Loading ...What Each Masters Contenders Needs to do to Win Sunday
The third round of the Masters was one of the best Saturday’s in the recent history at Augusta, as eagles and birdies electrified crowds and laid out the framework for what could be a magical Sunday. Here’s what each contender needs to do to win The Masters:
Lee Westwood (-12): Westwood needs to make sure not to bring the field back into the event by playing steady golf and not making any huge errors. Bogeys are okay because he does not need to go out and shoot 67 to win. A 70 might win this thing, depending on what kind of charge the players behind him make. If Westwood can make 12 to 14 pars, make birdies on the majority of the par 5s, and keep everything in context then he might be wearing green by Sunday night.
Is this Phil Mickelson's tournament to lose?
Phil Mickelson (-11): He needs to thank the heavens for that three hole stretch from 13 to 15 on Saturday where he shot five under par to charge to the top of the leaderboard. If he can avoid the huge mistake, like he made when he hit the ball in the water on 12 in last year’s final round, this might be his tournament to lose. He needs to put the pressure on Westwood early and see how he handles it.
Tiger Woods (-8): If Tiger can stop making bogeys, he’s got a great shot to win. He made seven birdies on Saturday, but made five bogeys to wipe out what could have been a great score. His putter is letting him down on a lot of greens. If he is going to win, he’s got to be right at the lead by the time he reaches the back nine on Sunday. That would likely mean an eagle on one of the par 5s, like he had in last year’s final round on number eight.
K. J. Choi (-8): Choi has been extremely steady but has only birdied number two once this week and has yet to birdie number eight (both par 5s). He is going to have to take advantage of the two front nine par fives tomorrow in order to get near the lead before making the turn.
Fred Couples (-7): Depending on what Westwood and Mickelson shoot, Couples may have to shoot the same 66 he did on Thursday to have any chance. That 66 marked his best career round at Augusta, but if Westwood and Mickelson go even a shot or two lower than they are now, he’s probably out of it without a miracle round. Couples needs to shoot 67 or so and hope the final pairing makes some mistakes down the stretch to bring him back into it.
The Field (-6 and back): Ricky Barnes, Ian Poulter, and Hunter Mahan are three of the streakiest golfers on the planet. If they get it going they could make waves on the leaderboard and get right back in this thing. Another shot back is Y. E. Yang and Anthony Kim, two more guys capable of shooting 65 tomorrow. Everyone in this group needs to shoot a very low number (like a 65 or 66) and hope Westwood and Mickelson come back to the field.
