As we wave goodbye to the chilly winter months and welcome the heat of Spring, pleasure is constructing amongst golf followers with The Masters set to return in April. As at all times it is going to be the primary of the 12 months’s 4 main golf championships and can be adopted by the PGA Championship in Might, the US Open in June and The Open in July. The world’s finest golfers will compete for the championship with the likes of Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, in addition to final 12 months’s winner, Hideki Matsuyama among the many favourites for this 12 months’s crown.
As devoted followers will know, these tournaments aren’t at all times gained by the top-seeded gamers. Final 12 months’s Masters, for instance, was gained by the unfancied Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama. There are many much less fancied gamers with the potential to trigger an upset this 12 months, from younger up-and-comers, to former champions.
Will Zalatoris
Since turning skilled 4 years in the past, San Francisco native Will Zalatoris has steadily risen to a good place within the sport. He impressed in his 2018 majors debut on the US Open, though he didn’t make the midway lower. After a while off in 2019 resulting from an absence of funding he returned in 2020 on the US Open the place he tied with Dustin Johnson in 6th place, his first prime 10 end at a significant.
His career-best efficiency in 2021 got here within the Masters, ending as runner up behind eventual champion Hideki Matsuyama. He then went on to tie 8th on the PGA Championship to finish three consecutive top-ten finishes. He was named PGA Tour 2020-21 Rookie of the 12 months as a reward for his distinctive performances. Regardless of such spectacular latest kind, he has been quoted as excessive as 40/1 to win this 12 months’s Masters, however on the tender age of 25, Zalatoris has loads of room for enchancment, and retains the potential to supply a shock.
Tiger Woods
A number of followers aren’t conscious that “Tiger” isn’t even his actual title, because it suits so completely along with his fearless persona on the course. The Golf Corridor of Famer is already a legend of the game, so it speaks volumes about his ardour that he continues to push himself to compete with the world’s finest. Since turning skilled in 1996, he has racked up over 100 skilled wins together with 5 Masters Tournaments, 4 PGA Championships, 3 US Opens and three Open Championships. The vast majority of these titles have been gained between 1997 and 2008, a interval wherein he gained a minimum of one main in 8 out of the 11 years. A turbulent interval adopted for Woods, with private issues and accidents threatening to derail his profession.
He has had quite a few operations on his again, which might have led many in his place to retire, however he has displayed immense psychological energy and resilience. He gained the 2019 Masters, his first main since 2008. Since then, the damage issues have continued to plague him, therefore his lengthy odds for this 12 months’s Masters. Ought to he handle to remain match, savvy golf followers will know higher than to wager in opposition to him.
Justin Rose
Justin Rose is without doubt one of the hottest names on the golf circuit, because of years of entertaining performances. He solely has one majors title to his title, the 2013 US Open, however 2022 may very well be the 12 months that this adjustments. His 18 profession top-ten finishes show that Rose can combine with the world’s finest when he’s on kind, though he has struggled with consistency. He has been an unfortunate loser in a variety of tournaments just like the 2018 Open Championship the place he tied in second after a daring efficiency, or the 2019 US Open the place he tied third. With a bit extra luck on his aspect, many followers really feel he may have added to his one championship trophy.
He often saves his finest for the Masters with 6 of his 18 prime ten finishes being achieved there, together with second place in 2015, and once more two years later. He completed 7th in final 12 months’s match after a formidable run to the ultimate levels, so if he can simply maintain his nerve, 2022 may nicely be his 12 months.
