Profile Of An Ideal Masters Champion

An Ideal Profile Of a Masters Champion: A Look At 5 Players That Have The Best Chance of Claiming The Green Jacket

The Masters is back to its original spot as the first major of the golf season. There are several top contenders in their best form as they head for the tournament. If you are planning to bet on this year’s Masters champion, you have a daunting task ahead of you. In this piece, you will learn about five players that have the best chance of winning the 85th Edition of the Masters tournament.   

The Ideal Profile of a Masters Champion

 Before naming the five potential winners, it would be best to look at the ideal profile of a Masters Champion. The profile is based on the analysis of the competition’s winners in the past 25 years. 

Age 

In the last two-and-a-half decades, only two players below 25 years have won the Masters—Tiger Woods in 1997 and Jordan Spieth in 2015. The two golfers triumphed at Augusta when they were 21 years. On the other hand, too much experience might not help at the Masters. Only two players over 40 years have won the Augusta in the past 25 years. Mark O’Meara won in 1998, while Woods also managed this odd win in 2019. However, history suggests that the winner at Augusta will likely be someone aged over 25 years. 

Nationality

American golfers have conquered the Masters in the past 15 years. They have won 15 out of the past 25 Masters Tournaments. In the same period, no other country won the Augusta more than twice. They had a tough period between 2008 and 2017 when only four players won the Green Jacket. However, Americans have taken back control of the Masters and have won all the last three. Based on this trend, there is a high likelihood that this year’s winner will be American. 

World Ranking

In the last 25 Masters tournaments, 21 winners were among the top 30 best golfers in the world. The last 11 winners of the tournament were in the top 30. This is a strong indicator that this year’s Masters winner is among the top 30 best golfers in the world. 

Season Form

It is critical to note that out of the last 25 Masters Champions, 21 had already recorded a top-five finish in the season they emerged champions. Therefore, this year’s champion is probably someone that is coming off a decent showing as they head to the Masters. 

Previous Appearances at Augusta

The Augusta is the only major played at the same venue each year. As a result, it is possible to develop some course trends to help identify the players with the best chance. When you look at the last 25 Masters champions, 18 had previously played at Augusta. 

The Masters is a unique test that requires players to make few attempts before winning their first Green Jacket. The player also needs to have played well. Statistics from the previous 25 champions show that 16 of them had recorded a top-five finish at Augusta before winning.    

Five Top Contenders

Dustin Johnson

Dustin is the Masters defending champion and has a massive chance of retaining the Green Jacket. He is American and is 36 years old. He has already won once in 2021 and is number one in the global golf ranking. He has ten Masters starts to his name—Dustin ticks all the boxes to be champion.  

Justin Thomas

Justin is a solid contender to be champion this year. He has already won the Players Championship this year and his age, 27, fits the profile. He is the second-best golfer in the world, and he is American. He also finished fourth at last years’ Masters and has five Masters starts. Based on his profile, he has all the qualities of a Masters champion. 

Brooks Koepka

Brooks came in second at the 2019 Masters and seventh last year. He has made five appearances at Augusta in his career. Moreover, Brooks is a 30-year-old American that sits 12th in the global rankings. So far this year, he has managed two top-five finishes, including a win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. These facts about Brooks make him a top contender for the Green Jacket this year. 

Patrick Reed

Reed is also a former Masters champion, having won the Green Jacket in 2018. He is American, 30 years of age, and sits 7th in the global ranking. He has already won the Farmers Insurance Open this year, meaning he also has what it takes to be a Masters Champion. 

Webb Simpson

Simpson looks set to win his first major since 2012. Last year he finished tenth in the masters having finished fifth in 2019. He has nine Augusta career starts to his name. Moreover, his age, 35, falls within the champions profile age bracket, and he has also recorded a top-finish in 2021 at the Sony Open in Hawaii.