WITH OR WITHOUT Tiger Woods, the countdown to the 2015 Masters is well and truly on. In less than a week, defending champions Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy and the best 50 golfers in the world will return to Augusta National.
After collecting his first Masters in 2012, and overcoming rising star Jordan Spieth 12 months ago, Bubba goes into the first major of the year looking to join the small group of golfers who have won back-to-back Masters.
A win would be no mean feat and one of the many standing in his way will be world number one McIlroy, who himself is determined to complete his career grand slam.
Just to make sure you miss none of what should be a hugely entertaining week, we have put together the perfect guide to Masters 2015.
The Masters officially gets underway tomorrow. For us fans, we will have to wait until Wednesday and the famed par-3 tournament to catch our first glimpse of the players.
It’s not the Masters until we have been reminded that no winner of the par-3 has ever gone on to win the green jacket. Or is this the year the curse is broken?
The first day begins on Thursday. Tiger Woods will probably be the big news on Friday when he doesn’t make the cut at the end of the second round.
The winner of the Masters will be presented with the green jacket on Sunday, providing there are no delays.
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Where can I watch it?
Insider: star coach and Sky pundit Butch Harmon.
This year the only place where you can watch every minute of the Masters, including the Par 3 contest, is on Sky Sports 4. The BBC will show the final two rounds live but they are only providing highlights of Thursday and Friday’s play.
Coverage begins at 7pm on SS4 for the first three rounds, with coverage of the final round beginning at 6pm. Due to broadcasting rules, live play won’t be shown until half seven but if you’re using Sky you can watch Amen Corner (11th, 12th & 13th holes) by pressing your red button.
Generally, the Masters ends around midnight each day.
Who are the favourites?
Rory McIlroy (5/1)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Unsurprisingly, this year’s favourite is Rory McIlroy. After starting 2015 well, with a win and a second place in European tour events, McIlroy’s form has dipped.
The scary thing for his opponents is that, although he isn’t playing his best golf, he still hasn’t finished worse than 11th in his last two PGA competitions.
He had his best performance at Augusta last year when he finished eighth. Can he go and complete his grand slam of majors or will the pressure get to him like it did in 2011?
Jordan Spieth (10/1)
Chris O'Meara
Chris O'Meara
Jordan Spieth is a lot of people’s pick for the Masters this year. Having narrowly missed out last year as a 20-year-old, the world number four is in great form.
Besides winning the Valspar Championship a few weeks ago and coming second at the Valero Texas Open, the American has five top 10s in eight events this season.
Bubba Watson (10/1)
AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Bubba has already won twice at Augusta – two of the last three years, actually – so he will be high in confidence going into this year’s event.
Besides winning the WGC-HSBC Championship in November, he hasn’t finished worse than T14 this season and his game looks in great shape.
Can he join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo on the list of legends that have won back-to-back Masters? It’s a tall order.
Jason Day (12/1)
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Phelan M. Ebenhack
Jason Day is one of those golfers that everyone seems to back going into a major. He is always there or thereabouts and it is hard to believe he still hasn’t won one.
His best Masters performance thus far came in 2013 when he came 3rd, and after already winning the Farmers Insurance Open this season, he will be hoping to follow in fellow Aussie Adam Scott’s footsteps and finally win his maiden major.
Dustin Johnson (16/1)
AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
You never know what you’re going to get from Dustin Johnson. There is no argument that he is a very talented golfer but he is plagued by inconsistency. He will either miss the cut or be right up there competing, there is no in-between.
He has had his troubles in the last few years, from throwing away seemingly unassailable leads to drug suspensions, but many believe this could be the year he makes a real go at winning the green jacket.
The Green Room: your Essential Guide to the 2015 Masters
WITH OR WITHOUT Tiger Woods, the countdown to the 2015 Masters is well and truly on. In less than a week, defending champions Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy and the best 50 golfers in the world will return to Augusta National.
After collecting his first Masters in 2012, and overcoming rising star Jordan Spieth 12 months ago, Bubba goes into the first major of the year looking to join the small group of golfers who have won back-to-back Masters.
A win would be no mean feat and one of the many standing in his way will be world number one McIlroy, who himself is determined to complete his career grand slam.
Just to make sure you miss none of what should be a hugely entertaining week, we have put together the perfect guide to Masters 2015.
When is the Masters?
The Masters officially gets underway tomorrow. For us fans, we will have to wait until Wednesday and the famed par-3 tournament to catch our first glimpse of the players.
It’s not the Masters until we have been reminded that no winner of the par-3 has ever gone on to win the green jacket. Or is this the year the curse is broken?
The first day begins on Thursday. Tiger Woods will probably be the big news on Friday when he doesn’t make the cut at the end of the second round.
The winner of the Masters will be presented with the green jacket on Sunday, providing there are no delays.
Where can I watch it?
This year the only place where you can watch every minute of the Masters, including the Par 3 contest, is on Sky Sports 4. The BBC will show the final two rounds live but they are only providing highlights of Thursday and Friday’s play.
Coverage begins at 7pm on SS4 for the first three rounds, with coverage of the final round beginning at 6pm. Due to broadcasting rules, live play won’t be shown until half seven but if you’re using Sky you can watch Amen Corner (11th, 12th & 13th holes) by pressing your red button.
Generally, the Masters ends around midnight each day.
Who are the favourites?
Rory McIlroy (5/1)
Unsurprisingly, this year’s favourite is Rory McIlroy. After starting 2015 well, with a win and a second place in European tour events, McIlroy’s form has dipped.
The scary thing for his opponents is that, although he isn’t playing his best golf, he still hasn’t finished worse than 11th in his last two PGA competitions.
He had his best performance at Augusta last year when he finished eighth. Can he go and complete his grand slam of majors or will the pressure get to him like it did in 2011?
Jordan Spieth (10/1)
Jordan Spieth is a lot of people’s pick for the Masters this year. Having narrowly missed out last year as a 20-year-old, the world number four is in great form.
Besides winning the Valspar Championship a few weeks ago and coming second at the Valero Texas Open, the American has five top 10s in eight events this season.
Bubba Watson (10/1)
Bubba has already won twice at Augusta – two of the last three years, actually – so he will be high in confidence going into this year’s event.
Besides winning the WGC-HSBC Championship in November, he hasn’t finished worse than T14 this season and his game looks in great shape.
Can he join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo on the list of legends that have won back-to-back Masters? It’s a tall order.
Jason Day (12/1)
Jason Day is one of those golfers that everyone seems to back going into a major. He is always there or thereabouts and it is hard to believe he still hasn’t won one.
His best Masters performance thus far came in 2013 when he came 3rd, and after already winning the Farmers Insurance Open this season, he will be hoping to follow in fellow Aussie Adam Scott’s footsteps and finally win his maiden major.
Dustin Johnson (16/1)
You never know what you’re going to get from Dustin Johnson. There is no argument that he is a very talented golfer but he is plagued by inconsistency. He will either miss the cut or be right up there competing, there is no in-between.
He has had his troubles in the last few years, from throwing away seemingly unassailable leads to drug suspensions, but many believe this could be the year he makes a real go at winning the green jacket.
The only question is — what DJ will turn up?
Who is your pick for this year’s Masters?
Read: Is Tiger about to make a comeback at the Masters?
Read: Rory McIlroy wrote Tiger Woods a letter when he was 9 telling him to watch his back
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Bubba Watson Rory McIlroy The Masters 2015 Tiger Woods US Masters