81st Edition of the Master's Tournament

The greatest tournament in golf starts tomorrow as we begin the 81st edition of the Master’s Tournament. Weather reports suggest very gusty winds both Thursday and Friday, possibly even into Saturday, which will make the course even more challenging. Expect high scores going into the weekends, with even par rounds likely being a good outcome for the next two or three days.

Coming into the Master’s, there is no clear-cut favorite. Any expert you ask will likely have a different answer, especially considering the weather forecast. We’re going to break down the field for you, breaking them up into the favorites, top contenders, and some wild cards.

The Favorites:

Dustin Johnson: DJ comes into the Master’s as the #1 player in the world and the hottest player in golf, winning each of his last 3 starts and finishing in the top 6 in five of his last six outings. He finally got over the hump and won his first major last year at the U.S Open, eliminating the theory that he can’t win a major. He finished 4th in the Master’s last year. All this makes him the Vegas favorite coming into the week. Expect him to be on the front page of the leaderboard on Sunday.

Jordan Spieth: Spieth comes in on a little bit of a rockier road than DJ, having missed the cut last week. He was playing extremely well early in the year, but his play has fallen off in his last few tournaments. Nonetheless, Spieth finished 2nd, 1st, and 2nd in the last three Master’s, making him one of the top favorites regardless of what he has done in the last few weeks. You can also expect him on the front page of the leaderboard on Sunday.

Top Contenders:

Rory McIlroy: Rory needs to win the Master’s to complete the career grand slam. He has had some success at the Master’s in the past, finishing 8th, 4th, and 10th in the past three years. If he gets hot, he is capable of racking up birdies as quickly as anyone, and can run away with any tournament he competes in. So long as he is within five or six shots, he always needs to be accounted for.

Jason Day: Day is another player such as McIlroy, who has had some success at the Master’s in the past, but seems to perform better in other major championships. Day finished 10th last year, and has two top 3 finishes in the past at Augusta. Day has not played well to this point this year, having only one top 10 finish in six starts. As good as he is, he can still be in contention, but it won’t be terribly surprising to see him struggle this week.

Rickie Fowler: Rickie seems to get a lot of criticism for being so popular while his play doesn’t quite live up to the hype. He comes in on a hot streak, having three top 5 finishes in his last five starts, with all five starts resulting in top 16 or better finishes. His entire game is working right now, as he is in the top 30 on tour in strokes gained driving, approach, chipping, and putting this year, while posting the lowest average score. At Augusta, it takes a complete game to win. His best Master’s finish is 5th in 2014. Watch out for Rickie this week.

Wild Cards:

Jon Rahm: The 22-year-old just turned pro in 2016. He has never played in the Master’s. At the same time, he may be the hottest golfer in the world. He has played in 10 events this year, and boasts eight top 25, five top 10, and three top 3 finishes this season. Lately it seems guys that have never won a major before are sneaking up on the field and finishing off more majors than ever before, such as Danny Willett winning the Master’s last year. Keep an eye on Rahm not only this week, but for the foreseeable future.

Phil Mickelson: Lefty may be getting old, but if there’s one tournament where his past experience, know how, and course familiarity will give him an edge, it’s at Augusta. Take into consideration the poor weather forecast, and the fact that Lefty is one of the most creative golfers on tour, and he may be able to use his experience and creativity to his advantage. It would be surprising if Phil doesn’t end up in the top 20, and he certainly could make a run at green jacket #4 this week.

Bubba Watson: Take everything we just said about experience, know how, and creativity that we mentioned for Phil, and apply it to Bubba as well. Bubba won two of the last five Master’s in 2012 and 2014, so he can never be taken lightly in this tournament. He hasn’t really played well recently, but Augusta could be exactly what he needs to get rolling.

Prediction:

Give us Rickie Fowler this week with a winning score of 5 under par. Taking into account all variables, including recent play, completeness of the player’s game, creativity, and the bad weather forecast, Rickie seems to check all the boxes. He says he loves playing in the wind, and his results back up that claim, as he has two top 5 finishes in the Open Championship and a win in the Scottish Open.

Rickie is coming in hot, his entire game has been working well this year, he’s not afraid of the bad weather, and if there’s birdie opportunities out there he is as likely to capitalize on them as anyone. He will need to limit the big mistakes that may come from over aggression, and if he can do that he will be near the top of the field. The scores will be high this week due to the weather, so a few shots under par very well may be enough to get it done. Another first-time major winner gets over the hump, and Rickie silences a lot of critics in the process.

Who do you think will win the Master's? Is DJ the guy to beat? Will there be a repeat winner such as Spieth, Mickelson, or Bubba? Will a first time major winner like Rickie or Rahm win? Comment and let us know! Stay tuned for more current sports stories. Don't forget to follow us on social media. You can find us on , Instagram @beyondthemetrics, and Twitter @byondthemetrics