One of the best sport weekends of the year is upon us: the Masters Tournament. A tradition unlike any other, this year’s tournament proves to be one of the most star-studded fields in recent memory. With Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy coming into Augusta with Tour wins and Tiger Woods returning as the legend we once knew, the question of whether these big names can win the green jacket is approaching. With 87 golfers looking to add a major title to their resumes, these names are ones to look for at the top of the leaderboard Sunday afternoon:
THE FAVORITES:
Justin Rose
No player has experience contending in previous Masters Tournaments quite like Rose. Including last year’s runner-up finish, Rose finished in the top 10 in five of his last 10 appearances – including three top fives. With a U.S. Open trophy already in his possession, the Englishman has proven himself capable of winning this event. With an average finish of 10.6 over the last five years, pencil Rose into contention Sunday.
Bubba Watson
The Masters for Bubba has always been feast or famine. In nine career appearances, Watson has two top-10 finishes – both wins – but has also fallen out of contention early in the weekend on many occasions. This PGA Tour season, Watson already has two wins and is in prime form for the year’s first major. Augusta National has proven to fit Bubba’s liking in the past, and with a pair of green jackets already to his name, Watson could easily find himself putting on a third Sunday evening.
Tiger Woods
Tiger mania is back. After spending nearly two years recovering from back surgeries, Woods finds himself heading to his favorite course on the planet in what appears to be peak form. The connection between Woods and Augusta National is uncanny, and the four-time Masters Champion will always be a favorite – regardless of if he is actually playing well. This season, he sits in the top 10 in strokes gained on the PGA Tour and continues to get better with every appearance. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leading again Sunday.
Rory McIlroy
For the fourth year, we come into the Masters with Rory McIlroy looking to win the Grand Slam. In 2011, McIlroy went to the back nine Sunday with the lead, only to finish with a round of 80 and a T15 finish. Since then, McIlroy has come close – finishing in the top 10 after his last four Sunday rounds. Just a few weeks ago, the Irishman won his first PGA Tour event in two years, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, by three strokes. Coming into the weekend playing at a very high level, McIlroy will look to finally win that illustrious – yet evasive – green jacket and join Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the youngest players to ever win the Slam.
Justin Thomas
Despite never finishing in the top 20 at Augusta National, Justin Thomas finds himself in the mix coming into the 2018 tournament. In the past year, since the beginning of last season, Thomas has seven wins, including his 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. With only two starts at Augusta, Thomas does not have the experience of his fellow competitors but has a game that matches the course perfectly. Time and time again, the Alabama graduate has proven himself to be as clutch as any player on tour. If he is in contention Sunday, there’s no telling what could happen.
SAFE BETS:
Matt Kuchar
The fans at Augusta National love Matt Kuchar, and it is not hard to understand why. The fan-favorite has continued to give us memories, including his ace at the 16th hole last year. Kuchar always seems to find himself in contention Sunday at Augusta and has four top-eight finishes in the last six years. After a runner-up finish at Royal Birkdale last year, Kuchar keeps getting closer and closer to his first-career major, and a Sunday afternoon without Kuchar in contention would be more surprising than one with him.
Paul Casey
Here is a statistic that may surprise some: Paul Casey has three straight top-six finishes at Augusta National. After a win at the Valspar Championship in March, Casey finally broke out of a nine-year winless drought. Casey continues to play the best golf of his life and will carry it into this weekend. With five career top-10 finishes in the Masters, Casey is a lock to add a sixth this weekend and may again contend for the top spot.
DARK HORSES:
Xander Schauffele
After a breakout 2017 season that included a pair of wins and a top-five finish at Erin Hills, Xander Schauffele finds himself taking his first trip to Augusta National. Schauffele has continued to impress and has proven that the big stage is nothing to the 24-year-old. While a win might be too much to bet on, the American fits this course well and is one of the strongest dark horse candidates in the field. It would not be a surprise to find him in the top 10 at the end of the weekend.
Ian Poulter
There’s no way Ian Poulter could be left off of this list. After originally being told that he was in the Masters field, Poulter was told that there was an error – right before his semifinal matchup with Kevin Kisner in the WGC-Dell Match Play tournament. Kisner dominated him, and Poulter was forced to win at the Houston Open to get in the 2018 Masters field. After making a clutch 20-footer to force a playoff, Poulter won the first hole and became the last man in. Very few people are as entertaining to watch as Poulter, and with three career top-10 finishes at Augusta, he is in prime territory to do it again.
