Masters Predictions 2012: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy Will Dominate Field

The 2012 Masters is going to be one of the most memorable tournaments in the history of golf. That is because two of the most talented golfers the world has ever seen are going to be playing their best and battling each other for the victory. 

By Sunday, Rory McIlroy and four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods will have the rest of the field playing for third. 

There is not another golfer equipped to hang with these two when they are at their best, and right now, both are on top of their game.


Catching Up with Tiger

His last time on a golf course, Tiger Woods picked up his first PGA victory in 30 months, and he did so with a dominant five-stroke victory. 

This was not just a one-week outlier for Tiger either. He has been playing great all year. He just hasn't been able to put it together for four rounds. But he has clearly found his game. 

Tiger's driving, greens in regulation and putting stats are very strikingly similar to the numbers he put up in 2000—which is the year he won three major titles. 

Tiger has all of his power and is hitting just under 70 percent of his fairways. And he has always been tough to beat when he is hitting fairways.

Combine this with his trademark iron play and a putting stroke that is now flowing with confidence and you have a Tiger on the prowl. 


A Look at Rory

After a breakthrough 2011, McIlroy has begun his 2012 with focus and great play. He has played four PGA events this year and has two seconds, a third and fifth place finish. 

He is struggling a bit with his driving accuracy, but his greens in regulation and putts per green have both improved from last season. 

While McIlroy has never won at Augusta, he has the game to succeed there. Last year, he was dominating the field, taking a four-stroke lead into Sunday. He promptly blew that lead with a disastrous 80, but proved in the first three rounds that he has the game to own Augusta. 

While many would have been haunted by the epic failure, McIlroy quickly put that behind him by winning the very next major. 


An Unforgettable Sunday

Tiger and Rory will work their way to the top of the leaderboard by the conclusion of the third round. These are the two best players on the planet, and the cream is going to rise to the top. 

While there will be others within striking distance as Sunday starts, they will quickly be left in the wake. 

Neither of these spectacular golfers will drop any strokes on Sunday, and the rest of the field will crumble as they try desperately to catch up to better golfers. 

This will leave Rory and Tiger to battle head-to-head in the final group. 

Both of these guys are fierce competitors and neither will be able to pull away. That is where the edge goes to Tiger, though.

He knows this course like the back of his hand, and he has proven that he can handle the Sunday pressure of a close major championship. 

This will lead him to two-stroke victory over Rory.