Jordan Spieth rubs salt in Rory McIlroy’s wounds as Scottie Scheffler points finger

We take a look at some of golf’s biggest stories from the past day, including Scottie Scheffler’s LIV Golf rant, Jordan Spieth and a Masters thief

Golf fans are buzzing with excitement with the iconic Masters Tournament just around the corner. The action at Augusta National is set to tee off on April 10 and has been the main talking point as PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s stars will finally be reunited.

But before all eyes turn to the Masters, the golfing calendar still has several treats in store – with the Valspar Championship currently heating up while the Houston Open will begin next week, showcasing a roster of top talent. And, in case you’ve missed the latest from the fairways, we now take a look at some of golf’s biggest stories over the past day.

Jordan Spieth gets real on Rory McIlroy
Following McIlroy’s stunning victory at the Players Championship earlier this week – marking his second PGA Tour win of the season – attention has swiftly shifted to his form ahead of the Masters. For all his success, McIlroy, unlike Spieth, is yet to don a Green Jacket, having not won the Masters despite his impressive run of major wins from 2011 to 2014.

Spieth, who won at Augusta in 2015, gave his honest thoughts on McIlroy’s repeated struggles at the Masters, saying: “Augusta’s just blown up more than it probably should be. In that sense, it gets blown up towards Rory.

“Majors are majors. Augusta’s – you know, if you look at the field, it’s technically the easiest major to win, so the more I think someone focuses on that, the better.” He implied that his rival, McIlroy, should’ve bagged three or four more majors by now, considering his achievements in the tougher majors.

Masters thief sentenced

A man has been convicted after stealing more than $3million (£2.3m) worth of property from Augusta National Golf Club. The items stolen include three of the famous Green Jackets worn by winners of the Masters tournament, including one of Gene Sarazen’s from 1935, one of Ben Hogan’s and one of four won by Arnold Palmer.

Richard Brendan Globensky of Evans, Georgia, is said to have stolen valuable historical pieces from Augusta between 2009 and 2022. He also stole Masters-related merchandise such as T-shirts, hats and watches.

The stolen goods were then allegedly sold to a Florida-based online broker for around $5.3m (£4m). Following a guilty plea, Globensky was sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay Augusta National Golf Club millions in restitution.