2010 Masters Preview

Masters Preview



I will go ahead and break this down into groups of fives.

Five Who Can Win

1. Ernie Els

At the beginning of the year, Ernie Els would have been on my list of guys who cannot win The Masters. After failing to win a tournament in 2009, Els is off to a fantastic start in 2010, winning both The World Golf Championships at Doral and The Arnold Palmer Invitation. He has also logged three other top 12 finishes including a top five finish at The Farmers Insurance Open. Ernie is really feeling good about his game right now and I expect him to carry his hot start to 2010 right into Augusta National.

2. Tiger Woods

Do I really need to explain myself here? Regardless of how many women he has been in, the guy is the #1 golfer in the world.

3. Charl Schwartzel

Who? Yes, even I have not heard of this guy before today but Johnny Miller said he was legit, so I checked him out. He has only played in four events in the states this year, but he did make the round of 16 at the Accenture Match Play Championship, second at the World Golf Championships at Doral, and a tie for third at The Shell Houston Open. Not a bad start to the year.

4. Steve Stricker

Steve Stricker has elevated himself to the #2 player in the world, despite never winning a Major Championship. At age 42, he is this year’s version of Kenny Perry, as he is playing terrific golf right now. He won The Northern Trust Open, finished third at the Sony Open and has two other top ten finishes this year.

5. Camillo Villegas

I just have a feeling he is going to break out in the next two years and win a major. So why not now? Before missing the cut at The Arnold Palmer Invitational, Villegas won The Honda Classic and had three other top 20 finishes in his other three events. Look for some magic from Camillo this week.

Five Who Will Not Win

1. The winner of the Par 3 Contest

The person who has won the Par 3 Contest the day before The Masters has never taken home the coveted Green Jacket on Sunday. So I am just going to assume that this will not change.

2. Phil Mickelson

The one they call “Lefty” had an awesome finish to 2009, winning The Tour Championship and a World Golf Championship event in Shanghai; however, he has failed to carry over his 2009 finish into the 2010. Lefty’s best finish was a tie for 8th at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and has just three top ten finishes in 7 starts. He nearly missed the cut at the Shell Houston Open this weekend as well. Just not the performance I like to see from Phil to make me think he can win. I would not be surprised if Phil failed to make the cut.

3. Kenny Perry

Was there anybody outside of friends and family of Angel Cabrera and Chad Campbell that did not want Kenny Perry to win The Masters last year? After nearly holing his tee shot on 16, Perry limped home with a bogey-bogey finish and lost a playoff on the second hole to Angel Cabrera. Perry is off a terrible start in 2010 with only one top 10 finish at the SBS Championship to start the year and no other top 30 finishes in 5 other starts, including missing the cut at The Arnold Palmer Invitational. Kenny’s chance to shine was last year and I’m afraid that his window to win a Major Championship may be closing for this 49 year old man.

4. Tom Watson

Do not let the near win at The British Open fool you. That tournament is more about shot accuracy than anything and Watson nearly perfected it at age 59 last year. The Masters is too long of a course for Tom to stay a consistent contender. Hopefully he can make the cut though

5. Vijay Singh

After winning the Inaugural Fed Ex Cup in 2008 (mainly due to Tiger Woods missing most of the year with a knee injury), Singh did not win in 2009 and is off to a bad start in 2010 (although he did finish in a tie for fourth at Doral). I would be surprised to see him perform well at Augusta given his track record over the past year and a half.

Five People I Want To See In

1. Y.E. Yang

The dude started the Tiger Woods tailspin by stoning him at the 2009 PGA Championship. He also lifted his golf bag over his head like The Stanley Cup after winning it. Imagine what he celebration he could do if he won The Green Jacket?

2. David Duval

The guy is still trying to come back and establish himself as a legit golfer after nearly disappearing from the game completely. He has finished in a tie for second in the US Open last year and finished second at Pebble Beach earlier this year. Hopefully David has another magical run in him.

3. Kenny Perry

I want this guy to bag a major desperately, especially after last year’s debacle. Like I said above though, he will not.

4. Steve Stricker

This year’s version of Kenny Perry.

5. Phil Mickelson

Win one for Amy!

FIVE PEOPLE WHO I DO NOT WANT TO SEE WIN

1. Tiger Woods

Yeah, dude is a jerk.

2. Sergio Garcia

See Tiger Woods explanation above.

3. Angel Cabrera

C’mon, nobody wants to see a back to back champion. How boring would that be?

4. Ben Crane

I play ready golf. That means I’m not a slow player. This guy is as slow as it comes. Rory Sabbatini once left his group after playing a hole because Crane was so slow. I want this guy nowhere near the top of the leader board on Sunday.

5. Miguel Angel Jimenez

That damn ponytail of his bothers the hell out of me.