Luka Doncic is back in Dallas at the American Airlines Center, but this time he will be in the visiting locker room after he was blindsided and traded away from the Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2.

The Mavericks are set to host the Lakers on Wednesday, marking Doncic’s first game against his former team in Dallas. Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris were sent to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick ahead of the trade deadline. The blockbuster deal was spearheaded by Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who has faced the ire of the Dallas fanbase ever since.

The Mavericks have gone 12-16 since Doncic’s departure, which coincided with the injury bug hitting Dallas, including Kyrie Irving’s season-ending ACL tear on March 3. The Lakers, meanwhile, have gone 19-12 since the trade and are in third place in the Western Conference standings entering Wednesday.

Mavericks fans are still mourning and coming to terms with their franchise player being traded away, so it remains to be seen whether Harrison will receive a warm welcome or another icy reception. Based off the new protest mural that went up downtown, we are going with the latter option. (More on that later.)

Here’s what we know:

Will Nico Harrison be at Mavericks-Lakers game?

Yes, Harrison is in the building for Doncic’s return to Dallas. Harrison was spotted on the court at the American Airlines Center ahead of the matchup as both teams warmed up.

Harrison was on hand to watch the Lakers-Mavericks matchup on Feb. 25 in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic recorded his 81st triple-double and his first in purple and gold — 19 points (6-of-17 FG, 1-of-7 3PT), 15 rebounds and 12 assists, in addition to three steals and two blocks — in his first game against his former team. Lakers fans chanted, ‘THANK YOU NICO!” amid the Lakers’ 107-99 win.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS fans chant ‘Thank you Nico!’ after Luka Doncic’s triple double vs. Mavericks

‘Fire Nico’ mural protest in Dallas

Fort Worth-based muralist Juan Velazquez (@velazquez_art) painted a mural that features a navy Mavericks hat with a piece of duct tape over the logo that reads, ‘FIRE NICO.’ The mural was inspired by a hat worn by fan Chris Taylor, who was one of several spectators ejected from the Mavericks’ 129-128 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 11 due to violations of the NBA’s code of conduct after chanting ‘FIRE NICO,’ referring to the Mavericks’ general manager.

The tagline has become a catchphrase among Mavericks fans who remain irate at the Mavericks’ leadership — specifically Harrison, who brokered a deal with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka to trade Doncic in exchange for Anthony Davis — and has become a symbol of resistance.

‘I think that trade deserved that kind of reaction from the fanbase,’ Taylor told local media station, NBC 5 DFW. Velazquez added, ‘We wanted to send one last message. If you are going to buy a team that is loved by the city with players that are loved by a city, that should matter. If you can’t understand that, you have no business owning a team.’

Luka Doncic tribute set for return

Although fans are furious with Harrison, they have nothing but love for Doncic. The Mavericks also are planning to show a tribute video in honor of Dončić, who became one of the league’s best players in his six-plus seasons with the team and led them to the NBA Finals last season. The Mavericks are giving every fan in attendance at the American Airlines Center a T-shirt that reads ‘thank you so much’ written in Slovenian.

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Sunny Isles Beach (Florida) police reportedly responded to a call for a domestic dispute involving Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill Monday afternoon.

A police report stated Hill’s mother-in-law made the call due to a domestic dispute involving Hill and his wife Keeta at their home. Hill’s mother-in-law said the Dolphins wide receiver was acting ‘very aggressive and impulsive,’ claiming he had thrown a laptop, grabbed Keeta and walked toward the balcony of the high-rise they live in.

The report noted Keeta stated that she is in the process of filing for divorce.

Both Keeta and Tyreek Hill stated that the argument never escalated to anything physical. No arrests were made. Officers noted a light red mark on Keeta’s upper chest. She stated that it might have happened without malice when Tyreek Hill took their child from her.

The Dolphins released a statement in response to the incident, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

“On Monday, we were informed that the police were called to Tyreek Hill’s home, and after conversations with Tyreek and members of his family, the police departed the residence without further incident and the case was closed,’ the team stated. ‘We have since been in communication with Tyreek and the NFL and will have no further comment on the matter.’

This is the latest off-field incident involving the five-time All-Pro wide receiver. He was detained prior to the Dolphins’ season-opening game against the Jacksonville Jaguars last September, but the citations were ultimately dismissed.

In March 2024, model Sophie Hill filed a lawsuit in Broward County court against Hill for breaking her leg in June 2023 during what was described as a ‘friendly football lesson.’

On the field, Hill has been heavily involved in trade rumors this offseason after ‘opening the door’ for potentially playing for another team in 2025.

He missed the playoffs for the first time in his nine-year career in 2024 and failed to break 1,000 yards receiving for the first time since 2019. He also was not named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career in 2024.

Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt created a social media stir on Wednesday afternoon when he made a cryptic post on social media.

The four-time All-Pro pass-rusher posted an image of himself giving the ‘peace’ sign on his Instagram story with no caption. It didn’t take long for fans on social media to start speculating about the possibility of the Steelers trading their star.

Watt, 30, is entering the final year of the four-year, $112 million extension he signed in 2021. After fellow edge rushers Maxx Crosby (Raiders) and Myles Garrett (Browns) received massive extensions of their own earlier this offseason, Watt may also be looking to cash in.

The year he signed his most recent extension, Watt tied Michael Strahan’s NFL record for most sacks in a single season (22.5). After missing seven games with a torn pectoral in 2022, Watt bounced back with another strong year in 2023, once again leading the league with 19 sacks.

The Wisconsin product finished the 2024 season with 61 tackles – including 11.5 sacks – and a league-leading six forced fumbles in 17 games.

The Steelers had the third-best pass-rush win rate in the NFL in 2024 (46%), according to ESPN. Only the Denver Broncos (46%) and Houston Texans (49%) ranked higher.

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How early could Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe hear his name called in the 2025 NFL draft?

After reportedly meeting with the Cleveland Browns for an official, top-30 visit on Tuesday, the Alabama product has meetings lined up with three more teams: the New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

In addition to a top-30 meeting with the Browns, Schultz previously reported that Milroe participated in private workouts with Cleveland. The New Orleans Saints also hosted Milroe for a private workout, and both sessions ‘were described as ‘impressive.”

As the name suggests, a ‘top-30 visit’ is one of 30 official visit invites that each team is allowed ahead of the draft. However, the name does not necessarily imply a player is within the top 30 players on a given team’s big board of prospects.

Milroe finished the 2024 season with 2,844 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go along with a 64.3% completion rate. He also continued to show off his capabilities as a dual-threat quarterback, rushing 168 times for 726 yards (4.3 yards per rush) and 20 rushing touchdowns.

The Alabama quarterback did not participate in testing at the NFL scouting combine, but he ran an aggregated 4.40-second 40-yard dash at Alabama’s pro day in March.

That would tie him with former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback-to-wide-receiver convert Reggie McNeal as the third-fastest 40 time of any quarterback. Only Michael Vick (4.33 seconds) and Lamar Jackson (4.34) recorded faster times.

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Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez said Tuesday night that he had family in the rubble of the tragic nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic that killed at least 124 people.

‘I still have family members that are still in the rubble, and we don’t know what happened to them,’ Martinez said in a video posted to his Instagram account.

Among those killed in the accident were former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, as well as Nelsy Cruz, a local governor and the sister of seven-time All-Star Nelson Cruz.

‘We want to be strong like we always have been,’ Martinez said. ‘We are a country that prays a lot and remains united all the time.’

The roof collapsed at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo early Tuesday morning, creating a mass casualty event in the nation’s capital. Emergency operations director Juan Manuel Méndez said Wednesday morning that it would take rescue workers another 24 to 36 hours to complete their search.

‘The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today,’ MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement Tuesday.

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The Dallas Mavericks are showing their thanks to former star Luka Dončić when he returns to the city for the first time since the trade that stunned the basketball world two months ago.

Dončić and his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers, are in town for a showdown on Wednesday, and the Mavericks are giving every fan in attendance at the American Airlines Center a t-shirt that reads ‘thank you so much’ written in Slovenian.

The Mavericks also are planning to show a tribute video in honor of Dončić, who in his six-plus seasons with the team became one of the league’s best players and led them to the NBA Finals last season.

‘It’s going to be a lot of emotions for me,’ Dončić told reporters about returning to Dallas. ‘I don’t really know what to expect. I don’t know how I’m going to feel, honestly. I’m looking forward to being back in Dallas, obviously, with the fans, seeing my teammates — ex-teammates. It’s going to be very emotional for me, for sure.’

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Golf is not a game of inches. It’s a game of millimeters. Any slight mishit or bad bounce could be the difference between missing a cut or competing for that green jacket.

That makes golf notoriously hard to bet on. Even the best golfers in the world have bad days. Scottie Scheffler is almost unanimously agreed upon as the top golfer in the world, yet he has not won a single event in 2025.

Still, the Masters is where the big dogs come to play. The sport’s top athletes always want to put their best foot forward at Augusta, so if you’re looking for some decent bets heading into tournament play, here’s every golfer ranked based on their championship odds at the 2025 Masters.

Favorites to win the 2025 Masters

*All odds via BetMGM

Favorites

1) Scottie Scheffler: +450

2) Rory McIlroy: +650

3) Collin Morikawa: +1400

4) Jon Rahm: +1400

5) Bryson DeChambeau: +1600

6) Ludvig Aberg: +2000

7) Justin Thomas: +2200

8) Xander Schauffele: +2200

9) Joaquin Niemann: +3000

While you can’t go wrong with any of these golfers, Collin Morikawa is a favorite among experts. He has finished top-10 at each of his last three Masters. Morikawa also leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained on approach, and he has hit the most fairways of anyone playing at Augusta over the last five years.

Sleepers

10) Brooks Koepka: +3300

11) Hideki Matsuyama: +3300

12) Jordan Spieth: +3300

13) Patrick Cantlay: +3300

14) Shane Lowry: +3300

15) Tommy Fleetwood: +3300

16) Russell Henley: +4000

17) Viktor Hovland: +4000

18) Min Woo Lee: +4500

19) Robert MacIntyre: +4500

20) Cameron Smith: +5000

21) Corey Conners: +5000

22) Will Zalatoris: +5000

23) Sepp Straka: +5500

24) Akshay Bhatia: +6600

25) Jason Day: +6600

26) Patrick Reed: +6600

27) Sergio Garcia: +6600

Sepp Straka ranks top 10 in both fairways and greens hit in regulation. He’s one of only two players with that distinction, and the other is Collin Morikawa. That alone should put him in consideration for victory at Augusta.

Dark Horses

28) Dustin Johnson: +8000

29) Tony Finau: +8000

30) Wyndham Clark: +8000

31) Phil Mickelson: +9000

32) J.J. Spaun: +10000

33) Justin Rose: +10000

34) Keegan Bradley: +10000

35) Maverick McNealy: +10000

36) Tom Kim: +10000

37) Aaron Rai: +12500

38) Adam Scott: +12500

39) Brian Harman: +12500

40) Byeong Hun An: +12500

41) Cameron Young: +12500

42) Daniel Berger: +12500

43) Davis Thompson: +12500

44) Denny McCarthy: +12500

45) Sahith Theegala: +12500

46) Sungjae Im: +12500

47) Taylor Pendrith: +12500

48) Billy Horschel: +15000

49) J.T. Poston: +15000

50) Matt Fitzpatrick: +15000

51) Sam Burns: +15000

52) Thomas Detry: +15000

53) Harris English: +17500

54) Lucas Glover: +17500

55) Michael Kim: +17500

56) Nicolai Hojgaard: +17500

Maverick McNealy has quietly climbed to top-10 in the Official World Golf Rankings, yet his odds remain rather low. He’s also secured five top-10 finishes since his first win on tour at the RSM Classic last fall. McNealy’s strong short game and reliable driver is going to be a major difference maker, even if this is McNealy’s first appearance at the Masters.

Longshots

57) Charl Schwartzel: +20000

58) Rasmus Hojgaard: +20000

59) Stephan Jaeger: +20000

60) Tom Hoge: +20000

61) Cameron Davis: +25000

62) Kevin Yu: +25000

63) Laurie Canter: +25000

64) Max Homa: +25000

65) Austin Eckroat: +30000

66) Chris Kirk: +30000

67) Christian Bezuidenhout: +30000

68) Joe Highsmith: +30000

69) Max Greyserman: +30000

70) Nick Taylor: +30000

71) Nico Echavarria: +30000

72) Nick Dunlap: +35000

73) Adam Schenk: +40000

74) Davis Riley: +40000

75) Matt McCarty: +40000

76) Matthieu Pavon: +40000

77) Bubba Watson: +50000

78) Danny Willett: +50000

79) Brian Campbell: +50000

80) Jhonattan Vegas: +50000

81) Patton Kizzire: +50000

82) Brian Campbell: +60000

83) Thriston Lawrence: +60000

84) Angel Cabrera: +75000

85) Jose Luis Ballester: +75000

86) Justin Hastings: +75000

87) Zach Johnson: +75000

88) Evan Beck: +100000

89) Hiroshi Tai: +100000

90) Noah Kent: +100000

91) Rafael Campos: +100000

92) Bernhard Langer: +150000

93) Fred Couples: +200000

94) Mike Weir: +200000

95) Jose Maria Olazabal: +400000

Stephan Jaeger is a risky play. That’s obvious given his odds, but he profiles as someone who could shock people this weekend. Jaeger has consistently overperformed on longer courses, as evidenced by his win at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open. While it’s unlikely he’ll win the event outright, he could certainly finish top-25 or top-10 at his peak. If Jaeger’s putter cooperates, he could be a menace on the leaderboard.

The 2025 Masters got its unofficial start on Wednesday with the annual Par 3 Contest. This family-friendly event has become a rite of passage at golf’s first major and a big part of the charm at Augusta National Golf Club. 

Coverage of this year’s Par 3 Contest produced some of the most endearing images, with wives and children of the world’s best golfers often stepping in as caddies. Golfers like Keegan Bradley and Brooks Koepka made the most of their time with their kids on the course. The atmosphere is unlike any in professional golf and shows these competitors in a different light ahead of the biggest tournament on the sport’s calendar. 

Rickie Fowler was the event’s defending champion. This year required a playoff, between Nicolas Echavarria and J.J. Spaun, who each finished the first nine holes at -5. In the end, Nico Echavarria would emerge victorious after collecting a birdie on the second hole of the playoff, while Spaun would bogey the hole. But winner beware: No golfer who won the Par 3 contest also won The Masters in the same year.

USA TODAY Sports is tracking all the action during the 2025 Masters Par 3 contest on Wednesday at Augusta National Golf Club.

Who won the Par 3 tournament?

Nico Echavarria won the tournament. After a tremendous -5 through the first nine holes, he moved to a playoff with J.J. Spaun. Although both golfers earned a par on the first hole of the playoff, Spaun would bogey the second hole. Echavarria collected a birdie, giving him the win.

Masters Par 3 leaderboard

Here’s a look at the leaderboard during the 2025 Masters Par 3 Contest:

T1. Nicolas Echavarria: -5 (F) – won in playoff
T1. J.J. Spaun: -5 (F)
3. Tyrell Haton: -4 (F)
T4. Bubba Watson: -3 (F)
T4. Mark O’Meara: -3 (F)
T4. Davis Riley: -3 (F)
T4. Matt McCarty: -3 (F)
T4. Louie Canter: -3 (8)
T9. Rasmus Hojgaard: -2 (F)
T9. Justin Rose: -2 (F)
T9: Bryson DeChambeau: -2 (F)

Brooks Koepka scores another ace

The third of the day, and the second on Hole No. 6. Brooks Koepka followed in Keegan Bradley’s foot steps with another hole-in-one.

Masters Par 3 Contest: Tom Hoge gets another hole-in-one

Tom Hoge became the second golfer to get a hole-in-one during Wednesday’s event. He aced No. 4 by spinning his tee shot back into the cup during the Masters Par 3 Contest. Hoge’s reaction was a bit more subdued than Keegan Bradley at No. 8 earlier. Perhaps that’s because this is old hat for the 35-year-old PGA Tour veteran.

Hoge also had a hole-in-one when he won the 2023 Masters Par 3 Contest. He didn’t qualify for The Masters in 2024, so this is technically his first shot at defending his title.

New leader atop Masters Par 3 Contest leaderboard

Nicolas Echavarria has taken the outright lead at the Masters Par 3 Contest, going 4-under through his first five holes. But he has company. Bubba Watson, Mark O’Meara and Davis Riley were the leaders in the clubhouse after finishing their rounds with a score of 3-under par. There are still 19 groups left to tee off, so there’s likely to be plenty of golfers jockeying for the lead over the next few hours.

Keegan Bradley gets first Masters Par 3 Contest hole-in-one

It’s going to be hard to beat the heartwarming moment Keegan Bradley just enjoyed Wednesday at the 2025 Masters Par 3 Contest.

The 2025 United States Ryder Cup champion had the first hole-in-one of the day, sinking his tee shot on No. 8 and celebrating with his two kids serving as caddies for this pre-tournament tradition at Augusta National Golf Club.

Bradley, sporting a new look with a mustache, tossed both his children in the air and then hugged his wife as the crowd roared. His youngest son then retrieved the ball from the hole. Bradley also nearly aced No. 16 during his practice round Wednesday morning.

‘I’ll put that memory up there with anything I’ve ever done in golf,’ Bradley told ESPN a few minutes after his hole-in-one.

Bubba Watson leads Masters Par 3 contest after near ace

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson is out to the lead at the Masters Par 3 contest, shooting 3-under after finishing his round on the nine-hole course at Augusta National. His day this year includes a near hole-in-one.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley talks pace of play, LIV Golf

What The Masters thinks on golf’s biggest issues matters because of its place among the sport’s major tournaments. So it was notable Wednesday when Masters chairman Fred Ridley became the latest official to speak out against slow play and signaled that The Masters could soon join other tournaments that are planning to enforce and implement stiffer penalties related to pace of play moving forward.

“Playing without undue delay, as the rules and the game’s traditions dictate, is an essential skill of golf at all levels. Recognizing the challenges professionals face each week, I also believe pace of play is an important element of the examination of the world’s best players,” Ridley said on Wednesday during the opening remarks of his annual Chairman’s press conference ahead of the 89th Masters. “Golf is a special game because it requires us to be considerate while also being competitive. Respecting other people’s time, including, importantly, the fans who support the game, is a fundamental courtesy. Therefore, I want to encourage continued dialogue on this topic, especially at the professional levels which serve as the most visible representation of our sport.”

Ridley said The Masters is not budging when it comes to giving out exemptions based on LIV Golf standings, like it does for the PGA Tour. The tournament can still offer a special exemption on a case-by-case basis, as it did with LIV Golf points leader Joaquin Niemann for the second year in a row in 2025.

Jordan Spieth’s son gets Masters Par 3 Contest started

The annual Masters Par 3 contest has started at Augusta National Golf Club. Angel Cabrera and Jose Maria Olazabal just teed off to get the action going and Max Homa, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas followed. Spieth might have eliminated himself from the competition when he allowed his son, Sammy, to take his first tee shot. Count that as the first wholesome moment of the day.

What time is the Masters Par 3 Contest?

The Masters Par 3 Contest from Augusta National will begin at noon ET with live coverage via streaming on Masters.com, the Masters app, ESPN+, Disney+, and Fubo, which is offering a free trial. TV coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Where to watch Par 3 Contest at the Masters 

TV channel: ESPN (starting at 2 p.m. ET)
Live stream: ESPN+, Disney+, and Fubo (Fubo offers a free trial subscription)

Watch the 2025 Masters from Augusta with Fubo

Masters Par 3 Contest tee times

An asterisk means that player is an amateur.

Noon ET — Jose Maria Olazabal, Angel Cabrera
12:07 p.m. ET — Max Homa, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas
12:14 p.m. ET — Jason Day, Bubba Watson, Min Woo Lee
12:21 p.m. ET — Lucas Glover, Will Zalatoris, *Evan Beck
12:28 p.m. ET — Ian Woosnam, Larry Mize, Bernhard Langer
12:35 p.m. ET — Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns, Tom Kim
12:49 p.m. ET — Gary Player, Charl Schwartzel, Thriston Lawrence
12:56 p.m. ET — Tom Watson, Mark O’Meara, Nick Faldo
1:03 p.m. ET — Davis Riley, Austin Eckroat, Davis Thompson
1:10 p.m. ET — Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, *Justin Hastings
1:17 p.m. ET — Billy Horschel, Kevin Yu, Nick Dunlap
1:24 p.m. ET — Matt McCarty, Maverick McNealy, Jhonattan Vegas
1:38 p.m. ET — Thomas Detry, Matthieu Pavon, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
1:45 p.m. ET — Nicolai Højgaard, Rasmus Højgaard, Justin Rose
1:52 p.m. ET — Max Greyserman, Denny McCarthy, Zach Johnson
1:59 p.m. ET — Akshay Bhatia, Sahith Theegala, Nicolas Echavarria
2:06 p.m. ET — Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Åberg, Aaron Rai
2:13 p.m. ET — Wyndham Clark, J.J. Spaun, Cameron Young
2:27 p.m. ET — Ben Crenshaw, *Hiroshi Tai, *Noah Kent
2:34 p.m. ET — Joe Highsmith, Cameron Davis, Tom Hoge
2:41 p.m. ET — Sepp Straka, J.T. Poston, Chris Kirk
2:48 p.m. ET — Byeong Hun An, Michael Kim, Brian Campbell
2:55 p.m. ET — Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood
3:02 p.m. ET — Adam Schenk, Stephan Jaeger, Fred Couples
3:16 p.m. ET — Brian Harman, Patton Kizzire, Harris English
3:23 p.m. ET — Taylor Pendrith, Corey Conners, Nick Taylor
3:30 p.m. ET — Robert MacIntyre, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland
3:37 p.m. ET — Rafael Campos, Tony Finau, Jon Rahm
3:44 p.m. ET — *Jose Luis Ballester, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed
3:51 p.m. ET — Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson
4:05 p.m. ET — Danny Willett, Laurie Canter
4:12 p.m. ET —Bryson DeChambeau

What is the Par 3 Contest at the Masters?

The Par 3 Contest may be a competition, but it’s a fun-filled and lighthearted affair. It unfolds on a nine-hole, par-27 course designed by George Cobb and Cliff Roberts, nestled around DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike’s Pond. The event brings together tournament participants and past winners for a single round of play, all in the spirit of enjoyment. Participants often invite their families, who add to the festive atmosphere by donning Augusta National jumpsuits.

The event also has its own superstition: the winner of the Par 3 contest has never gone on to win the Masters in the same year. As a result, some participants choose not to risk this and allow their family members, who are serving as caddies, the opportunity to chip or putt on their behalf. — Elizabeth Flores

Masters weather forecast: Latest updates for Wednesday at Augusta

According to AccuWeather, the weather for the Masters Par 3 Contest on Wednesday could be the most pleasant of the week, with temperatures expected to be in the 60s during the contest. Winds will blow in from the east at 4-8 mph, and there is no threat of rain in the forecast. — Scooby Axson

Masters predictions and picks

Mark Giannotto, USA TODAY: Collin Morikawa

‘Morikawa currently ranks second behind only (Rory) McIlroy in strokes gained tee-to-green in 2025. It’s perhaps gone under the radar because Morikawa is searching for his first win in more than 18 months and fell short again with a chance to win this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. But he has three top-10 finishes in five starts this season, in addition to winning the PGA Championship and British Open previously. Maybe he’s ready to prove his mettle at The Masters.’

DraftKings Network: Xander Schauffele

‘Schauffele started this season late due to a rib injury and, after looking rusty in his first two starts, came alive at the Valspar Championship … gaining an eye-popping 11.2 strokes on approach at the Copperhead Course. This number set a career-high for Schauffele … The 31-year-old is notorious for playing his best golf at major championships and Schauffele is a very intriguing early bet at this number.’

BetMGM: Ludvig Aberg

‘Aberg came extremely close to ending the Masters debutant winless run last April, ultimately settling for a runner-up finish. Illness plagued Aberg in late January through February, but a win at the Genesis should give hope to those considering backing Aberg at the Masters. That week, Aberg gained 10 strokes tee-to-green, the third-best output of his entire career.’

Masters odds and betting line

Scottie Scheffler is the favorite entering Round 1, according to BetMGM odds as of Tuesday, April 8. List for golfers at +3000 odds or better.

Scottie Scheffler (+450)
Rory McIlroy (+650)
Collin Morikawa (+1400)
Jon Rahm (+1400)
Bryson DeChambeau (+1600)
Ludvig Aberg (+2000)
Justin Thomas (+2200)
Xander Schauffele (+2200)
Joaquin Niemann (+3000)

Masters predictions: Sleeper picks at Augusta

Experts from Golfweek and the USA TODAY Network have thoughts on longshots that could make some noise this weekend.

Adam Schupak, Golfweek: Will Zalatoris (+5000)
Beth Ann Nichols, Golfweek: Corey Conners (+5000)
Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek: Corey Conners (+5000)
David Dusek, Golfweek: Sepp Straka (+5500)
Jason Lusk, Golfweek: Shane Lowry (+3300)
Tim Schmitt, Golfweek: Sergio García (+6600)
Will Cheney, Augusta Chronicle: Akshay Bhatia (+6600)
Dan Spears, USA TODAY Network: Tom Kim (+10000)
Todd Kelly, Golfweek: Nick Taylor (+30000)

Masters location: Where is Augusta National?

The Masters is played every year at Augusta National Golf Club, widely considered one of the top courses in the sport. Augusta National is located in Augusta, Georgia, which sits on the state’s eastern border with South Carolina.

Of the PGA Tour’s four majors, only the Masters has been played at the same course every time, with the 2025 tournament the 89th edition. — Jason Anderson

The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will feature an expanded program with new mixed-gender team events in several marquee sports, including golf and gymnastics.

The International Olympic Committee announced the new mixed-gender events Wednesday when it unveiled the entire sport program for the 2028 Summer Games. They will help bring a team twist to Olympic golf, which previously only featured individual men’s and women’s competition, and a new dimension to gymnastics, where team competitions at the Olympics had been divided by gender.

The IOC will also debut a 4×100 mixed-gender relay in track and field, to go along with the mixed 4×400 that has been contested at the past two editions of the Summer Olympics.

‘The mixed events are a real true embodiment of gender equality − men and women competing in the same team, on the same field of play for their country,’ IOC sports director Kit McConnell said in a news conference. ‘We’ve seen the real success of these (mixed-gender events). They bring something incredibly special for the athletes involved.’

Mixed-gender team events are rare in both golf and gymnastics, but not entirely unheard of. In golf, the Grant Thornton Invitational has been contested since 2023 and features 16 teams, each made up of one player each from the PGA and LPGA Tours. And in gymnastics, there is the DTB Pokal Mixed Cup in which men and women compete on mixed-gender teams.

McConnell said the International Gymnastics Federation must finalize the format of the Olympic mixed event by the end of May.

As part of its announcement, the IOC also confirmed the number of teams and athletes who will compete in the five sports that are being added to the Olympic program for the Los Angeles Games: Baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash.

The four team sports being added will each include six men’s teams and six women’s teams, while squash will include 16 men and 16 women competing individually.

In flag football, which is perhaps the most intriguing of the additions, each team will consist of 10 athletes. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that the league and players’ union will likely make a decision in the next few months on whether NFL players can compete at the Games.

Among the other big changes to the sports program for Los Angeles:

For the first time in Olympic history, the soccer competition will feature more women’s teams (16) than men’s (12). McConnell attributed this change, in part, to the United States’ standing as ‘the home of the highest levels of popularity’ of the women’s game.
Swimming will add six new medal events in the sport’s shortest distance, 50 meters. In addition to the 50-meter freestyle, which is currently an Olympic event, Los Angeles will also have the 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter breastroke and 50-meter butterfly.
There will be 12 teams per gender in 3×3 basketball, a significant increase from the 2024 Paris Olympics, which featured eight. The 32 new quota spots in 3×3 basketball were taken directly from breaking, which was an Olympic sport for the first and likely only time in Paris last summer.

McConnell said the core sports program for the Los Angeles Olympics will feature the same number of quota spots as the 2024 Paris Olympics: 10,500. The five new sports will add 698 athletes, on top of the quota.

The IOC announced that women will make up 50.5% of the athlete pool at the 2028 Games. And, for the first time, each team sport will have the same number of women’s teams as men’s teams, or more.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.