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5 groups to watch in Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2018 Masters

By Luke Norris

SAN DIEGO, CA - JANUARY 26: Rickie Fowler plays his shot from the 17th tee as Phil Mickelson looks on during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines North on January 26, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - JANUARY 26: Rickie Fowler plays his shot from the 17th tee as Phil Mickelson looks on during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines North on January 26, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /
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PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Justin Thomas and Sergio Garcia of Spain walk up the ninth fairway during the second round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on February 23, 2018 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Justin Thomas and Sergio Garcia of Spain walk up the ninth fairway during the second round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on February 23, 2018 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Sergio Garcia, Justin Thomas, Doc Redman (a)

Thursday, Round 1: 1st tee, 10:53 a.m. ET

Friday, Round 2: 1st tee, 1:38 p.m. ET

This is a really fun group. While Justin Thomas comes in as one of the clear favorites, we have to start with the reigning Masters champion, Sergio Garcia. After playing 73 major championships without notching a victory, Sergio finally broke through last year at Augusta and won The Masters in dramatic fashion in a playoff with Justin Rose. He’s had two wins since then and his game is sharp coming into the week. He finished tied for ninth at the Match Play, had a solo fourth at the Valspar and tied for seventh at the WGC-Mexico. It’s hard to repeat as Masters champ (the last to do it was Tiger in 2001-2002) but after finally tasting major championship victory, I’m sure the world No. 9 wouldn’t mind doing it again.

Okay, now we can talk about Justin Thomas, who comes into the week with a chance to overtake Dustin Johnson as the top player in the world with the right finish. A win would certainly do it and the reigning FedExCup champ has the tools to do just that. And Thomas is crazy hot right now. After three top-25 finishes to start his year, JT has gone to that next level. He tied for ninth at the Genesis Open and then won The Honda Classic before finishing in solo second in Mexico. His most recent start resulted in a fourth-place finish at the Match Play.

Rounding out this trio is reigning U.S. Amateur champion Doc Redman, who showed plenty of guts in that win, coming back from two holes down with two to play to force a playoff with Doug Ghim, who is also in the field this week. Redman won the first playoff hole to earn the traditional place in this group with the reigning champ and will have plenty of eyes on him this week.

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