The Masters: Can Tiger Woods claim a 15th major title at Augusta?

Butch Harmon expects Woods and McIlroy to impress at Augusta; Watch Masters - On The Range live on Sky Sports Golf from 2pm on Wednesday, and the Par 3 contest live from 7pm

Butch Harmon

Golf Columnist

Wednesday 10 April 2019 18:34, UK

Can Tiger Woods register a 15th major title and a first in more than a decade this week at the Masters? Butch Harmon gives his verdict...

With Tiger Woods, you can never say never. If you said he could never win a major again and he read it, he would go and do it just to prove you wrong!

If you look at the first three majors of the year, we are here then at Bethpage and then at Pebble Beach, which are all venues Tiger has won at. If there was going to be a year where he was going to win another major, I think this is the run where he's going to have a good shot.

He played really well from tee to green at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. I did not think his putting was up to 100 per cent to his standards, but he knows this place well and I actually think come Sunday he will be in the mix.

There are two things you really have to do well around here. It's one of the most unusual courses you will ever play because you seldom shoot at a pin, you're shooting at areas where the slope takes the ball down to the flag.

Your distance control with your irons has to be spot on, because it's not then you're going to get in trouble. What I've seen from Tiger over the early part of this year has been great with his irons.

The second thing is three-putt avoidance and you do that with good iron play. If you go 72 holes around here without three-putting, which Tiger has done when he has won in the past, then you're going to have a good chance.

For me, I think this could be Rory McIlroy's best opportunity yet of winning the Masters. I'm not trying to be critical in anyway but, he's starting to actually look and play like Rory again. The best way to grow your brand is to win major championships!

I've been very impressed with the way he has been playing. He is putting much better and you can bet that when we get to the back nine on Sunday, he will be in with a chance.

The course was already playing longer and the rain is going to make it play a lot longer, but length does not bother these guys.

If you are looking for someone to put a little money for a long-shot, I'd bet on Paul Casey because he has been playing good. Having said that, if Dustin Johnson putts like we know DJ can - and I'm not just saying that because he's one of my guys - then I think he will win it.