With the 2018 golf season in full swing now as we leave the winter months behind and ease our way into spring, there’s one question on everyone’s mind as we edge towards April: Who’s going to win the 2018 Masters? Make sure you get your Designer Golf Clothing before you head out onto the course!
It’s a question we ask at this time every year, really. But as is the case with all the majors as a result of the power shift in golf, we can’t really give a definitive answer – there is no real favourite this time around, and that’s because of a number of reasons.
One: the dominant era of the ‘big four’ in golf – Tiger Woods, Phil Mickleson, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh – is over, and has been for the thick end of a decade.
During the early-to-mid-2000’s, these four golfers pretty much dominated the sport, scooping up the majority of major tournament titles and establishing themselves as the true cut above the rest. All good things must come to an end and Father Time remains unbeaten, their monopoly over golf’s premier events came to an end after Woods’ most recent major win, the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines.
Two: At the top end of the rankings, even though you still have your premier talent, there are so many viable contenders that have the talent and the game to win a major, courtesy of the sizable investment in developing young golfers in the two decades that precede the present day.
Since Woods’ 14th Major Championship win in 2008, the 38 major tournaments on offer have been won by 28 different golfers, with 24 of those being first-time winners of golf’s big four events of the year and 19 of those 24 have yet to bag their second major title – evidencing just how many top-tier talents we have in golf today; there just is no dominant force.
Three: You can’t look away from the form guide, really. There is no golfer right now that’s playing a cut above the rest, they are all experiencing their own peaks and troughs in form.
Rory McIlroy, winner of four of the 38 major tournaments since Woods’ triumph at Torrey Pines, appears to be rounding into tournament form after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this month, but that was his first win since September 2016.
Jordan Spieth, second to McIlroy in major wins in the same time span with three, hasn’t tasted victory in an event since picking up the Claret Jug by winning The Open in July last year.
Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett, Jimmy Walker. All four of these men have won major titles in the last two years but have endured their own struggles to maintain that form and remain among the world’s elite. You’ll struggle to find any of these names listed among the favourites to win at Augusta next month with the bookmakers.
Of course, there is one rather extraordinary x-factor to consider in the coming weeks: Tiger Woods.
The 42-year-old who still has faint hope of one day surpassing Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles has started to string some impressive performances together.
After a 12th-place finish at the Honda Classic, Woods has returned with two top-five displays, finishing as runner-up in the Valspar Championship and just falling short of McIlroy in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Woods appears to have overcome his physical issues and has found a formula that is producing some quality golf. While he may not be the supreme and formidable talent he was some 10-15 years ago, Woods’ game today ranks among the very best if recent performances in top quality fields are to be believed.
So, as we sit here two weeks out from the 2018 Masters, it truly is impossible to call the winner, but one thing we do know is that it will one thrilling week’s golf.
