As we begin Day 4 of Post-2026 Masters, life is returning to normal in Augusta. Here at Augusta University, students are in the homestretch of the Spring Semester, and many local businesses are experiencing a combination of celebration and relief.
There are lessons learned from the golfers who contended for this year’s Green Jacket.
Prior to the start of the 2026 Masters, there were many questions swirling around many of the potential favorites to win the tournament. Defending champion Rory McIlroy had not played competitively in the month since he finished in a tie for 46th at the Players Championship, one week after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational with back spasms. Scottie Scheffler, #1 in the World Golf Rankings, also had not played since back-to-back disappointing (for him!) finishes at the Palmer and the Players due to the birth of his second child on March 27. Cameron Young clearly had momentum with a tie for third at the Palmer and winning the Players, while Justin Rose missed two consecutive cuts prior to a solid tie for 13th at the Players. Xander Schauffele, a two-time major winner, had shown very good form recently following an early-season injury; Russell Henley started the year #5 in the World Golf Ranking; and Sam Burns, whose great putting ability makes him a threat at the Masters, were each seen as potential contenders. We can apply to our business life how each of these players did things that helped lead to their top ten Masters finishes.
Here are some of the lessons learned:
Mix Pleasure with Business / Good Distractions: While we often promote the benefit of single-minded focus, I think it is even more beneficial to our performance and business to give our minds a rest from that focus. Both Rory and Scottie demonstrated that in the days leading up to the Masters. Rory played a fun round of golf at Augusta National with his father on the Sunday before the tournament and had his parents, wife, and daughter with him all week. Scottie had his wife, two sons (including his newborn), and parents also around all week. These distractions clearly did not hurt the ultimate champion and second-place finisher and probably helped them be positively distracted when needed, given the task at hand. Remember this lesson when feeling overburdened with your business duties.
As Necessary, Simulate the Real Thing: Due to the birth of his second son, Scheffler had not played tournament golf for a month, not always an ideal situation heading into a major championship. When asked about this, Scheffler said he played a lot of rounds with past Masters champion Jordan Spieth (they both live near Dallas) and played many competitive rounds in which he gave his buddies large numbers of strokes. While not to the level of tournament golf, these were enough for him to maintain his competitive edge and cool under pressure. As a businessperson, you can use case studies and arenas outside of your comfort zone (public speaking, golf, or tennis) that help you maintain your edge and cool as well.
Keep on Plugging: The performances of Schauffele, Henley, and Burns demonstrate the need to keep on putting forth your best effort, even if it seems you may not have a chance to win. Although McIlroy was way out in front going into Saturday’s third round, the three of them finished four, two, and three strokes behind Rory at the end of the tournament. If Rory’s third shot on #15 in the final round did not hang on and rolled back into the water, they each would have had a reasonable chance to win. In your business, remember that you cannot “win” unless you keep at it.
Age is Only a Number: The average age of the Masters winner is just over 32 years old. Cameron Young, at almost 29, is a few years younger (no pun intended!) than that, though both Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth have won the Masters even younger. At 45, Justin Rose is just one year younger than the age of Jack Nicklaus when he was the oldest winner in 1986. Last year, Rose lost to McIlroy in a playoff, and this year, tied for third place. Clearly, age has been no barrier to success for either Young or Rose. The same is true in business. While experience is often an asset, success can come at any age. So, as you hire and self-evaluate your own performance, realize that age is not an important criterion on its own.
Diagnose, Adjust, and Reset: Scottie Scheffler was even par and twelve strokes out of the lead after the second round. Rory McIlroy was -12 with a six-stroke lead after the second round. Scottie did not make a bogey during the weekend and ended up in second place at -11. Rory shot a 1-over 73 in the third round and was two-over par through 6 holes on Sunday, dropping him to -9, tied for fourth, 2 strokes out of the lead; but as we know, he eventually came back and won the tournament at -12. How did Scottie and Rory do it? First, they immediately went to the range after disappointing rounds (Scottie-2nd; Rory-3rd) to figure out what they were doing wrong (diagnose) and then set out about fixing those things (adjust). While those were physical changes, maybe more important was their mental adjustment. Both Scottie and Rory used the term “reset” to describe what each did at the start of the third round (Scottie) and on the seventh hole of the final round (Rory) that led to their outstanding finishes. We can learn from these great players by quickly analyzing and fixing mistakes we make, but also maintaining a positive outlook once we have made those adjustments.
It is always exciting to watch the Masters, whether you are on the course or near your television. However, in addition to excitement, as you can see, there is much for us to learn from golf’s greatest players.
