It’s already been a big week for Canadians at Augusta National with three kids competing in the Drive, Chip & Putt competition. Toronto’s Vanessa Borovilos stole headlines by winning the girls 10-11 division by 1 point. She was joined by 15-year-old Luke DelGobbo from Fonthill, ON, who finished fifth in the boys 14-15 and also called our Golf Town St. Catharines location home during the winter months to keep his game in top shape, as well as Landon Kelly from Lindsay, ON., who competed hard and placed eighth in the boys 7-9 division.
Now we’re hoping the trend for strong Canadians continues.
Adam Hadwin likes his game going into the Masters. As one of two Canadians in the field—the other is past winner Mike Weir, who is coming off his first made cut in four years—Hadwin feels his game is in a good position heading into the tournament. Hadwin has three Top 10 finishes in his last seven starts, and says his short game—one of the best on the PGA Tour—puts him in a good spot at Augusta.
“I know where the golf ball is going and what it is going to do, which is something you need at Augusta,” Hadwin said last week. “And my chipping is really good right now, which is important at Augusta. The difference between having a short putt after a chip and having 20 feet isn’t that big.”
Weir, the only Canadian Masters Champion, is back at Augusta as he continues his journey to make noise on the PGA Tour. The two Canadians will kick off this year’s Masters by playing together in the Par 3 competition on Wednesday.
Of course, both Hadwin and Weir know they’ll be facing stiff competition during this historic event. Several of the best players in the world have rounded into form in the past weeks, and with a resurgent Tiger Woods in the mix, many think this could be the most exciting Masters in recent memory.
Who To Watch
Dustin Johnson
The world No. 1 missed Augusta last year after hurting himself in a fall before the tournament started, and his mix of smashed drives and deft short irons, as well as his propensity to forget his missteps, should put him in the mix. The only issue is he’s in a mini-slump, which if you’re DJ means you had a bad week at the Match Play. Expect him on the leaderboard in Georgia.
Justin Thomas
Laid up for a few weeks because of some surgery to remove his wisdom teeth, he still finished fourth at the Match Play in Texas. The thin Thomas has won almost a quarter of his recent starts, with seven wins in the last two years, including the PGA Championship. His best showing at the Masters is a tie for 22nd, but he has the perfect game to dominate Augusta.
Rory McIlroy
A tale of two Rorys—there’s the one that won at Bay Hill with a closing 64 and finished second in Dubai. But there’s also the McIlroy who has proven to be unusually inconsistent this year. Still, McIlroy hasn’t been outside the Top 10 at the last four Masters, and if he’s putting well, he has to be considered a front runner.
Jon Rahm
The Spaniard started the year strongly, but hasn’t been in the best form in recent weeks. Still, with a big power game and a surprisingly deft touch on the greens, Rahm should contend at Augusta. He’s young though, and his game has not shown up at the majors yet.
Tiger Woods
A year ago it would be hard to imagine Tiger as a frontrunner at Augusta. But after back surgery, he’s regained his length and is healthy. And heck, even a broken-down Tiger is a force at Augusta. With Top 5 finishes in each of his last starts, Woods looks like he’s shrugged off any sign of rust, and he’s putting very well. He’s spotty with his driver though, and that could lead to some big numbers at Augusta.
Sergio Garcia
The defending champion, and a new father, seems to have matured a lot from the fits he used to throw after he struggled at Augusta. With a couple of recent wins in Singapore and Spain, and strong play at the Match Play, is a repeat in order?
Jordan Spieth
With 10 PGA victories and four Major titles, including the 2015 Masters, you can’t ignore Spieth as a favourite. He has struggled with his putting recently – but if he can dial that in, watch out.
The Dark Horses
Paul Casey’s game always seemed perfect for Augusta, and he’s playing very well indeed … he’s no longer playing Callaway clubs, but keep an eye on Patrick Reed, who comes into the tournament with some recent strong finishes … Tommy Fleetwood comes into Augusta on a roll, even if he didn’t play well there last year.