2013 Masters: The 25 Best Golfers Teeing Off at the Masters
Top 25 Golfers Heading Into The Masters
One of golf's most amazing tournaments takes place this weekend when the PGA takes on the greens of Augusta National. The Masters is one of the PGA’s four Major Championships and one of its most revered.
Winning a Green Jacket is on the list of goals shared by every single professional golfer in the world. The list of famed winners simply begs for your effort to join the club, and every year the passion is visible when the contestants take the course.
The talk this year centers on a familiar name. Tiger Woods seems to be healthy again, and looks like he is back near the top of his game. All eyes will be on golf’s most loved-and hated-name, when he takes the course on Thursday. Whether he can win it all depend not only on his own play, but also on the play of some of the best talent the PGA has to offer.
Last year saw Bubba Watson tackle an almost impossible shot, hitting out of the gallery and through an alley of trees with the tournament on the line. The stress of the moment and the level of difficulty meant nothing to Watson, who stepped up and put the ball on the green to win the Green Jacket and solidified his place in the annals of Masters lore.
It was the type of moment a person needs to see to believe, and it was exactly the type of moment you expect from the Masters. The emotions shown by Watson, both when he won and even when talking about the moment just a few days ago, clearly tells the importance this tournament holds. The Masters is everything good about golf, and this year’s contest will be no different.
Jeff Everette is a Miami Dolphins writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @jeverettesports, “Like” his page on FaceBook, or add him to your network on Google+.
25. Jim Furyk
It has been 10 years since Jim Furyk finished fourth at the Masters. Since then, the best he has done is a tie for 10th in 2010. Can he get over the hump and make 2013 his year?
24. Ernie Els
Despite finishing second in 2004, Ernie Els has had terrible luck at the Masters, finishing in the latter half of the field and failing to reach the cut more often than not. He will be looking to make up for his lackluster performances of the last eight years.
23. Nick Watney
Nick Watney has only cracked the top 10 at the Masters one time since he began taking part in the contest back in 2008. He is off to a slow start in 2013 and will be looking to get it going this week on golf’s biggest stage.
22. Peter Hanson
In just his second Masters appearance, Peter Hanson finished tied for third last year. He missed the cut the year before, so we will be looking to see which golfer shows up this week.
21. Hunter Mahan
Hunter Mahan has a tendency to finish around 10th in this tournament, or miss the cut all together. He needs to push the envelope this week to gain a bit of Masters credibility.
20. Webb Simpson
This is just Webb Simpson’s second year of participation at the Masters. Last year he finished tied for 44th and will be looking to increase his standings this week.
19. Dustin Johnson
In his three Masters appearances, Dustin Johnson has finished in 30th, 38th and 38th. He missed the tournament last year and will be looking to push towards the top of the leaderboard this week.
18. Jason Dufner
In just his third Masters appearance, Jason Dufner has yet to break into the top 20. This year, the seasoned pro is planning on making a statement.
17. Graeme McDowell
In five Masters appearances, Graeme McDowell has missed the cut three times. His success at other major tournaments makes it obvious he is a threat to win it all, but he will need to give a better effort than he has thus far.
16. Sergio Garcia
Sergio Garcia’s best outing at the masters was nine years ago when he finished tied for fourth. Since then he has only missed the cut twice, but has been unable to break the top ten. He comes into this week with four top-20 finishes in 2013. He will look to improve and finally break through at the Masters.
15. Charl Schwartzel
Charl Schwartzel is the first Green Jacket winner to make our list. He won it all at the Masters in 2011, but has failed to break the top-30 in either of his other two appearances. He comes into this week wanting to prove he was more than a one-hit wonder.
14. Bubba Watson
From 2011’s winner to 2012’s, Bubba Watson amazed the world last year with his incredible shot out of the woods on the final hole. Watson’s pure emotion and open-book demeanor make him a fan favorite, and he is here to make a run at going back-to-back.
13. Lee Westwood
Since 2007, Lee Westwood has finished outside of the top-11 just twice. He finished second in 2010 and was tied for third last year. Something about this tournament brings out the best in Westwood and he should be considered a threat to win it all this weekend.
12. Ian Poulter
Another golfer that has been extremely consistent at the Masters is Ian Poulter. He has finished in the top-25 in all of his last six appearances at the tournament.
11. Keegan Bradley
This will be just the second Masters for Keegan Bradley, who finished tied for 27th last year. He has had five top-10 finishes so far in 2013 and will be looking to continue this success throughout the weekend.
10. Matt Kuchar
Matt Kuchar finished tied for third at the Masters last year. It was the best he had performed at the tournament, and he will be trying to build on that success come Thursday.
9. Phil Mickelson
In the last 10 years, Phil Mickelson has eight top-10 finishes at the Masters, including winning it all three different times. He put on the Green Jacket in 2004, 2006 and again in 2010. If there is one person who has mastered this course, it is definitely Lefty.
8. Steve Stricker
The best score Steve Stricker has managed at the Masters is a tie for sixth in 2009. Although he has been in contention heading into most Sundays, he will need to step up his game if he wants to challenge the top PGA talent.
7. Adam Scott
In the last 10 years, Adam Scott has only missed the cut at the Masters two times. Last year he finished tied for eighth, but has what it takes to make a run at a jacket.
6. Louis Oosterhuizan
Last year’s runner-up, Louis Oosthuizen comes into the Masters intent on taking the next step. He has gotten off to a rough start in 2013 with a tie for 10th as his best finish of the year, but don’t count him out.
5. Brandt Snedeker
Brandt Snedeker comes into the Masters second in the FedEx Cup point standings. He finished tied for 19th last season, but with the success he has been having, do not write him off this weekend.
4. Luke Donald
Despite tying for third in his very first Masters appearance (2005), Luke Donald has been extremely mediocre at this tournament. He will need to put forth a concerted effort to make a run this year to be considered a possible champion heading into Sunday.
3. Justin Rose
Justin Rose has not missed the cut in any of his Masters appearances over the last 10 years. He has not finished in the top three on any attempt, but the World’s third best golfer has to be taken serious at this course.
2. Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is one of the PGA’s brightest rising start, but has only managed to tie for 15th here at the Masters. He needs to kick it in gear this weekend if he wants to earn the No. 1 ranking once again.
1. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods appears to have returned to the form that once made him the most dominating golfer in the world. He has won three tournaments already in 2013 and has four Green Jackets already hanging in his closet. He is the heavy favorite to win this weekend, adding a fifth to his closet and re-establishing himself as the greatest golfer of all time.
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