The year’s first major is fast approaching. The best golfers in the world will descend upon the Augusta National Golf Club for The Masters. It’s going to be one hell of a tournament with a stacked field of competitors. Rory McIlroy returns as one of the top golfers in the world.
There are also the likes of Adam Scott and Bubba Watson each vying to take home another green jacket from Augusta. Read on as we examine the five favorites heading into the 2016 Masters. Looking for more golf action? Check out our WGC-Dell Match Play sleepers and experts picks.
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2016 The Masters Preview
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy sucked. He was terrible at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend. He posted plenty of red numbers and finished tied for 27th. He had six double-bogeys, including four during the weekend rounds. But McIlroy did close with a seven-under 65, highlighted by an incredible 59-foot birdie putt.
It was a very sloppy week for the Irish golfer. McIlroy acknowledged that his bad performance was due to mental block, and not the mechanics of his swing. Considering that he gets past his mental hurdles, he’ll stand a great chance of winning his first green jacket.
The world No. 2 had a very solid Masters outing last year. He started slow with a score of 71 in each of the first two rounds. But he made up for it with a four-under par 68 in the third and a six-under par 66 in the closing round. He finished fourth in the tournament. Expect McIlroy to put on another masterful performance this time around as a +750 favorite.
Jordan Spieth
World No. 1 Jordan Spieth (+750) started off on the right foot. He had three straight top 10 finishes, capped off by a win at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He hit a 30-under 262 in that victory. But it all went south from there. He finished 21st at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and missed the cut at the Northern Trust Open. He hasn’t finished in the top 10 since his first win of the season.
Spieth will be gunning for his second green jacket at this year’s Masters Tournament. He started off a solid run in the majors with a win at this event last season. He won with an 18-under 270 at the Augusta National Golf Club last year before taking another major title at the U.S. Open. He barely missed out on a Grand Slam, finishing fourth and second at the British Open and PGA Championship respectively.
If Spieth wants another shot at a Grand Slam, then he’ll need to shake off his horrible stretch. Doing so may be quite difficult. According to last year’s PGA Championship title winner, Jason Day, the world No. 1 may be hit with burnout.
In the past few months, Spieth has made trips to China, Australia, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Abu Dhabi and multiple stops across the United States due to tournaments and sponsor obligations. A 22 year old could only take so much before being burnt out.
Jason Day
Who’s going to benefit if Spieth really does get burn out? Jason Day of course! Day is coming off his best year so far. He won five times in 2015, including his first ever major at the PGA Championship. The Australian golfer even had a brief stint as the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world.
Day may be coming into this tournament fresh. He took five months off due to the birth of his second child. He’s been pretty good in the five tournaments he’s played. He finished 10th at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions for his first outing of the season. He won his first title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend.
If there’s one man who deserves to be a favorite, then it’s Day. He’s been stellar in his last 12 tournaments with five wins and seven top 10 finishes. It’s going to be tough to deny a red hot Day, especially when he’s fresh after taking a break in the early goings of the season. The Aussie is +750 to win the Masters.
Adam Scott
The stage has been set for a big performance from Australia’s top golfers. Jason Day isn’t the only golfer from Down Under to have an upswing in form. Even Adam Scott has been magnificent heading into the Masters Tournament at Georgia.
Scott has placed no worse than 12th in his last four contests. He has two wins at the WGC-Cadillac Championship and the Honda Classic. He also has a second place finish at the Northern Trust Open. There’s no golfer hotter than Scott right now. He offers a profitable line of +1,000 to win the Masters.
Bubba Watson
Bubba Watson is having a great 2016. He’s made 6 of 7 cuts this season with four top 10 finishes and two wins. He’s red hot heading into the Masters with a second place finish at the WGC-Cadillac Championship and a win at the Northern Trust Open.
Watson was on a similar trajectory last year. He had four top 10 finishes heading into 2015’s first major. But he bombed at Augusta big time. He finished 38th with a one-over par 289. He hit 73 and 74 in the third and fourth rounds respectively.
Watson will need to keep consistent this time around. The Masters has been his best major tournament in his career. He already won the green jacket in 2012 and 2014. He’s +1,200 to win the Masters.
Writer’s Prediction
Adam Scott (+1,000) wins his second green jacket.
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