Officially, The Masters is an invitation only golf event and features
the smallest field of the four major golf tournaments. The defending
champion is Bubba Watson, who won the event for the second time
in 2014. The American joins some great names, in having won the
event more than once, including fellow American Phil Mickelson and
Englishman, Nick Faldo. However, Tiger Woods is the only player,
since Faldo in 1989/90, to win the tournament two years in succession
and Watson will surprise many people, if he can repeat his victory of
2014.
THE FAVOURITE
Rory McIlroy, the world number one at the time of writing, will be
aiming to win his first Masters title, The Northern Irishman is a four
time major winner but is yet to succeed on the fairways of Augusta.
To really cement his place at the top of world golf, McIlroy knows
that he needs to win The Masters and he will be determined to do so
in 2015. It’s worth noting, that a European golfer has not won The
Masters since Spaniard, Jose Maria Olazabel, was awarded the jacket
back in 1999. Ryder Cup veterans, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose will
be among those hoping to set that record straight in 2015 but it’s
McIlroy who stands out as the leading contender from the European
contingent.
The 2015 Masters is the perfect opportunity for McIlroy to become only
the sixth golfer to achieve a career grand slam of all four tournaments.
The world number one is still looking to get in to his stride this year,
he has missed some cuts but victory at the Dubai Desert Classic at
the start of February could be a sign of things to come, McIlroy still
remains favourite for this year’s Masters.
THE CONTENDER
Glancing further down the list of potential winners and one name
stands out, especially considering his major performances last year and
that’s Rickie Fowler. The young American finished T5 at The Masters
in 2014 and also recorded finishes of T3 at the PGA Championship
and T2 at both the US Open and the Open Championship.
Despite not missing a cut so far in 2015, Fowler has not challenged
the top of the leader board in any of the tournaments in which he has
competed, this will have to change in the build up to Augusta. Fowler
currently has one PGA Tour victory to his name, which came in 2012
Fowler’s but the Californian’s strengths are ball striking and putting,
it will be his ability to get up and down and his consistency on the
greens that will make or break the American’s chances at Augusta.
It doesn’t seems likely that he will win before the Masters, but this
could all change once the first ball is driven down the Tea Olive fairway,
on the opening day of the 2015 Masters.
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