There’s nothing like Augusta in the sunshine. Each year, the Masters offers a fleeting glimpse of what many consider to be golf’s greatest event. As the only major championship to be held at the same venue every year, there is something special about the tournament, and it’s the dream of every golfer to one day get their hands on the famous green jacket.
This year, the Masters will welcome capacity crowds for the first time since Tiger Woods memorably won the 2019 edition, and there will be a special sense of celebration amongst the magnolias and azaleas this time around.
With that in mind, it seems like a good chance to have a look at the players most fancied in the Masters 2022 tips to don the green jacket by the time the four days of action come to an end.
Jon Rahm
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As one of the best performing players in golf over the last couple of years, it’s no surprise that Jon Rahm finds himself as one of the top favourites ahead of every major. He finally got his hands on a big-four title for the first time last year when he won the US Open, and the Spaniard will be looking to build on that with a good performance at the Masters.
There are signs that Rahm has what it takes to win at Augusta. Impressively, he has finished in the top 10 in each of the last four editions of the tournament, and with the experience of his first major title in the bank, he’ll be confident of putting up a strong showing.
Justin Thomas
Another one-time major winner tipped for success in this year’s Masters is Justin Thomas, although it’s now been nearly five years since the American won the PGA Championship. Thomas hasn’t won a title since the 2021 Players Championship, but he could be ready to produce his best at Augusta.
A fourth-place finish in 2020, where he was a long way behind champion Dustin Johnson, is the best Thomas has mustered at the Masters, and he’ll need to bring his A-game if he wants to compete.
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith has enjoyed a strong start to 2022, and having followed up his Sentry Tournament of Champions win with a sensational triumph in the Players Championship, it feels as though the Australian is ready to make the next step and land a major title.
Smith has experience of performing well at the Masters, having finished as joint runner up in 2020, albeit five shots behind Johnson. Nonetheless, it’s a sign that Smith knows what it takes to do well at the Masters, and with two other top-10 finishes to his name at Augusta, the 28-year-old could be primed for a shot at the title.
Dustin Johnson
In many ways, Johnson’s 2020 triumph at the Masters feels like a lifetime ago. Played in the unique surroundings of autumn at Augusta, with no crowd present in any form, Johnson produced a near flawless four rounds of golf to win with a final score of 20 under par, a sensational result by any measure. Conditions certainly helped with scoring that year, but Johnson proved himself worthy of the green jacket.
The former world number one has gone missing somewhat since then, with his only subsequent title coming in the Saudi International on the European Tour. Perhaps a strong showing at Augusta would reignite his career.
