By Neil Leverett
- The 86th Masters begin on Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia
- Hideki Matsuyama set to defend despite injury concerns; Tiger Woods to make return
- World number one Scottie Scheffler the man in form having won three of the last 10 PGA Tour events
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – As major season begins with the hotly-anticipated 86th Masters on Thursday, who will take home the Green Jacket at Augusta?
Magnolia Lane. For golf fans there is no better sight.
As the cream of golf once more assembles in Georgia this week amongst the azaleas, major season arrives once more with the 2022 Masters at the Augusta National.
The 86th playing of the event, the competition for the Green Jacket is more fierce than ever and for all talk of the Saudi Golf League attempting to split the pack in two, there is nothing like the chance to make that special visit to the Butler Cabin.
So settle in. The Masters is here.
Matsuyama set to defend?
Last year’s tournament was the crowing moment for Hideki Matusyama as he became the first Japanese player to win a major.
His participation in this year’s event however, looks in doubt due to injury. Far from a win out of the blue with 20 previous Tour wins across the globe, the 30-year-old survived a serious wobble 12 months ago after visiting the water on the back nine, holding off Will Zalatoris by a single stroke in the Peach State.
Since then, Matsuyama narrowly missed out on bronze medal in his home Olympics last summer – via a seven-man playoff – and again was edged out in a playoff to Abraham Ancer at the end of last season in the FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
Having won the Sony Open in Hawaii back in January, a rather large question mark now hangs over whether Matsuyama will even be able to compete. Matsuyama has been practicing at Augusta National ahead of the tournament but it remains to be seen if he can defend his crown this week.
McIlroy’s latest Grand Slam bid
For Rory McIlroy, the latest edition of the Masters is another chance to seal a place in golfing history. But his quest is becoming increasingly urgent. Now a full eight years since he won the PGA Championship at Valhalla back in 2014, not only has the Northern Irishman seen major openings come and go, so too the field has grown in number and stature.
Since winning his first major at Kiawah Island in 2012 and then claiming the Claret Jug at the Royal Liverpool two years later, McIlroy has yearned for a Green Jacket.
However, after seven unsuccessful attempts to become only the sixth player to seal the Modern Grand Slam, his wait for another major has gone on just as long. But McIlroy does have the form to suggest he can more than compete in his 14th trip to Augusta.
Having won the CJ Cup in Las Vegas last October, his 20th PGA Tour win now leaves McIlroy in elite company. Yet, for all his continued successes there remain issues with mentality. Indeed, not only did the 32-year-old surrender winning positions in both the DP World Tour Championship and Dubai Desert Classic – set to win both events for a record third time – the Holywood native was also a prominent figure at the Players Championship last month before his inevitable fall from grace.
Twelve months ago, the talk was that McIlroy could make an impression and perhaps finally earn that most coveted of prizes in golf, only then to fail to make the cut for the first time. The same buzz is building again but will it be a similar story?
McIlroy’s T4 in 2015 was the closest he has so far come to finally silencing his critics and make no mistake, he has the game to take home the Green Jacket but can McIlroy string together four days of major-winning golf and cut out the errors?
There remains some considerable doubt.
The Tiger returns
Perhaps the bigger story aside from McIlroy’s potential shot at history is Tiger Woods‘ return at Augusta.
In February of last year, the player who many regard the greatest player in the history of the game was involved in a serious car accident. Having only recently made a comeback from a debilitating back injury, Woods suffered multiple leg injuries including compound fractures. His career looked to be over.
Cue his return this week.
Having only recently been inducted into the Hall of Fame, many saw that as a sign of an impending retirement for the 46-year-old. Not a bit of it. The man who has claimed 15 major titles, Woods’ most recent addition was here three years ago in one of the most remarkable sporting fables.
A five-time winner at Augusta, could the Tiger again be on the prowl on his most favourite of prairies? That would be a story.
Red-hot Scheffler eyes Green Jacket
When the field assembled at Sawgrass last month, the man many fancied to come out on top was Scottie Scheffler. A month on, as major season begins, the New Jersey native remains the name to watch for many.
As Scheffler’s stunning 2022 rolls on, the 25-year-old has now won three of the last 10 PGA Tour events – that, after breaking his Tour win duck at the WM Phoenix Open less than two months ago.
Going on to claim the famous red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Scheffler’s WGC Match Play win at Austin Country Club a fortnight ago was equally impressive as he went one step further from being 2021 tournament runner-up, beating Kevin Kisner in the final.
Few players have enjoyed such a relative meteoric rise as Scheffler has. Indeed, in the space of mere weeks, Scheffler’s scintillating form has now seen him not only dethrone Jon Rahm as world number one but also climb to the top of the FedEx Cup standings.
Now comes his bid to win a first major; his biggest step yet to make yet. In what will be his third Masters tournament, Scheffler achieved a best of T18 last year but his chances here of making a significantly bigger impression are surely strong.
Names in the frame
Scheffler has not been the only name to emerge from the pack this season. Indeed, 11 other players have gone on to claim their first Tour victory on either the PGA or DP World Tours, with a simply wider field of contenders at Augusta than in any previous year.
Aside from the perennial contenders in Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas, a fit-again Brooks Koepka showed signs of his return to form at the Players’. The Floridian in particular will be keen on a fifth major having tied for runners-up spot at Augusta in 2019.
Winner at Sawgrass himself, Cam Smith has shown his pedigree in Georgia before and for a time pushed Dustin Johnson in the tournament two years’ back. The Australian is expected to figure again come the weekend.
Winner of the Genesis in Los Angeles, Joaquin Niemann may also be one to watch, whilst Sam Burns has two PGA Tour wins to his name this term, most recently at the Valspar.
If we are looking for a British challenger to feature aside from McIlroy, it again could come in the form Paul Casey who continues to play some of his best golf.
Still yet to win a major, the veteran Englishman has yet to improve on his T4 six years ago but having finished T6 or better on three occasions here, has top-seven finishes in two of his last three major appearances.
Of the other names that could be there or thereabouts, Billy Horschel has retained his season’s consistency, whilst a winner on both sides of the globe, Viktor Hovland will again be a favourite for many if the Norwegian’s short game problems can be addressed.
Amen corner. Golden Bell. Rae’s Creek.
The mere mention is enough to summon a special feeling amongst the greatest players in the game past and present. Yet also in the same breath, sufficient to bring out a cold sweat.
Quite simply there is nothing like the Masters. No tournament comes close and for one man come Sunday, the Green Jacket and a place in golf’s annuls is the prize.
Let major season begin.
The 86th Masters begins on Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia.
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