MASTERS ‘22: Brief look at 10 (or 11) contenders at Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — A capsule take a look at 10 (or 11) main contenders for the 86th Masters, to be performed April 7-10 at Augusta Nationwide. Listed in predicted order of end:
JUSTIN THOMAS
Age: 28.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 7.
Worldwide victories: 14.
Majors: PGA Championship (2017).
Greatest end on the Masters: 4th.
Masters second: Being a part of a five-way tie for the lead after 36 holes in November 2020.
Notable: He has solely 5 top-10 finishes in 24 majors as a professional.
Backspin: Whereas he has gone greater than a 12 months with out profitable, Thomas has completed within the prime 10 in six of his final 9 begins and has put a robust emphasis on his driving. His solely good week on the Masters was within the smooth circumstances of November 2020.
DUSTIN JOHNSON
Age: 37.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 8.
Worldwide victories: 25.
Majors: Masters (2020), U.S. Open (2016).
Greatest end on the Masters: Gained.
Masters second: Being so emotional about profitable in 2020 that he couldn’t converse.
Notable: He has not gained on the PGA Tour because the Masters in 2020. His final victory was the Saudi Worldwide 14 months in the past.
Backspin: Johnson has regarded sharper currently, and he has stated in latest weeks he’s “trending.” Even when he briefly fell out of the highest 10, he stays one in every of recreation’s dominant gamers.
JON RAHM
Age: 27.
Nation: Spain.
World rating: 2.
Worldwide victories: 13.
Majors: U.S. Open (2021).
Greatest end on the Masters: 4th in 2018.
Masters second: Opening with a 75 in 2018 and nonetheless giving himself an opportunity to win on Sunday till hitting into the water on the fifteenth gap.
Notable: South Africa and Spain at the moment are tied for having essentially the most gamers win the Masters.
Backspin: He has been higher than ever from tee-to-green this 12 months with out changing as many putts. Rahm has completed within the prime 10 the final 4 years on the Masters, and he was the one participant final 12 months to complete within the prime 10 in any respect 4 majors.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
Age: 25.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 1.
Worldwide victories: 3.
Majors: None.
Greatest end on the Masters: Tie for 18th.
Masters second: Transferring into the highest 50 as a PGA Tour rookie to qualify for his first Masters in 2020.
Notable: He’s the primary participant since Dustin Johnson in 2017 to have gained thrice within the 12 months going into the Masters.
Backspin: Six weeks in the past he was searching for his first PGA Tour victory. Now he’s a three-time winner and No. 1 on the planet. However look past the final six weeks. Scheffler has completed within the prime 20 in all six majors he has performed since getting his PGA Tour card.
JORDAN SPIETH
Age: 28.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 17.
Worldwide victories: 15.
Majors: Masters (2015), U.S. Open (2015), British Open (2017).
Greatest end on the Masters: Gained.
Masters second: Going wire to wire in 2015 for a four-shot victory over Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose.
Notable: He already has 5 top-three finishes on the Masters in eight appearances.
Backspin: He ended his lengthy winless streak final 12 months going into the Masters, however he hasn’t gained because the Texas Open and has solely contended one time this 12 months at Pebble Seaside. Nonetheless, his monitor report at Augusta Nationwide suggests he can discover his method into the combo, particularly when he cuts down on the foul balls off the tee.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE
Age: 28.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 10.
Worldwide victories: 5.
Majors: None.
Greatest end on the Masters: Runner-up in 2019.
Masters second: Hitting 8-iron into the water on the sixteenth after reducing Hideki Matsuyama’s result in two photographs within the last spherical of 2021.
Notable: His Olympic gold medal final summer season in Tokyo is his solely victory within the final three years.
Backspin: He was amongst those that completed second behind Tiger Woods in 2019, and he was closing in on Hideki Matsuyama final 12 months till his triple bogey on the sixteenth gap. Among the many younger gamers and not using a main, he contends in them greater than the remainder.
RORY MCILROY
Age: 32.
Nation: Northern Eire.
World rating: 9.
Worldwide victories: 28.
Majors: U.S. Open (2011), PGA Championship (2012, 2014), British Open (2014).
Greatest end on the Masters: 4th in 2015.
Masters second: Having a four-shot lead in 2011 and shutting with an 80.
Notable: Since profitable the British Open in 2014, this shall be his eighth try to win the Masters for the profession Grand Slam.
Backspin: The eye on the profession Grand Slam will not be as nice because it has been in earlier years, nevertheless it’s nonetheless there. McIlroy has proven he’s succesful at Augusta Nationwide. However the scar tissue of shedding the large lead in 2011 and getting beat within the last group towards Patrick Reed in 2018 solely provides to the burden.
PATRICK CANTLAY
Age: 30.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 5.
Worldwide victories: 5.
Majors: None.
Greatest end on the Masters: Tie for ninth in 2019.
Masters second: Making eagle on the fifteenth gap in 2019 to take the lead, solely to bogey the subsequent two holes and tie for ninth.
Notable: He has solely two prime 10s within the 14 majors he has performed as a professional.
Backspin: Cantlay confirmed his potential late final 12 months when he gained thrice and captured the FedEx Cup. However whereas he has no actual weak point in his recreation, he hasn’t been on one of the best run going into Augusta, ending out of the highest 20 in his final three begins.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA
Age: 30.
Nation: Japan.
World rating: 12.
Worldwide victories: 17.
Majors: Masters (2021).
Greatest end on the Masters: Gained.
Masters second: Thrusting his arms within the air when he placed on the inexperienced jacket.
Notable: Matsuyama is the eighth participant to have been low newbie and champion on the Masters.
Backspin: Not one to hunt a number of consideration, Matsuyama hosts the Masters Membership dinner on Tuesday evening and shall be beneath extra stress than traditional as defending champion. He harm his neck and shoulder at Bay Hill and didn’t play for 3 weeks till the Texas Open forward of the Masters.
COLLIN MORIKAWA
Age: 25.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 3.
Worldwide victories: 6.
Majors: PGA Championship (2020), British Open (2021).
Greatest end on the Masters: Tie for 18th.
Masters second: Has performed the eleventh gap in 7-over par in his eight rounds at Augusta Nationwide.
Notable: He gained thrice on the PGA Tour earlier than enjoying in his first Masters.
Backspin: Morikawa gained the PGA Championship in his second try to the British Open in his first. That is his third Masters. He says he tried to alter his recreation to suit Augusta Nationwide when he ought to have relied on a recreation that already has produced six victories worldwide.
x-TIGER WOODS
Age: 46.
Nation: United States.
World rating: 944.
Worldwide victories: 93.
Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019), U.S. Open (2000, 2002, 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006), PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007).
Greatest end on the Masters: Gained
Masters second: Successful by a report 12 photographs in his skilled debut in 1997, finishing his sweep of the majors in 2001, profitable after going by 4 again surgical procedures in 2019.
Notable: He might tie Jack Nicklaus with a sixth inexperienced jacket and substitute Nicklaus because the oldest Masters champion.
Backspin: Woods hasn’t performed because the November 2020 Masters due to a automobile crash within the coastal Los Angeles suburbs in February 2021 that badly broken his proper leg. His solely competitors since then was enjoying a scramble format along with his 12-year-old son within the PNC Championship in December and utilizing a cart.
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x-Has not introduced if he’ll play.
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