On the eve of the 2020 Masters, here’s what I am thinking:
This is anyone’s ball game.
In the past several years, there has been a clear cut favorite or two heading into The Masters. A year ago, all eyes were on Dustin Johnson and Rory Mcilroy. Leading up to the 2019 Masters Rory had just won The Players Championship. DJ had just won the WGC Mexico and finished T5 at The Players Championship.
Coming into the 2020 Masters, Bryson is the clear cut favorite having just won the US Open. But, I don’t really like the guy, so I am going to be leaving him out of my picks.
Bryson is a hell of a player, he’s just not my brand of golfer.
With that being said, here are the guys I like in the 2020 Masters.
2020 Masters Pick #1: Xander Schaufelle
Three guys tied for second at last years Masters. Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Xander Schaufelle. Only one of those three players was not invited into the press center before the first round on Thursday.
Xander Schaufelle is the forgotten man in golf and I just don’t get it. He had two top 5 finishes in the 2019 majors and he finished top 10 in both of the majors this year.
How Xander continues to remain under the radar is very perplexing to me. But, that is also precisely why I am picking him to win this week. The evidence is out there that Xander has the game to win a major and yet he doesn’t have to deal with the added pressure from the media. That’s enough for me to make him my pick to win this week.
You think if he wins the 2020 Masters, they’ll invite him into the press center next year?
2020 Masters Pick #2: Rory Mcilroy
This is my man crush pick. Rory Mcilroy is by far my favorite player and I think he is due for another major championship victory. Similar to Xander, I think the eye of the storm had moved off of Rory a bit and I think that helps him just focus on his golf.
There will always be added pressure for Rory at The Masters with this being the final major he needs to win to complete the career grand slam. However, I think he is too good to not get it done eventually. I will probably just pick him every year until it happens, so get used to seeing his name in this section.
As for his game, he has not been up to his typical standards lately, but he is coming off of three straight rounds in the 60’s at the ZOZO. Sometimes a little momentum is all it takes to get one of the best players in the world on a tear again. I hope he runs away with this thing like he should have in 2011.
Nothing would make me happier to be honest. Go get’em Rors.
Dark Horse: Matt Kuchar
This one is just a gut feeling. Matt Kuchar is definitely not the player he once was consistency wise, but he has had a good run at The Masters over the last decade. Kuchar has finished top 10 in four times, and has not missed a single cut at The Masters going back to 2010. Last year he finished T12.
Matt Kuchar is my long shot play. However, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him contend this week and find his way into the top 10 on the back nine on Sunday.
Length is going to be an issue for Kuchar with all of the rain expected to come this week. He is going to have to plot his way around the golf course and ride a hot putter if he is going to make any noise. Hopefully his experience carries him to a nice week, and maybe, just maybe, a win.
Low Amateur: John Augenstein
If you read my post on Monday, linked here -> (https://chasingbirdiesgolf.com/masters-week-better-late-then-never/), then you know I that I love following how the amateurs perform in The Masters. Last year, Victor Hovland finished low am by one shot over Alvaro Ortiz.
This year, I have my eyes on the US AM runner up John Augenstein. I watched every shot of the 36 hole US AM Final between John Augenstein and Andy Ogletree and I was extremely impressed with both players, but I thought Augentstein was the better player.
Augenstein has a little swagger to his game that I really liked watching. I also remember him hitting a lot of draws which normally plays well around Augusta National.
Granted, I don’t know much about the other four amateurs, but I am fairly confident in my pick of Augenstein. I think he has is going to have a good week at Augusta and will take home low am honors.
Your Guess is as Good as Mine
Like I said at the top, I think this years Masters is wide open. You could easily make a case for all of the top players that I didn’t pick in this blog. The BIG CAT is always going to have shot around this place, and you definitely can’t ignore the guys like Brooks, Justin Thomas, and Jon Rahm at the majors, but I like the two guys I gave you the best out of that bunch.
And if Bryson, does win back to back majors, then good for him. I won’t be rooting for that to happen, but he’s got as good a chance as any guy in the field.
I am excited to get this thing started. Hopefully the rain doesn’t become too much of an issue and we all get what we have been waiting for since April; a dog fight on the back nine on Sunday.
Enjoy the golf everyone!
Until next time,
Enjoy the chase!
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