Masters Field 2014: Odds, Favorites and Tournament Preview
The 2014 Masters Tournament won't feature four-time champion Tiger Woods for the first time in his professional career. Although he hasn't won a major since 2008, Woods figured to be due—or at least in the running for a green jacket if his health had held up.
Without Woods in the field at Augusta National Golf Club after undergoing back surgery, one prohibitive favorite is removed from the equation. Conversations about "Tiger or the field?" are a thing of the past. According to Yahoo! Sports' Dan Wetzel, ticket prices dropped 20 percent when news broke that Woods wouldn't play:
But now the field is stronger than ever, which should set up captivating major championship theatre.
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As talented and deep as the list of competitors is in this event, there are several favorites who should be fixtures on the weekend leaderboard. There's still a little bit of time before the action gets underway on Thursday, but according to VegasInsider.com, Rory McIlroy and 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott are co-favorites at 10-1 odds.
Here is a closer look at what lies ahead as many of the world's best golfers embark on their journeys down Magnolia Lane, along with an overall preview of the tournament.
Note: For the complete list of the field, visit Masters.com. All statistics are courtesy of PGATour.com.
| Rory McIlroy | 10-1 |
| Adam Scott | 10-1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 15-1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 15-1 |
| Jason Day | 15-1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 20-1 |
| Zach Johnson | 20-1 |
| Brandt Snedeker | 25-1 |
| Bubba Watson | 25-1 |
| Matt Kuchar | 25-1 |
| Jason Dufner | 30-1 |
| Justin Rose | 30-1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 30-1 |
| Charl Schwartzel | 30-1 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 40-1 |
| Hunter Mahan | 40-1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 40-1 |
| Keegan Bradley | 40-1 |
| Harris English | 40-1 |
When: Thursday, April 10 through Sunday, April 13
Where: Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
FedEx Cup Points: 600
Purse: $8,000,000
Analyzing Marquee Favorites
Rory McIlroy (10-1)
It looked as though McIlroy wouldn't live up to his top billing after stumbling out of the gates at the Shell Houston Open. The man himself admitted he wasn't thrilled:
And that was before the scores got worse from his opening day, as he posted rounds of 70, 71 and 74, respectively, to start.
McIlroy was coming off an extended break from competition, though, and turned it on in the final round, shooting a scintillating 65 to vault into the top 10.
Now he's feeling a little better about his game:
With the struggles that McIlroy endured last season, somewhat lost in his failure to live up to massive expectations is that he can win the third leg of the career Grand Slam with a triumph this coming weekend.
Given his current form and the fact that he once held a four-stroke, 54-hole lead at this tournament in 2011, there's a case to be made that McIlroy can finish the job this time around. Consistency has been a problem, but few can play at the level McIlroy can when he's truly clicking.
Flashes of his previous major dominance surfaced in Humble. Now all McIlroy has to do is take that game—and particularly his putting—to Augusta National.
Phil Mickelson (15-1)
Flirtation with contention this past week was just what Mickelson needed, proving he is indeed fit enough to tee it up.
There was some concern that Mickelson, who has dealt with back pain this season and withdrew from the Valero Texas Open with a pulled oblique muscle, wouldn't be able to play the Masters. Those doubts should be extinguished after he racked up 72 solid holes of competition.
Maybe Mickelson was a bit checked out when he double bogeyed the par-four sixth hole at the Golf Club of Houston on Sunday. Shane Bacon of Yahoo! Sports felt that was the case:
But it's hard to blame Mickelson, who uses the event just before a major to fine-tune his game. It has to be a relief that he managed to get through the Shell Houston Open with minimal adversity.
As elusive as the U.S. Open has been for Mickelson over the years, he would be just as happy with a fourth Masters win.
“I would love to win the Masters a fourth time every bit as much as I would love to win the U.S. Open a first time,” said Mickelson, per Augusta.com's Scott Michaux. “The Masters is really special.”
With the power Mickelson has, his short-game prowess and the wide fairways at Augusta, the Masters has always been a good fit for him. It's hard to imagine Mickelson not being in the hunt coming down the stretch.
Jordan Spieth (20-1)
At just 20 years old, Spieth has ascended to elite status so quickly. Although he has just one win on the PGA Tour to date, he has proven time and again that he isn't afraid of the big stage.
This will be Spieth's Masters debut, so it's difficult to know what to expect from him. What is certain is that Spieth, despite a missed cut in his native Texas just this past week, is among the most consistent players on tour already.
Spieth has had issues with his swing and has hit wild shots at times this season, yet he's still placed in the top 25 in eight of 11 starts.
Perhaps most encouraging is that Spieth ranks 27th in strokes gained putting. A steady hand on the greens is key at Augusta, and the pristine surfaces should showcase Spieth's innate ability to roll the rock.
Driving the ball has been a big issue for Spieth in 2013-14, but this course isn't terribly long and has generous landing areas. As long as Spieth puts himself in decent position off the tee, he should contend.
Henrik Stenson (30-1)
Coming off a year in which he won the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai, there is arguably no current player better than Stenson who hasn't won a major.
Stenson tied for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill before not putting forth his best effort in Humble. That shouldn't matter too much, because Stenson is facing a lot of pressure and is likely focused on the task ahead at the Masters.
Putting has always been an Achilles' heel of sorts for Stenson, whose combination of power and precision are almost unrivaled. He will have a ton of short clubs in his hands hitting into the greens at Augusta National.
The big question is whether or not Stenson can keep a cool enough head over the course of 72 holes and big hype to pull off his maiden major triumph.
It does help that Woods isn't around to pester the Swedish stalwart on this quest for golf immortality. But still, a formidable field will seek to stop Stenson's bid to potentially ascend to No. 1 in the world in the near future.
Preview
A case can be made for any player near the top of the oddsmakers' list and beyond. There have also been seven different champions in as many years, so that shows how evolved the fields have become.
Scott is dangerous simply because of what he accomplished last year, while Dustin Johnson has played some of the best golf of his career in 2013-14. Jason Day won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and has two top-three finishes at Augusta, but he's been dealing with a thumb injury as of late.
Some other notable favorites who, like Stenson, are seeking their first majors include Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker, Hunter Mahan and Sergio Garcia.
A bevy of young stars is headlined by McIlroy, Day and Spieth, but Harris English is a 40-1 shot. The likes of Hideki Matsuyama, Thorbjorn Olesen and Rickie Fowler are venerable dark-horse candidates, too.
Birdies can be had in bunches at the Masters, but around Amen Corner and down the final Sunday stretch, anything can happen.
Whatever occurs to kick off the major season, the renowned roars of Augusta National will echo through the legendary venue and a deserving winner will be met with a grand coronation in Butler Cabin.
Only McIlroy, Spieth or Mickelson will attract similar attention to what Woods receives if any of them walk away with the top prize. However, even in Woods' absence, there is plenty to be excited about in this unmistakable staple of the game of golf.
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