Wednesday 4 April 2018 09:12, UK
Who are the players to beat at the opening major of the year? Ben Coley assesses some of the leading contenders for Masters victory.
It's close, but Justin Thomas gets the vote at the top of the Power Rankings. Augusta form (39th and 22nd) is the only slight concern but dig a little deeper and you'll see that Thomas has ranked 11th and sixth in greens hit, always a key Masters pointer and an indication that the layout does play to his strengths.
Strip away the venue, and we have the best player in the world on current form, one who is winning at an alarming strike-rate and has prepared perfectly for this, winning a play-off for the Honda Classic before big performances in both World Golf Championships. The winner of the final major of 2017 looks the man to beat in the first of 2018.
If course form is your Augusta starting point, then Jordan Spieth should top your rankings. He took to Augusta at the first time of asking, finishing second to Bubba Watson, before a dominant victory in 2015.
Famously, Spieth could and indeed should have defended his title, and even last year's 11th saw him enter the final round right on the heels of the leaders.
Quality approach play and deadly putting is the ideal Masters blend and while the flat stick has been an issue in 2018, there were some good signs in Houston where he signed off by rolling in a 20-foot putt. Big chance.
Last year's runner-up has now been second twice at Augusta, but rather than harm his chances I think the prospect of going one better will really appeal to one of golf's toughest performers.
Justin Rose has a fabulous record in the Masters, never failing to make the weekend, and says he's playing as well as ever now.
The former US Open champion has an ability to launch his irons higher than most, a massive weapon when you're approaching such complex greens, and providing the short-game holds up should be a major contender come the weekend.
Victory at Bay Hill last month came just at the right time for Rory McIlroy, who produced his best golf since 2016 to blow the field away over the back-nine.
It was a performance which serves as a timely reminder never to underestimated arguably the sport's biggest talent, one who has demonstrated on several occasions that Augusta is an ideal fit as he seeks a career grand slam.
It's seven years now since McIlroy famously blew his best chance yet to don a green jacket, and many will feel it's his time to right that wrong. If he gets off to a better start than in recent years, they may well be right.
Last year, the Masters went to a world-class 30-something who'd built up years of Augusta experience, gradually working out how to score. If we're to experience a repeat, then alongside Rose it's Dustin Johnson who would look an ideal candidate.
The big-hitter from South Carolina has played in seven previous renewals, producing his best finish (4th) on his last visit, which of course came two years ago after he was injured on the eve of the 2017 edition.
Whether or not his two-year absence proves to be a problem only time will tell, but the world No 1 must be a key player here.
Having finally ended a victory drought which extended right back to the 2013 Open Championship when he beat Justin Thomas in a play-off for the WGC-Mexico Championship, Phil Mickelson will be relishing his return to Augusta.
Second here as recently as 2015 and three times a Masters champion, the left-hander is as well suited to the course as anyone and has been in something close to the form of his life throughout 2018.
Brother Tim appears to be doing a fine job on the bag and if he can keep it in play off the tee, 'Lefty' could yet bag a fourth green jacket.
It's been an incredible return to form, even by his almighty standards, for four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods. Few in his position would have been able to return to professional golf, let alone at a level which has seen him contend for two titles in Florida this spring, following spinal fusion surgery last year.
Woods will have been focused on peaking for Augusta, where he finished inside the top 20 on his last visit and has 12 top-six finishes in 19 starts, and his errant driving wouldn't be too much of a concern here.
It'll be fascinating to see how he gets on, particularly when wearing that famous Sunday red for the final round.
Although Hideki Matsuyama has suffered an interrupted preparation, a wrist injury in February forcing a month away from the game, he might be ready just in time for the season's first major.
Matsuyama certainly sounded positive when interviewed at the Match Play, and if he is at top fitness then he's worth considering.
Matsuyama has been fifth, seventh and 11th in his last three starts at Augusta National, where his imperious ball-striking is such an asset, and seems sure to challenge for this title on a number of occasions over the coming years.
As with Mickelson, a victory earlier in the year for Paul Casey might prove to be the final piece of the jigsaw when it comes to preparing for Augusta.
It had been almost 10 years since the Englishman's one and only prior PGA Tour success, but he was really impressive when landing the Valspar Championship at the chief expense of Tiger.
Since then, he's shown up well enough at the Match Play and will be primed to go well at Augusta, where he's been inside the top six for three years in succession.
While compatriot Jon Rahm is shorter in the betting and understandably so, it would be dangerous to underestimate new dad Sergio Garcia ahead of his Masters defence.
It is a very hard title to win twice in succession, but Garcia has never had a better attitude and seems well-equipped for the challenge ahead.
He'll relish being the centre of attention at Tuesday's champions' dinner and has been in fine form on the golf course, while adjusting to fatherhood off it.
