Form Guide: 2009 US Masters
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 US Masters | Preview | 07 Apr 2009
This year’s Masters is shaping as one of the more wide open in several years. While there are three or four more red-hot favourites, there are as many as twenty golfers who have a realistic chance of becoming the 2009 champion.
Red-Hot Favourites
Tiger Woods
Woods might have won this event on only one occasion in his last six visits to Augusta National but once again he is the hot favourite to win. His recent win at Bay Hill came quicker than many – including perhaps even Woods himself – thought it might after an eight month layoff but it confirmed his readiness both physically and mentally for the task at hand. It also reminded every other player in the Masters field of the same. The last few years have shown there is no such thing as a lay down misere at this level but he is as close to it as anyone.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson has clawed his way back to the number two position in the game with two recent wins. Mickelson’s record at Augusta is simply brilliant with two wins and nine other top tens in his last 14 times to Augusta National. His rather surprising missed cut in Houston last week is a concern given how far he was from the cut line and on that effort his chances have been reduced although not extinguished.
Padraig Harrington
Harrington seems to be peaking at the right time to challenge for his third consecutive major championship victory and what would be his fourth in his last seven attempts. He has played Augusta well, more especially in his last two visits when 7th and 5th. He is warming to his task with improved tournaments in the last few weeks and played well enough in Houston. Another good major finish is expected.
Geoff Ogilvy
Ogilvy is primed for his best result at Augusta. Truly one of the game’s big event players these days, Ogilvy has made all three cuts at Augusta National with a best of 16th, that coming on debut when he contended during round three. He arrives at Augusta National off the back of a great start to the season following his wins in Hawaii and in Tucson and with now three years of learning how to play Augusta National behind him he is as ready as ever to add a second major to his US Open crown. An impressive lead-up week in Houston provides even further confidence in his chances.
Strong Chances
Ernie Els
Els may not have been at his peak of late but he has still shown enough to indicate his readiness for yet another tilt at the major he has gone agonisingly close to winning on occasions. A brilliant second round of 66 at the Shell Houston Open last week, the round of the day, highlights that his game is not far from where it needs to be for him to be a factor this week.
Henrik Stenson
Stenson has played sparingly in 2009 but did start the season well with good finishes in Dubai and Qatar. The Swede wound up his preparation in the best possible manner last week when third in Houston after one or two indifferent PGA Tour performances in 2009. Stenson has played the Masters on three occasions with a tie for 17th in each of the last two years his best, but he has developed into one of golf’s best players in the past two years and is on the verge of taking his game to major championship level.
Robert Karlsson
Karlsson has generally struggled in the early part of 2009 to find the form which saw him as one of the game’s most improved players in 2008 but a very good week at the Houston Open (14th) has brought him back into calculations. Karlsson finished 8th at the Masters in 2008 following a solid debut 30th in 2007 and if he can rediscover some of the form he displayed when recording three top ten finishes in majors in 2008 then he has a chance of another very good week.
Retief Goosen
Goosen has finally returned to the fold of elite players with a win at the recent Transitions Championship. Goosen has been twice runner up at Augusta and twice third so he knows how to handle this golf course nearly as well as anyone in the field.
Outside Chances
Sergio Garcia
For a player of his standing in world golf Garcia does has not enjoyed a good record at Augusta. He did finish 4th in 2004 but that aside there has not been anything to get too excited about. He has changed schedule this year in the hope of a better week and his lead up form generally, prior to a last round of 81 at the Shell Houston Open, was encouraging.
Jim Furyk
Furyk has only missed one cut in 12 starts at Augusta National but 4th has been his best. Furyk has shown some good form in recent months and there is every reason to expect a good week from him.
Paul Casey
Casey has played on a limited schedule in 2009 but when he has played he has done well including his historic win in last week’s Shell Houston Open. He has done very well in three of his four starts at Augusta and with that knowledge behind him his chances look good to improve on his previous best when 6th on debut in 2004. He stands a good chance at slightly longer odds. His win in Houston could work for or against his chances this week and that may be the deciding factor for the Englishman’s hopes.
Vijay Singh
Singh has a great record at The Masters, winning in 2000 but also playing consistently well in the event since. Singh’s problem in 2009 however is his current form since his return from knee surgery. He has not been inside the top 50 in any stroke-play event since so logic suggests it will be hard for him to continue his run of good finishes at Augusta National this year.
Camilo Villegas
Villegas has struggled with Augusta National to date, missing the cut in his two attempts but he is a much improved and credentialed player now than was the case when he was last at Augusta twelve months ago. Since then he has become a two time winner on the USPGA Tour. His roller coaster form in 2009 is of some concern when considering his chances this week however, a good finish being followed by a missed cut in the first eight starts of the year and a less than convincing lead up last week in Houston.
Kenny Perry
Perry is playing some of the best golf of his life in 2008 at the age of 48, recording four PGA Tour wins in the last 11 months. Perry’s problem however is that he and Augusta National just don’t seem to get along. He has made only three of 8 cuts in the event with a best of 12th in 1995. The improvement in his standing in the game in the last 12 months however suggests he could well record his best finish in the event, although a win would be a surprise. He has not played this tournament since 2005.
Steve Stricker
Stricker has been a model of consistency of late as he has progressed his way up the world ranking. The concern for Stricker is a very ordinary record at Augusta National. Despite a missed cut in Houston he is playing well enough to feature but he will need to turnaround a history at the Masters which has seen only one top ten in eight starts.
Lee Westwood
Westwood has only an average record at the Masters, making six of ten cuts with a best of 6th in 1999. His recent form generally in tournament golf has been encouraging however including a solid 11th place finish in Houston. He is a big event player and events don’t come much bigger than this.
Mike Weir
Weir has been somewhat overlooked in pre tournament discussions. He is of course a previous champion at the Masters and has regularly played the event well. Weir played very well early this season and while he has not been quite as sharp in recent weeks he is playing well enough for his great Augusta National record to continue.
Trevor Immelman
Immelman is the defending champion and interestingly Immelman’s lead-in form is a little better than last year. With the confidence of knowing he can lead and defend a lead at this event then another victory would not be the surprise it was last year.
Longshots
Nick Watney
Watney is perhaps one of the genuine long shot chances. He finished 11th in what was an impressive Masters debut in 2008 and his form this season has been outstanding with a win and two top tens in his last six starts.
Sean O’Hair
O’Hair has played this event twice missing the cut in his first appearance but finishing a very good 14th in 2008. He has found some great form in recent weeks, being run down by only Tiger Woods at Bay Hill and playing very well in earlier events in 2009.
Tim Clark
It might be a bit much to expect a player to win the Masters as his first PGA Tour victory but in 2006 Tim Clark nearly did just that when runner up to Mickelson. He has played well on one or two other occasions also at Augusta National and has recorded several good finishes this year. He is the grinding type of player who could do well especially if conditions get tough.
Fred Couples
Couples surprised everyone with his great week at Houston last week and another recent third place at the Northern Trust Open highlighted that his Houston heroics were not a flash in the pan. 2008 was the only missed cut for Couples in 24 appearances at Augusta and even at the age of 49 he could still give this a good shake.
Other Australians
Stuart Appleby
Appleby has played Augusta well in recent years including when leading into round four in 2007. His current form is only reasonable so while he could potentially do well amongst the Australians, contending seems unlikely.
Adam Scott
Adam Scott’s disappointing run in major golf championships seems destined to continue this week. He regularly finishes inside the top 30 but only once in seven starts has he been inside the top ten. I can’t get excited about his chances.
Robert Allenby
Allenby appears to have little hope of improving on what has been a very poor record at Augusta for a player of his standing. He is playing very consistently at present, not having missed a cut in his last 36 starts but his Augusta National hoodoo is likely to continue.
Aaron Baddeley
Baddeley has a shocking record at Augusta with one cut made in four starts. Given his current form it would surprise if it improves a great deal this year.
Mathew Goggin
Goggin gets his first look at Augusta National this week and will be the better for it. He is a fine player and playing consistently well but a top 30 would be a good result on debut.
Greg Norman
Norman never ceases to amaze but if he makes the cut it will be a great performance. He slid under the radar at Royal Birkdale last year but the spotlight is well and truly on him this week. He could conceivably make the cut but realistically not much better.
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