Who's Going to Win the Green Jacket?

Hello friends, it's that time of year again.  The week that every golf fan looks forward to more than any other, it's Masters week.  The azaleas are blooming, the grass is that special green and everything seems to be ready for play.  But which players are ready to win?  Augusta National seems to bring out the game's best players like no other layout in the world.  Perennial contenders and oft champions Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will dominate most people's picks for the coveted green jacket, but there are others players with a chance.

Let's take a look at who's got the best shot to win this week.  I've taken the Vegas odds, and offered my own opinion.

Lee Westwood     15-1

They say he's the best player to never win a major.  What they mean is, he's good, but not good enough; others are better.  I've got a feeling he holds on to that title at least another week.  While Westwood's game is as solid as almost anybody out there's, he just hadn't been able to ever hold a lead when it really counted.  After numerous last round failings, he's going to have a huge psychological mountain to overcome.  Plus, at 37, that will only get harder and harder as he realizes the window for him to win a major has almost closed.

I don't think he's playing well enough to be 15-1, I've got him at a respectable 25-1.

Rickie Fowler      50-1

Simply put, orange and green don't go together any better than orange and blue go together.  The higher ups and Augusta National simply won't stand for their beloved green blazer going over one of Rickie's orange-everything outfits.  Don't look for a breakthrough week from the young American. 

Sure, 50-1.

Ian Poulter      50-1

He dissed Tiger this week, replying "not this week" to a question about whether or not Tiger could finish in the top 5.  But we know that players who knock on Woods *rim shot* rarely come out on top.  Isn't that right Stephen? 

I'll go with 50-1, but you won't see my money anywhere near this guy.

Jim Furyk      50-1

They say is game isn't well suited to Augusta.  Translation:  He isn't good enough to win at Augusta.  Sure, he's solid, but he doesn't hit the ball long enough, he short game isn't good enough, and Bobby Jones would be spinning in his grave to know that swing was winning the Masters. 

50-1 is generous, very generous.

Louis Oosthuizen      45-1

Really?  Sure, he'll be in the hunt this week.  Along with Ben Curtis, Shaun Micheel and other golfers who won a major and were never heard of again.  Winning the British Open is commendable, but this guy doesn't have the game or the experience to win at Augusta.  He'll be a non-factor. 

I think they forgot a couple of 0's.  He's 4500-1.

Ernie Els 50-1

The Big Easy hasn't really done anything of note the past few years, save a couple of wins last year at Bay Hill and the CA Championship. Ernie has a good record at the Masters but has never been able to finish what he's started. His experience at Augusta gives him a huge boost, and coming out of nowhere may help him avoid many of the distractions that come with being a favorite. He'd be a fan favorite to win, and he's my dark horse selection. Don't hold your breath though. 

He's still 50-1, but the best of that bunch; worth a few bucks I think.

Anthony Kim      35-1

One of the less experienced players with a good shot at winning, Kim has an alright record at Augusta, including a course-record 11 birdies in the second round of the 2009 tournament.  So, he's shown he can put up some red numbers, but can he do it more than one round, and can he hold it together down the stretch on Sunday?  Maybe, maybe. 

I'll put him at a slightly better 30-1.

Steve Stricker     35-1

One pundit said a Stricker win at Augusta would complete one of the greatest comeback stories in golf history.  I have two problems with this.  First, how do you win the "Comeback Player of the Year" two years in a row?  If you cameback the first year, you'd already be back.  How can you comeback when you're already there?  Secondly, how do you win the "Comeback Player of the Year" when you were never there in the first place?  Stricker's career isn't exactly the stuff legends are made of.  I think the "Arrived for the First Time in a Long Career" award would have been more fitting.  When he first won the award in 2006, his career highlights included three victories, one of which was the 2001 World Match Play; that's the one many of the top players skipped because it was in Australia in January.  As far as Augusta is concerned, Stricker doesn't have what it takes to win the Masters. 

See Oosthuizen, 3500-1.

Rory McIlroy      30-1

I don't think there's a person out there who isn't impressed with this kid.  His game has all the tools, and he's been in contention in Majors before.  What he doesn't have, is very much experience at Augusta; something so key and so advantageous for former champions.  I think he's a likely winner of this tournament at some point, but not quite yet. Having said all that, if things are clicking, why not? 

I'm going with 20-1.

Dustin Johnson      20-1

Johnson has been in contention and two of the last three majors.  After blowing a lead at Pebble in June, he missed a playoff in the PGA after a most unfortunate rule infraction on the 72nd hole.  Johnson hits it a ton, which always works well at Augusta, and rumour has it he's been studying the rule book feverishly for the past six months.  But in his previous three starts in the Masters, the best he's been able to do is a tie for 30th.  I figure him to be there on Sunday, but whether or not he can hold it together, is another matter. 

Mostly gut instinct, he's 15-1.

Nick Watney      15-1

I'm not sure why the odds makers have him at 15-1.  Yes, he's a solid player, but other than a 7th place finishes in last years Masters and last year's British Open, he hasn't had much success in the Majors.  He's also another young player without much experience at Augusta.  While he can play as well as anybody, can he thrive on the back nine on Sunday, with the likes of Mickelson and Woods breathing down his neck?

I'll bump him up a bit, 25-1.

Martin Kaymer      15-1

There hasn't been a World number one this unnoticed since...since....well, never.  There also won't be a number one winning the Masters this year.  Kaymer's good, but he'll need to improve on his current best finish in the Masters, 'Missed Cut.'  Having never played on the weekend at Augusta is the experience he's missing in order to contend this week.

I can't put a guy who's never made the cut at Augusta better than 30-1, but I can't put the top-ranked player worse than 20-1. Let's go with 25-1.

Tiger Woods      8-1

Tiger is a shell of his former self, the guy who won 14 majors in only 11 years. Unfortunately for the rest of the field, a shell of his former self is still better than the majority of players on Tour. The vast array of Waffle House type places in Augusta, Georgia could be a problem for Tiger however, as he struggles to keep Lil' Tiger from getting into some Flo-type waitress.  But despite the off course distractions, Tiger knows this course as well as anybody not named Jack, and he has what it takes to win.  The only thing is, can he find it at the right time?  He hasn't of late.  10-1.

Phil Mickelson      10-1

He's the defending champion, and he's coming off a win last week in Houston.  Always a favorite at Augusta, look for 'lefty' to be in contention again this week.  Normally, winning the previous week might be a bad thing, but Phil has shown he can do it, having won the week before winning the 2006 Masters.  But what about winning back-to-back Masters, a feat only done by three others?  It's tough enough to win once and two in a row might be too much for Phil the Thrill. 10-1 sounds right.

Mike Weir      300-1

The odds of Frank Costanza landing on Fusilli Jerry were better than 'Weirsy' winning another green jacket.  The only way this guy is finishing first is with a really early tee time.  The Cinderella story that was his brief PGA Tour success is well past midnight.  Million to one shot doc, million to one.

-TheRev

twitter.com/TheRevBW

thesportsroundup@gmail.com

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