TST Staff Predictions for the Masters

It’s time to start the first major of golf’s 2016 season, let’s see what the staff expects for this years event.

Thrash TalkHello Friends, it is time for a tradition unlike any other, the Masters. I know for me watching golfer walk around such a beautiful setting like Augusta National is really a great way to get the spring season in gear.

This season has all sorts of intrigue with almost all of the young guns peaking at just the right time. Jordan, Rory, Rickie, Jason, all have either won, or been very close to winning and look primed to win the seasons first major. Even though Tiger will miss out, Phil looks ready to hold up the flag for old guard and might be a sleeper pick from the SandTrap staff.

Let’s see what the staff expects for this season.

1. Who is your pick to win, what score and why?

Jamieson Weiss
In 2014, I picked Rickie Fowler for all four majors, and he finished in the top five in every event. Last year, I picked Jordan Spieth in every major, and got two victories, a T4, and a second-place finish. Clearly, the power I carry is immense, and I do not take this responsibility lightly. This year, I’m going with Jason Day. He’s long been one of my favorite players – a good, hard working player whose injury issues and near misses in majors held him back from what should have been a scorching career. Your 2016 Masters top-five finisher: Jason Day, -12.

Scott Curry
Jason Day at -14. Day has been playing at a higher level than the other contenders except for maybe Scott. He’s finally won a major and now knows he can close them out. I picked a lesser score than last year because weather may play a factor on Thursday and Friday. Keep an eye on Bubba though. He’s been flying under the radar and knows how to win at Augusta.

Steven Ho
I picked Adam Scott at 13 and I’m sticking with him. He’s had time out of the spotlight, so less media demands, he’s won before, he’s no spring chicken, but he’s far from over the hill, he has perspective. That we won with those doubles last time out bodes well for his dealing with adversity. It remains to be seen how he putts on the skating rink greens at Augusta. Day looks like the player to pick though, if he wins, I won’t be unhappy I’m wrong.

Bill Chao
I’m going with Adam Scott at -12. He started the season with a bang and he’s won at Augusta before. If he putts well, he definitely has all the tools to win again.

George Promenschenkel
How can I not pick Jason Day? He’s won his last two starts and has seven wins over the last two seasons. So, I’ll take Phil Mickelson at -13. His new swing has looked good this season, and he has as much experience as anyone in the field on Augusta’s greens. Plus, Augusta favors lefties these days… right?

Michael C. Hepp
I very badly want to pick Phil. I would love to watch him get the win which may very well be his last major, but alas I cannot. Then, I really wanted to pick Justin Rose, but he is saying his short game is not strong there, hard to pick him. So, I am going to go with another Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel at -10. His win at the Valspar proves he is playing well and he knows Augusta pretty well.

Tristan Hilton
I’m going to go with Adam Scott. He’s been playing as good as anybody this year and definitely knows what it takes to pull out a win at Augusta. He seems to have put the question of whether or not he can compete using a short putter to bed and a win will quiet any remaining talk of that sort.

Erik J. Barzeski
I think Rickie Fowler gets it done in the windy conditions predicted this week. Rickie has been getting closer, and due to his days in Oklahoma, should be decent in the wind. I think he’ll win at -9.

2. Last year’s winner Jordan Spieth hasn’t won yet this year but is assuredly a favorite for the event, how do you expect him to do?

Jamieson Weiss
Spieth strikes me sort of in the Tiger/Phil vein: he’s the sort of player who just gets Augusta National. He could sleepwalk his way around the course, and I think that ability will buoy his eventual majors total. I think he’ll at least be in the top 20 or so this week, with a pretty good chance of competing for a second straight win.

Scott Curry
I expect Spieth to contend, but lately he’s struggled finding his form. He will have confidence because he was last year’s champion. But late issues the last few tournaments have shown he is a bit off form.

Steven Ho
I think Spieth will make the cut and place respectably, but it looks like he still hasn’t recovered from his Asia trip. And he has a not trivial number of media commitments (Charlie Rose, late night talk shows) as he’s defending champion. The guy must be one tired puppy.

Bill Chao
He hasn’t won yet this year, but he’s played some great golf and has done well at Augusta. I’d be surprised if he didn’t finish top 10.

George Promenschenkel
Spieth has been just a little off this season, and he’s still been in contention. A Monday session with his swing coach has him reportedly feeling much more on kilter than his last couple events. If he putts like he did last year he’ll win, but that would be a tall order. He’ll contend, but come up a couple shots short down the stretch.

Michael C. Hepp
I think he did too much traveling in later half of last year/early part of this year. While I admire him going to Australia to defend his title I think it takes his eyes off the prize of winning majors. Adam Scott has shown that a focus on the majors can pay off and until Spieth is willing to do that I don’t expect many wins.

Tristan Hilton
I expect Spieth to be in the mix. He is one of the greatest the game has, and while he hasn’t necessarily performed to his standards following winning the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, I think that he’ll have his name somewhere near the top come the close of day on Sunday.

Erik J. Barzeski
I think Spieth plays well, but isn’t really a factor. He may have the advantage of getting the better end of the draw, but his game has been spotty since an early win in January.

Jordan

3. Many of the young guns, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler are all playing pretty well which of the young guns do you expect to do the best?

Jamieson Weiss
Obviously I’m going with Day, but I think both Fowler and McIlroy have good shots at it too. No one’s really talking about it, but Rory is going for the career grand slam, and had his best Masters finish a season ago. I don’t have a whole lot of faith in DJ, but it seems like it only ever really matters if DJ has faith in DJ.

Scott Curry
Day is my pick. After that I think Fowler will top McIlroy and Johnson but by just a bit. Fowler has been more consist lately. Rory, like Spieth, has struggled on Sundays the last few months. Augusta does seem to be a course that Johnson can figure out.

Steven Ho
Day looks very good, but I think Fowler will contend again this year. Maybe an unknown like Danny Willet.

Bill Chao
I’m going with Spieth, simply based on his record at the Masters. For some reason I still think Augusta has Rory’s number. Also, is Dustin Johnson considered a “young gun” anymore?

George Promenschenkel
DJ will be 33 this summer, and Jason Day turns 29 in November, so “young guns” might be a stretch for them. However, I think we’re going to have a very interesting leaderboard at this one, and I believe that Rory, Jason, and Rickie will be on it (I’m not sure Dustin will fare well enough on the greens). Another young gun to watch is amateur Bryson DeChambeau. A top 20 finish would not surprise me.

Michael C. Hepp
Amongst those listed I expect Rory and Rickie to play the best. I am still not certain that the course suits Rickie but he has played well enough to have his name on the first page of the leaderboard so with just a little push he can be on top of it. Rory has some demons to exercise before I will pick him to win, but he should be in the mix.

Tristan Hilton
I’d go with Day. Like Scott, he is in top form right now. My guess is that 3 of 4 of those guys are within striking distance on Sunday afternoon.

Erik J. Barzeski
As I predicted Fowler to win, it would be phony of me to say anyone but him. I will add that I don’t know that Jason Day performs as many are predicting him to. He’ll make the cut, but not necessarily be a big factor on the weekend. The pressure of being the current World #1 may be too much.

4.Tiger won’t be playing this year. Was his win in 2005 the last time we’ll see him don the green jacket? Why do you think that?

Jamieson Weiss
My head says yes, but my heart is screaming no. Please Tiger, please be good again. I ask for so little. It sucks to live in a world where Tiger Woods will spend more time on the couch this weekend than I will.

Scott Curry
Most likely we’ll only see Tiger playing as a former champion. Unless his back issues can be resolved, it will be hard for him to get the form back to beat the young champions he helped inspire.

Steven Ho
I want Woods to don another jacket. It’s not out of the realm of possibility if, a big if, he recovers nicely. It would be electric, a story for the ages in the golf world, I get chills just thinking of it. He can be a boring interview, although not of late, but his charisma on the golf course is nonpareil.

Bill Chao
We will definitely see Tiger put on the green jacket again. If there is one major he has a chance to win as he gets older, it will be the Masters, due to the limited field and the fact that August seems to suit his game. Plus, he has to wear it at some point as a past champion, right? 😉

George Promenschenkel
I have finally come to the conclusion that Tiger’s major hunt is over. I think he may get a tour win, yet, but I don’t see another major for him. That, in part, is due to his injuries, but also because the competition is really, really good and is no longer intimidated by his presence. That said, everyone thought Nicklaus was done before his final win in 1986.

Michael C. Hepp
A friend and I have a bet. First guy to win a major between Phil and Tiger. We made the bet in 2010. I have Tiger, so right now the odds are severely against me. Still there is hope for Tiger and the only place I have the highest hopes for him are at ANGC. So I think it will happen, maybe in 2-3 years, but it will happen.

Tristan Hilton
No. But I’m being optimistic. I refuse to believe that he’s done. Augusta is probably the one major you can win later in your life. Obviously this all hinges on him getting healthy, but he seems to be going about his recovery the right way this time, so I think he’ll make a return.

Erik J. Barzeski
Yeah, the depth of the field is too good right now. It took a lot of things going right for Jack to win in 1986, and the situations aren’t really comparable. Tiger reasonably has only a few years left to win, and he’s not going to be even a 20% chance to win in any of them.

5. If you attended the Masters would you sit at a specific hole or walk with a specific group? Why?

Jamieson Weiss
I think I’d do different things on different days. I would definitely spend one day just sitting at Amen Corner. I’d love to spend some time watching tee shots into the 16th green. And I’d definitely spend some time following groups down the front nine because we don’t get to see much of it on tv. Sunday though, I’d spend following the leaders.

Scott Curry
I think I would walk with a group so I could see the whole course. The stands at 16 or 12 would be interesting, but walking along would give me a better experience to see the gem that is Augusta.

Steven Ho
Is there a spot you can see the drive, approach and maybe a glimpse of the green on 18? I’d find that spot so I can see history.

Bill Chao
I’d walk the grounds first no matter what, just to get to know the place. It doesn’t matter who the group is, whoever happens to be teeing off early. After that, I don’t know. I love the 12th hole, but I probably wouldn’t want to stay at one place too long.

George Promenschenkel
If you’re only there for a day, you have to do some walking to see all of the famous holes. But typically, I like finding a good spot and watching the field come through. Amen Corner is an obvious choice and great for drama and beauty, but you won’t be close to the action. The green at 12 is 175 yards or more from the nearest spectator seating. If I have to choose one place to spend the day, I’m going to get a seat near the #16 tee where you can watch the par three and also the action on #15 green.

Michael C. Hepp
The first time I attended a PGA Tour event I tried to follow Phil’s group and it was a disaster. I couldn’t see anything because it was five to six people deep. I gave up and started following some unknown golfers and could see every shot and even got to chat with a few of them. I think I would head down to 12 watch a few groups and then head to 18 to see what I could there.

Tristan Hilton
Being that it would be the first time that I’d be at the course, I’d definitely have to walk the course just to experience it all. To me, it wouldn’t even really matter what group it was. I’d prefer that over just sitting at one hole.

Erik J. Barzeski
When I do go, I’ll probably do a mixture of both, or actually, I’ll probably do my preferred method of watching golf: follow the holes backward. That way you get to see the entire course AND a lot of groups.

Photo credits: © Reuters

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