The 2019 Masters at Augusta is approaching, and the first major of the year is shaping up to be another memorable tournament.
Patrick Reed will enter the week as the holder of the title, but who will he be placing the green jacket on when the winner is crowned on Sunday, April 14? Or will the American be one of the rare back-to-back winners retaining the green jacket?
We take a look at the chances of the leading contenders for the 2019 US Masters at Augusta.
Rory McIlroy
The Northern Irishman has started 2019 in career-best form, finishing in the top 10 in all starts this year before recording his 15th PGA Tour win in The Players Championship. Four-time major winner McIlroy is missing the Masters from a career Grand Slam, but can he conquer Augusta this year having failed to get the job done on the Sunday in the past with fourth in 2015 his best.
Dustin Johnson
World number one Johnson is another who has been out of luck at Augusta, but he too will head to Augusta in top form. A winner this year in Saudi Arabia and in the WGC-Mexico, he has been his consistent self. Fourth in 2016 is his best at Augusta.
Justin Rose
Rose has already been in the winners’ circle this year after winning the Farmers Insurance Open, although it has been and up and down lead up for the Englishman. Twice a runner-up in the Masters to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Sergio Garcia in 2017, will Rose bring his A-game and get across the line?
Tiger Woods
It is now 14 years since Woods won the last of his four Masters titles, but the crowds will be willing the former world number one to success at Augusta. Woods has proven there is life in him still after his injury troubles, and it would be the biggest story golf has ever played witness too if he won a fifth Masters.
Jon Rahm
Rahm will be looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow Spaniards Seve Ballesteros, Jose-Maria Olazabal—both two-time winners—and Sergio Garcia by winning the Masters. Fourth last year, he’s proven he has the game to potentially tame Augusta.
Jordan Spieth
You have to go back to The Open Championship in July 2018 to find Spieth’s last top-10 finish. The 2015 Masters champion has lost his way a little, that’s for sure. He has good and bad memories of Augusta, but has never finished worse than 11th in five attempts. Will he rediscover his best form?
Rickie Fowler
The nearly-man in majors, Fowler has finished runner-up three times including in last year’s Masters behind Patrick Reed. Few would deny the popular American deserves to win one, but does he have the bottle to get his first major success?
Patrick Reed
The defending champion following his one shot victory over Rickie Fowler last year, but Reed hasn’t enjoyed the same kind of form in the opening months of 2019. Reed would be a surprise winner, but he loves to surprise people.
See also: Key Holes at Augusta National That Could Decide the Masters Tournament