The 2018 Masters is on the horizon, and it is full of intrigue this year. The storylines and excitement surrounding this year’s tournament have every golf fan clamoring for the start of the first major of the season. Big-name contenders litter this year’s field. The reemergence of Tiger Woods obviously has helped raise the excitement level, but he is not the only reason.
The youthful renaissance the game has seen in recent years has carried the torch. Jordan Speith, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, and Jon Rahm just to name a few all have good odds of winning. Not to mention the veterans like Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and defending champion Sergio Garcia are all in the mix.
So, who are the top three favorites to win the coveted green jacket? Let’s take a look.
3. Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson has the chance at 47 to become the oldest player ever to win the Masters. The win would top Jack Nicklaus mark as the oldest champion in history. The question is, does Mickelson have one more epic Masters run in him? In my opinion, he certainly does. The shot-making ability from seemingly anywhere on the course is unmatched by any in the game, including Tiger during his dominant years. Mickelson is coming off a win at the WGC-Mexico Championship, which was his fourth straight tournament finishing in the top six. If Mickelson does pull off the victory, it would be his fourth Masters’ win(2004, 2006, 2010).
2. Dustin Johnson
Dustin Johnson is looking to put the infamous fall in his rental house just days before the 2017 Masters began that forced him to sit out behind him. Going into last years tournament DJ was the clear favorite to win the green jacket and this year he looks to make good on those lofty expectations. His past Masters’ experience has been underwhelming, with his best finish coming in 2016 T-4. Johnson will be hoping to turn his Masters’ luck around this year.
1. Jordan Speith
Jordan Speith seems to come alive when stepping onto Augusta National. In his first four appearances at the Masters, he has one win (2015), two runner-ups, and a top-11 finish. That type of track record is nothing to sniff at even if Speith’s play has not been as consistent of late. He has struggled on the putting greens recently, but that is something he should be able to fix. Speith is coming off a top-3 finish at the Houston Open this past weekend that should provide him with the type of confidence to propel him to his second green jacket.
