The opening major of the season is upon us and there are plenty of potential winners who could claim the coveted Green Jacket come Sunday.
In some ways The Masters should be the easiest major to predict because it is at the same venue every year and experience really matters around a course such as Augusta.
It is also the smallest field in major golf but it feels like this one is wide open.
The course suits players who can move the ball off the tee.
Rain is predicted this weekend which will soften up the course and suit the longer hitters even more.
But while being strong off the tee is a big advantage, Augusta remains a battle of the mind more than anything else.
There are so many shots required that can derail your round.
Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion and he is clearly capable of winning back-to-back titles at Augusta.
He is a player in top form having already chalked up two wins on the PGA Tour in 2023 by following up his Phoenix Open success with victory at The Players Championship.
Scheffler is incredibly underrated. If Rory McIlroy had achieved the same success recently then the column inches he would have received would have been off the charts.
The American is a very unassuming guy and there isn’t one part of his game that is spectacular.
He just does a lot of things very well and he seems to be very relaxed, even in the biggest events.
His swing maybe isn’t the prettiest in the world but who cares when you are putting on a Green Jacket on a Sunday?
But it is not going to be straightforward for him.
Rory McIlroy, looking to complete the career Grand Slam, will also have arrived at Augusta knowing a first Green Jacket will be in his grasp if he plays to his full potential.
This will be the ninth time McIlroy has tried to etch his place in golfing history by winning the Masters to complete the set.
It will be hard for him to get over the winning line if he can get into contention.
If he was two shots clear going into the final round, there would still be plenty of doubt over whether he could finish the job.
The final round at Augusta last year when he shot a 64 to finish runner-up was huge for him. It changed his mentality and the way he sees the course.
He may have felt it was a place he couldn’t post a low number but that final round will have given him a real boost.
His memories will have been of the collapse he had around there in 2011 so hopefully that has changed the narrative for him.
Jon Rahm is one to watch, especially if he gets off to a strong start, and it will be interesting to see how the Open champion Cam Smith gets on.
The other guys who I’m waiting to step up in another major are players like Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth who will both feel ready to add to their collection.
Patrick Cantlay would be another one who could take the step up and you can also make a strong case for Shane Lowry as a possible winner this week.
From a British perspective, could this be the week Tommy Fleetwood or Tyrrell Hatton make that major breakthrough?
Both of them are definitely capable of winning this week.
Fleetwood was playing well at the Valspar Championship recently but didn’t have the best final round to finish tied third when he looked on course to win
Tyrrell has been knocking on the door for a while but his record in majors isn’t as good as he would like for a player of his quality.
It is going to come down to having the right mindset.
Experience will count for a lot coming down the stretch but it also wouldn’t be a huge shock if we crown a new major champion this week.
The Masters is always top entertainment and I’m sure this week will be no exception.
Ramifications of court ruling
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the DP World Tour has won its legal battle against LIV players.
The case arose after LIV players were fined £100,000 and suspended from last year’s Scottish Open following their decision to play on the breakaway tour.
The outcome of the case is expected to be confirmed this week.
If the DP World Tour is successful then it will be welcomed as it gives the tour an element of control over their product.
It will be interesting to see what the ramifications of the decision are but we won’t know that until much further down the line.
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