Many of golf’s legendary moments have come from the Master’s Tournament. A talented field will attempt to navigate beautiful Augusta National this year, continuing the trend of awe-inspiring shots and heroic performances.
Though golf may not be a very physical sport, one mental slip can take a heavy toll. Arguably the most prestigious of all golf tournaments, the Master’s brings out the utmost competition and excitement from the world’s best golfers. Whoever the winner shall be, he will have his place in history, with a large check and the prestigious green jacket.
All eyes will be on world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, the overwhelming favorite. McIlroy will be going for his third major in a row. This one will be the biggest, though, as it would give him a career Grand Slam—one of each major. McIlroy has never finished higher than the eight spot at Augusta, but considering his talent, that’s bound to change soon. The Northern Irishman owns the best all-around game in the business, and with improvements in his short-game, he looks to trek through Augusta with ease.
As you might have heard, Tiger Woods is back at the Masters. The 14-time major champion missed last year’s tournament and has struggled mightily with form and injury ever since. In fact, in his last five events, Woods has two missed cuts, two withdrawals and one 17th-place finish. As always, the world will be watching Tiger at Augusta to see if he can get his career back on track.
However, his hopes remain high. “It’s been a process, but I’m on the good side now,” Woods said in an interview with USA Today. “It’s progression. I felt like I had to get my game into a spot where I could compete to win a golf tournament and it’s finally there.”
No player on tour is playing as well as young gun Jordan Spieth. The 21 year-old notched his second PGA Tour victory last month and earned two international wins to begin the season. Last year, he was tied for the lead going into the final round at Augusta, but the more experienced Bubba Watson won with a late surge. This year, Jordan Spieth will be better equipped to handle the pressure of being a favorite and should be more comfortable in contention on the final day.
Watson has won the Masters twice, in 2012 and 2014, and with his length off the tee he’ll likely be a contender at this tournament until the end of his career. He didn’t handle being the defending champion well back in 2013, but he’s ready for that spotlight this time around.
“This year I know what I’ll be doing. I have my routine down, I’ll be more comfortable,” Watson said to an AP reporter. “I’ll just go in there, use my time wisely, use my energy wisely, and hopefully at the end of the week I’ll be in contention on the back nine.”
Dustin Johnson, another potential top contender, has been through a lot over the past year, most notably a six-month absence from the tour that was reported to be due to a failed drug test. But now he’s playing some of the best golf of his career and finally looks poised to win a major. The 30-year-old won the WGC-Cadillac Championship last month and has two other top five finishes and one tie for sixth on the season.
Other players on the list of favorites are Phil Mickelson, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson. But there are plenty of less obvious contenders as well. Anything can happen in golf, which means that there are dark horses everywhere—otherwise known as underdogs.
Patrick Reed has had a good season—he won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions to start 2015 and got a runner-up finish last month at the Valspar Championship. Reed’s performance at the 2014 Ryder Cup shows that he’s not scared of a big stage, so he remains an outside threat.
Also, don’t overlook Justin Rose, the steady Brit who won the U.S. Open in 2013. Last week’s Shell Houston Open winner, J.B. Holmes, is worthy of your attention as well. He’ll certainly have the confidence to tackle Augusta this week.
72 holes will be played by each competitor, leaving a lot of chances for glory, but a lot of chances for mistakes. The bunkers will be raked, the creeks and ponds will be clear; both awaiting healthy servings of golf balls. The journey through Augusta poses many challenges, but one golfer will brave the quest stronger than the others, ending up standing on the 18th green with a green jacket and a place in history.
