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Who are the favorites for the US Masters 2022?

A lot is expected of some players in particular at the 2022 US Masters. (Photo: Getty)
A lot is expected of some players in particular at the 2022 US Masters. (Photo: Getty)

The first major is just around the corner this week. The starting field is relatively small with 91 players and the venue is Augusta National Golf Club, as it is every year. With the help of the performances of the past weeks as well as the statistics of the past years we can identify the biggest favorites. At the same time, some players can also be excluded as favorites. However, it should not be forgotten: “Unexpected often comes”…

Especially in focus at the US Masters 2022

Future hope Viktor Hovland already proved several times in his young years that he has what it takes to become a champion. Hovland leads the DP World Tour Rankings this season with just three tournaments played, and he currently sits seventh in the FedEx Cup rankings thanks to one win and four top-10 finishes. He finished the 2019 Masters as the top amateur and just missed the top 20 (T21) last year.

Australian Cameron Smith has already prevailed in two significant tournaments this year. Tournament number 1 of 2022, the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, was won by Smith with a record score of 34 strokes under par. He also took the winning prize money in the unofficial “fifth” major, the Players Championship. With these two victories, he is currently in third place in the FedEx Cup. Smith is definitely a dangerous competitor in this form.

Since the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, no one has been able to get past the name Scottie Scheffler. With his third win in six weeks, he reached the top of the world rankings two weeks before the Masters. There is no denying that the American is in absolute top form. Although he “only” finished T18 at the last Masters, he made it into the top 10 at the other 2021 Major tournaments.

The absolute favorite is, among others, Jon Rahm, who until last week had been at the top of the world rankings for a total of 43 weeks. Major tournaments seem to suit him particularly well: The Spaniard has finished in the top 10 in each of his last four Masters appearances, while he also played his way into the top 10 twice in the other three majors last year and achieved his first major victory at the US Open. Based on these results, Rahm is not the top favorite for no reason.

Collin Morikawa is the high-flyer of 2020/21. At just 25 years of age, he is already a two-time major winner and has worked his way up to second place in the world rankings thanks to numerous victories and placings. The Masters is the major at which he has been least successful in his still young career. His best result so far was a shared 18th place last year, which he will try to beat this year.

Looking at the Masters stats

In addition to the five favorites listed, there are several other players who, according to various statistics, will have the best chance of winning the 2022 US Masters. For example, each of the last ten Masters winners was in the top 25 of the official world golf rankings in the week of their victory. Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Billy Horschel, Louis Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Tyrrell Hatton, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, Joaquin Niemann, Daniel Berger, Tony Finau, Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick and Paul Casey also have good chances.

Two players were excluded in this enumeration: Sam Burns and Hideki Matsuyama. Sam Burns is competing at the Masters for the first time, making him a newcomer to Augusta. At 86 Masters, only one rookie has managed to win the tournament so far, so the chances for players competing for the first time are pretty slim. This also applies to Harold Varner III, Sepp Straka, Tom Hoge and JJ Spaun, among others. Hideki Matsuyama will start as defending champion at the 2022 Masters, which is why he is denied a favorite position. Only three players have managed to defend the title in the entire Masters era.

Looking at the Strokes Gained statistics, some players get another plus point. Eight of the last ten Masters winners were at least 1.5 strokes per round better from tee to green than their competitors in the three months leading up to the Masters. Jon Rahm, Joqauin Niemann, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy, Daniel Berger, Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland all figure in that trend.

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US Masters 2022: Bryson DeChambeau plays despite injuries

Bryson DeChambeau will compete at the US Masters 2022 despite injuries. (Photo: Getty)
Bryson DeChambeau will compete at the US Masters 2022 despite injuries. (Photo: Getty)

In recent weeks and months, headlines have not reported Bryson DeChambeau’s strong performances, but his numerous health problems. Among them his wrist problems and hip pain. On Monday, he spoke about his health condition and how he is dealing with it at the 2022 US Masters. An important message for his fans: He will compete, but he is not yet back to 100 percent performance.

Bryson DeChambeau: “I’m at 80 percent performance”

DeChambeau is back in Augusta and training together with his coaching team. But due to his injuries, he can’t follow his usual training path. “I can give about 80 percent right now,” he answered in an interview when asked about his form. “That’s why I can’t do swing speed training and I have to train smarter in general. I have to be careful and effective in the things I practice.” But DeChambeau also sees improvement in recent weeks, just in time for the 2022 U.S. Masters. “I’m proud that I made it here in such a short time. I’m pleased with that,” he said. ““Hitting golf balls on the range today, I was able to sustain practice for a good amount of time,” he said. Despite his weaker form, he still manages a ball speed of around 190 miles per hour.

US Masters 2022: Doctors advise against participation

DeChambeau’s hip injury developed two years ago, he explained in an interview. The small tear in his hip labrum first became relevant when he slipped “Charlie Brown-like” during a table tennis match against Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann in front of the Saudi International and fell on said hip, as well as his injured hand.
After that, DeChambeau underwent CTs and MRIs resulting in a hairline fracture of the hamate bone. This common injury, especially among baseball players, could also stem from his excessive workouts at the driving range, according to DeChambeau. Back in November, he was probably struggling with problems in his hand: “Last November, before I played against Brooks, I felt something. There was something on my hand that kind of popped, and I was like, ‘Ah, this isn’t normal.’ It didn’t really feel good either. It was hard to hit balls.”
The American’s injuries usually entail a four-month break, but DeChambeau was back on the golf course after just two months. This decision is not without risks and in the worst case could lead to surgery one his left hand. But for DeChambeau, one thing is certain, “the Masters is only once a year and I have to give it a go.”

For “The Hulk,” the last six weeks off were not a punishment. He himself said he used the time to give back to his viewers and to golf. “It’s really made me a different person, and – I hope – a better person who also has a different perspective on the game of golf.” He also learned to listen to his body better and give himself rest breaks, he said.
But despite that positive outlook, his comeback to the golf course was frustrating. After six weeks without playing practice, his rounds were marked by shouts of “Fore.” “It’s just not fun. It’s very difficult on your mental psyche as well.”

Bryson DeChambeau wants to take it slower

For him, the last few months have been a learning phase. He had to deal with the first major injury of his career and (at least partially) revise many attitudes toward sports. “You have to pay attention to every part of your body,” he explained in the interview. Still, he said he continues to enjoy pushing his limits and making improvements as a result. Due to his injuries, however, that approach hasn’t necessarily been possible, “i’ve taken more of a reserved approach now through this season, I’ll start ramping back up when I feel 100 percent again.” For now, he is confident of playing up front again at Augusta, despite his weaker form. “It’s been a bit of unravelling this knot that I’ve had in my game for the past four years,” he said of his search for greater consistency with his swing. “We’re finally moving in a direction that I feel is positive for me being able to win again, hopefully, regularly like I did in 2018.”

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Comeback at The Masters? – Tiger Woods practices at Augusta National

Will we see Tiger Woods at Augusta National at the 2022 US Masters? (Photo: Getty)
Will we see Tiger Woods at Augusta National at the 2022 US Masters? (Photo: Getty)

With the first Major of the year just ahead, speculation is getting fuelled about a return of Tiger Woods to golf’s biggest stage. Will arguably the greatest golfer of all time, recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, make his comeback after his serious accident around 13 months ago at Augusta National, where he already celebrated his sporting revival in 2019? In any case, the 46-year-old is still listed in the field of players for the prestigious major and now the superstar has already flown to Augusta a week before the start of the tournament.

Tiger Woods: Practice round at Augusta National

On Tuesday morning local time, the private jet of the 15-time major winner landed at the local airport, in the afternoon Tiger Woods played a practice round at the legendary golf club at Magnolia Lane. Together with his fellow Justin Thomas and son Charlie, with whom he already excelled at the PNC Championship last December, Woods played all 18 holes at Augusta National. An insider told ESPN: “He looked good to me.”

Prior to that, the five-time Masters winner had also played a few rounds at his home club, The Medalist in Jupiter, Florida (USA), to test out the resilience of the right leg he had injured so badly. Now it’s time for the ultimate test at Augusta National, which not only demands a lot from the player in terms of golf, but also represents a real test of endurance due to its long paths and hilly courses.

“He’s gonna tee it up”

The fact that he was accompanied by his caddie, Joe LaCava, fuels hopes that Tiger Woods will make a comeback soon. “He’s gonna tee it up, I think,” Colt Knost, a former PGA Tour pro, said on “The Drop Zone” podcast, for example. “I know Joe and Tiger are close, but I don’t see Joe flying down to Florida just to carry his bag and hang out.” Knost also believes Woods would have already cancelled his participation in the first major of the year if he knew he couldn’t play.

Brad Faxon, a pro on the PGA Tour Champions, also has high hopes for Tiger, but thinks a return anytime soon is less likely. “I’m continually amazed by the things Tiger Woods can do. And, if he puts his mind together and feels OK, can he, ranked 944th in the world, come back and play at the Masters and then could he contend? It would be an unbelievable Ben Hogan-like success story.” the American said of the speculation. “My emotion wants him to play,” the 60-year-old explained, but “if I had to bet money I would say it’s probably less than 50/50.”

Participation at the Masters 2022?

Whether Tiger Woods will really make his comeback at the US Masters 2022 at Augusta National remains to be seen. As a former champion, the superstar is obviously seeded in the field and can take his time deciding whether or not to play until the tournament begins. The first Major of the year at Augusta National will be played from 7 to 10 April.

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Tom Watson to be Honorary Starter at the US Masters 2022

Golf legend Tom Watson will be the new Honorary Starter at the 2022 US Masters (Photo: Getty)
Golf legend Tom Watson will be the new Honorary Starter at the 2022 US Masters (Photo: Getty)

Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus are “old hands” as honorary starters at the US Masters in Augusta. For years, the golf legends have opened the legendary Major at Augusta National Golf Club with the first tee shot. However, this year they will live the experience with an old acquaintance and friend, Tom Watson. Watson won two green jackets in his 43-year Masters career. In April, Tom Watson will tee off at the US Masters for the first time as one of the three Honorary Starters.

Fred Ridley: “We are happy that he accepted our invitation”

Fred Ridley, President of the US Masters, said in a press announcement on Tuesday morning (11.01.2022),  “I am honored that Tom Watson accepted our invitation to the US Masters. I look forward to commemorating his love for the game and the impact on the Masters. Watson counts with millions of fans of his across the globe who cannot wait to watch him hitting the tee shot. Specially when he will do so alongside the two other all-time greats, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.”

The three honorary starters share a long career together at the Masters and the PGA Tour. They faced each other both as competitors and as friends. Actually, Jack Nicklaus was the runner-up in both of the Tom Watson’s victories. On the other hand, Watson gave up the 1978 Masters victory to Nicklaus after finishing with an upsetting bogey.

Tom Watson is looking forward to returning to Augusta

“Augusta National in April is one of my favorite places to be.” Watson said. “With the many fond memories of both watching the Masters as a youngster and then competing in the Tournament for so many years, I am greatly proud to join my friends and fellow competitors, Jack and Gary, as an Honorary Starter in this upcoming Masters. In fact, Jack was on my heels in both of my victories. Furthermore, when Gary won his third Tournament in 1978, I was there to help him put the Green Jacket on. Nowadays, those are the memories stand out in my career when I look back. To have the opportunity to share the Honorary Starter tradition with Jack, Gary and the Masters patrons is very special to me.” 

Moreover, Watson will honour this role double this year. Tom is also going to live up to the recently deceased Lee Elder, the golf legend who became the first black player to open the Masters as an Honorary Starter in 2021.

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Top Golfers are Getting Younger

T-minus 1 week!

For number seven in our countdown series of golf fun facts and statistics, we’re looking at the players themselves.

The average age of the Masters winners across 85 years is 32. But the players at the top of today’s game are younger than this average.

Last week was the Masters’ qualifying week. We took a look at this week’s OWGR list and found that seven of the top 10 players are in their 20s, making the chances of a younger-than-average winner this year look pretty good.

The seven players are, in order of rank, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton and Patrick Cantlay.

Top 10 OWGR list for the Masters qualifying week in 2021.

Morikawa is the youngest of the group at age 24 and is currently fourth in the OWGR going into this year’s Masters.

Hatton and Cantlay are the oldest and — coincidentally — the lowest ranked 20-somethings in the top 10. Both are aged 29 and in ranks 8 and 10 respectively.

Any player who is in the top 50 of the official world golf ranking list released in the week before that year’s Masters tournament automatically qualifies for the event.

What does that mean for this year?

While there is some decent potential in this group of seven for a younger winner this year, they will have some tough competition.

Defending champion and world number 1, Dustin Johnson is still the bookies’ favourite for this year. The 36 year old has got 8-1 odds on him with less than a week to go.

Dustin Johnson, 36, won his first green jacket at last year’s postponed Masters, which took place in November due to the initial COVID-19 outbreak earlier in the year.

However, the younger players still have good chances, it seems. Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are all at 12-1 odds this week.

Jon Rahm, whose wife is expecting their first child during the Masters week, has already warned fans “not to bet on him”. The 26 year-old plans to drop everything if need be in order to attend the birth of his son.

Young stars making their first appearance also include Robert MacIntyre from Scotland who received support on social media this week after expressing his excitement for the event.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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8 Countries in One Day: the men who broke one of golf’s coolest records

People travel from all over the world to attend or play in the Masters tournament. For one week in the year, the entire golf world comes to Georgia.

For number 8 in our countdown series, we’re travelling from Augusta to Europe, where two men hold the record for most rounds of golf played in different countries in a single day. 

Two men from Belgium played 18-hole rounds of golf in eight different countries in one 24-hour period in 2013. 

An early start

It’s amazing how much you can get done in a day when you get up a little earlier than usual, isn’t it?

Kasper De Wulf and Alexander Hautekiet started their record-breaking day with a very early 2.30 am tee off in Tarvisio Golf and Country Club in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of north-eastern Italy. The club, just 6 kilometres from the Austrian border, sits at the foot of the Alps and offers some truly stunning views.

The course in Tarvisio is the top rated in the Alpe Adria golf region. (Image: golfsenzaconfini.com)

From Italy, they played in various courses in neighbouring Slovenia and Austria before heading north to Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

According to Guinness World Records, the pair finished their final round in their home country of Belgium at 1.01am on the 25th of June 2013 at Damme Golf and Country Club. One of Belgium’s largest golf clubs, Damme GCC has 27 Championship holes and 9 Compact holes to its name.

More from the countdown series: If 2020 was a golf shot…

They were keeping score, too. De Wulf won overall in their stroke play match, hitting a 727 over the course of the day. Hautekiet posted the day’s lowest round with an 80 at their second stop in Bled, Slovenia. 

The proximity of national borders in Europe makes such a feat possible. It’s hard to image that golfers in other parts of the world could tick off so many countries in one day.

How many times can you play golf in a day?

The all-time record for most holes played in a single day goes to former Major League Baseball star Eric Byrnes in Half Moon Bay, California. He walked 105 miles and used glow-in-the-dark balls to play 420 holes in 24 hours. He played more than 23 rounds of golf that day to raise money for the Let Them Play Foundation, a charity in California that offers scholarships to youth sports groups so that they can buy sports equipment. 

Back to Augusta, where it will be about quality rather than quantity next week as we see the first tee off in just 8 short days.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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The Best Rounds in Masters History

Only nine days left!

We’ve already looked at the worst records in Masters history in this series. Today, as we get closer and closer, let’s look at some of the best. 

Augusta National is regarded as a true test of golf for the very best in the world; a test that a rare few have passed with flying colours. 

The record low for any round at Augusta National during the Masters is 63, or 9 under par.

The honour for having shot the best single round doesn’t go to any of the all time great winners of the tournament. 

Nick Price of Zimbabwe hit 63 in his third round in 1986. He claimed at the time that he could have done better if his hungover caddie hadn’t been giving him incorrect distances throughout the round.  

Ten years later, in 1996, Australian Greg Norman opened with a 63, matching the 9 under record held by Price. 

More from the countdown series: the history of the green jacket

It’s not just the winners who make history

Although great golfers, neither Price nor Norman were able to convert their record rounds into a tournament win and neither man would win a green jacket throughout their careers. In 1986, Price watched Jack Nicklaus win his record breaking 6th Masters. In 1996, Nick Faldo took his 3rd, still the most by any European.

Norman, who was 41 at the time, famously choked in the final round of the 1996 Masters after having maintained a six stroke lead ahead of Nick Faldo. 

Norman started the final round of the 1996 Masters with good prospects, with the crowd eager to see him make history. (Image: Allsport/Getty)

There has been much speculation in the sports world since then about what caused one of golf’s most famous chokes. Reports since then suggest that overthinking and pressure to perform caused the decisive slipup on the last day.

He later told phycologist Rick Jensen that he “didn’t sleep a wink” on the Saturday night before his 78 in the final round. Faldo ended up winning by 5 strokes.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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10: If 2020 was a golf shot

With just 10 days to go until this year’s Masters, let’s recap one of the low points from last year.

If you can cast your mind all the way back to November last year, you’ll remember one of the most gut-wrenching moments of last year: Tiger Woods’ 10.

The five times Masters champion disappointed fans by hitting 10 strokes at the par 3 12th hole at Augusta during the final round of the 2020 tournament in November last year. 

More from the countdown series: Masters winners by nationality

The defending champion made an incredible comeback in 2019, winning the Masters for the first time in 14 years following a string of various physical injuries.

After much deliberation and confusion about the direction of the wind, Woods shot the ball into the water a total of three times, the last time from a bunker on the other side of the green. 

“I committed to the wrong wind,” he said afterwards, “I thought the wind would come off the right but it came off the left”.

“This is unlike any other sport, you’re so alone out there, you have to figure out how to fight”.

Just goes to show that even legends make mistakes sometimes.

Woods was hoping compete at this year’s event before a car crash in the Los Angeles area last month that left him with severe leg injuries.

He is currently in recovery and is undergoing physical therapy. Many celebrities and famous figures reached out to offer their support.

Fans, while disappointed that he won’t be participating in this year’s Masters, have been expressing their relief on social media that the crash had not been fatal or caused any more serious injuries.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.


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11: Masters Winners by Country

Often referred to as US Masters, qualifying golfers from all over the world are invited every year, not just Americans.

While it may be true that most competing players – and winners – have been American, there are 11 countries in total who have won the major at one point or another in its 87 year history. 

The Masters is becoming more diverse than ever. In 2021, players representing 23 different countries have been invited to compete.

Of the 87 players, 46 are international players while just 41 are US nationals. 

Carlos Oritz of Mexico and Englishman Joe Long are among a handful of players making their Masters debut this year. 

Ahead of the 2021 event, here’s how the winners’ nationalities have been divided up so far: 

United States – 62 wins

South Africa – 5 wins

Spain – 5 wins

England – 4 wins

Germany – 2 wins

Scotland – 1 win

Wales – 1 win

Fiji – 1 win

Canada – 1 win

Argentina – 1 win

Australia – 1 win

Gary Player became the first non-American player to win the Masters in 1961. 

Player won over 160 professional tournaments on six continents over seven decades and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. 

Honorary starters and Masters champions Gary Player of South Africa (left) and Jack Nicklaus (right) stand on the first tee during the First Tee ceremony to start the first round of the 2019 Masters. (Image: Getty)

More from the countdown series: the highest score in Masters history

Nick Faldo became the first non-American to successfully defend his title and win the tournament two years in a row in 1989 and 1990.

The Englishman shares the record for most consecutive wins with two of golf’s biggest legends, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.

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12: Where did the Green Jacket Tradition Come From?

Anyone who wins the Masters is allowed to keep the famous green jacket for 12 months, until the next event is played.

After that, the jackets are kept in Augusta in their very own special-purpose cloakroom.

This tradition, like everything else, was interrupted in 2020 when the 2020 Masters was postponed until November due to the coronavirus outbreak. This means that last year’s winner, Dustin Johnson, will have only had his jacket for 6 months before he has to hand it back in to Augusta National.

2020 aside for a moment, let’s take a look back at the story behind the green jacket in honour of the 12-month tradition.

It was never meant to be part of the award ceremony…

The iconic Masters green jacket was not always given to those who win the tournament in the way it is today. In fact, it was first introduced in 1937 as a uniform for members of the club to wear so that they could be recognised by visitors. 

The first time it was presented to the winner at the award ceremony was in 1949, to Sam Snead.

Snead, who that year didn’t get off to the best start in the first two rounds after posting a 73 and 75 in the first rounds, won by three strokes after posting two consecutive rounds of 67 at the weekend.

Sam Snead (R) stands with Byron Nelson (L) and Gene Sarazen (C) at the 1999 Masters at Augusta National, fifty years after being awarded his first of three green jackets.

Not to be left out of the fun, the jacket was also awarded retrospectively to the previous 12 winners up until then. 

Since then, the previous year’s winner presents that year’s winner with the jacket.

World number 1 Dustin Johnson was awarded the Green Jacket by 2019 Masters champion Tiger Woods during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the 2020 Masters. (image: Getty)

Gary Player was famously the only Masters winner who didn’t bring back his jacket the next year after winning his first Masters title in 1961. At the time, he claimed to have accidentally left it at home in South Africa. 

Green jackets for sale, anyone?

Short of winning the Masters itself, the only way you can get your hands on a green jacket of your own is if you have a few hundred thousand dollars to spare.

Horton Smith, the winner of the very first Augusta National Invitation Tournament in 1934, had his jacket sold at auction for $682,229 in 2013. It’s said that no other piece of golf memorabilia has ever sold for such a high price.

Pantone 342 is the official colour of the jacket. However, due to various changes in manufacturers over the years, the tone can differ slightly from year to year. 

It’s just over 2 weeks until we find out who Dustin Johnson will present the next green jacket to.

This article is part of our Countdown to The Masters series. Join us every day between now and April 7 for fun facts and interesting stories about golf and The Masters tournament.