Masters 2024: SB Nation’s 3 Bold Predictions for Augusta National

The 2024 Masters Match is likely one of the most anticipated occasions yearly. This yr isn’t any exception. If something, the heightened sense of pleasure has reached a fever pitch as the very best gamers on the planet will as soon as once more play the identical course, on the similar time.

13 members of LIV Golf will descend upon Augusta Nationwide, with seven of them having received a Inexperienced Jacket beforehand.

In the meantime, the PGA Tour has their shiny toy, Scottie Scheffler, enjoying out of his thoughts proper now.

Scheffler received each the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Gamers Championship again to again. Then he practically received his third consecutive PGA Tour occasion on the Houston Open, lacking a brief putt to pressure a playoff.

However he’s removed from the one menace to win at Augusta Nationwide from the Tour.

Xander Schauffele is enjoying very nicely this yr. As is reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, who completed runner as much as Scheffler at Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass.

With so many storylines at play, SB Nation reveals it’s three daring predictions for the 2024 Masters.

Masters 2024: 3 Daring Predictions

PGA Tour Stars Fall Flat at Augusta Nationwide

There are a variety of how to interrupt down the Masters every year when it comes to predicting who will carry out nicely.

One among them is all the time expertise. As we’ve seen yr after yr, newcomers to Augusta Nationwide have a really onerous time their first time round this observe. There are such a lot of nuances to this course that till you understand it nicely, it’s tough to conceive the kind photographs required to provide Sunday magic.

It’s not simply the good photographs that win right here, it’s the right misses. You completely should know the place to overlook at Augusta or you haven’t any shot.

Nearly as good as Clark is enjoying proper now, which he’s enjoying fantastically, I don’t see him in rivalry come Sunday his first time right here.

One other key aspect to have a look at is type. How nicely are gamers enjoying coming into this week?

Effectively, Rory McIlroy is totally breaking together with his custom in taking the week prior off and competed within the Valero Texas Open. McIlroy additionally lately visited swing coach Butch Harmon, acknowledging his swing was not in place.

He has but to crack the highest 10 this yr and I don’t imagine he completes the Grand Slam together with his present type.

Viktor Hovland, coming off his 2023 Tour Championship, has had something however a stellar begin to his 2024 marketing campaign.

Max Homa and Brian Harman have additionally had lackluster begins to their yr.

I mentioned ‘most’ as a result of Scheffler, the World No. 1, is on fireplace. He completely must be within the combine come Sunday.

However for many of the remainder of the celebs of the PGA Tour, I don’t see it.

LIV Golfers As soon as Once more Make a Assertion

Final yr, members of the LIV Golf Tour completed 2nd, 2nd and 4th. The winner, after all, was Jon Rahm. The Spaniard then left to affix the rival circuit in December, taking the Inexperienced Jacket with him.

Brooks Koepka is understood for being an absolute killer on the golf course. You already know it has been consuming him up inside since faltering to Rahm late Sunday in 2023. He can be there down the stretch.

So too will Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean professional is perhaps the one participant on Earth enjoying anyplace near in addition to Scheffler proper now.

Niemann lately posted a 59 and has already captured a pair titles in 2024. He’s additionally coming off a stable T16 end in final yr’s Masters. So he has the expertise, pedigree and present type to contend.

Past that, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Charl Schwartzel have all received right here. It’s onerous to miss that truth.

Tiger Woods Misses Lower at Masters, Snapping Historical past

On its face, some folks may suppose this isn’t a daring prediction. In any case, Woods is 48 years previous and has handled quite a few nagging accidents in recent times.

However Woods has made the lower on the Masters an unbelievable 23 years in a row. That’s tied with Fred {Couples} and Gary Participant for essentially the most in historical past. He is aware of each nook and cranny of this course and has performed it fantastically so many instances.

A few of the aforementioned accidents led to his withdrawal from the occasion in recent times. However he’s really wholesome proper now. I don’t imagine that can be his doom this time round.

I agree with folks when you need to by no means rely out Tiger Woods. However at this level, I simply don’t know bodily if he can do it anymore.

Count on an early exit from the five-time Masters champion, sadly.

Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social media platforms.