5 Reasons why Bubba will win the Masters and 5 why he won’t!

Written by Mel Sole on March 19, 2015. Posted in European PGA Tour, PGA Tour

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We all have our opinions and favorites on who is going to win the Masters.

And I recently posted a story of what the statistics are for each player’s chances. However, Ross Starkey of GolfDiamante.com wrote a fascinating piece that I had to share!

Everything depends on whether Bubba’s putter is hot or not!

In the last twelve years a left hander had won The Masters Tournament six times! Which must make it a course suited to left handers, right?

Three of those victories were won by Phil Mickelson, and way back in 2003 Mike Weir was the start, with the very first left-handed win. Meanwhile, Bubba Watson has landed top spot twice in his last three starts at Augusta.

It all suggests that there is something about the course that favors a lefty.

A quick examination of the three golfers reveals three completely different golfing personalities; Bubba relies on huge drives and a strong iron game; Mickelson lets fate deal with his driving and irons and puts all his eggs in his short game basket; and Weir was just a solid all rounder, and much shorter off the tee. The one trait they all share was the ability to move the ball both ways.

So, if a lefty is to win this year, looking at the current rankings and probable entry list, it will be up to the same three to come up with the goods again on behalf of the left-handed amongst us.

Weir hasn’t managed more than one top ten since 2010 and Mickelson can boast only a solitary foray there since posting a T6 at The Barclays in 2013. It looks likely that if a lefty is to win in 2015 it becomes a question of will Bubba win, or not?

Five reasons Bubba will win.

Form is on his side : With three victories worldwide last year, he has risen to world number 2 and lies second in the FedEx Cup standings too. In six starts this season, he hasn’t finished outside the top fifteen.

He is not afraid anymore : When he lost a playoff to Martin Kaymer at the PGA Championship in 2010 he looked twitchy and nervous. But his hooked wedge to win the Masters in another playoff against Louis Oosthuizen three years ago changed all that. And last year he looked the most composed player in the field.

The course suits a bomber : Fairways don’t come much wider than at Augusta and no one bombs it quite like Bubba.

The pressure is on Rory McIlroy : McIlroy comes in on the back of two consecutive major victories and all the eyes will be in the world number one. Meaning there has never been a better time to be world number 2, the defending champion, and in fantastic form in the run up to the first major of the season.

Just Look at his Current Stats : Bubba is currently 20th in Strokes Gained Putting, and while he isn’t in the top 50 for Greens Hit in Regulation, his scrambling is up there with the best (3rd). Put it all together and it suggests Bubba will be the one to beat again!

5 Reasons why Bubba will win the Masters and 5 why he won’t!

Five reasons Bubba won’t win.

1. Winning back-to-back is difficult : Only Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus have managed to do so. Bubba hasn’t yet been able to defend any title he has won.

2. Rory is still better : With his two major wins at the end of last year he proved that he can match up to expectation. His strength is micro-managing his goals, it isn’t concentrating on catching Tiger’s tally or merely achieving the Grand Slam. First up is equaling Seve Ballesteros’ major haul of 5. He is acutely aware of the power of attainable goal-setting, not the career big picture which tends to sort itself out in the end

3.Competition is tougher than ever : Jordan Spieth proved it is possible to contend on your first visit. Then there is Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Bill Haas, Jimmy Walker and Brandt Snedeker all winners already and seeking their first major. Add in Adam Scott, Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose and McIlroy and the possible win list is as big as ever.

4. His putting is still suspect : While his current stats suggest a successful putting stroke, he hasn’t featured in the top 100 putting stats at year end since 2009, which indicates either a massively improved stroke, or he’s imminently due less success on the greens.

5. Surely it’s time Lee Westwood won : Former world number one, winner of 41 professional wins, 17 top tens in majors and no worse than T11 in his last five starts at Augusta, forget Bubba Watson, isn’t it time Lee Westwood won?

Source: GolfDiamante.com Ross Starkey

Pictures: Secret in the Dirt Galatians Design

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5 Reasons why Bubba will win the Masters and 5 why he won’t!

We all have our opinions and favorites on who is going to win the Masters.

It all suggests that there is something about the course that favors a lefty.

Five reasons Bubba will win.

Five reasons Bubba won’t win.

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