Scottie Scheffler is the number one golfer in the world and has a chance to don the green jacket yet again in this year’s Masters.
Scheffler comes into the tournament playing equally as well as how he came into the tournament in 2022 when he went on to win. Scheffler, the newly bearded pro, marches to Augusta following wins at The Players and The Arnold Palmer Invitational and a tied second showing at the Houston Open.
The second at the Houston Open came from Scheffler missing a five-foot putt to force a play-in with the winner Steven Jeager. This was not as shocking of a result as you would expect from the best player in the world. Scheffler has struggled on numerous occasions with his putter.
Scheffler who is far and away the best tee-to-green player on the tour has lost plenty of tournaments simply on the putting green. He made a switch in the lead-up to the Arnold Palmer which proved to be a successful one.
Scheffler made the switch from a blade putter to a more forgiving larger mallet putter and turned in three above-average putting weeks which allowed him to break through in his last three appearances.
However, the pressure will not ease off, especially at Augusta National. Augusta National will punish players severely on the putting greens and has proved to play pivotal roles in previous Masters. Scheffler will have to have another above-average putting week on the bent grass Augusta greens in order to make a run and pick the menu for next year’s champion’s dinner.
Another prevalent storyline heading into the first major of the year is the everpresent Tiger Woods. Woods, who withdrew from his previous tournament – the Genesis Invitational – citing an illness, has a chance to make history yet again at The Masters.
Woods with a made cut would obtain the record for the most consecutive made cuts with 24. However, Woods’ record-breaking may end there as the 48 year old has had trouble returning to his former self following his severe car crash.
While Scheffler is the far and away favorite at +400, there are many other challengers in the field who have a great chance to have the Green Jacket in their possession come Sunday night.
Perhaps the lead challenger in many people’s minds Jon Rahm has the best chance to win and make his own history. Rahm with a win would join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods as the only players to successfully defend their title at Augusta National.
Rahm, who recently joined LIV Golf forming his own team in Legion XIII. Rahm has played well in his five LIV starts placing top 10 in all of his appearances, but the field strength and 54 hole format bring into question the legitimacy of Rahm’s game.
The runner-up to Rahm in the previous Masters is another player who threatens to challenge Rham’s repeat performance. Brooks Koepka, another LIV player who is a sure bet at all of the majors comes back to Augusta with his eyes set on his first Green Jacket.
After Koepka’s lead slipped through his hands in last year’s Masters he went on to capture his fifth major at Oak Hill in the PGA. Koepka has not shown the recent form that Rahm and Scheffler have with a T45 at LIV Miami. However, Koepka’s major success can not be ignored with five majors and over ten top fives in his career.
Another player with major success but not quite the major wins Xander Schauffle has a chance to win his first. Twenty years after Phil Mickelson won his first major, Schauffle with similar close calls is in a great position to break through.
Schauffle has placed top five in three of his last four events and is showing great form. However, he has struggled to put away big tournaments down the stretch including this year’s players in which he had a chance to win and came up a shot short on Sunday. This brings into question whether or not he could fend off players like the ones mentioned above and secure the win.
On a different part of the odds sheet, there are plenty of underdogs whose games fit well at Augusta National.
Russell Henley is a name you may see on the leaderboard heading into the weekend. The thirty four year old who is playing in his eighth masters is playing well with a fourth place at last week’s Texas Open.
Shane Lowry, winner of the 2019 Open, has a chance to notch his second major with a good showing this week. Lowry has been playing exceptionally well on his approach shots, gaining around a stroke and a half on the field which is a part of the game valued at Augusta National.
Another player with the opportunity to win their second major is Jason Day. Day who has multiple top finishes at The Masters is not quite showing the form others have but has plenty of history on this course and is due for a breakthrough.
Regardless of the outcome this week, The Masters is must-see TV. Yet again, history will be made this week at Augusta National that will change lives and shape careers.
