Masters Favorites 2019: Projecting Daily Score Totals for Golf's Top Stars

There have already been several big-name golf tournaments to this point in the season, including the Players Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship.

While those tournaments are all important stops on the PGA Tour, none of them compares to the Masters.

While proponents of the U.S. Open and British Open can make arguments for both of those championships having greater importance than the tournament that features azaleas and dogwood, the Masters is the pick of the bunch in terms of drama, anticipation, color and allure.

Golf fans are always excited by seeing the best players in the world compete at the Augusta National Golf Course in Georgia, and this year is no different. 

Rory McIlroy is the betting favorite going in, and he has played fantastic golf to this point in the season.

Dustin Johnson is the second choice because of his immense natural ability, and while he has just one major championship to his credit, it would not be a surprise to see him bring his "A" game to Augusta.

Throw in Tiger Woods, who has four green jackets to his credit but has not won a major title since he picked up his 14th at the 2008 U.S. Open, and it all adds up to a potentially spectacular tournament.

Weather could be a factor during the Masters. Showers are forecast for the Friday morning session, and the afternoon is expected to be cloudy. Thunderstorms are also forecast for Sunday, and The Weather Channel listed the likelihood of rain at 90 percent for the final round. 

Read on for projected round-by-round scores for McIlroy, Johnson and Woods.

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy has a chance to walk with the giants of the game if he can win at Augusta because it will give him the career Grand Slam.

Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have won all four majors. It's notable that all-time greats Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer are among those that did not get to that level.

McIlroy is favored to win the Masters coming into the tournament at odds of +650, according to OddsChecker (bet $100 to earn a $650 profit).

The Northern Irishman has been playing well all season, and he came through with a huge victory in the Players Championship. He is No. 2 on the FedExCup point list, and he has earned more than $4.7 million this season.

McIlroy has played in eight events this season and has seven top-10 finishes.

He has been consistent in his scoring at the Masters, breaking 70 three times in tournament first rounds, four times in the second round, five times in the third round and three times in the final round. He has been as low as 63 in both the first and second rounds, and he also has two rounds of 65 in the second round.

While he has never won at Augusta, he has three top-seven finishes in his last four trips to the Masters. His best finish came in 2015 when he finished fourth, and he reached that level by firing a 68 in the third round and a 66 in the fourth round.

Look for the motivated McIlroy to come through with his best effort at the Masters. He should be in a position to contend for the green jacket during the final round.

Round 1: 70

Round 2: 68

Round 3: 66

Round 4: 69

Dustin Johnson

Johnson is generally considered to be one of the most talented players in the world, and he comes close to proving it year after year.

However, even though Johnson has won 20 tournaments and earned more than $59 million in prize money throughout his career, only one of those victories have come in a major. 

The 34-year-old comes into the Masters ranked 10th in FedExCup points, having won one tournament along with five top-10 finishes. While he is regularly known for his power off the tee, his 304.1 yard average ranks 30th on the tour this season. However, he makes up for that by ranking 10th in shots gained on his approaches to the green.

The best attribute that Johnson brings to the Masters is his ability to score. He is averaging 69.580 per round, ranking second on the tour.

Johnson is competing in his ninth Masters. He was the heavy betting favorite to win the 2017 tournament, but he took a fall in the house he was renting days before the tournament and was unable to compete. Johnson has three top-10 finishes in his last three Masters, with a tie for fourth in 2016.

The South Carolina native has broken 70 once in the first round and three times in the second round, but he has failed to get to that level on moving day in the third round. He has broken 70 once in the fourth round, and his career best at Augusta is 67.

Johnson will play himself into contention in the second round but fall short over the weekend. 

Round 1: 72

Round 2: 67

Round 3: 71

Round 4: 70

Tiger Woods

The game's most charismatic player is once again trying to win his 15th major championship, something he has been trying to do for the last 11 years.

Injuries, distractions and inconsistent play have kept him from achieving that goal, but he has regained at least some of the form that made him one of the game's all-time greats.

The Masters has been one of Woods' greatest accomplishments throughout his career. He has won four green jackets, and the 43-year-old is attempting to win his first since 2005. Woods' first triumph came in 1997 when he reached 18-under par and won the Masters by a shocking 12 strokes.

Ever since that victory, golf fans have been waiting to see Woods come through with another dominating performance. That may not happen in 2019, but he comes into the tournament with a scoring average of 69.916 per round this year.

Woods has two top-10 finishes this season, and his strength right now is his ability to reach greens in regulation. He ranks fourth on the tour in that area.

Throughout the years, Woods has been a relatively slow starter in the Masters. He has only broken 70 once in the first round, and that was in 2010 when he finished tied for fourth.

He is much improved in the second round, shooting 69 or better seven times in his career, and in the third round, he has eight rounds under 70. He has been nearly as good in the final round, with seven rounds under that mark.

Woods will make a run, perhaps his best since a second-place finish in 2008. He may not win this year, but he will command the attention of a thrilled golfing audience.

Round 1: 72

Round 2: 69

Round 3: 66

Round 4: 70