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The Masters: 10 dark horse golfers to win the Green Jacket

By Cameron La Fontaine

Apr 13, 2014; Augusta, GA, USA; A general view of lawn chairs along the 18th green during the final round of the 2014 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2014; Augusta, GA, USA; A general view of lawn chairs along the 18th green during the final round of the 2014 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 31, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Ryan Palmer acknowledges the crowd after finishing the 9th hole during the third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Mandatory Credit: Tom Tingle-Arizona Republic via USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Ryan Palmer acknowledges the crowd after finishing the 9th hole during the third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Mandatory Credit: Tom Tingle-Arizona Republic via USA TODAY Sports /

Ryan Palmer, U.S.A.

Watch out because here’s another dark horse with a great chance to win at Augusta National this season. A 38-year-old who has found his stride a little late in his career, but nonetheless, Palmer has been a force on the PGA Tour in recent years.

Palmer had a great 2014 season finishing 14th in the FedEx Cup rankings after showing his true abilities late in the season. He finished T-5 at the PGA Championship and had a chance at winning the tour after he finished T-16 in the Deutsche Bank, T-4 in the BMW Championship and finished seventh in the Tour Championship during the PGA Tour playoffs.

He made 20 of 23 cuts in 2014, and has played well so far in the 2015 season. He’s made 7 of 8 cuts so far and three top-10 finishes including a second place finish at the Phoenix Open behind Brooks Koepka and a T-6 finish after impressive play in the Valero Texas Open two weeks before the Masters. Palmer is coming in hot to the first major tournament of the year, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him at the top.

His 69.656 scoring average ranks fifth-best on the PGA Tour this season and he is seventh in driving distance with an average of 306.1 yard per drive and fifth in driving efficiency which is excellent at a course like Augusta National. Palmer is also a great player from the rough which helps a lot with some of Augusta National’s tight fairways. He ranks first on tour in approaches from 50-125 yards from the rough. Palmer’s total putting also puts him at third on tour.

The stats show it all, Ryan Palmer has a great chance at playing well in this big tournament and I like him to be a prime dark horse contender.

Next: Paul Casey

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