This year’s Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia has great storylines and will have true golf fans glued to their screens for four straight days. With March Madness over, it is time for the next awesome sporting event to take over our lives in early April. Every year the best golfers in the world gather at the Augusta National Golf Course to compete for one of the most coveted titles in the sport. The tournament this year is definitely worth watching and for those who aren’t golf fans, its still provides a chance to kick back and crack open an Arnold Palmer ice tea.
1. Tiger's comeback
Perhaps the most fascinating storyline this April is the return of Tiger Woods. Woods has already won four Masters in his career, with his last in 2005. The way he has been playing this year has some experts picking him to bring home another green jacket. It’s been quite a story these past couple of months. Woods could be creating a career comeback that could transcend the sport and solidify his legacy as one of the best to ever play.
2. The reigning champion
Sergio Garcia is the current champion of the Masters Tournament. When he won last year, he became the first player from Spain to win the tournament since Jose Olazabal won in 1999. No player has won back-to-back Masters since Tiger Woods repeated in 2002. Some might overlook Garcia in this year’s tournament. Does being overlooked give him an edge this year? Garcia could be dangerous in Augusta this April. It will also be hard to top his memorable performance last year, but you never know what could happen on the course.
3. Jordan Spieth’s fifth Masters
Jordan Spieth has never finished lower than 11th place in his four trips to Augusta National. He won his first green jacket in 2015 and a year ago he finished 11th. The year he won, he became the second youngest player to ever win the Masters Tournament behind guess who, Tiger Woods. Many experts think this is the year he wins his second.
There are many other golfers who feel primed to capture the tournament this year. But there’s something about Spieth that makes you feel like he’s never out of it and that his best is yet to come. He and Woods are perhaps the most interesting players to watch this weekend. It’s comforting to know that we’re in for a show this year at the most prestigious golf tournament ever.
4. The best of the rest
The Masters Tournament this year will be a memorable one. Thankfully for fans, there’s more than just Tiger and Spieth to watch this weekend. There’s someone for everybody at this tournament. Phil Mickelson is always fun to watch. He has won 3 Masters in his career. As his career is coming to a close, this could be the year he wins his final Masters. Justin Rose finished second in 2017. Could this be the year Rose puts on the green jacket or will someone else get in his way this year?
Bubba Watson won the Masters in 2012 and 2014. However, he tied for 62nd last year. He still has a chance to capture another victory despite the stiff competition. There's even a firefighter competing at the Masters this year. Matt Parziale is a firefighter from Brockton, Massachusetts. He won the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and now his chance has come to play in the Masters. How amazing is that? Parziale's journey is certainly remarkable and is another aspect to pay attention to throughout the tournament.
Fans can look forward to another excellent tournament. April is always a fun time for golf and the Masters optimizes everything that is great about the sport. The pool of players this year will many guessing who will end up with that coveted green jacket by this Sunday. It will be a beautiful setting in Augusta as always with the sun hitting that green grass just perfectly, setting the stage for another Masters Tournament.