Three Georgia Bulldogs who Could Win The Masters
By Mike Stowe
The Masters starts tomorrow and there are three former Georgia Bulldogs who could end up winning the coveted Green Jacket this year.
It’s that time of year again. The flowers are in bloom, the grass is manicured down to the 1/8th of an inch, and the buzz is in the air. All eyes in the golf world and pretty much the entire sports world are glued to the beautiful grounds of Augusta National Golf Club as the best golfers in the world prepare to tee it off Thursday in the biggest golf tournament of the year, The Masters.
This year’s edition will bring even more excitement than usual. The once great Tiger Woods seems to have finally gotten his act back together, along with his game. Golf fans hope to see names like Rory Mcilroy and Phil Mickelson along with Woods on this Sunday’s leaderboard. This should be a great week and a really great tournament.
But what about the Dawgs? I hear the occasional mention of Bubba, of course, with him being a 2-time winner. He isn’t the only former UGA golfer that could win the whole thing, though. UGA has been consistently producing world-class golf talents for years now, and there are a few who could contend at Augusta. Let’s take a look at 3 Dawgs who I believe have a legitimate shot at winning the Masters.
3. Brian Harman.
Harman is currently ranked 23rd in the world. This is your “Dawg dark horse” for the tournament. He has been the model of consistency this season. He’s had 7 top 10 finishes with 3 of those being top 5s. He has yet to win a tournament this season, so what better place than is Georgia for him to finally win one on the grandest stage of them all? He is one of only a few left-handed players on the tour, and he’s one that could make some noise this weekend at Augusta.
2. Kevin Kisner.
The 34-year-old former Bulldog out of Aiken, S.C. is ready to break through and compete at the Masters. He’s made the cut the past 2 years, but he hasn’t been in true contention on Sunday to win it. Kisner has recent success, finishing 4th at the RSM classic and most recently 2nd at the World Golf championships/Dell Technologies Match Play Classic. The Dawg that finished ahead of him in the top spot in that tournament sits at #1 on my list of Dawgs who may win the Masters.
1. Bubba Watson.
Big surprise, huh? I thought about going with a guy like Kisner here, but how could I not pick Bubba? After all, he does already have 2 green jackets in his wardrobe. Bubba hit a bit of a rough patch last season, and even at one point considered retirement. He only had 4 top 10 finishes all season. I’m glad he scrapped that decision and kept swinging. He has had a bit of a career resurgence himself. It seems to be overshadowed by Tiger Woods’ comeback, but Watson is actually the only one of the 2 that has actually won a tournament this season. He’s won 2, in fact.
He won his 10th career tournament with his victory at the Genesis Open and finished 1st in the World Golf championships/ Dell Technologies Match Play Matchplay. Bubba seems to have his swing back. In a weekend in which all eyes will be on Tiger if he makes the cut, Bubba has a good a chance as anyone to win this tournament. His play as of late combined with his past successes there has made him one of the favorites.
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How cool would it be to see one of our own put on that green jacket for the 3rd time? Bubba could be that guy. The Masters officially gets underway Thursday morning.