The Masters: A preview, player profiles and picks for the year's opening major at Augusta
Wednesday 9 April 2014 17:37, UK
The immaculate fairways and greens; the azaleas and dogwoods providing spectacular bursts of colour; the iconic Green Jacket. There's nothing quite like The Masters.
Deprived of major golf since the previous year's PGA Championship, the sense of anticipation among golf fans ahead of each Masters is huge.
The beautiful and iconic Augusta National in Georgia is a wonderful stage and the viewing experience is heightened further by the classic 7,455 yard par 72 being so familiar.
The Masters is the only major played at the same course every year and Augusta's back nine is probably the best-known stretch of holes on the planet.
Year after year it throws up thrilling storylines and that was the case again 12 months ago when Adam Scott beat Angel Cabrera in a dramatic play-off.
With four-time champion and world number one Tiger Woods out injured, will this be the year when European golfers take centre stage again? They dominated the event in the 80s and 90s but the last European winner was Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999 while the last Brit to triumph was Nick Faldo back in 1996.
International players have been the dominant force in recent years with four wins in the last six Masters - Scott in 2013, Charl Schwartzel in 2011, Cabrera in 2009 and Trevor Immelman in 2008.
Left-handers have also flourished in the modern period with Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010), Bubba Watson (2012) and Mike Weir (2003) combining for five wins in the last 11 runnings.
Once more Sky Sports is the only place to watch the action live for all four days, with first-round coverage beginning at 19:00 on Sky Sports 4.
Augusta National Golf Club was founded by legendary amateur champion Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, an astute investment banker in New York. Jones helped design the golf course, working alongside esteemed British architect Dr. Alister Mackenzie. The course was a former plant nursery and each hole is named after a tree or shrub. It's most famous section is Amen Corner which refers to the second shot on the par four 11th, the par three 12th and the first two shots of the par five 13th. The course record of 63 is held jointly by Nick Price (1986) and Greg Norman (1996). Both did it via front nines of three-under 30 and back nines of six-under 30. Tiger Woods has the 72-hole record after carding 18-under in his incredible 12-shot victory in 1997.
Last year Adam Scott was the first player to win The Masters with a winning total in single digits under par (-9) since Trevor Immelman (-8) in 2008. In between the winning scores were -12 (Angel Cabrera 2009), -16 (Phil Mickelson 2010), -14 (Charl Schwartzel 2011) and -10 (Bubba Watson 2012). Five of the last 11 Masters have gone to play-offs, including the last two.
Scott conquered Augusta by following the path of many previous champions and topping the Greens In Regulation stats. The Aussie found the putting surface in the right number 76.4% of the time and his excellent iron play was key. When Scott did miss the green, he made a superb job of saving par, finishing third in the Scrambling stats. Interestingly, he also found just one greenside bunker all week, while hitting just 11 fairways out of 28 on the weekend didn't hurt him.
How valuable is past Masters experience?
It's a fairly well-known stat that no player has won on their Masters debut since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. On average, a first-time Masters winner will be playing in the tournament for the sixth time. Adam Scott was playing in his 12th Masters when he triumphed last year (it also took Phil MIckelson 12 attempts) but the previous two first-time winners were relatively inexperienced. Bubba Watson won in 2012 on just his third visit while 2011 champion Charl Schwartzel was playing in the event for just the second time.
The leading contenders
Rory McIlroy: On paper, Rory's Augusta record is very modest with nothing better than a 15th in five attempts. However, those numbers don't tell the story of 2011 when he cruised into a four-shot lead after 54 holes (65-69-70) before unravelling horribly in a final round 80. The Northern Irishman, who followed that blowout by winning the US Open by eight shots just two months later, has also carded high rounds (77 & 76 in 2012 and 79 in 2013) in the last two Masters so, for the time being, the course is 1up on him. If this is the year when it all changes, McIlroy has certainly left some clues - he regained his mojo with a win in the Aussie Open at the back end of 2013 and, this year, has had runners-up finishes in January's Abu Dhabi Championship and last month's Honda Classic and was a fast finishing seventh in Houston last week. Best round at Augusta: 65 (R1, 2011).
Adam Scott: Greg Norman's catalogue of heartaches left many Aussies feeling that they'd never produce a Masters winner but Scott ended that so-called jinx with a thrilling play-off victory over Angel Cabrera 12 months ago. It followed on from his near-miss in 2012 when he led by two walking off the 17th green before Charl Schwartzel birdied the final four holes to snatch glory. Scott, who has now finished second, eighth and first in the last three Masters has a win, two seconds, a third, a fifth, a seventh and an eighth in the last 12 majors so he's got the art of peaking off to a tee. Scott may have blown victory when third at Bay Hill a few weeks ago but his opening 62 there did look ominous. Only four players have made a successful defence of the Green Jacket but Scott will be loathe to give it back. Asked recently how many times he'd tried it on in front of the mirror since last year he responded "about 365". Best round at Augusta: 66 (R4, 2012).
Phil Mickelson: The left-hander has won three of the last 10 Masters so, on that logic, deserves to be favourite on the course he loves more than any other. As well as those trio of wins, Mickelson can also boast 11 top 10s (six of those are top fives) so he's been a standing dish at Augusta for nearly 20 years. His brilliant win in The Open Championship at Muirfield last July - his fifth major - suggests he has more Green Jackets in him but his results this year must be a concern. Although he kicked 2014 off with a second place in Abu Dhabi the 43-year-old hasn't managed a top 10 in six PGA Tour starts this season. On the plus side he shook off injury fears in Houston last week and played some decent golf to finish tied 12th. Best round at Augusta: 65 (R1, 1996).
Jason Day: When Day shot a 64 in just his second round at Augusta National - a shot lower than Woods or Mickelson have ever managed in their long and illustrious Masters careers - it suggested that he could become a big player in this event. And that's how it's panned out with the Aussie riding that 64 to finish joint runner-up in 2011 and also take third last year. He led on day four in both tournaments. Also runner-up in both the 2011 and 2013 US Opens, Day excels in elite company and proved it again a couple of months ago when capturing the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship after an epic tussle with young Frenchman Victor Dubuisson in the final. A thumb injury has kept him out since that win on February 23rd but he reckons it won't be an issue after a cortisone injection. He is concerned by his lack of sharpness though and arrived in Augusta a full week before the start of the tournament. Best round at Augusta: 64 (R2, 2013).
Dustin Johnson: DJ has had legitimate chances to win the US Open, the Open Championship and the US PGA but he's never been involved at the business end in The Masters. It looked set to be a different story last year when he led the tournament at seven-under with fives holes of his second round to go but he played them in six-over and fell away. His eventual 13th place was at least a Masters best after finishes of 38-38-30. Johnson's big appeal is that he can often have weeks when he looks unstoppable. Still 29, Johnson has racked up eight PGA Tour wins, the most recent November's WGC-HSBC Champions. This year his first four strokeplay starts produced two second places, a fourth and a sixth so his withdrawal from the Houston Open on Friday after a shock opening 80 ("a stiff back" was the official reason) came out of the blue. Best round at Augusta: 67 (R1, 2013).
Bubba Watson: The left-hander produced one of The Masters' iconic shots, hooking an amazing 52-degree gap wedge out of the trees from right of the 10th fairway and onto the green, to beat Louis Oosthuizen in a play-off in 2012. Apart from that, his best finish is a debut 20th in 2008 so he has been inconsistent at Augusta National. His form this year has been mostly excellent. Bubba's victory in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera was his first win since his emotional Masters triumph in 2012 while he's also posted second places at Phoenix and in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. His bizarre 83 and subsequent withdrawal at Bay Hill (he cited allergies) can probably be ignored. Best round at Augusta: 67 (R3, 2011).
Matt Kuchar: In the last few years he's won the 2010 PGA Tour Money List, the prestigious Players Championship at Sawgrass in 2012 and the WGC-Accenture Match Play and Memorial in 2013. So despite not being a prolific winner, he can beat the elite fields. Two years ago the amiable American made a huge run at the Green Jacket and briefly tied for the lead on Sunday with a brilliant eagle at 15. Although he came up just short (tied third), it suggested that he has the tools to be a Masters winner. Also eighth in last year's Masters, Kuchar's current form is as good as anybody's after a fourth and a second in the two Texas tournaments preceding Augusta. He had excellent chances to win both so can still show vulnerability when trying to close tournaments out. Best round at Augusta: 68 (R3, 1998; R1, 2011; R1, 2013).
Sergio Garcia: Sergio's Masters stats can be twisted either way. Taking a negative view, he's managed just a solitary top five (fourth in 2004) in 15 attempts. Being more upbeat, he's had three top 10s and in the last four years has improved his finish each time - 45th-35th-12th-8th. A slight concern is that he's often said in recent years that Augusta National isn't his favourite course and that negativity can affect him. If Sergio can get his head right, he has a huge bank of impressive recent form to draw on. The Spaniard has had wins in Thailand and Qatar in the last few months and was the halfway leader in Houston last week before finishing third. He tops the Bogey Avoidance stats this year and keeping errors of your card at Augusta is a big factor common to many recent Green Jacket winners. Best round at Augusta: 66 (R4, 2004; R1, 2013).
Justin Rose: The Englishman has always shown up strongly in this event, He's been the first-round leader three times, the halfway leader in 2004, one shot back teeing off at the 71st hole in 2007 and has never finished worse than his debut 39th in 2003. It looked as if it might all come together last year but after starting the weekend in tied seventh he slipped back to 25th. Rose's 2014 has been hampered by tendinitis in his right shoulder and three starts in March's Florida Swing produced a mixed bag - 34th, eighth and a missed cut. He followed the latter by heading to Augusta for an early look and a practice round with US amateur champ Matt Fitzpatrick. Best round at Augusta: 67 (R1, 2004).
Henrik Stenson: The Swede does hold a couple of records at Augusta but not ones he would want - the worst ever scores recorded at the par three fourth (an eight in 2011) and the par four 18th (an eight in 2012, although he does share that with six others, including Arnold Palmer). Stenson played some astonishing golf to win both the FedEx Cup and Race To Dubai in the second half of 2013 (he was also second in The Open and third in the USPGA) but has struggled to hit the heights in 2014. That said, a fifth spot at Bay Hill two starts ago suggests his game isn't too far away again and he may be ready to improve a very patchy Masters record which has yielded nothing better than a 17th in eight attempts. His closing 69 when tied 18th last year was the first time he'd ever broken 70 at Augusta National. Best round at Augusta: 69 (R4, 2013).
Outsiders who could challenge
Patrick Reed has caused a big storm with his claim that he should be regarded as a 'top five' player but three PGA Tour wins in his last 15 starts is fairly startling and he has strong local connections. His parents and sister live in Augusta and he went to college there. Jimmy Walker is another first-timer who could take to the course straight away. The Texan won three times in eight starts between October and February and is top of the FedEx Cup standings. Completing a hat-trick of debutants, Jordan Spieth is wonderfully consistent for one so young, has seemingly limitless potential and was second in the Tour Championship on his last start in Georgia. Rickie Fowler has finished 38th, 27th and 38th in his three Masters and could be peaking at the perfect time after a && in Houston. English trio Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Luke Donald have all been in the mix at Augusta before so it could be dangerous to rule them out while Argentina's Angel Cabrera - the champion in 2009 and runner-up last year - comes alive on this course. Gary Woodland could be an interesting dark horse. He hits it a mile, was 20th, 8th and 16th in the three Florida Swing events and made the top 25 on his debut here in 2011. Francesco Molinari isn't on the radar for most but his fifth place at Bay Hill last time, 19th here in 2012 and strong recent Scrambling stats all point to a challenge. Finally, Brandt Snedeker has played numerous practice rounds at Augusta and went off in the final pairing last year before stumbling. He's got Masters form figures of 3rd-MC-15th-19th-6th.
Conclusion
Brandt Snedeker has twice gone out in the final group on Sunday in his last five Masters and has quickly built a reputation as a course specialist.
He's been unusually quiet for most of this year but, with The Masters was on the horizon, it seemed no coincidence that Snedeker suddenly clicked back into gear with an eighth place at Bay Hill on his last start.
With four top 20s in his five Masters, including a third and a sixth, Augusta National really suits his game and a strong CV which shows six Tour wins, a FedEx Cup trophy and seven top 20s (including a third in The Open) in his last 11 majors suggests he's ready to land one of the game's ultimate prizes.
Rickie Fowler has made all three of his Masters cuts and although he's finished in the pack each time there have been some bright moments. He was fourth after day one last year and ninth with a round to go while on debut in 2011 he sat seventh at the halfway mark.
He's done some strong work on his swing with Butch Harmon and the results are starting to show.
The 24-year-old was third in the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona in February and warmed up for The Masters with a strong sixth place in Houston last week.
Tiger's absence has paved the way for an 'out with the old, in with the new' storyline and if we are to see a symbolic changing of the guard then Fowler (fifth in the 2011 Open and 10th in the 2013 US Open) looks like one of the youngsters who could step up.
So often at Augusta, we've seen the player with a bit of magic in their wrists usurp the steady greens in reg type. Think Cabrera ousting Kenny Perry in 2009, Mickelson beating Westwood in 2010 and Bubba seeing off Oosthuizen in 2012 with his miracle play-off shot. Another short-game wizard, Charl Schwartzel, took victory in 2011.
So, because I think a European victory at Augusta is long overdue, I'm going for a trio of Jose Maria Olazabal's Medinah heroes.
First up is Rory McIlroy. In theory, Augusta is made for him. His big, towering ball flight and magic short game is the perfect mix and only a back-nine meltdown stopped him taking the Green Jacket in 2011.
There's a concern that his under pressure miss to the left is hugely destructive at Augusta but, with two majors now under his belt, he will surely cope better than he did in 2011 when still without one.
Luke Donald has an amazing short-game and was Seve-like when he won the first of his BMW PGA Championship wins at Wentworth in 2011.
To be honest he's had to rely on it too much at times and that's why he's implemented swing changes after too much inconsistency in the majors.
Luke is rather being overlooked this year but he's coming off a run of four straight top 25s, which include a fourth and an eighth, while he's had a third, a fourth and a 10th in The Masters and has always said it represents his best chance of winning a major.
As for his lack of length, Donald can take comfort in the Jack Nicklaus quote: "It's not a big hitters golf course if you use your head."
Finally, without knowing his troubled history in majors, there would be a rush to back Sergio Garcia this week.
He's in great form - he has been for a long time - and has a couple of wins under his belt in the last four months.
His Masters record shows improvement too with a 12th and an 8th in the last two years.
Garcia would seem a natural successor to Spanish compatriots Ballesteros and Olazabal, who won five Green Jackets between them, as he has the same sort of ability to pull a rabbit from a hat.
In a perverse way, as this is the major that Sergio feels he's least likely to win, it might just be the one which gives him that long overdue and deserved success.
His stats look ideal for success this week and he deserves our support.
Masters picks
Brand Snedeker
Rickie Fowler
Rory McIlroy
Luke Donald
Sergio Garcia
