The 89th version of the Masters Tournament is set to play out at Augusta National. This year, it will be without one of its most iconic players. Tiger Woods, sidelined with a ruptured left Achilles tendon, will be the notable absence this year. Woods’ absence opens up a new playing field for the newbies and the grizzled veterans.
Of this group of order newbies, Akshay Bhatia may be the biggest star. He’s already left a huge footprint on the tour. His victory at Memorial came with a sharp counterpunch in the form of the usual backdoor tie for third at the Players Championship, scoring 10 under. Given Bhatia’s impressive play as of late, he is definitely someone to keep an eye on.
For Cameron Smith it’s been a little bit quieter the last two years. He cemented his potential by tying for sixth at the 2024 Masters. His performance indicates that he could pose a challenge this year, especially if he finds his rhythm early in the tournament.
Nick Taylor just won his fifth PGA Tour tournament at the Sony Open in Hawaii on January 12. This win goes a long way in establishing him as one of the sport’s most dangerous competitors. Matt Fitzpatrick has shown incredible form at Augusta National. He scored three-straight top-25 finishes in his last three races here, highlighted by a tie for 10th in 2023.
Another strong player to keep an eye on is Corey Conners. Individually, he made three straight top-10 finishes at the Masters from 2020-2022. His resume at Augusta makes him a big-time spoiler alert to the leaderboard once again.
Hideki Matsuyama began his season with an 11th career PGA Tour victory at The Sentry in early January. He’s looking to bring this momentum into the Masters. Phil Mickelson is the only golfer in the field with three Masters victories. At 52, that’s why he was able to tie for second with Brooks Koepka two years ago. Mickelson reflected on the tournament’s significance, stating:
“It’s a week that we all cherish the most.” – Phil Mickelson
Justin Rose’s inconsistent play this season raises questions about his form heading into Augusta, while Max Homa has struggled since finishing third last year.
Recent Masters champions have consistently lost no fewer than 1.7 strokes tee to green. This trend has been obvious in the three months leading up to the tournament. This last statistic will be key for any players looking to slip on a green jacket come early April.
Adam Scott is the only Australian golfer to earn a Masters victory. Unbelievably, he pulled off this amazing trick twelve years ago. And right now Scottie Scheffler is on a mission to do just that. He would be the first since Jack Nicklaus to win three green jackets in four years.
Three-time U.S. Open participant Harris English helped bolster his CV by winning his fifth PGA Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open on January 25. Add in J.J. Spaun, who is playing the best golf of his career, rising as high as 28th in the world rankings.
As anticipation builds for this year’s Masters, players will be looking to overcome personal challenges and capitalize on their strengths as they vie for one of golf’s most prestigious titles.
Leave a Reply