AUGUSTA, Ga. — Here are five players to watch at the Masters, besides Tiger Woods:
Bubba Watson: The course is perfectly suited to his slicing drives, described by Watson as a “high bomb” and “ding cut.” The Southern-fried southpaw will vie for his third green jacket in four years.
Patrick Reed: He’s cocky, he’s talented, he’s local (Augusta State) and he already has four PGA Tour wins. Just don’t ask him about his estranged parents or transfer from the University of Georgia (long story).
Dustin Johnson: He has a mystifyingly crummy Masters record (one top-25 in five starts) given his local ties and ability to hit rockets off the tee. Says he feels “different” after becoming a dad, so that might help.
Adam Scott: The 2013 Masters champ will use his (barely) legal anchored putter for the final time at Augusta National. He’ll go with what works, he said, as opposed to “throwing balls up in the air and see where they fall.”
Phil Mickelson: Lefty has been mainly on snooze control since winning the 2013 British Open, admitting, “Maybe I got a little lethargic.” Recharging his batteries with a drive down Magnolia Lane might not be enough.