STEVEOCN Golf Tips

The American opened with a 68 in 2020 and went on to finish tied 10th and since winning The Masters in 2018 he has four Top 10 finishes here including a third and fourth the last three years. He has won twice in the DP World Tour this year already and after opening with a 65 in Qatar I fancy we see a confident Patrick Reed having a low round Thursday.

Justin Rose was runner-up to Rory McIlroy twelve months ago. He opened with a 65 for a share of the lead after day one, for a fifth time at Augusta National. This will be his 21st Masters, and the Englishman has won twice since last year. I fancy, with a couple of career-low 65s on Thursday, that the world number nine is going to be right there again after the opening eighteen holes.

The world number three won the Players Championship after opening with a 68, and the start before he was tied 3rd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, starting with a 67. He was 7th in 2023 at Augusta National when opening with a 67. His tee-to-green game is in such great shape right now that I fancy Cameron Young will start well and go out to challenge over the weekend for a Green Jacket.

The Korean was tied 4th at the Valspar Championship, and he opened with a 64 at Innisbrook. He made the cut in the Houston Open where he started with a 67, and Sungjae Im has multiple top-ten finishes at The Masters where he has begun the week with rounds of 66 and 67. I fancy Im will be a contender for First Round Leader on Thursday.

Runner-up on debut in 2020 at The Masters, and the Korean has three top-five finishes at Augusta National in just six starts. Fifth twelve months ago here, and after finishing tied for fourth at the Valspar Championship last month, I fancy Sungjae Im will put another good week together in The Masters Tournament.

Second to Rory McIlroy twelve months ago for his third runner-up finish at Augusta National, and I fancy Justin Rose will put together another big Masters week. He is known for starting fast in this major, and after winning earlier this year I am siding with the former U.S. Open winner being fitted for a Green Jacket on Sunday evening.

The American has been trending in the right direction. After his Players Championship win at TPC Sawgrass, I fancy Cameron Young will be a big player at The Masters. Seventh and ninth in two of the last three years at Augusta National, I am siding with another good four days in Georgia for the world number three.

8th at The Players Championship and a decent week at the Valspar Championship, finishing 30th with a good Sunday 68 to finish. I fancy Justin Thomas has a Masters win in him, and he can fly under the radar this week in Georgia. The world number 15 has two top-eight finishes at Augusta National and a host of top-20s. I am siding with JT to put a big four days together this year.

Three straight top-ten finishes at Augusta National. In eight starts in The Masters, he has five top-ten finishes, including a second and a third. Third at The Players Championship and fourth at the Valspar Championship, the two-time major champion looks primed and ready to add a Green Jacket to his collection.