The Masters 2016: 6 potential winners
By Andy Erk
1. Jason Day
Two Australians sit firmly at the top of my list of favorites heading into the Masters. It was only a few years back that Australia broke through at the Masters to capture the countries first green jacket. Now, two Australian’s sit firmly at the top of the golfing world. Day has two wins this season at the Dell Matchplay and Arnold Palmer Invitational. Wins in back-to-back starts for Day is an impressive feat to accomplish. The key behind his winning ways thus far? Putting. Day ranks third in Strokes Gained Putting at .970. That is an impressive amount to have against the field. While the rest of Day’s numbers won’t jump off of the table, he has been playing outstanding golf, something hard not to do when holing everything. A level of golf that pushed him to the world number one ranking for the first time overtaking Jordan Spieth.
The greens at Augusta, along with the ability to cash in on the par fives, are the reasons someone walks away from Augusta National with a green jacket. Day can do both. Further, Day has had a third place finish in 2013 and second in 2011 at Augusta. A golfer that is a dynamic threat coupled with a hot start and you quickly have the most popular pick to win the Masters.
Will Day win his first Green Jacket? Maybe. Day learned how to finish the deal at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits last year. That should take some of the pressure off of Day, but being a guy who everyone likes while not having closed the door at Augusta after two good chances makes this Masters more pressured filled than ever. This might be Day’s best shot at a green jacket, but don’t listen to me, listen to his putter.
For more Masters coverage, check out the golf hub.
All Stats from: EuropeanTour/PGA Tour