Masters Predictions 2012: Top 10 Golfers Ready for Victory

The PGA's Masters tournament is tough to predict.

The top golfers in the world prepare to face Augusta National Golf Club, one of golf's most grueling tests of skill, patience and guts.

Augusta features impossibly fast and undulating greens, Amen Corner, incredible beauty and some of the best risk/reward holes in all of golf.

Here are the top 10 golfers primed for victory.

10. Charl Schwartzel

After starting out the season with a bang, Charl Schwartzel has gone the wrong way in the last couple of tournaments he's entered, missing the cut. 

It wasn't long ago, however, that he was receiving the green jacket from Phil Mickelson for his performance on golf's biggest stage.

Winning at Augusta gives golfers a confidence that they can do it again. Combined with the fact that he's finished in the Top 20 at all four majors in the last two years, Schwartzel is more dangerous than people realize.

Vegas has the odds at 40/1 for Schwartzel. I would take those odds.

9. Angel Cabrera

It escapes me why anyone would discount Angel Cabrera's chances at winning again at Augusta.

He won the event in 2009. Additionally, Cabrera has placed in the Top 10 four other times in his last 10 appearances at the prestigious tournament.

Further bolstering Cabrera's cause is the fact that he's generally in the hunt at major championships. 

Vegas doesn't like his chances, giving him 125/1 odds.

He's earned those odds with his dismal showing thus far in the season, but I won't be surprised at all if Cabrera comes out with another unlikely performance and wins again in 2012.

8. Adam Scott

Adam Scott is starting to become "that guy." 

You know, the guy that is known for being the best player on tour to not win a major.

In the last 10 years, Scott has gotten close a couple of times, finishing in the Top 10 six times. He has a rock-solid game and all the skills you need to come away with a victory, but for whatever reason, he hasn't been able to put it all together as of yet.

Scott has only participated in three events thus far in 2012, placing in the Top 20 in two of them.

Vegas is giving Scott 25/1 odds, though I do believe those odds are a bit high.

7. Jason Day

Jason Day is one of a handful of young players that is taking the PGA by storm these days.

He's been a contestant at the last six major championships, and during that time, he's finished in the Top 10 three times—two of which were near misses with second-place finishes.

This year, Day has been hanging around, finishing in the Top 20 three times out of four tournament appearances on the PGA Tour, while finishing second at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters on the European Tour in early February.

Vegas is giving Day 40/1 odds, a decent bet if I ever saw one.

6. Dustin Johnson

Dustin Johnson is fast becoming one of the most exciting young golfers to watch play on tour.

He reminds me of a right-handed Phil Mickelson, and I fully expect him to win a few majors by the time his career is said and done.

In the last three years, Johnson has placed in the Top 10 at major championships four times, including two Top Five showings and one runner-up at The Open Championship.

He has finished in the Top 10 three times out of five appearances so far this year on the PGA Tour.

Johnson can hit the cover off the ball, making Augusta's brutally tough risk/reward holes much more attainable. He should be able to dominate the par-fives this week and has a great chance to come away with his first major.

Vegas has given 25/1 odds for Johnson. I think that's about right for his chances.

5. Luke Donald

Luke Donald is one of the hottest golfers on the planet lately.

His last two appearances have garnered him a win and a sixth-place finish against some stiff competition at the Transitions Championship and the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.

Donald has nearly won at Augusta a few times before, finishing in the Top 10 three times, including a third-place and fourth-place finish.

He isn't the longest hitter on tour. In fact, Donald is one of the shortest hitters on tour. He utilizes an incredibly strong long-iron game that allows him to compete against much longer hitters.

The odds for Donald are set at 15/1, a worthy assessment.

4. Lee Westwood

Lee Westwood is a veteran Englishman who has come agonizingly close to winning the Masters. He placed second in the 2010 tournament, and he has a knack for playing well in big tournaments.

Over the course of his 17-year career, Westwood has placed in the Top 10 at major championships 12 times. He joins Adam Scott as the best pro golfer to have never won a major.

Westwood has looked solid so far this season, earning two fourth-place finishes at The Honda Classic and the WGC: Accenture Match event at the beginning of the year.

Vegas has given Westwood 15/1 odds, a good bet.

3. Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is in great shape to win another green jacket.

He's already won once this year at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Additionally, Mickelson has finished in the Top 10 two other times this season.

Lefty is always fun to watch at Augusta, where he's won twice before. He has finished 10 other times in his career in the Top 10, and he always seems to be in contention on Sundays.

Vegas odds on Mickelson reflect his prowess, and they are set at 9/1.

2. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods appears to be back.

I'm not fully convinced that he's ready to win again at Augusta just yet, despite the fact that he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his tune-up for the Masters.

Woods had to withdraw from the tournament prior to Arnold's event. While competing at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, Woods suffered a minor Achilles tendon injury. 

This latest incident is another in a long line of withdrawals Woods has been forced into due to troubles with his lower body.

Still, Woods is going to enter the Masters as a heavy favorite every year he's eligible to play. He has won the tournament four times, finishing in the Top Five six other times.

Vegas has Woods as the second likeliest to win with 7/1 odds.

1. Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy is the hottest golfer on the planet these days.

He has participated in five tournaments this year, and those five appearances have garnered him five Top 10 finishes and a victory.

That's dominance.

McIlroy—at the tender age of 22—has already gotten over the hump to win a major when he won the U.S. Open last year at Congressional.  

He is fearless, can hit the ball a mile, can putt from anywhere on the green and has all the shots you need to win anywhere in the world.

McIlroy is the heavy favorite to win this year's Masters tournament, and Vegas has set the odds at 4/1. 

I don't know if I'd take that bet, but McIlroy has as good a chance to win the 2012 Masters as anyone else in the field.

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