Masters 2014 Favorites...

[Conrad]

30 days until Augusta and it seems as if the top of the golfing world is a mess.

-Tiger has had his worst start for a year in his career along with the back injury.

-Phil has had some minor health issues and really hasn't done much, plus the putter has been as bad as its been in a while.

-Rory was trending in the right direction till his Honda meltdown and late Saturday meltdown at Doral.

-Scott and Stenson have done nothing all year.

-Jason Day pops up, plays great and wins the match play and then withdraws with a thumb injury.

We've really had a strange start to the year on the PGA Tour. The biggest names are stealing headlines for the wrong reasons.

(I know favorites are silly in golf but it still makes for interesting discussion and i'll take any Masters discussion in March)

Right now my 5 favorites in order are...

1. Bubba Watson- Trending in the right direction. Win at NTO and a 2nd at Doral. He seems to have grown up and moved on from the post Masters life. His length and ability to hit power fades will always keep him in the discussion at Augusta. If he makes putts he'll have another green jacket in his future.

2. Rory McIlroy- Meltdown at Honda aside he's still hitting the ball so much better this year than he did last year. He's got the swing and ball flight to win at Augusta. I think its just a matter of time before he's fitted for a green jacket.

3. Jason Day- If he's healthy he'll be a pre-tournament favorite. He's trending in the right direction not just with his play this year but his play in past years at Augusta National. Back to back Aussies?

4. Dustin Johnson- Leads in the all around and many major categories on Tour so far this year. Seems to have improved the flat stick especially outside of 10 feet. He's been absolutely bombing it off the tee this year and if he finds fairways he'll be hard to beat. I still think he has a break away major in him, just far too talented.

5. Tiger/Phil- I put them together because regardless of health and rust they both show up at the Masters and bring it. Health is Tiger's biggest enemy at this point and it looks like putting has been Phil's biggest issue this year. I don't doubt both will be in contention going into the weekend because it seems like every year they are. Here is some staggering stats for both. Tiger has finished outside the top 10 once in 9 years and outside the top 20 twice since 1997. Phil has finished in the top 10 14 times in his career at Augusta and outside the top 20 just 3 times since 1995. Either way I would expect to see one or both on the final page of the leaderboard come Sunday regardless of how putrid both have been in 2014.

[snapfade]

1. Duff

2. Koooch

3.Dustin Johnson

4.Gary McCord

5.Tiger Woods

[tmac20]

^^Gary McCord? Ha! :-D Jason Day, Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, and Adam Scott.

[atb5079]

1 - Day

2 - Rory

3 - Kuchar

4 - Phil

5 - Zach Johnson

[Hammer 4]

1....J.Day

2...Rory M.

3...Adam Scott

4...Bubba

5...D. Johnson

[Golfingdad]

1. Bubba Watson- Trending in the right direction. Win at NTO and a 2nd at Doral. He seems to have grown up and moved on from the post Masters life. His length and ability to hit power fades will always keep him in the discussion at Augusta. If he makes putts he'll have another green jacket in his future.

5 - Zach Johnson

I like all of both of your choices, but these are the two that stand out the most to me.  Two guys who have been playing really well in the last few months and, obviously, know what it takes to win there.

I'd probably put Rory next on that list, and if he promised me that he was 100% healthy, I'd still pick Tiger over all of them.  But that is a big  question mark.

But, based on all of the arrogance talk lately, I'm going to be rooting for Patrick Reed.

[saturday]

I'm willing to put serious cash on Adam Scott or Jason Day. 1. Adam Scott 2. Jason Day 3. Zach Johnson 4. Angel Cabrera 5. Tiger Woods

[Ernest Jones]

But, based on all of the arrogance talk lately, I'm going to be rooting for Patrick Reed. :-P

Next year's Masters' dinner: a block of butter and some Gummy Bears. :-P

[Uncle Peter]

1-Graeme McDowell 2-Dustin Johnson 3-Jason Day 4-Brandt Snedeker 5-Luke Donald

[MPtheKid]

In no particular order...

1) Zach Johnson

2) Adam Scott

3) Jason Day

4) Rory McIlroy

5) Jason Dufner

[Conrad]

I think its gotta be just completely overwhelming to be a first time major winner and returning champion and try to repeat let alone compete at a high level. So many of these first time guys lately have been swallowed up by being the returning champ. We saw it recently with Bubba and Charl.

Back to back has only been done by 3 guys and its rarefied air for sure. Tiger, Faldo and Jack being the only ones to successfully defend ever Augusta isn't just coincidence. Its hard enough to win multiple majors but to defend after your first just seems nearly impossible.

[ChrisP]

Still a full month to go for tune up, so there's still time for players to get hot. I think you have to look at the usual Augusta suspects that play well like Cabrera, Kuchar, Day and Scott. I think Phil is starting to heat up. He played well at Doral (despite a few big mistakes) and is due for a good run after an off year there last year.

I'd put Woods and Oosthuizen in the "IF" category....meaning IF their backs are healthy, they will be there at the end.

All in all, it's very wide open right now. I have a hunch that this could be the year we see a few surprise major champions. If you look at the last few years, the majors have been won by the big names and established players. We're due for that ride to end, and with the way the season has started out, it's very likely it could.

[snapfade]

^^Gary McCord? Ha!

Jason Day, Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, and Adam Scott.

Is he still banned from Augusta?

[sg92]

My 5 favourites for the Masters are:

- Zach Johnson

- Jason Day

- Jason Dufner

- Hunter Mahan

- Rory McIlroy

What you guys think of that?

[talarfon]

I think Rory will have a big week here, though his (all to often) left miss in the last couple of weeks are a little worrying.

1) Rory

2) Dufner

3) Tiger

4) Day

5) DJ

[Snowfly]

I don't really have any strong opinions on who will win, there are simply to many capable golfers. Unfortunately I think Tiger is to banged up to put together four winning rounds together. I'd love to Reed in the last paring, wearing Red/Black walking down the fairway. I'd hate to see Bubba strut to a win.

[Robi1026]

I love Rory but we've seen in the past what he does with a lead at the Masters ...

No particular order ...

Tiger

Dufner

Scott

Day

McDowell

[saturday]

Next year's Masters' dinner: a block of butter and some Gummy Bears. :-P

Hahahahahaha!!! Well said EJ, ya silly bugger.