IBM unveils watsonx AI upgrades for the 2025 Masters, including enhanced shot insights and immersive features via the revamped Masters app and Apple Vision Pro.
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| IBM and the Masters Tournament reveal new AI-driven digital features for the 2025 Masters, offering fans immersive data insights and 3D experiences on Vision Pro. Image: IBM |
ARMONK, USA — April 4, 2025:
IBM and the Masters Tournament have announced an expanded suite of digital features ahead of the 2025 Masters, integrating advanced watsonx AI technologies to elevate the fan experience through the official Masters app and website.
Returning to the experience is Hole Insights 2.0, an upgraded version of IBM’s AI-powered shot analysis tool. Built using Granite large language models (LLMs) and fine-tuned by IBM Consulting, Hole Insights now offers even more precise data-driven analysis. It provides fans with real-time breakdowns of hole performance, predictive difficulty rankings, and historical shot success rates derived from nine years of Masters data — including over 180,000 individual shots.
“For example,” IBM explains, “fans might see, ‘No. 14 has played difficult today, with 25% of scores resulting in bogies,’ or, ‘Shots historically hit in this location have an 82% chance of resulting in a birdie.’” The models have been enhanced using insights from past Masters caddies and performance trends, adding layers of contextual intelligence to the user experience.
Also returning is the Masters app on Apple Vision Pro, offering fans a fully immersive 3D view of Augusta National. With new features like Video on Demand and the return of AI Narration and live streaming, users can explore elevation changes and monitor the tournament with multiple viewing angles – all at once.
“For more than 30 years, IBM and Augusta National have worked side-by-side to co-create unique digital experiences that bring the beauty, tradition, and excitement of the Masters to millions of golf fans worldwide,” said Jonathan Adashek, IBM Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “This powerful combination of people and technology is a live case study for businesses on how to unlock the potential of their data.”
The enduring partnership, which dates back to the creation of Masters.com in 1996, continues to showcase IBM’s broader strategy of combining AI with hybrid cloud to enhance customer experiences – not only in sports but also in industries from automotive to finance.
The 89th Masters Tournament will be held April 10–13 at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.