I Made AI Choose a Masters Squad So I Could Kick Its Ass
ChatGPT's new 'Deep Research' mode is not a ball knower.
I decided to let ChatGPT's new 'Deep Research' model choose a squad to compete in our public Masters pool. Mostly because I don't think this model will work, and I want to kick at least one person's ass in this pool. Even if that person is not a person at all, but a plagiarism machine. Improve my chances of beating a real human by joining our public league below!
I provided the model with the following prompt:
You are joining a fantasy golf pool for the 2025 Masters. The format is as follows:
Winner take all. If any teams are tied at the end, the tiebreaker will be the total score of all 8 golfers.
* Draft 8 golfers from 3 tiers
* Tier 1 - Draft 2 Players
* Tier 2 - Draft 3 Players
* Tier 3 - Draft 3 Players
* Your best 6 players scores are added together to get your team score.
* Any cut player is assigned a score that is one greater than the worst non-cut player in the field.
I am providing you with the players in each tier. Your job is to pick the team that will win this golf pool that will have many participants. Run advanced statistics to inform your decision making process. If necessary, incorporate elements of game theory to aid you in your decisions since you are competing against others. Provide your picks, your rationale, and confidence level in each pick. Explain your overall strategy for winning in detail, as well as your thinking for each player.It went into its "Research" mode for like 20 minutes and initially came back with the following picks:
Tier 1: Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa Tier 2: Jordan Spieth, Cam Smith, Viktor Hovland. Tier 3: Corey Connors, Sepp Straka, Sahith Theegala.
That'd be a pretty good team. Mostly because all of those Tier 3 players are, in fact, in Tier 2. One of two things is true about its fantasy golf game so far: it is either a cheater or an idiot. The rules ain't that complicated. Next, I chastised the bot for cheating and reminded it of the rules. Here's the squad. I will warn you that this thing is VERBOSE. Feel free to just look at the pictures and scroll past all that annoying text.
Everything below that’s not tagged with “Mike’s Thoughts” is from the bot.
Scottie Scheffler: Tier 1, 10/10 Confidence
Scheffler is the world No. 1 and the defending Masters champion, coming off a dominant 2024 win by four strokes. If anyone can break the back-to-back jinx at Augusta, it’s Scottie. His tee-to-green game is on another planet – he has led the world in Strokes Gained (SG) Tee-to-Green and Approach over recent seasons. He’s extremely consistent (he hasn’t finished worse than T12 in many months) and has “course management, strategy, a previous defense from which to learn, a four-time winning caddie next to him and immaculate memories” at Augusta. In a format counting the best 6 scores, Scheffler provides a high floor (near-lock to make the cut and contend) and a high ceiling (multiple wins at Augusta already). The only minor red flag is his putting can blow hot and cold, but even average putting makes him a threat to win. He will be a popular pick, but we’re willing to “eat the chalk” here because fading a prime Scheffler is too risky. In a winner-take-all pool, you can’t afford to miss out on a potential repeat champion. His combination of elite ball striking and Augusta knowledge makes our team a contender from the start.
Collin Morikawa: Tier 1, 9/10 Confidence
Morikawa offers a blend of elite statistics and impressive Masters pedigree without the ultra-high ownership of some other Tier-1 names. He leads the entire Masters field in SG: Tee-to-Green over the last 50 rounds and ranks 1st in SG: Approach this season – exactly the profile you want at Augusta, where precise iron play is paramount. Crucially, Collin has quietly figured out Augusta National: he has three straight top-10 finishes at the Masters (5th in 2022, T10 in 2023, T3 in 2024) . In fact, he’s made the cut in all five of his Masters starts with a stellar 71.35 scoring average (12th-best since 2007) . Morikawa’s current form is red-hot – he’s finished top-20 in every 2025 event so far with two runner-up finishes . His tee-to-green excellence (2.00 strokes gained per round, best on Tour) means a high floor, and if his putter is even slightly above average, he can absolutely win. By choosing Morikawa over the more obvious Rory or Rahm, we gain a strategic ownership edge – Morikawa’s odds (16-1) are comparable to the top favorites, but casual pool entrants might overlook him. As one analyst noted, “the last four Masters winners ranked top-two for the week in tee-to-green”, and Morikawa is exactly that type of ball-striking savant. We’re confidently backing his elite irons and steadily improving short game to carry him into our top 6 scorers.
Viktor Hovland, Tier 2, 8/10 Confidence
Hovland is a world-class tee-to-green player whose major breakthrough feels imminent. He was the 2023 FedExCup champion and already notched a win in spring 2025 (Valspar Championship), signaling peak form. Viktor’s strength is his stellar ball striking – he’s among the Tour leaders in SG: Off-the-Tee and SG: Approach. The one knock has been his chipping, but he’s worked hard to transform that weakness into a solid part of his game. In fact, Hovland made a massive leap to 59th in SG: Around-the-Green after being near the bottom of the rankings previously, thanks to dedicated practice with his coach. That improvement showed at Augusta last year, when he opened with 65 and finished T7 in 2023. While some analysts worry that Augusta’s ultra-fast, undulating greens might still challenge his creativity, we believe Hovland has learned from past appearances (2025 will be his fifth Masters) and is ready to contend. His trend here is upward and his confidence is growing. With his elite driver + iron combo, Viktor has huge upside (if he’s “fixed” as his recent win suggests, he’s a threat to win any major). His floor is also high – he rarely misses cuts anymore. In a format where six scores count, Hovland’s consistency tee-to-green should ensure he’s contributing, and if his short game holds up, he could easily be a top-5 scorer for us. This pick also offers some leverage: many in our pool might skip Hovland due to past short-game narratives, but we’re capitalizing on his improvements and current momentum.
Jordan Spieth, Tier 2, 7/10 Confidence
Talk about risk-reward upside – Spieth is the quintessential wild card at Augusta. He has a special relationship with this course, with a win (2015) and five other top-3 finishes (runner-up in 2014 & 2016, 3rd in 2018 & 2021, T4 in 2023). On the flip side, he’s also missed the cut two of the last four years (2022 and 2024). In fact, his recent Masters results look like an “every-other-year” pattern: T3, MC, T4, MC in the last four appearances. The good news? 2025 would be the “up” year in that sequence – and we’re betting on another Spieth surge at Augusta. Jordan’s imaginative short game and putting brilliance are tailor-made for Augusta’s tricky greens and pressure-cooker moments. Few can match his ability to save pars from impossible spots or go on birdie streaks on the back nine roars – exactly what a top-6 scorer can provide. His current form in 2025 has been up and down (he had a T4 in Phoenix and some flashes of brilliance), but Spieth tends to find an extra gear at the Masters. We acknowledge the risk – he can be erratic off the tee and with approaches (SG: Approach rank ~82nd, indicating inconsistency). However, the format’s safety net (we can drop two scores) lets us swing for Spieth’s ceiling. If he’s on, he’s on – he could win or top-5 (and likely be on few competitors’ rosters who favor more stable names). And if he implodes and misses the cut, we likely discard his score. It’s a calculated gamble. In a large pool, a Spieth pick gives us win equity and a bit of uniqueness (some will shy away due to his 2024 MC). Ultimately, his Masters pedigree and high-upside volatility are exactly what “Magnolia Moneyballers” is built to capitalize on.
Mike’s Thoughts: Only a robot could make this pick. Incapable of experiencing the human feeling of getting excited about Jordan being 4 under through 7 holes only to watch him poop down his leg and miss the cut. It just shows up as a missed cut in the data. But it's much, much worse than that. Hate this pick.
Cameron Smith, Tier 2, 7/10 Confidence
Smith is a sleeper by circumstance – he’s less talked about since moving to LIV Golf, but make no mistake: Cam loves Augusta and Augusta loves him back. He has five top-10 finishes in eight Masters starts, including a T6 last year and a runner-up in 2020. Few in the field can match his combination of creativity, wedge play, and putting – “a golf course that plays to his creative mindset” brings out the best in him. Renowned as one of the world’s best putters, Smith can dissect Augusta’s greens, and his deft touch around the greens turns tough up-and-downs into birdie opportunities. He’s also got the major championship mettle (2022 Open Champion). The questions with Cam are rust and driving accuracy – playing fewer high-level events could mean he’s somewhat under the radar. However, he showed in 2024 that even with a “frustrating week with the putter,” he still tied 6th. That tells us his baseline at Augusta is extremely high. As a pick, Cam gives us game-theory leverage: many pool entrants will overlook LIV players or doubt their form. Yet course history is king at the Masters, and Smith has it in spades (he’s one of the select few to shoot four rounds in the 60s here). We expect him to be relatively low-owned compared to similarly skilled Tier-2 peers, which is a huge opportunity. He carries some risk (if his long game is loose, he could be mid-pack), but in a winner-take-all scenario his upside (legit chance to win or podium) is worth it. At 60-1 odds he’s a steal given his track record. We’ll happily take the “Augusta specialist” at a discount, hoping he outperforms expectations (again) and gives our team a unique boost.
Once I reminded it not to cheat, it went back to the drawing board for 10 minutes and came up with the following for tier 3.
Sungjae Im, Tier 3, 8/10 Confidence
Sungjae is one of the strongest Tier 3 options available. He has a stellar record at Augusta: T2 in 2020, T8 in 2022, and T16 in 2023. His game is built for Augusta – accurate off the tee, excellent ball-striker, and a calm demeanor under pressure. He ranks top-20 in SG: Tee-to-Green and Approach over the last 50 rounds, and he’s made 11 of his last 12 cuts. In Tier 3, this combo of safety and ceiling is rare. He’s a legitimate candidate to make our top 6 scores, and his cut risk is extremely low.
Matt Fitzpatrick, Tier 3, 7.5/10 Confidence
Fitzpatrick is a major champion (2022 U.S. Open) with a sharp iron game and a creative short game that plays well at Augusta. While his Masters record is middling (best finish: T7 in 2016), he’s made 7 of 9 cuts at Augusta and enters 2025 in solid form. He recently posted two top-15 finishes on the PGA Tour and is trending well in SG: Approach. He’s low-risk and has just enough upside to contend if the putter heats up. He won’t be highly owned in Tier 3, giving us game theory value as well.
Mike’s Thoughts: Another soulless pick. No human is excited on Sunday afternoon is Matthew Fitzpatrick is donning the Green Jacket.
Stephan Jaeger, Tier 3, 5/10 Confidence
Jaeger is a dark horse pick with big potential. He’s coming off his first career PGA Tour win at the 2025 Houston Open and leads all golfers in consecutive made cuts (14 straight). While this will be his Masters debut (yes, that’s a knock), he ranks top 10 in SG: Tee-to-Green and top 5 in SG: Approach since March. His form is red-hot, and he's an analytics darling flying under the radar. In a pool where most people will overlook him, we get high-upside leverage with solid recent metrics to back it.
Mike’s Thoughts: If this pick hits I am changing my entire opinion on AI and will start using this Deep Research mode all the time. This is a bold pick and the only one so far that seems NOT AI-ish. I'm kinda impressed by this pick no matter the result.
Explain Yourself
I told the robot to explain its overall strategy to me. It gave me this block of text -- sort of effective as a filibustering technique. No chance I'm reading all of that, but I assume there's at least one decent point buried in here somewhere.
Balanced Core with High Upside
Our roster deliberately balances rock-solid performers (to ensure we get six strong scores) with a few aggressive, high-upside gambles (to maximize win potential). We've chosen several elite ball-strikers who are very likely to play the weekend and finish well: Scheffler, Morikawa, Hovland, Conners – these guys form a stable backbone. All of them rank near the top in strokes gained tee-to-green, a critical indicator for success at Augusta (recent Masters winners have all been top-2 in SG:T2G for the week). This gives us confidence that at least 5-6 of our guys will be "in the hunt" through Sunday, providing a solid team score. We've paired that stability with selective risks like Spieth, Cam Smith, Straka, and Theegala – players who could just as easily win or finish top 5 as they could flame out. By including these volatile picks, we're aiming for first place in a large pool, not just a decent finish. Thanks to the scoring format (only the best 6 scores count), we can absorb one or two flops if our other picks hit their ceilings. For example, we're willing to accept Spieth's missed-cut risk in exchange for his win equity and Masters magic. In essence, our strategy is to raise our team's ceiling while keeping the floor reasonably high.
Course Fit & Masters Experience
Every player on our team has played in at least one prior Masters – no debutants here, avoiding the no-rookie-winner curse since 1979. Augusta National is famously a "second-shot course" that rewards experience and knowledge. We targeted guys with proven Augusta course fit: Scheffler (two wins), Spieth (a win and multiple runner-ups), Cam Smith (five top-10s), Morikawa (three straight top-10s), Conners (three top-10s), etc. This institutional knowledge should help them avoid big numbers and handle the weekend pressure. We also emphasized strokes gained approach and around-the-green in our research, knowing how critical precision iron play and short-game savvy are on this course. Our picks like Morikawa, Conners, Straka excel in approach, while Spieth and Cam Smith are short-game wizards – a well-rounded mix. Additionally, by picking someone like Hovland who has dramatically improved his chipping, we show confidence that past weaknesses have been addressed. All these choices reflect a "horses for courses" mindset – we want players whose skills or history suggest they thrive at Augusta's unique test.
Ownership and Game Theory Leverage
To win a large pool, you can't simply copy the most popular picks – you need to gain an edge with a unique combination. We intentionally avoided what we expect will be overly popular pairings. For instance, many entrants will roster Rory McIlroy given his superstar status and quest for the career Grand Slam. Rory is actually the betting public's most backed player (he's drawing the highest handle at one sportsbook). By not picking Rory, we differentiate our team – if Rory underperforms (as he has at times in Masters past), we gain an advantage on a large portion of the field. We chose Morikawa as our second Tier-1 over Rory/Rahm for this reason, believing Collin can match or beat them at lower ownership. Similarly, in Tier 2, someone like Brooks Koepka might be a trendy pick after his near-miss in 2023, but we went with Cam Smith and Spieth for equal or greater upside with less consensus support. Our Tier-3 picks especially are aimed at leverage: Conners and Straka are darlings of the data but not household names – many casual fans might gravitate to former champions or bigger names (Mickelson, DJ, Finau, etc.) in those slots. If our under-the-radar guys perform as expected, we'll have points others left on the table. Essentially, we built a team that zigs where others zag: we have the nerve to roster a LIV golfer (Smith) when others might avoid them, we're betting on a resurgent Spieth when many have doubts, and we're investing in a surging Sepp Straka whom many will simply overlook. These contrarian choices are backed by solid stats and form – we're not just being different for its own sake, we're being smartly different.
Risk-Reward Balance & Tie-Breaker Considerations
In a winner-take-all format, our philosophy is "No risk, no reward." We've embraced more variance because second place might as well be last in this pool. The upside of this squad is tremendous – multiple major winners and contenders who, if things click, could collectively dominate the leaderboard. At the same time, we haven't gone completely off the deep end with longshots; we expect at least 7 of our 8 to make the cut, which not only boosts our scoring but also helps with the tie-breaker (sum of all 8 scores). Even our riskier picks have decent floors: e.g. Cam Smith has never missed an Augusta cut and usually contends, and Theegala in his one missed cut (if 2024) still would have learned from it. We also have insurance in the form of our dependable players – if two of our boom-or-bust choices bust, they get dropped and we still have six quality scores. We paid attention to tie-breaker rules: a common team might have 8/8 make the cut, but if ours does too and our worst finishers are higher than theirs, we're in great shape. That's why even our last picks like Conners/Straka were chosen for their likelihood to finish all four rounds with respectable scores. In short, we've constructed a lineup with a championship ceiling and enough safety valves to weather a surprise or two. The "Magnolia Moneyballers" are built to give us a real shot at winning it all – with carefully calculated risks, plenty of Masters course synergy, and differentiation where it counts. All that's left is for the tournament to start and our guys to go chase that green jacket!
I don't have a ton of faith in these picks and I believe that smart golf fans will outperform this model. I knew to be skeptical right off the bat when it made the exact same picks as myself in Tier 1. Very bad sign historically. But I'm a data guy. So I entered the picks into the public pool under the name Genius AI Bot so that we can measure ourselves against the robot. Join that league here and compete against this moron.