It's finally here, the first Major of the year. With astrong, 99-man fieldwho will make your Fantasy Race To Dubai team? We delved into the numbers and history of the Masters and hand picked these five European Tour players we believe could slip on the Green Jacket on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy
The Masters Tournament remains the only Major title Rory McIlroy is yet to win. At 25 years old, the World Number One would become the second youngest player to complete the career grand slam if he were to win this week. McIlroy finished eighth here last year despite playing the par fives in level par for the week. He finished in the top 20 in his first appearance at Augusta in 2009 and has since finished in the top 25 in three of his last four visits. While he has broken par in ten of his last 16 rounds at Augusta, he has also shot a round of 77 or higher in each of the last five Masters. If he can avoid a high round this week, history may just be beckoning.
Lee Westwood
Westwood will tee it up at a Major for the 68th time this week and will make his 16th start at the Masters. Whilst the Englishman is yet to pick up a Major title, he has come close at Augusta in recent years. Westwood has made the cut at the Masters in each of the last eight years and notched finishes of second, 11th, third, eighth and seventh over the last five. He enters this year’s event on the back of seven top 25 finishes in his last eight starts including a win in his last start of 2014. Could Westy fly under the radar and slip on the Green Jacket?
Louis Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen arrived at Augusta earlier this week in good spirits and for the first time in a while, in good health. The South African has enjoyed good form at the Masters with a top 25 last year and a runner up finish in 2012 when he lost out to Bubba Watson in a playoff. As one of only 13 players who made the cut in all four Majors last season, Louis will be hoping to continue the form that has seen him finish in the top ten at six of his last nine events worldwide. His power off the tee and touch around the greens are ideally suited to Augusta National.
Padraig Harrington
At 43 years old, Harrington is enjoying something of a mid-career revival of late. The three-time Major Champion has won twice in his last nine starts including an impressive come from behind win at the Honda Classic last month. With four top ten finishes at the Masters, including a tie for eighth in 2012 and top fives in 2002 and 2008, Paddy will be hoping to emulate the likes of Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Bernhard Langer in recent years and turn back the clock to compete for a Green Jacket.
Brooks Koepka
Whilst history suggests that rookies don’t fare well at Augusta, we think Brooks Koepka has every chance of competing in his Masters debut. Like Harrington, Koepka arrives this week in good form with two wins in his last eight starts worldwide. The 24 year old has already looked comfortable on the big stage having won during the Race To Dubai Final Series last year in Turkey and also finishing in the top 15 at two of the last three Majors (T4th at the 2014 US Open, T15th at the 2015 PGA Championship). Currently he is the only player on the PGA Tour inside the top five in both driving distance and total putting, two key skills needed to tame Augusta National Golf Club.
You have until early Thursday morning to confirm your Fantasy team,
pick your team now
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