Augusta Chronicle golf writer Scott Michaux says that Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington will all finish in the top 10 in Georgia. With the Masters set to begin later today in Augusta we bring you the leaderboard predictions of our local experts on the ground.
Yahoo! golf editor Michael Arkush:
1. Vijay Singh: He is hitting the ball better than anyone this year – well, almost anyone. Seems a bit under the radar, which works to his advantage.
2. Tiger Woods: So much for the talk of the Grand Slam – this year, that is.
3. Phil Mickelson: He is always extremely focused for this tournament, and this year is no exception.
4. Geoff Ogilvy: We forgot about him, until he resurfaced with great play over the last month. He won’t be intimidated by Woods.
5. Fred Couples: Did you see what he did last week in Houston? Of course, he must putt better than he did in 2006.
6. Ernie Els: The Big Easy could do what he did last month in Florida. Then again, he could easily miss the cut.
7. Steve Stricker: He missed the cut last year and has only one Top 10 here in seven starts. In other words, he’s due.
8. Hunter Mahan: On the minus side, he’s played here only once. On the plus side, he can go low – real low.
9. Rory Sabbatini: We haven’t heard much from him in recent weeks, but isn’t he one of the other guys who finished second last year?
10. Jose Maria Olazabal: It would be just like him, after missing another huge chunk of time, to make a run at his third green jacket.
Yahoo! contributor Steve Eubanks:
1. Tiger Woods: As of Tuesday morning, the Las Vegas line was 11-10, which is ridiculous. Secretariat wasn’t that sure a bet. That said, Tiger could win by 31 lengths.
2. Vijay Singh: Continues to be the best ball striker in the game. His weakness, of course, has been putting. But on greens where experience matters, he will be there Sunday.
3. Retief Goosen: The swing changes have worked, and the putter is back. A T-2 at the last WGC event, followed by a solid final round in New Orleans, should give him confidence.
4. K.J. Choi: One win, two more top-10s and a solid three rounds in Houston for a T-11, Choi is the best bet to make the Masters his first major. Also, don’t underestimate his drive to become the first male Korean major champion.
5. Jim Furyk: Furyk is the consummate grinder, and someone who wants to break into the multiple-major-winner club.
6. Geoff Ogilvy: He couldn’t find a fairway early in the season, but after four missed cuts he has had a top-10, a T-14, a win and a tie for second last week in Houston.
7. Padraig Harrington: In five U.S. starts, his worst finish had been a T-26 in Houston, where one bad round cost him.
8. Adam Scott: They have been fleeting, but the signs of brilliance are there. He shot 63 last week with the flu, and already has a 61 in the books this year.
9. Phil Mickelson: Yes, he is a two-time winner and higher than ninth on almost every expert’s list. But he is currently 178th in driving accuracy.
10. Ernie Els: Injuries aside, Ernie has a lot more on his mind than golf. He is still the most talented player in the field without a green jacket.
