Each week of the season, our experts will share their insights into which players fit the criteria for our four categories: Horse for the Course (a golfer who knows the track inside and out), Birdie Buster (a guy who could take it low this week), Super Sleeper (a player who could unexpectedly contend) and Winner.
This week's tournament: Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.
Horse for the Course
Michael Collins, ESPN.com senior golf analyst: Sergio Garcia. Other than his W/D from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Sergio has yet to finish outside the top 17 in the five events he's played all four rounds. Bet you didn't know he's ranked 17th in all-time money won at this event.
Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Rory McIlroy. Famous but not yet a global superstar, McIlroy claimed his first PGA Tour title here in 2010 with a final-round 62. Last year, he lost in a playoff at Quail Hollow to Rickie Fowler.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Webb Simpson. The reigning U.S. Open champion lives at Quail Hollow and has plenty of home-course knowledge. He was the 54-hole leader a year ago before fading on Sunday.
Birdie Buster
Michael Collins: Nicolas Colsaerts. This is going to be an eye-opening experience for the Belgian first-timer, but in a good way. He's going to average better than 65 percent of his greens in regulation and then easily get a top-10.
Farrell Evans: Lucas Glover. Injuries and a divorce have been distractions for Glover since he won the 2009 U.S. Open, but perhaps he's rounding into good form after a tie for fourth last week in New Orleans.
Bob Harig: D.A. Points. He didn't win in New Orleans, but came close again, following up on his victory from the previous week in Houston. After a terrible start to the year, Points has a victory and a runner-up finish. He also lost at Quail Hollow in a playoff to Rickie Fowler a year ago.
Super Sleeper
Michael Collins: Rory Sabbatini. Fifty percent of cuts made, one top-10 (T-9) and four finishes outside the top 25. And you thought Tiger was the only one impacted by a messy divorce? So, at this course, he's either going to finish third or miss the cut.
Farrell Evans: John Peterson. The 24-year-old Web.com tour player got into the Wells Fargo field because of his tie for eighth in New Orleans. Don't be surprised to see him do well this week. He had a tie for fourth at the U.S. Open last year after qualifying through sectionals.
Bob Harig: Phil Mickelson. Lefty loves the tournament, and has six top-10 finishes in nine appearances, but no victories. Still, it is impossible to know how he will perform after such a poor performance at the Masters and a subsequent two-week break.
Winner
Michael Collins: Kevin Streelman. This will be win No. 2 for the Wheaton, Ill., native who grew up playing courses that didn't always have pristine greens. He'll have the patience that will be needed on the stressed-out greens of Quail Hollow's back nine to win.
Farrell Evans: Lee Westwood. The 40-year-old Englishman has had top-10s in his past two starts on the PGA Tour, including a tie for eighth in the Masters, his ninth top-10 in his past 17 major championships. Last year, he had a tie for fifth at Wells Fargo.
Bob Harig: McIlroy. It is somewhat amazing how quiet things have gotten for the No. 2-ranked player in the world. Perhaps that is a good thing. He did win at Quail Hollow three years ago, and lost in a playoff last year.
Each week of the season, our experts will share their insights into which players fit the criteria for our four categories: Horse for the Course (a golfer who knows the track inside and out), Birdie Buster (a guy who could take it low this week), Super Sleeper (a player who could unexpectedly contend) and Winner.
This week's tournament: Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La.
Horse for the Course
Michael Collins, ESPN.com senior golf analyst: Bubba Watson. A winner here in 2011 and a 9-under weekend last year, heck in seven starts he has missed only one cut at this event. After a week off, to lick the wounds of Augusta, playing a golf course you know well and are familiar with is just what the golf doctor ordered.
Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Jason Dufner. Caught looking dazed and confused earlier this year in a room full of Texas school children, the 36-year-old Auburn alum is eager to get folks to talk about his golf again. He's had success at TPC Louisiana, where he has had a win, a tie for third and tie for seventh in his past three starts on the Pete Dye course.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Jason Dufner. The defending champion not only won a year ago at the TPC Louisiana but it was his fourth consecutive top-10 finish in the tournament.
Birdie Buster
Michael Collins: Camilo Villegas. Making his third appearance in this event. Last year he shot three rounds in the 60s, including a stellar second-round 66. Villegas is steadily making a slow charge back to where he once was a contender week in and week out
Farrell Evans: Billy Horschel. This 26-year-old with Walker Cup experience has had a T-2, T-3 and T-9 in his past three events. The time is coming soon for him to win his first tour title.
Bob Harig: Billy Horschel. The former Florida Gator continues to impress, with another top-10 finish at the RBC Heritage. It was his third straight top-10.
Super Sleeper
Michael Collins: Chris Stroud. Coming off a week where he got his first top-10 of the year to a place where he hasn't finished outside the top 26 in the past three years tells us he's trending in a very good direction and should be a lock for back-to-back top-10s.
Farrell Evans: David Mathis. Last year in New Orleans, the 39-year-old journeyman vaulted into the top 10 with a final-round 7-under 65 that included a 30 on the back nine at the TPC Louisiana. The Campbell University alum needs a good week after missing his past six cuts.
Bob Harig: David Toms. A winner of the event in 2011, Toms will be making his 20th appearance in his home-state event.
Winner
Michael Collins: Justin Rose. Hard to bet against the highest-ranked player in the field, especially knowing he's ranked second on tour in scoring average. This is a course where he shot three straight rounds in the 60s last year and if not for an opening-round 72, would have contended then too. Expect the first win of 2013 to be right here this week.
Farrell Evans: Keegan Bradley. An 82 in the third round of the Masters was an aberration for this former PGA champion. He had scored top-10s in his previous four events coming into Augusta. While he missed the cut here in New Orleans last year, he shouldn't have any problem handling TPC Louisiana this time around.
Bob Harig: Justin Rose. The Englishman is bound to break through one of these weeks. One of just a handful of top-25 players in the field, the No. 4-ranked golfer gets his first victory of 2013.
Each week of the season, our experts will share their insights into which players fit the criteria for our four categories: Horse for the Course (a golfer who knows the track inside and out), Birdie Buster (a guy who could take it low this week), Super Sleeper (a player who could unexpectedly contend) and Winner.
This week's tournament: RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C.
Horse for the Course
Michael Collins, ESPN.com senior golf analyst: Boo Weekley. Since 2007, he has had one finish below 13th at this course. With that kind of resume, if you play fantasy golf and he's not on your team this week, just quit the league because you don't know what you're doing.
Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Boo Weekley. Golf's No. 1 country boy got both his PGA Tour wins here in back-to-back years in 2007 and 2008. After a few years of struggling with injuries, he's finally playing well again with two top-10s, including a second at the Tampa Bay Championship in March.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Jim Furyk. He has six top-10s in his past eight appearances, including a 2010 victory. He was tied for eighth last year.
Kevin Maguire, ESPN.com senior golf editor: Michael Thompson. Buoyed by a final-round 67 at the Masters to notch a T-25 finish, the Honda Classic winner's game should translate well to this week's venue, Harbour Town. Thompson is likely hoping for the conditions to toughen up the seaside course as he tends to play better with more difficult conditions (see 2012 U.S. Open).
Birdie Buster
Michael Collins Billy Horschel. He hasn't missed a cut all year and comes into the week having a second- and third-place finish this season. This may be a breakout year for the UF grad, and this course plays into his southern hands perfectly.
Farrell Evans: Matt Kuchar. His nickname should be Mr. Consistency. At the Masters, the former U.S. Amateur champion and reigning Accenture Match play champion tacked on his fourth top-10 of the year with a tie for eighth.
Bob Harig: Jason Day. The Aussie contended at the Masters again, missing a playoff by 2 strokes and finishing third, his second top-3 in two years at Augusta National. The good vibes should carry over to Hilton Head.
Kevin Maguire: Luke Donald. His T-25 finish at the Masters notwithstanding, Donald owns this week's venue, Harbour Town Golf Links. In the past four years, he's finished inside the top three on three separate occasions.
Super Sleeper
Michael Collins: Graham DeLaet. It's his third appearance in this event. DaLaet ranks 5th in Greens in Regulation on tour which it going to serve him very well this week facing some of the smallest greens on tour.
Farrell Evans: David Lynn. After a 68 in the first round of the Masters, the 39-year-old Englishman and runner-up in the 2012 PGA appeared as if he had a special thing for the majors. But then he shot an 80 in the third round to come back down to earth. Still, he got some confidence from that 68 that might help him this week at Hilton Head.
Bob Harig: Boo Weekley's only two career victories came at Harbour Town in 2007 and 2008, and he's had three top-15s since. Playing better this year, too, with eight consecutive made cuts.
Kevin Maguire: Kevin Stadler. To play well at Hilton Head, hitting greens in regulation always ranks high on any player's to-do list. Stadler's currently sixth on the PGA Tour in that stat. Toss in his T-4 in 2012 on the South Carolina gem of a track and you can expect big things from Stadler this week.
Winner
Michael Collins Jordan Spieth. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to your rookie of the year. In three of the four cuts he's made so far this year, he's got a top-25 and two top-10s. This kid has been ready to win since he was a senior in high school in Texas and almost won the Byron Nelson. Now look for him to take his temporary membership to full champion status in one fell swoop.
Farrell Evans: Jason Day. The 25-year-old Australian let the green jacket slip from his grasp on Sunday with two late bogeys, but his game has never looked better. Look for him to have a nice rebound this week at Hilton Head, where he last played in 2011, finishing in a tie for ninth.
Bob Harig: Brandt Snedeker. That final round at Augusta National undoubtedly stings. He won at Harbour Town two years ago and is playing nicely this year, with a victory and two runner-up finishes.
Kevin Maguire: Matt Kuchar. Many thought Kuchar would be a contender at Augusta National, and he hung around for a T-8 finish. This week he contends at a much more laid-back venue that better suits him.
He might also have taken a bad drop.
Masters officials are expected to review the situation Saturday morning, which could lead to disqualification if it is deemed Woods dropped the ball in the wrong spot.
Because Woods signed his scorecard for a 1-under 71 without adding the 1-stroke penalty, he would be disqualified because he put a six on his scorecard instead of a seven.
Woods had 87 yards to the hole for his third shot and saw his ball hit the flagstick and then roll back off the green and into the water.
Under Rule 26-1, Woods had three options at the yellow-staked (not lateral) hazard, which is a pond that fronts the green:
• He could have played from a designated drop area, which he chose not to do because he did not like the lie.
• He could have dropped the ball, keeping the point at which it last crossed the margin of the water between the hole and the spot on which the ball would be dropped. Since the ball entered the water well left of Woods' position from the fairway, it would seem he did not choose this option, which would have allowed him to drop on a straight line as far back as he wanted.
• Or he could return to the original spot from which he played, and drop "as nearly as possible'' from where he played the third shot.
This is the option Woods took, and in interviews afterward, he said he dropped "two yards'' behind the original spot. Replays seemed to suggest he was closer than that, but the question is if that is considered "as nearly as possible'' to the original spot.
On a CBS-TV highlights show late Friday night, analyst David Feherty showed the replay and said he believed the drop was illegal.
Augusta National officials were not available for comment early Saturday morning, but golf's rules officials typically review any possible violations brought to their attention.
AUGUSTA, Ga., -- On Friday afternoon, as a 1-shot penalty for slow play threatened to keep 14-year-old Tianlang Guan from making the cut, a watch commenced to see if the tough conditions at Augusta National could keep the controversial ruling from staining the tournament.
The wind, the sinister pin locations and devilish greens on the Alister MacKenzie-designed gem needed to help the game avert perhaps an international embarrassment.
As the players trickled in from their rounds, sidestepping the growing chaos around Guan near the Augusta clubhouse, there was assurance from players that there was hope that the kid would make it into the weekend through the top 50 and ties or the 10-shot rule. After a 75 on Friday, Guan was 4 over for the tournament.
Four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods was playing the front nine, where he had started the day 2-under par. It wouldn't have been a stretch to see him shoot a 65 or 66 that would have sent the youngster home before the weekend.
"It ain't going to happen," Bo Van Pelt said of someone getting to 7 under par. "It's really tough out there."
Van Pelt knew because he hadn't played poorly in his 2-over 74 on Thursday. He shot a 64 in the final round last year at Augusta to finish in a tie for 17th. The year before he had come close to winning on Sunday.
Jim Watson/Getty ImagesJason Day battled tough wind conditions all day to grab a 1-shot lead heading into the weekend.Adam Scott provided more assurance that Tiger wouldn't dismantle Augusta's usually vulnerable par-5s.
Scott, who didn't have a birdie on the par-5s on Friday, had come in after shooting an even-par 72 to finish 3 under at the halfway point.
"I would love to play the par-5s a little better, but today they were playing tough ... all of them," he said. "From [No.] 15, 13 into the wind, [No.] 8 is kind of into the wind and across, and [No.] 2 is even into the wind off the tee. It makes them tougher and I didn't take advantage of them.
"Even par in these conditions is a good score. Everything was thrown at us, and the pins are really tough, it's easy to make mistakes."
Players all around the course were saying the same thing. Some early showers had softened the course, but then the wind picked up. Yet it was blowing in a different direction than it had been during the practice rounds and on Thursday.
Dustin Johnson, with a 4-over 40 on the second nine, was tormented by the tough conditions.
Sergio Garcia provided more insight after shooting 76 on Friday, a score few could have imagined after his bogey-free 66 on Thursday.
"It was not only the strength of the wind, because if it's consistent you kind of figure it out, but unfortunately today it was very, very gusty," Garcia said.
"There were some shots that you would hit well and it would make you look a little bit silly, like what happened to me on [No.] 15, I hit a great 3-iron.
"It's almost dead calm when Angel [Cabrera] and Adam [Scott] were hitting. I hit mine, I hit what I thought was a perfect shot to the middle of the green and caught a huge gust and unfortunately it comes up short into the water."
Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters champion, is sitting pretty after a 71 in his second round, yet he was mystified and at times made hopeless by the conditions on Friday.
"It feels like even your good shots you're not getting rewarded," said the 53-year-old Seattle native playing in his 29th Masters. "I hit a great shot on [No.] 18 and we were playing the wind left to right and it turns more downwind and we're on the top shelf, and now you're struggling to make [par]. There's nothing you really can do about that."
Friday, Mother Nature and Augusta National worked together for the good of the game. No matter the opinions on slow play and the righteousness of the 1-shot penalty, everyone wanted to see the kid play into the weekend.
Realistically, by late afternoon Marc Leishman, Woods and Jason Day were the only players with a chance of ending Guan's week.
Guan Shows He Can Cut It
At 14 years, 5 months, China's Tianlang Guan became the youngest player to make a cut in a major in the modern golf era ... and it wasn't even close. Matteo Manassero held the former mark, but was nearly 2 years older. Here's a look at the youngest golfers to make a cut in a major since 1900:
| Major | Player | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Masters | Tianlang Guan | 14-5 |
| 2009 British | M. Manassero | 16-2 |
| 2010 Masters | M. Manassero | 16-11 |
| 1952 Masters | Tommy Jacobs | 17-1 |
| -- ESPN Stats & Information | ||
Leishman was the first to succumb to the difficult conditions.
Tied for the lead with Garcia coming into the second round, the 29-year-old Australian went into the back nine even par for the day, but then his momentum stalled at Amen Corner.
"It was blowing hard at the left on [No.] 13 where you have to hit a big hook around the corner," Leishman said. "And 15, what's generally reasonably reachable, it's blowing straight in. So probably only the longer hitters can get there today and it made -- I guess you would call them the birdie holes -- not really legitimate."
Then there was Tiger, always unpredictable and capable of flurries of brilliance that defy the imagination. After shooting 33 on the front nine to get to 5 under, he couldn't summon a single birdie on the back nine, ending up with a 1-under 71 and 3-under total for the tournament.
"I really swung the club well and didn't really get a lot out of this round," Woods said. "Granted, these conditions were tough. It was swirling all over the place."
Playing in the final group in the afternoon, Day still had a chance to get to 7 under with a birdie on the par-4 18th. But after hitting his drive left into the fairway bunker, he couldn't convert the birdie.
The kid was going to be all right. Guan had made the cut on the 10-shot rule. He still needs to play faster, but the maddening conditions at Augusta National had saved his 1-shot penalty from tarnishing his historic appearance at the Masters.
It was a stressful five hours or so between the end of Guan's round and the completion of Day's. In real time, the golf world potentially nearly collapsed around the issue of slow play. Then in an instant, it turned to the celebration of a boy's survival of a test way beyond his grasp.
Augusta National, which will outlast any controversy, made it so with its enduring ability to confound the best players in the world.
Top 10 Masters Shots
Andy North's main criteria: Each shot had to lead to a Masters victory.
No. 10: Mickelson's birdie on 18 in 2004
No. 9: Nicklaus' putt on 17 in 1986
No. 8: Zoeller's clincher in his first Masters
No. 7: Nicklaus' 40-footer in 1975
No. 6: Lyle's bunker shot on 18 in '88
No. 5: Tiger's chip-in at 16 in '05
No. 4: Mickelson from the trees in '10
No. 3: Sarazen's double-eagle in '35
No. 2: Watson from the woods in '12
No. 1: Mize's chip-in vs. Norman in '87
No. 1: Larry Mize, 1987
The Augusta, Ga., native holed out from the right of the 11th green in a sudden-death playoff with Greg Norman in what North believes is the single greatest shot in Masters history.
With a lightning-fast green that brought the pond into play on any shot toward the hole, Mize drained the chip from more than 100 feet away to seal the Masters victory.
The mirrored statistical pace Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus have at this point in their major championship careers is downright eerie.
Nicklaus turned 37 in January of 1977. Entering that following April's Masters, he had won 14 majors in 60 starts as a pro. Woods turned 37 last December. Entering this year's Masters -- he's won 14 majors in 60 starts as a pro.
Get all of ESPN.com's latest news, highlights and commentary about the world's most talked-about golfer. Tiger Tracker
With three victories already this season, and a game that appears to be in top form, there seems to be no better time than now for Woods to claim his fifth Masters title.
Still, with the memory of 2012's disastrous major championship weekends fresh in everyone's mind, many are reluctant to predict Tiger winning major No. 15 this week at Augusta National. We at Numbers Game tell you why Woods will -- and will not -- win the 2013 Masters Tournament.
Why he will win
1) Tiger is putting better than he ever has.
The numbers say that Woods is putting at a more efficient clip than he ever has in his PGA Tour career.
Woods currently leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained-putting, an all-encompassing metric that measures the value of a player's putting performance relative to the field. Woods is currently gaining 1.48 strokes per round on the field. This is the 10th year the statistic has been tracked on the PGA Tour. His previous best entering Augusta? +0.84.
Tiger's last two starts -- at Bay Hill and Doral -- are among the three best strokes gained-putting performances of his career. Woods' win at Bay Hill saw him gain 11.2 shots on the field putting -- almost 2 shots more than in any other event in his career since the inception of the statistic.
How much better is Tiger putting this year? In addition to leading in strokes gained, Woods is inside the top five on tour in putting inside 10 feet, between 10 and 15 feet, between 4 and 8 feet and 3-putt avoidance. Tiger was outside the top 30 in each of those statistics in 2012.
2) Tiger is eliminating the left side of the golf course.
It's no secret that when Tiger misses off the tee, he prefers to miss right. The numbers tell us that Tiger is working -- successfully -- to eliminate the left side of the golf course.
Off the tee in 2012, Woods hit the left rough a staggering 17.3 percent of the time, ranking 170th on the PGA Tour. Despite his victory at Bay Hill preceding Augusta a year ago, Tiger was tied for 83rd in the statistic entering the 2012 Masters.
This year, it's a completely different story. Woods is tied for ninth on the PGA Tour in left rough tendency, hitting it there off the tee less than 10 percent of the time. The last time Tiger ranked in the top 30 in this statistic? That would be 2008, when he won the U.S. Open.
3) Tiger is dominating the par 5s like he did in his prime.
From 1997 to 2009, Tiger Woods ranked inside the top five in par-5 scoring average on the PGA Tour every year. He led the circuit in the statistic every year but two during that span.
But in 2010 and 2011, Woods would have ranked outside the top 20 in the statistic if he had played enough rounds to qualify. And last year, Tiger was just 1-under on the par 5s at Augusta National -- his worst score on those holes as a professional. It's no coincidence last year was also his worst Masters finish as a pro (T-40).
Woods is coming off a performance at Bay Hill where he played the par 5s in 14-under, 2 strokes better than anyone else in the field. In his three wins this year, Tiger is a combined 35-under on par 5s. He's 11-under on par-3s and par-4s.
Woods' par-5 performance has been more important than the average PGA Tour winner this year. In his three wins, par 5s account for 76 percent of Tiger's strokes under par. For the last eight stroke-play winners not named Woods on tour, that percentage is 55.9.
Each of the last four Masters winners were 9-under or better on the par 5s. Tiger has equaled or surpassed that at Augusta seven times in his career, never finishing worse than T-6 when that happens (winning twice).
Why he won't win
1) The weekend magic in the majors is gone.
Despite winning three times, Tiger Woods' 2012 season was defined by his weekend stumbles in major championships. Woods was 8-under in Rounds 1 and 2 of majors last year, but was 15-over in Rounds 3 and 4. Not once in 2012 did Woods record a round under par on the weekend in a major championship.
The trend didn't start in 2012, though.
From the 2004 U.S. Open through the 2009 U.S. Open, Tiger Woods made 18 cuts in majors (19 starts). On each of those 18 weekends, his final position was either better than his 36-hole position, or he maintained the lead and went on to victory.
In the 12 major starts he's made since, Woods has made 10 cuts. In those 10 tournaments, Woods went the other direction on the weekend nine times. The lone exception was the 2010 U.S. Open (T-25 Friday night, finished T-4).
2) Tiger's touch shots aren't back to his gold standard.
A common saying regarding elite players and swing changes is that "the wedges are the last to come around." In Woods' case, the statistics say they're not completely back, despite his recent success.
Entering the 2005 Masters, Tiger Woods was inside the top 20 on tour in several approach shot proximity categories, including between 50-75 yards. Woods is tied for 89th in the statistic in 2013.
On all approach shots between 50-125 yards, Woods was T-7 on tour. This year, Woods is 43rd.
3) Bay Hill wasn't a harbinger for victory in 2012.
In 2012, the Arnold Palmer Invitational was Tiger's last event before the Masters. Woods led the field in par-5 scoring that week, was top-5 in the field in strokes gained-putting and marched to victory by multiple shots. The world was preparing for Woods' return to victory at Augusta.
Sound familiar?
Tiger racked up his eighth Arnold Palmer Invitational title a few weeks ago in his last start before the Masters. He led the field in par-5 scoring, was first in strokes gained-putting and seems fully prepared to win at Augusta.
For many, nothing Woods has done over the last two years will be validated until he wins another major championship.
The numbers can explain why Tiger is the overwhelming favorite to win at Augusta. They also tell you that betting against Woods would be a wise choice.
With or without a Woods win, the 2013 Masters promises to be one of the most exciting weeks of golf in years.
Each week of the season, our experts will share their insights into which players fit the criteria for our four categories: Horse for the Course (a golfer who knows the track inside and out), Birdie Buster (a guy who could take it low this week), Super Sleeper (a player who could unexpectedly contend) and Winner.
Collins' Masters Top 25 Rankings
ESPN.com's Michael Collins rates his players 1 through 25 for the year's first major championship. Rankings
This week's tournament: The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
Horse for the Course
Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Tiger Woods
It's a close race in this category between Tiger and Phil Mickelson, but the 14-time major champion's record assault on Augusta National in 1997 spurred a metamorphosis of the venerable Alister MacKenzie layout that will be felt for generations.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Tiger Woods
Despite his poor performance a year ago (T-40), Woods has always found Augusta National to his liking. He has four victories overall and has been in the top six in six of the past seven years.
Kevin Maguire, ESPN.com senior golf editor: Hunter Mahan
With so many past champions playing the Masters, the field is full of guys who know this track well. Conventional wisdom says pick Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson here, but I'm going in another direction. Mahan owns three top-12 Masters finishes, so expect another one this week.
Rick Reilly, ESPN.com national columnist: Matt Kuchar
The genial Georgian finished third last year and went lower nearly every day. He has played the Masters six times and never missed a cut. Hasn't missed a cut on tour this year, either. The Yellow Jacket is bound to win a green one, isn't he?
Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com national columnist: Phil Mickelson
By Lefty standards, Mickelson's performances have been up and down this season. But as soon as he drives down Magnolia Lane, Mickelson usually rediscovers his game. In the past 12 years, he has three wins and nine top-five finishes. Is that any good?
Birdie Buster
Farrell Evans: Keegan Bradley
The 2011 PGA championship winner is arguably the hottest player in the field with top-10s in his past four PGA Tour events.
Bob Harig: Martin Laird
The Scotsman became the first non-American to win on the PGA Tour this year, shooting a final-round 63 at the Valero Texas Open. The victory earned him the last spot in the Masters field.
Kevin Maguire: Keegan Bradley
Originally my pick to win earlier in the week, Bradley has got to be talking mentor Phil Mickelson's ear off to get every little morsel of information out of Lefty about Augusta National. I'd be stunned if Bradley didn't at least top-10 this week.
Rick Reilly: Brandt Snedeker
The man is No. 2 in greens hit, which is very helpful at Augusta. And he's No. 2 in scrambling for the times he doesn't hit the green, also handy among the dogwoods. His putter can get so hot his caddie can barely get it back in the bag. He made north of $14 million last year, so everything is paid for and the pressure is off. Would love to see that mop of hair at the Champions Dinner every year.
Gene Wojciechowski: Rory McIlroy
Smart move by Rors to add a last-minute trip to San Antonio. His second-place finish there shows that his game could be rounding into shape at the perfect time. Confidence level is high as he arrives in Augusta.
Super Sleeper
Farrell Evans: Sergio Garcia
After his meltdown here in 2012, Garcia needs assurance this week with a good performance that he has what it takes to win a major. Last year, a third-round 75 in the Masters left him bewildered and in dismay about the game's biggest events. If he can hold together emotionally over 72 holes, he might finally earn that first major title Sunday.
Bob Harig: Nicolas Colsaerts
First-timers don't win the Masters (it hasn't happened since 1979), but the Belgian has the long game to compete at Augusta National. If nothing else, it will be fun to watch how he navigates the course.
Kevin Maguire: Jason Day
The Aussie hasn't played well the past month or so, but in the only Masters in which he completed at least two rounds, Day finished T-2 in 2011. His all-around game suits Augusta National, and it wouldn't be surprising at all if he were the first man from Down Under to slip on a green jacket.
THE MASTERS
• Defending champion: Bubba Watson
• Masters leaderboard
• Experts' picks | FOREcaster
• Venue: Augusta National Golf Club; par-72, 7,435 yards
• Location: Augusta, Ga.
• Dates: Thursday-Sunday
• 2012 payout: Winner earned $1,440,000 of the $8 million purse. Currently a 93-man field for 2013.
• Format: 72-hole stroke play, top 50 and ties make the cut
• TV coverage: Wed., Par-3 Contest, 3-5 p.m. ET, SportsCenter at the Masters, 5-6 p.m. ET; Thu., Fri., 3-7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN; Sat., 3:30-7 p.m. ET on CBS; Sun., 2-7 p.m. ET on CBS (Complete live coverage schedule)
• Quick links: Money leaders | Schedule | World rankings
• Follow @ESPNGolf on Twitter
Rick Reilly: George Coetzee
OK, so you've never heard of him. Doesn't mean he can't go deep. The Tom Sawyer-looking South African is seventh in strokes gained-putting on the PGA Tour, which is all-important at Augusta National. He has played in five events this year and made the cut in all five. Hey, you did say "super," right?
Gene Wojciechowski: Nicolas Colsaerts
The Belgium Bomber has the power game needed at Augusta National. And if you saw him at the Ryder Cup in September, you know what he can do under pressure.
Winner
Farrell Evans: Phil Mickelson
Picking Tiger to win his fifth green jacket is perhaps the safest and smartest bet. But Mickelson is no slouch, either, around these hallowed grounds. The three-time Masters champion plays this tournament as if his whole life depends on it. Since 2000, the 42-year-old lefty has finished outside of the top 10 on only two occasions.
Bob Harig: Phil Mickelson
Lefty should have won his fourth green jacket last year, when two triple-bogeys got in the way and he still finished second. He has been tinkering, up and down, but all of that is good. It wouldn't be Phil otherwise.
Kevin Maguire: Jason Dufner
In 2010, Bubba Watson lost the PGA Championship in a playoff, then turned his game around and won the Masters less than two years later. Dufner lost the 2011 PGA in a playoff, so you see my logic, right? It's better than picking names out of a hat, I suppose.
Rick Reilly: Phil Mickelson
As Bones always says, "Augusta is Phil's playground. He just becomes a kid out here." When Mickelson is into it, he's as good as anybody. When it's his fifth Buick Open of the year, he shoots a lot of 72s. He would've won last year if he hadn't played the fourth hole like a blind gnu. I say he wins his fourth green jacket, tying Tiger and therefore driving the Buff Cablinasian crazy.
Gene Wojciechowski: Tiger Woods
My short list includes Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood. But like Ben Crenshaw once said, "I've got a feeling & " I'm taking Tiger Woods. His body of work in the past 13 months is too good to ignore. And you know how he feels about this place.
Top 10 Masters Shots
Andy North's main criteria: Each shot had to lead to a Masters victory.
No. 10: Mickelson's birdie on 18 in 2004
No. 9: Nicklaus' putt on 17 in 1986
No. 8: Zoeller's clincher in his first Masters
No. 7: Nicklaus' 40-footer in 1975
No. 6: Lyle's bunker shot on 18 in '88
No. 5: Tiger's chip-in at 16 in '05
No. 4: Mickelson from the trees in '10
No. 3: Sarazen's double-eagle in '35
No. 2: Watson from the woods in '12
No. 1: Mize's chip-in vs. Norman in '87
No. 2: Bubba Watson, 2012
With his unique style of golf, Bubba from Bagdad, Fla., launched a 50-yard hook from the trees on the second playoff hole (No. 10) to help clinch his first major championship victory.
Watson edged 2010 Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen -- who had made a double-eagle earlier in the day on the par-5 second hole -- to slip on the green jacket.
Top 10 Masters Shots
Andy North's main criteria: Each shot had to lead to a Masters victory.
No. 10: Mickelson's birdie on 18 in 2004
No. 9: Nicklaus' putt on 17 in 1986
No. 8: Zoeller's clincher in his first Masters
No. 7: Nicklaus' 40-footer in 1975
No. 6: Lyle's bunker shot on 18 in '88
No. 5: Tiger's chip-in at 16 in '05
No. 4: Mickelson from the trees in '10
No. 3: Sarazen's double-eagle in '35
No. 2: Watson from the woods in '12
No. 1: Mize's chip-in vs. Norman in '87
No. 3: Gene Sarazen, 1935
In just the second Masters ever -- it was referred to as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament back then -- Gene Sarazen holed a 4-wood from 235 yards for a double-eagle 2 at the par-5 15th hole.
That shot put the tournament on the map and it was dubbed "the shot heard round the world." Sarazen went on to defeat Craig Wood in a 36-hole playoff.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Michael Collins has been writing for ESPN.com since yesterday. He started out as a stand up comedian and fell into PGA Tour golf and caddying completely by accident in 1998.
He started looping for fun in 1999 but by 2003 had decided to make it a full time gig. He won the Nationwide Tour Championship with Chris Couch in 2003 and was on the bag for Kevin Streelman when they captured the inaugural Kodak Challenge in 2009.
Michael has never won an award for his writing, probably because he failed high school English and still types with his index fingers. But he's smart, funny, and most importantly knows the game/players/caddies and what they go through on a week-to-week basis and brings a caddie perspective that's different than anything you've ever seen when it comes to golf coverage.
Farrell Evans grew up in Forsyth, Ga., 60 miles south of Atlanta, where he learned the game at the Forsyth Golf Club, an 18-hole public course. After high school, he played on the golf team at Florida A&M University and interned with the PGA Tour at the TPC at Sawgrass.
Before joining ESPN.com in August 2011, he was a golf writer for nine years at Sports Illustrated. He currently lives in Harlem and can be contacted at evans.espn@gmail.com.
Bob Harig is a golf writer for ESPN.com and has been covering the game for more than 20 years, first at the St. Petersburg Times and for the last four years at ESPN.com. He began contributing to ESPN.com in 1997.
Harig is a native of Barrington, Ill., where he got his first exposure to golf as a caddie at Inverness Golf Club, where he earned an Evans Scholarship to attend Indiana University. He graduated with degrees in journalism and history.
Harig lives in Florida and can be reached at BobHarig@gmail.com
Kevin Maguire is the senior golf editor for ESPN.com and covered his first PGA Tour event in 1994 while at American University in Washington, D.C. He played collegiately for the Eagles and graduated with a degree in print journalism.
Maguire grew up in the Philadelphia, Pa. area and now resides outside of Hartford, Conn. He has been with ESPN since February, 2007 and can be reached at Kevin.Maguire@espn.com.
Justin Ray is a senior researcher with ESPN Stats and Information. He has contributed to ESPN's golf coverage since joining the network out of college in 2008. He is based in Austin, Texas with the new Longhorn Network.
He can be contacted at Justin.Ray@espn.com.