Masters 2021
Course Description
Augusta National Golf Club Par 72 7,475 yards
Hole to Watch
Par 3 12th hole
Storylines
Back to April
It was good to have the Masters last year in November but the return to its normal date in April is a welcomed one.
Fans are back
It may be limited attendance but the patrons are back at Augusta National and that is great for the community and the tournament.
No Tiger Woods
Due to his injuries, he suffered in his car accident Woods will be sitting out of this year’s Masters and he truly will be missed.
Jordan Spieth is on a roll
If there is someone who knows Augusta National in and out it’s Spieth. Arguably being the hottest golfer coming into this week can he win his first major since 2017?
Rory Mcllroy
Is this the year Mcllroy finally completes the golf grand slam for majors?
Brooks Koepka
After having knee surgery and doing intense rehab, Koepka returns to action this week. It remains to be seen if he is fully healthy.
Firm and Fast
There has been a lot of talk this week about how tough Augusta National is going to be playing firm and fast which will throw a curveball right at the players, shooting under par will be a great score.
Sleepers
Victor Hovland
One of the golf’s youngest stars hasn’t played his best golf coming into this week. But that doesn’t take away from his stellar iron play and his solid results in majors he has played in so far.
Matt Kuchar
Kuchar has been playing well coming into this week and Augusta National has always been a comfortable golf course for him watch out if that putter gets out. It really is still hard to believe he has never won a major.
Hideki Matsuyama
Five top 20s in five of his last six starts at Augusta National I say Matsuyama has a good chance of doing that again this week.
Cameron Smith
The only player in Masters history to shoot four rounds in the 60s and a firm and fast golf course does fit his game very well.
Corey Conners
Very good play coming into this week behind his ball-striking, he also had a top 10 finish here last year. He does not draw that much attention compared to the big names on the PGA Tour which is a good thing for a sleeper
Scottie Scheffler
It won’t be too long before I’ll have to remove Scheffler off of my sleeper list because he will be top 10 in the World Golf Rankings. Like Hovland, Scheffler is one of golf’s brightest young stars and his name will be a factor come Sunday with the way he’s been playing.
Golfer I do not like this week
Rory Mcllroy
Mcllroy wedge game has been subpar and the results speak for themselves he is as cold as ice right now. A lot of questions surround Mcllroy and his play since COVID-19 started but this is not the week he turns it around and finally completes the major grand slam.
Collin Morikawa
Take away his win at the WGC Workday and Morikawa hasn’t been sharp since his breakthrough win at the PGA Championship last year. Putting his been a big struggle lately and I do not expect Morikawa to turn it around this week.
Tony Finau
Finau is on this part of the list for one reason not being a closer. Sure he could be on the first page of the leaderboard come Sunday. But I just cannot put my faith in Finau to handle the pressure of winning a major until he can prove to me he can finish off golf tournaments. So expect the usual top 15 finish for Finau but the frustration continues.
Tyrell Hatton
Hatton may be in the top 10 of the World Golf Rankings but his track record at Augusta National is not good with a T-44 being his best finish.
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele will eventually crack down the door and win a major championship. However, Schauffele is in a bit of a slump with no top 10s in his last four starts and a theme is you have to be on your game coming in and playing at Augusta National.
Power Rankings
10 Louis Oosthuizen
The man has four runner-ups at majors but always plays well in the big moments with his putting. With his good history at Augusta National, Oosthuizen could very well be a factor come Sunday.
9 Patrick Cantlay
In 2019 Cantlay at one point held the solo lead on the back nine and had a T17 last year as well. The eye test backs it up Cantlay has the game to win a Green Jacket but it comes down to putting from 5 to 10 feet on whether he will be a contender or not.
8 Brooks Koepka
All eyes are on Koepka’s knee this week to see if he is fully healthy. If he is he is automatically a favorite to win the tournament but rust and the health question marks has him lower on the power rankings.
7 Lee Westwood
Westwood is playing some great golf in the past 12 months and even held two 54-hole leads at Bay Hill and the Players. Westwood blew both of those leads and has never won a major despite many chances including at Augusta National. I expect Westwood to contend come the weekend but he may fall short once again at winning his first ever major.
6 Patrick Reed
Reed may not be the most liked golfer on the PGA Tour but his play does the talking for him. His short game and putting should once again have him contending for another green jacket.
5 Jon Rahm
Congrats to Rahm on being a father! We know what we get with Jon Rahm as he has the game to win a major championship especially this week. Rahm has had three straight top 10s at Augusta National and is hot coming into this week. Only thing that always concerns me is his temper as you need mental toughness to win a major.
4 Bryson DeChambeau
We are in for a treat this week with a healthy DeChambeau taking on Augusta National at its best. A lot of questions will be asked on his strategy for this week but it will come down to his wedge game and past results at Augusta National have not been too kind. But his power will get him into contention on Sunday.
3 Justin Thomas
Tiger Woods has helped show Thomas the ropes of attacking Augusta National a place where he struggled at until a T5 finish last year so maybe he figured it out? You feel like Thomas has underachieved at majors since his win at the 2017 PGA Championship. But winning the Players and some added motivation this week means Thomas is one of the favorites coming in.
2 Jordan Spieth
Well, well I did not expect seven weeks ago putting Spieth in my power rankings but here we are. Last week was his first win since the 2017 Open Championship and some say he’s back because of his hot play. I’m not ready to declare that yet because I want to see how he does against a strong field with the best players in the world playing. Not to mention not since 2006 has the winner the week before the Masters also won the Masters so I have my doubts. However, his history and stellar play at Augusta National does the talking and puts him in the second position here and Spieth will be a name to watch come Sunday.
1 Dustin Johnson
The defending champion and world number one is looking to repeat this week. Johnson in his last five Masters starts has a T6, T4, T10, T2 and a dominant win. It’s not the same golf course like last year but if the putting is on point nobody in this field is stopping him this week. Despite five wins in the last 10 months, Johnson will have to clean up some issues off the tee lately but we could very well see a repeat this year as Johnson is the favorite.
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Score Prediction -11
