The Augusta National Golf Club is gearing up for the most prestigious golf tournament of the year, the Masters. As we prepare for this year's tournament, we can't help but wonder who will win the coveted green jacket. To help you make your predictions, we've put together a list of trends from the past decade that might give you some insights into who's most likely to take home the prize.
Official World Golf Rankings Matter
Let's start with the basics. All ten of the last Masters champions have been inside the top 25 of the OWGR leading into the tournament. Sorry, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson, if you're outside the top 25, you're out.
The Masters is a tournament where experience matters. Only three players have ever won the Masters on their first attempt, and they did it way back in the day. So if you're a newcomer, you're probably not going to win.
Steady Climbers Take the Prize
It's not just about experience; it's about improving each year. Seven of the last ten champions had at least one top-five finish in their Masters career before donning the green jacket.
Recent Form Counts
To win the Masters, you need to be playing well. Each of the last ten champions has notched a top-15 finish in a stroke-play event on either the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour in the calendar year leading up to the tournament.
Winning a major championship is no small feat, and it turns out it's a good indicator of success at Augusta. Eight of the last ten champions had at least a major runner-up result before putting on the green jacket.
Technical Ability Is Key
To win the Masters, you need to be good, like really good. All ten of the most recent champions were averaging at least +0.65 strokes gained per round in the year leading up to their respective victories. So, who are the top contenders based on these trends?
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, and Jordan Spieth. These six players have a shot at the green jacket, and each has their unique strengths.
Scheffler is the defending champion and has the confidence to repeat his success. McIlroy is aiming for a career grand slam and has the experience to make it happen. Rahm is in top form, having won three tournaments this season. Cantlay has the best tee-to-green numbers of the bunch. Thomas made it to the final six, even though we expected him to be eliminated earlier, and Spieth has history on his side, having won the tournament before.
The 2023 Masters Tournament promises to be an exciting one, and we can't wait to see who will come out on top.
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