Power Rankings: Who can contend at Augusta National
The Masters tournament is currently taking place at Augusta National Golf Club, where seeing stars in the daytime doesn’t require a rare celestial event unlike the total solar eclipse witnessed by millions across North America on Monday.
The 88th edition of the first major of the year has drawn in a field comprising 89 individuals. The challenges they are bound to encounter, their goals and an initial glimpse into the weather conditions have been outlined below.
Wyndham Clark – Rank 15
Although he’s thrice a PGA TOUR winner, including the 2023 U.S. Open, he’s the only first-timer in the Power Rankings. All of his victories were within the last 11 months, so he has escalated quickly. Two seconds in the last month, too.
Joaquin Niemann – Rank 14
The 25-year-old Chilean is in already his 20th start in a major. He’s yet to record a top-15 finish but came closest with a T16 at the Masters last year. More recently, he spanned the holiday break with a win among four top fives worldwide.
Cameron Young – Rank 13
The only PGA TOUR non-winner in the Power Rankings is rested since a solo second at the Valspar Championship. He’s out to replace Matt Fitzpatrick (2022 U.S. Open) as the most recent for whom a major is his breakthrough victory.
Patrick Reed – Rank 12
Augusta National is a stage for his phenomenal short game. Since emerging with victory here in 2018, he’s added three top 10s, including a T4 a year ago when he led the field in putting. Recently placed fourth in an Asian Tour event in Macau.
Sahith Theegala – Rank 11
Proving that Augusta National has room for all, he finished ninth in his debut last year, doing so with a 67 in the final round when the field average was 73. Ranked T2 in par-5 scoring for the week. Three top 10s in last five starts.
Jordan Spieth – Rank 10
Despite his wild ride on the 18th hole of TPC San Antonio on Saturday, he finished T10 at the Valero Texas Open, so there were positives to the tune-up. His Masters record is absurd: 9-for-10 with a win, two seconds, two thirds and a T4.
Matt Fitzpatrick – Rank 9
Placed T10 at the Valero Texas Open and couldn’t have dialed up a better finale in advance of the Masters. He hit 15 greens and converted six birdies for a 5-under 67. Solo fifth at THE PLAYERS in previous start. Finished T10 at Masters last year.
Russell Henley – Rank 8
A solo fourth at the Valero Texas Open served as an extension of sparkling form – it’s his third fourth of 2024 – and as a perfect primer for his eighth Masters. The all-things Georgian placed, what else, a personal-best T4 here a year ago.
Shane Lowry – Rank 7
Flourished on the Florida Swing with a T4 at PGA National, a third at Bay Hill and a T19 at TPC Sawgrass. Among the best on TOUR in numerous tee-to-green metrics. Top 25s in last four Masters with a T3 and a T16 in the last two.
Xander Schauffele – Rank 6
At some point, you’d think that, if nothing else, the law of averages would tip into his favor, but someone always is in the conversation of the best without a win a major. Two podiums at Augusta National. Five top 10s in 2024.
Rory McIlroy – Rank 5
Now in his 10th try to complete the career Grand Slam, this one arrives on the heels of a (distant) solo third at the Valero Texas Open, which itself was preceded by a four-hour visit with swing coach Butch Harmon. Mojo times mojo.
Hideki Matsuyama – Rank 4
Already a winner in 2024 at The Genesis Invitational. He’s since added a T12, a T6 and a T7. Of course, he’s also a winner of the Masters in what was his magical 2021, but he’s 9-for-9 with eight top 20s in the major since 2015.
h Brooks Koepka – Rank 3
The five-time major champion came closest to picking off a victory at the Masters as one of three runners-up to Tiger Woods in 2019, but he also placed T2 last year, albeit four strokes back of Jon Rahm. Two other top 15s here since 2017.
Jon Rahm – Rank 2
Taking into consideration his talent, his affinity for the history of the game and his adoration for fellow Spaniards who preceded him, it was only a matter of time that he prevailed in the Masters, but his 2023 win is one of five top 10s here.
Scottie Scheffler – Rank 1
While Stephan Jaeger is the only golfer to best the world’s top-ranked talent in his last three starts, this respects the historic tee-to-green dominance that Scheffler is exhibiting. Also celebrating the second anniversary of his Masters title.
While the Masters is held every year, North America’s following complete eclipse will not take place until August 2044. The best vantage point for this event will mainly be in Canada. Consider this: when it eventually transpires, Tiger Woods – a five-time Masters winner- will have reached 68 years of age.
Woods, aged 48, will be participating in his 26th Masters appearance this week. His vast experience could greatly benefit the twenty golfers making their tournament debut alongside him. The competitors are fully aware that Woods was just three years old when Fuzzy Zoeller became the last first-timer to win the coveted green jacket back in 1979, and it has only been accomplished twice before by Horton Smith and Gene Sarazen during inaugural events held respectively in 1934 and 1935.
Regardless of past course experience, all golfers will be faced with the newest version of the par-5 second hole for their initial play through. The dogleg left has been extended by 10 yards and now measures at 585 yards in length, thereby raising the total distance of Augusta National to a record-breaking scorecard measurement of 7,555 yards.
The most significant alteration made prior to the previous tournament was adding a new tee on the 13th hole, increasing its distance by 35 yards. Despite it becoming the toughest par-5 following this change, data from one round shouldn’t be considered conclusive. Surprisingly, though difficult as ever before with a score average of 4.736 compared to last year’s record-breaking numbers in2022 ,the newer Scoring Average is lower for that particular case .This could have partially been due to an easier course overall resulting in players averaging at around an even-par of72.960 during gameplay sessions
While score holds importance in both historical records and present-day evaluations, it is the trophy that ultimately counts.
Once again, mastery of course management on the approach is crucial for success on this track, even if it means sacrificing some distance off the tee. While Augusta National may favor long hitters at times, ultimately precision in calculating one’s second shot determines victory. Only those with a keen sense of geometry and strategic angles will excel here.
At the end of 36 holes, there will be a special cutoff at low 50 with ties. Those who continue on will compete until the very end. In addition to numerous perks, such as exemption into all other major tournaments through 2028 and membership in PGA TOUR until 2029, the winner will also receive an everlasting exemption to participate in this tournament and earn up to $750 FedExCup points.
The champion will enjoy a lovely stroll in the sun on Sunday, with temperatures expected to exceed 80 degrees. Unfortunately, the tournament’s first day looks bleak with rain and stormy conditions forecasted for Thursday accompanied by gusty winds. Friday should be drier although windy while Saturday is anticipated as the most pleasant of all three days since it’ll only reach about mid-70s.
