Three types of players to watch for at the 2016 Masters

 

The greatest week of the Golf season is upon us. The first-round of the Masters will get underway tomorrow in Augusta and we’ve compiled the three types of players to watch for.

The Foreigners

Although 6 of the last 10 Masters Champions have hailed from the United States, players born on foreign soil can make their presence felt at Augusta.

Louis Oosthuizen
World Ranking: 11
Top Masters Finish:  2nd, 2012
Major Championship Wins: (1) 2010 Open Championship

The runner-up at the WGC Match Play Championship in Houston two weeks ago, Oosthuizen has his game in good shape heading into the Masters. Oosthuizen could become the third South African golfer to win the Masters in the last 9 tournaments.

Charl Schwartzel
World Ranking: 20
Top Masters Finish: 1st, 2011
Major Championship Wins: (1) 2011 Masters

Who better to pick in this category than a former Masters Champ? Schwartzel has 2 wins on tour already in 2016 and is setting his sights on his second green jacket.

 

The Majorless

Pretty self-explanatory category here. Some of Golf’s top players still in search of their first Major Championship.

Rickie Fowler
World Ranking: 5
Top Masters Finish: T-5 2014
Major Championship Wins: 0

Fowler joined Justin Thomas in back to back hole in ones in the Masters Par-3 Tournament on Wednesday and has been on the brink of his first major championship as he’s finished within the top-5 of every major.

Dustin Johnson
World Ranking: 8
Top Masters Finish: T-6, 2016
Major Championship Wins: 0

Johnson played runner-up in both the 2015 U.S. Open and The Open Championship and is looking to finally break through with his first green jacket and Major win.

Brandt Snedeker
World Ranking: 17
Top Masters Finish: T-3, 2008
Major Championship Wins: 0

With 4 top-10 finishes and a win at the Farmers Insurance Open, Snedeker has been a force on the tour in 2016. Snedeker will have to bounce back from his 2015 Masters where he missed the cut.

 

The Elites

14 Major Championships combined in this group, these are the stars to watch for at Augusta this week.

Justin Rose
World Ranking: 9
Top Masters Finish: T-2, 2015
Major Championship Wins: (1) 2013 U.S. Open

The 2013 U.S. Open winner shared runner-up duties with Phil Mickelson behind Jordan Speith’s electric performance in last year’s Masters. Rose has 3 career top-10 finishes at Augusta.

Adam Scott
World Ranking: 7
Top Masters Finish: 1st, 2013
Major Championship Wins: (1) 2013 Masters

Scott will look to earn his second green jacket three years removed from his first and only Major Championship. Scott has 13 career top-10 finishes in major tournaments. Stevie Williams will come out of retirement again to caddie for Scott. Williams has carried bags for 4 masters champions.

Rory McIlroy
World Ranking: 3
Top Masters Finish: 4th, 2015
Major Championship Wins: (4) 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 & 2014 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship

Rory McIlroy was looking like the most dominant force on Tour at the end of 2014 before his winning streak in Major’s was spoiled by Jordan Speith who started a streak of his own. McIlroy just needs the green jacket to complete his career slam and will look to build on his best Masters finish in 2015.

Jason Day 
World Ranking: 1
Top Masters Finish: 3rd, 2013
Major Championship Wins: (1) 2015 PGA Championship

Fresh off his first career Major win the top-ranked golfer in the world will look to stake his claim at Augusta. Day has finished in the top 3 twice at the Masters and might be set up to rattle of a streak of Major wins of his own.

Phil Mickelson
World Ranking: 18
Top Masters Finish: 1st – 2004, 2006, & 2010
Major Championship Wins: (5) 2004, 2006, & 2010 Masters, 2005 PGA Championship, 2010 Open Championship

Lefty is coming into his favorite course with a chance to join elite company becoming only the 4th player with 4 career Masters victories (Nicklaus 6, Woods 4, Plamer 4).

Bubba Watson
World Ranking: 4
Top Masters Finish: 1st – 2012, 2014
Major Championship Wins: (2) 2012, 2014 Masters

The other recognizable lefty, Watson will enter Thursday winning two of the last four Masters tournaments. Watson seems to find comfort at Augusta and should be in the mix come Sunday.

Jordan Speith 
World Ranking: 2
Top Masters Finish: 1st – 2015
Major Championship Wins: (2) 2016 Masters, 2016 U.S. Open

The defending champ will enter his third career Masters start with two top-2 finishes under his belt. Not bad for a 22-year-old. Speith’s season has been up and down so far but hasn’t played in many meaningful tournaments so he could gear up and picked up right where he left off in his historic 2015 campaign with two Major Championships and 4 top-4 finishes in Major’s.