Six stars to watch
BUBBAWATSON ( USA)
Watson has rediscovered his form just in time to go on the hunt for a third green jacket.
He won theWGC- Dell Match Play in Texas lastmonth and stamped his name emphatically on the list of players capable of winning the Masters.
A lopsided 7 and 6 victory over fellow American Kevin Kisner at Austin Country Club gave him his second victory of the season, the 11th of his PGA Tour career.
JUSTINTHOMAS ( USA)
Victory for Thomas in hisWGC semi- final againstWatson would have taken him to No. 1 in the world rankings, but he came up just short, allowing Dustin Johnson to hold on to top spot. Thomas, however, is in the richest vein of form, winning the Honda Classic and losing out in a play- off to Phil Mickelson at theWGCMexico before his semi- final appearance in theWGC Match Play.
HIDEKIMATSUYAMA( JPN)
The five- time PGA Tour winner, and eight- time Japan Golf Tour victor has finished in the top five of all four majors over the past five years but has yet to lift one of the trophies. Two wins — theWaste Management Phoenix Open andWGC- Bridgestone Invitational — on the PGA Tour last year show his hunger for silverware has not waned since he turned professional in 2013 and what a story it would be if he could become Japan’s first golfer to don the green jacket.
JONRAHM( ESP)
This 23- year- old Spaniard only turned professional in 2016 but he has had such an impact on the tours that he had a chance to take the coveted world No. 1 spot earlier this year. This is only his second Masters, but as he has shown both on the PGA and European tours with a couple of wins on both, he knows howto win and has a cool head on his shoulders come the business end of tournaments. His aggressive play has occasionally cost him, as it did in the third round at Augusta last year. But it can also pay dividends as he is prepared to take on shots otherswould shirk. Spain has never had back- toback Masters champions, but Rahm could be just the man to followin Sergio Garcia’s footsteps this time around.
KIRADECHAPHIBARNRAT ( THA)
Thailand’s No. 1 has won three times since the beginning of December. granted these tournaments were not quite on the scale of a Major, but as any golfer will tell you, any win is amazing when you are up against up to 100 other competitors. “I want to show the world an Asian can surprise and contend in amajor,” he said recently. The jovial, down- toearth golfer often flies under the radar, but when he clicks he can beat the best, and a green jacket would propel him to the front pages of the papers both at home and across the globe.
SHUBHANKARSHARMA ( IND)
What a few months, the 21- year- old Indian has had. He came from relative obscurity to win the Joburg Open in December and then proved he was no one- hit wonder by following that success with victory in the Maybank Championship in February, which propelled him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings. He flirted with success at theWGC- Mexico Championship in March before a final- round 74 ended his hopes and he finished ninth. His achievements were enough to receive a special invitation to play at Augusta, his first major tournament, and all eyes will be on him to see if the boy wonder can do the unthinkable and take the glory.