Fansided

5 most anticipated match-ups of the 2018 Masters

By Kyle Walton

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 18: Fans reach for Tiger Woods as he makes his way to hole No. 7 during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 18, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR)
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 18: Fans reach for Tiger Woods as he makes his way to hole No. 7 during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 18, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR) /
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HONOLULU, HI – JANUARY 12: Justin Thomas of the United States is congratulated by Jordan Spieth of the United States after chipping in on the tenth hole during the first round of the Sony Open In Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 12, 2017 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
HONOLULU, HI – JANUARY 12: Justin Thomas of the United States is congratulated by Jordan Spieth of the United States after chipping in on the tenth hole during the first round of the Sony Open In Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 12, 2017 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

2. Justin Thomas vs. Jordan Spieth

Since their early days as teenagers, long time friends Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth have been contending for titles together for over a decade. From the Junior All-Star championships in Texas to the 2012 NCAA Championship and now the brightest stages of the PGA Tour, Thomas and Spieth represent the new era of PGA pros inspiring the next generation of golfers.

At 24-years old apiece, both perennial contenders have more than proven their staying power on the PGA Tour. In 2012, at the age of just 19, Spieth officially began his professional golf career. One year later, just two weeks before his 20th birthday, he claimed his first PGA victory at the John Deere Classic.

Since then, Spieth has gone on to win 11 PGA events including three majors. During his record-breaking 2015 campaign, Spieth won his first Masters tournament. During his performance at Augusta National Spieth tied Tiger Woods’ record for lowest tournaments score (18-under) and broke the record for 54-hole score (16-under) and most birdies during the tournament.

While Spieth searches for his second green jacket, his close friend will look to finally break through at Augusta and claim his first Masters victory. In his two previous appearances, Thomas’ best outing was last year when he finished tied for 22nd.

Coming off a historic year of his own in 2017, Thomas has become one of the fastest rising stars in the history of golf, perhaps since Spieth or Woods. Since turning pro in 2015, Thomas has eight PGA Tour victories, six since January 2017. Included in last year’s remarkable run was Thomas’ first Major championship (2017 PGA Championship) and the 2017 FedEx Cup Championship (and the extra $10 million prize).

Last year Thomas and Spieth ended the year first and second respectively in FedEx Cup points standings. Both are former FedEx Cup champions, Majors winners and rising stars all before their 25th birthdays. The competitive camaraderie would undoubtedly lead to an instant classic Sunday showdown at the most iconic course in golf.

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