Yourcaddy #2 | Page 37

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. ISSUE 02 | YOURCADDY 37