Masters 2018: Latest Expectations for Golf's Top Favorites and Sleepers
Although most of the focus entering the Masters is on the favorites, they won't be the only golfers sitting near the top of the leaderboard come Sunday.
At most major tournaments, there are one or two sleepers who come out of nowhere and get the crowd to rally behind them during the final two rounds.
The wide-ranging list of potential sleepers at Augusta National Golf Club contains some familiar faces and others looking to make a mark on the major stage for the first time.
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As for the favorites, all of the pressure is on them entering the season's first Grand Slam, as each one faces a different level of expectations given their past success.
Expectations for Favorites
Tiger Woods comes into Augusta with as much fanfare as a decade ago, when he won his last major.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion appears to be back to his old self, and it showed during his first practice round.
Woods played with Fred Couples and Justin Thomas Monday, and he drew rave reviews from the 58-year-old Couples, per ESPN's Bob Harig.
"If you watched him play today, there's not much of a back problem," Couples said. "He's hitting it a long way, and it looks beautiful. Today wasn't any different than it was 10 years ago when we played. It was pretty awesome."
With a wave of patrons surrounding him, Woods made shots that gave us hope that he will be in contention Sunday.
Golf Channel's official Twitter account provided us with a look at Woods' short game on the second hole, where he sunk a chip from right off the green.
"The question: Is @TigerWoods short game still sharp?
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) April 2, 2018"
Answer: Chip-in eagle at the 2nd hole.
Welcome to Monday at #theMasters pic.twitter.com/tgnoLV8y4R
Woods' expectations will only surge higher if he impresses in a practice round alongside Phil Mickelson Tuesday.
When it comes to the tournament itself, Woods has set such a high standard that anything less than a finish in the top 10 or 15 is seen as a failure.
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy enters Augusta in search of completing the career Grand Slam.
Following his final-round collapse in 2011, McIlroy recorded four top-10 finishes at Augusta, with the last coming a year ago in a tie for seventh.
Although some golfers may obsess over an elusive title, the 28-year-old admitted to the Guardian's Ewan Murray he takes things one tournament at a time.
"Listen, I’d love the green Jacket in the closet, to go back every year and use the champions’ locker room, to host dinner as the champion," McIlroy said. "Nobody could ever take that away from you. But I think about the Masters the week before I play it, because that’s when I prepare for it."
If we look at just past results, McIlroy comes into the Masters with more expectations and pressure than Woods because he has come close to winning in the last four years.
Three of his six top-10 finishes in majors since his last championship in 2013 have come at Augusta, but he only reached as high as fourth place.
Winning won't be easy in a crowded field, but McIlroy is in one of the best positions to produce a strong early round to set the tone at the top of the leaderboard.
Expectations for Sleepers
Bryson DeChambeau
Two years ago, Bryson DeChambeau was the low amateur at the Masters, as he tied for 21st place.
After missing out on the field a year ago, the 24-year-old qualified for the 2018 edition of the tournament with a win at July's John Deere Classic.
The victory initially got him into The Open at Royal Birkdale, but once he realized he made the field for The Masters, too, he was excited, per David Westin of the Augusta Chronicle.
"It was always a tournament I wanted to go back to," DeChambeau said. "I definitely said 'I'm going back to the Masters,' after I won, which was fun."
DeChambeau has three top-10 finishes in the current PGA Tour season, which began in October, including a second-place outing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
With confidence from the high finish at Bay Hill and an impressive performance in his first Masters start, DeChambeau is set for a strong week at Augusta.
If everything comes together for the 24-year-old, we could see him in the top 10 during Sunday's final round.
Marc Leishman
No matter how many times he shows up near the top of the leaderboard at major tournaments, Marc Leishman still seems to catch some people by surprise.
The 34-year-old has been a primary fixture at The Open, as he placed in the top 10 in three of the last four years.
Leishman also carries past success from Augusta, as he finished in a tie for fourth in 2013, which was his second-ever Masters.
The Australian doesn't impress in most stat categories, as the only one he can brag about is his 11th-best birdie average, but that is an important number to remember if he sneaks into contention.
Just like DeChambeau, Leishman turned in a solid showing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, as he took seventh thanks to a final-round score of 67.
Leishman has two other top-10 finishes mixed in with five performances that put himself outside the top 30, with the most-recent occurrence coming at the Dell Match Play.
Based on his form from the young season, Leishman could either surprise us once again and challenge Woods, McIlroy and others, or he could miss the cut and not be heard of all week.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained form PGATour.com.
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