Masters Field 2013: Underdogs and Dark Horses You Need to Know

When it comes down to it, any golfer in the field for the Masters is capable of winning. It only takes four hot rounds to achieve history. 

Feel free to view the full list of invitees on Masters.com.

While accomplished pros like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson obviously have a higher probability of winning, let us not forget that nine of the past 11 winners in majors have been first-time major champs. 

Here are three guys flying under the radar heading into the 2013 Masters who have a chance to shock the world. 

Steve Stricker

Steve Stricker is a borderline underdog, but at 50/1, according to Bovada, he fits the bill.

Stricker has been up and down in his Masters performances, but he does have some recent success with an 11th-place finish in 2011 and a sixth in 2009.

He does not have the kind of distance of the typical Masters champ, but he more than makes up for it in other areas.  

Stricker has excellent distance control and iron play. This allows him to place the ball in the right spot on the tricky Augusta greens.

Of course, he also has the putting. Stricker is one of the all-time great putters.

He has also been in good form this year while playing a light schedule. He has two second-place finishes in his four Tour events. 

Nicolas Colsaerts

Nicolas Colsaerts definitely has the game to win at Augusta. He can absolutely bomb it off the tee, and he is a phenomenal ball striker.

However, inconsistency has always marred his career, and it is hard to get a feel for what kind of form he will be in to begin the Masters as he has not been in a Tour event since he came in 18th at the WGC-Cadillac Championship.

Colsaerts is certainly not the most decorated golfer, but he appeared to be coming into his own last year. He won the Volvo World Match Play Championship, and he was incredible at the Ryder Cup.

This will be his first Masters, so he clearly has his work cut out for him. However, there is no doubt he has the talent to win. 

Fred Couples

Fred Couples is 53, and he has a bad back. So it is very unlikely he can hold it together for four rounds to win this tournament. 

However, Freddie loves Augusta. This is where he picked up his lone major win, and he's found a way to hold at least a share of the lead in two of the past three Masters.

Couples has been solid this year. He's finished in the top five in two of his three Champions Tour events, and he was 46th at the Northern Trust Open—his lone PGA Tour event this year. 

If Couples can find his groove, and his back cooperates, it is not out of the question that he could make a run to an historic win.