to start with a drill that allows him to make putts with just his right hand on the putter.

This putting drill encourages a better start line and more putts that roll the way you expect them to. In addition, when you can properly incorporate the right hand into your golf stroke before you get out to the course, you will notice more consistency.

Some golfers will even add a few right-hand-only practice strokes to their putting routine when they get this feeling down.

When Tiger works on a drill like that, he will do it from about 4 feet away. Although you can do it longer, the putter head may start to wobble on some of the longer putts, and this could defeat the purpose of the drill.

Tiger has plenty of other important information to share about putting, but you have to find the tidbit of information that works for you.

Britt Olizarowicz: Look Before You Go

With all of these great tips from some of the best golfers and instructors in the game, I was inspired to share one of my own. I’m not sure of the origin of this tip, but I know that it has helped me in my ability to make more putts on the golf course.

One thing that amateur golfers struggle with in putting is focusing on hitting the ball. Of course, we need to make contact with the ball, but in putting, our main goal is to roll the ball into the hole.

In order to roll the ball into the hole, we need to focus on the hole more than on the golf stroke.

Most putting routines have players stand over the ball for much too long. They don’t look down the line at the hole after being set up to putt. I feel as though this technique allows our brains to forget the original goal.

The goal is to roll the ball to the hole, and the last thing I do before I make a stroke looks at the hole. This has become so effective that I have incorporated it into my full swing. The last thing I do before I pull the trigger on any shot is looking at the hole.

I look at the hole, look back down at the ball, and go.

Of course, you will have to establish timing on this that works for your game. It’s intended to happen slowly and with a smooth feel, but if you can be smart about allowing your brain the time it needs to look at the hole, you will putt better.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children. Current Handicap: 1

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Chipping is my favorite area of the game to practice. When you can get good at chipping, you can save almost any hole.

However, chipping is a real problem for a ton of golfers.

In reality, most golfers overcomplicate the chipping process, and it’s entirely unnecessary.

I gathered some of the best chipping advice around; of course, there is no perfect way to chip. Take a look at some of these options and see if any of them could change the way you approach chipping the next time you play.

Right Hand and Left Hand Only Drill (Sean Foley)

Sean Foley is a highly accomplished instructor capable of helping all levels of golfers with their short game and long game. This particular tip is one of our favorites because it talks about the importance of the body in chipping.

So many golfers make the mistake of using their hands and wrists as opposed to the rotation of their bodies. When you take one hand out of the equation and take one handed golf swings, it becomes much easier to get consistent chipping results.

You will notice that when you do the right hand only chipping, your right arm needs to stay stable and maintain its angle. The same goes for the left hand only drill. This video also demonstrates that there is no perfect way to accomplish a chip shot.

Learning various methods will help you improve your performance and become a much better player.

Don’t stick with a one handed drill for too long. It’s best to go back and forth between the one handed drills and your regular shots. In the end, both hands need to work together to hit golf shots, and you won’t want just one to dominate.

Watch The Height Of Your Lead Shoulder (Adam Bazelgette)

One of the biggest mistakes that golfers make is they tilt their body in a way that their front shoulder is pointed high. This makes it difficult for golfers to get through the golf ball; instead, they hit a chunk shot or even blade it a bit.

It’s best to have your shoulder set up a little more square to ensure that you can make the proper approach to the golf ball.

The way that Adam says it is best to do this is to set up as if you are about to hit a chip shot, then hold the club cross handed and then, with little movement in your shoulders or head, put your clubs back on the club correctly.

What this will do is keep your left shoulder a little lower and promote a more solid shot with less flipping or skulling of the chips around the green.

The great thing about this concept of lowering the lead shoulder is that it improves turf interaction and encourages several of the other mistakes in the chipping area to go away. An expert tip here, you may find that this concept even helps with the full swing.

Keep Momentum In The Swing (Clay Ballard)

Since many golfers struggle with chipping, they often freeze up and hit poor shots. The first thing that tends to go is any natural movement that they may have in their swings. Therefore it makes sense to listen to this great tip by Clay Ballard to keep momentum in the chipping stroke.

The first step here is to use something like a sand wedge and keep the club face slightly open. Then swing the club so that there is some tempo involved and it is not as rigid of a motion. If you have the ball position and swing path correct, the ball should get up in the air without any issues.

As you watch Clay Ballard hit his chip shots, he shows you that even these shorter chips need to keep this momentum through impact if you are going to make great contact with each of your chips and pitches.

There is More Than One Way To Get This Done (Tiger Woods)

When you watch videos of Tiger Woods hitting some of the best shots around the green, he always looks as though he has a different type of technique or club in his hand. That’s because he does!

Tiger never thought about a chip shot as a singular chip shot. Instead, he looked at this process as being a decision. He had to choose which golf club would make the most sense for his short game and then combine that with the proper stroke.

With most golfers carrying four wedges in their bag, your opportunities to create a variety of golf shots have expanded greatly. You can hit shots with less loft and higher backspin or shots that have a very little spin and roll from the front to the back of the green.

The concept here is that the more prepared you are for the different types of shots you need to hit, the easier it is to be successful on the course.

Weight and Hands Forward (Phil Mickelson)

Another master short game excerpt is Phil Mickelson. Phil does a tremendous job on the flop shots that he hits around the greens, but Phil has more to his game than just these flops. In fact, some of his chipping technique is considered the best in the game because of his consistency.

You can look at some players and notice that they are very methodical and by the book in their chipping. However, when you look at Phil’s short game, there is an artistic element mixed in. He is a bit of an artist around the greens, and the best way to see this is the way he can get himself out of trouble when he’s in a bad spot.

Whether it’s bunker shots, flop shots, or a standard run of the mill chip, Phil Mickelson knows how to get it done.

The two best tips that we get from Phil Mickelson is to keep your weight forward and to push your hands forward.

There is a bit of mixed advice out there about what the hands should be doing. Something that it’s best to keep them in the middle of your stance, but he feels that for more control, your hands should be pushed forward.

We like this technique quite a bit for the golfer that struggles to hit the ground on their chip shots; the forward press will help ensure that this happens for you.

Open Clubface and Use The Body (Mr.Short Game)

The Mr.Short Game videos do a great job of simplifying the importance of an open clubface. Tips in this video initially stemmed from the advice of Bob Vokey, the creator of the Vokey wedge. Certainly, the man knows a thing or two about hitting a great wedge shot.

The key here is to keep your elbows connected more toward your body if you want to ensure consistency. Essentially if you are hitting shorter chips or longer chips, you must ensure that your body stays more connected. When the club gets away from you, that’s when you see the chunk or the shank shots that you must try to avoid.

Opening the clubface also allows for the use of the bounce on the wedge. Bounce is there to be forgiving and can really help when you want to get the full loft out of your shot as well.

Don’t close the clubface down thinking that it will actually be more forgiving; it won’t be! The most forgiving shots you will hit are the ones with the more open clubface, where you take full advantage of the bounce.

I recommend working on this concept on the chipping practice green first and then bringing it out to the course. The open clubface concept takes a few swings to get used to.

Think Small (Britt Olizarowicz)

Maybe this concept or technique is easy for me because I’m short, but the one thing I’ve always told golfers who struggle with their chipping is that they must think small. You can’t expect to hit a short little shot that lands softly on the green while setting up to hit a large full-swing approach into a hole.

Think small, to hit it small.

The idea here is that your stance, setup, and swing all need to be simplified. Some of the best chips I’ve ever taken in my life are with my feet entirely next to each other. The full stance with your feet shoulder-width apart does not help when chipping.

Essentially you must ensure that you have set your brain up to adjust to this shorter distance shot. The easiest way to do this is by thinking of everything as being a miniature version of the big swing.

Small stance, small swing, choke up on the grip to make the club smaller, and see how this works for your short game. It has always worked for me.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children. Current Handicap: 1

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We’ve reached the final round of the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii, the first PGA Tour event of the new season. And on Sunday at Waialae Country Club, players will be fighting for their share of the huge Sony Open purse of $9.1 million. But their ultimate payout, of course, depends on where they finish on the leaderboard.

With 18 holes to play, Davis Riley has set himself apart from the pack. Riley’s 12-total through three rounds is good enough for a two-shot lead. But 54-hole leads are notoriously hard to maintain on Tour.

That means the trio of players in second — Chris Gotterup, Harry Hall and Kevin Roy — have a great shot at coming from behind to win. And whoever ends up with the victory will walk away with the $1.638 million winner’s share.

Further down the leaderboard are two three-time major champions who would make waves with a victory: Jordan Spieth and Vijay Singh.

Spieth (six under) is vying for his first Tour win since 2022. Singh (four under), who is 62 years old, is hoping to back up his incredible made cut with an historic win.

You can view a full purse breakdown for the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii below.

2026 Sony Open payout breakdown

1st: $1,638,000
2nd: $991,900
3rd: $627,900
4th: $445,900
5th: $373,100
6th: $329,875
7th: $307,125
8th: $284,375
9th: $266,175
10th: $247,975
11th: $229,775
12th: $211,575
13th: $193,375
14th: $175,175
15th: $166,075
16th: $156,975
17th: $147,875
18th: $138,775
19th: $129,675
20th: $120,575
21st: $111,475
22nd: $102,375
23rd: $95,095
24th: $87,815
25th: $80,535
26th: $73,255
27th: $70,525
28th: $67,795
29th: $65,065
30th: $62,335
31st: $59,875
32nd: $56,875
33rd: $54,145
34th: $51,870
35th: $49,595
36th: $47,320
37th: $45,045
38th: $43,225
39th: $41,405
40th: $39,585
41st: $37,765
42nd: $35,945
43rd: $34,125
44th: $32,305
45th: $30,485
46th: $28,665
47th: $26,845
48th: $25,389
49th: $24,115
50th: $23,387
51st: $22,841
52nd: $22,295
53rd: $21,931
54th: $21,567
55th: $21,385
56th: $21,203
57th: $21,021
58th: $20,839
59th: $20,657
60th: $20,475
61st: $20,293
62nd: $20,111
63rd: $19,929
64th: $19,747
65th: $19,565
66th: $19,383
67th: $19,201
68th: $19,019
69th: $18,837
70th: $18,655
71st: $18,473
72nd: $18,291
73rd: $18,109
74th: $17,927
75th: $17,745

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