The best week of the year is upon us, Masters week, and a four-strong Aussie contingent will make the trip down Magnolia Lane for a bid at the illustrious Green Jacket.
The form lines are solid; all four have shown over the years that they have all the tools to have very successful weeks around the Georgian loop.
Here are the reasons we at GA believe they can be Australia’s next Masters champion.
MIN WOO LEE
AGE: 27
OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING: 25
MASTERS PLAYED: Four
BEST RESULT: T14 (2022)
ODDS: $31
WHY HE CAN WIN: Lee has shown great promise, not just at The Masters, but at all the major championships, during periods of his still young career.
Augusta suits Lee's creativity and imagination; he is a player who likes to express himself, shape shots and play attacking golf. Of late he has appeared to have a greater balance of knowing when to take shots on and when to play more conservatively. The West Australian’s form has been solid; he’s made every cut on the PGA Tour this year and has carded three top-10s in seven starts.
The new Callaway mini driver Lee has put in the bag has been a game-changer for him, helping him enhance his already impressive numbers off the tee. He is fifth in strokes gained total and seventh off the tee; he is first in total driving on the PGA Tour.
His numbers are good across the board, and the 27-year-old seems relaxed and confident. All signs point to a good week for The Chef.
JASON DAY
AGE: 38
OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING: 41
MASTERS PLAYED: 14
BEST RESULT: T2 (2011)
ODDS: $76
WHY HE CAN WIN: The Queenslander has had a good lead into this year’s tournament. T6 at the Houston Open two weeks ago, showing that the game is in good order ahead of the opening major championship of the year.
There is always hope around Day’s chances at Augusta; he just plays so well here. T8 last year and looked like a genuine chance after 36 holes following a pair of opening 70s.
He has been the nearly man a few times, but the determination and grit he has shown to get his game back in first-class order over the past few years show just how desperate he is to be sniffing about the elite end of the game.
Day’s short game is phenomenal – always has been – and this is an absolute asset at Augusta National.
At long odds, Day is certainly not the worst bet.
ADAM SCOTT
AGE: 45
OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING: 53
MASTERS PLAYED: 24
BEST RESULT: Win (2013)
ODDS: $71
WHY HE CAN WIN: The only Aussie to have won on the hallowed turf, been there, done that.
Scott missed the cut at last year’s tournament for the first time since 2009, and will be looking to get that streak back on track.
He can win not only because he has done it, but also because he continues to chase improvement. He looks as fit as ever, has been getting longer with age and still has the desire to nab another major championship. We saw last year at Oakmont in the U.S. Open that he can still go deep at the majors.
If Scotty starts well, a few of his peers will be nervous if he starts to climb the leaderboard on the weekend.
CAMERON SMITH
AGE: 32
OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING: 211
MASTERS PLAYED: Nine
BEST RESULT: T2 (2020)
ODDS: $101
WHY HE CAN WIN: Smith has a fantastic record around Augusta. In nine trips down Magnolia Lane, the Queenslander has five top-10 finishes, three of which are top-5s.
There is a sense of massive determination around Smith; he missed all four cuts at the majors last year, which, for a player of his calibre, is unbelievable.
100-1 seems like good shopping. He has been playing well since December. The heartbreaking second-place finish at the Australian Open was followed by two top-10s from five starts on the LIV Golf League. Things are trending upward, and Augusta is a place where Smith has thrived.
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