Three Players A 2023 Masters Title Would Help Most

For some, a green jacket is just a fashion statement on a weekend night out. On the PGA Tour, it solidifies a place amongst a hallowed group...

For some, a green jacket is just a fashion statement on a weekend night out. On the PGA Tour, it

solidifies a place amongst a hallowed group of golfers over the course of many decades of history. There are reasons for each of the PGA Tour’s majors to claim that it is the most important on the calendar, but that singular tradition can be viewed as the pinnacle of the season.

This has become really important for the PGA Tour of the last year or so, as many of the top golfers have departed in order to join the LIV Tour, which is paying exponentially more money. However, the golfers that have remained on the PGA Tour have largely done so to be associated with something that they know will withstand the test of time. Winning majors on the PGA Tour really does matter for players who are looking to establish themselves or cement a legacy.

We’ll take a closer look at three players who would benefit the most from a Masters title at Augusta in

April.

Tony Finau

Golf PGA Tour odds are always fascinating to review before any major tournament, as there are a

myriad of options someone can select from in an individual sport. Favourites usually include the golfers

that are playing the best ahead of the Masters, but that doesn’t mean that they will rise to the occasion

on the back nine on Sunday. Sometimes golf fans like to root for the “old reliable”, who have won a

major tournament or a Masters in their career previously.

Tony Finau doesn’t usually come to mind as a contender to win major tournaments, but he’s been really

solid for a long time. He’s actually never won a major before, but a victory at the Masters wouldn’t just

validate his golf career; it would legitimize his life approach.

Finau has often received some bewilderment from those in the golf community who think he could be an exceptional player if he truly dedicated his life to the sport. However, Finau values a balanced life, where he can spend ample time with his family while still playing the sport he loves. As a result, he may be perceived as someone who doesn’t have what it takes to put a tournament away, but that cloud over his head can go away after four great days of golf. If Finau is able to win, there will be a lot of professionals who will more publicly broadcast their commitment to work/life balance.

Dustin Johnson

There figures to be an awkward environment at the Masters this year, as the PGA Tour decided to

permit golfers participate who had previously left the PGA for LIV. One of those players is Dustin

Johnson, who along with many others, decided to chase an exorbitant payday in what he felt was a once

in a lifetime opportunity. It’s hard to fault his thinking in that regard with the lucrative nature of the

paycheck, but Johnson might be exposed when the Masters begins.

The one thing about LIV is that it doesn’t host as many events consistently as the PGA Tour, so the

players are actually getting paid more to play less. That’s a deal that would tempt many people, but

there may be a lack of sharpness in Johnson’s game that fans are not used to seeing. Other golfers

returning from LIV, such as Phil Mickelson, might also need some time to find their rhythm.

It’s going to be very interesting to see if Johnson can come in without having played much golf in the

past year and ascend to the top of the leaderboard. If he is able to accomplish that, it may re-solidify his

place as one of the game’s greatest. If Johnson struggles mightily and perhaps even misses the cut, it will be an embarrassing look for the LIV tour on a grand stage.

Brooks Koepka

There was a time when Brooks Koepka was viewed as the next greatest thing in golf, as he won four

majors from 2016-2019. That was in addition to two Waste Management Phoenix Open victories, which

is known as one of the most raucous stages in the sport. It didn’t seem like Koepka could be stopped

during that stretch of time.

However, things have taken an unexpected turn for the former prodigy. He’s had a tough time regaining

the form he once had, and has tried to regain his confidence in the last few years. Koepka has never won

the Masters, but a green jacket would once again put him at the top of the sport. He came very close to

earning one in 2019, but came up just short, finishing second that year. It’s hard to believe, but Koepka isn’t even ranked in the top 100 in the sport. He still has time to regain

his standing, but at 32 years old, the clock may be ticking.