Rozner: With Tiger, Phil and Bubba, this Masters won't lack drama
You don't need a special recipe to make the Masters special.
It's the Masters. It is always special.
But when you throw a healthy Tiger Woods back into the bowl for the first time in five years, you have the ingredients for something spectacular.
Woods is not yet at his best. That will take time and reps, but over the years he has arrived at Augusta many times without top form and finished top five.
It could happen again.
You have two-time champ Bubba Watson coming off a couple of victories already this year after a couple of unproductive seasons, his last win a very impressive display at Match Play two weeks ago when he defeated Kevin Kisner 7-and-6 in the final.
That's something along the lines of winning a football game by 35.
Rory McIlroy is back in form. Justin Thomas is playing better than anyone, and Europeans Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Alex Noren, Paul Casey and Thomas Pieters have to be taken seriously.
Phil Mickelson at 47 is putting better than he ever has in his life, won at Mexico City last month — his first victory since the Open Championship five years ago — and he's looking to become the fourth player to win four green jackets, joining Jack Nicklaus (6), Arnold Palmer (4) and Woods (4).
Hardly anyone is talking about Dustin Johnson, who's merely the No. 1 player in the world. Johnson (12-1) is the fifth betting choice right now behind McIlroy (9-1), Spieth (10-1), Thomas (10-1) and Woods (11-1).
Crazy, crowded odds board.
Spieth has had some serious putting issues for the last several months, but he might have found something over the weekend at the Houston Open, If he did, he's scary.
Spieth obviously has great course history and he knows the greens better than anyone on the property except for Ben Crenshaw and Woods. Crenshaw gave him the playbook, and if Spieth can get his putting straight and starts missing on the proper sides again, he's a serious threat.
So who comes in playing the best? Thomas, Watson and Noren.
McIlroy was brilliant at the start of the European Tour season in Dubai and Abu Dhabi but had a two-month gap when he looked lost until catching fire at the Palmer three weeks ago.
Still, McIlroy is looking for the career grand slam and has been very good at Augusta.
Who could win their first major this year? Keep an eye on Rahm, Fleetwood, Noren, Pieters, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Gary Woodland and Daniel Berger.
Sleepers for this week? Brian Harmon fits the lefty profile combined with fearless putting, and Russell Henley is a great putter from the University of Georgia who was terrific Sunday in Houston and finished 11th at the Masters last year.
Best guess? Watson makes the most sense because he fits all the categories, especially course history, while Thomas has only two starts at Augusta and Rahm, Fleetwood and Noren have one each.
The greens are so fast and the undulations so difficult to discern that knowledge on these putting surfaces matters more than at any golf course in the world.
Europeans generally hate fast greens, but they've won the last two (Sergio Garcia and Danny Willett). Before that, it had been since 1999 (Jose Maria Olazabal).
Is this start of a trend?
If so, Rahm is not only talented enough — there are no flaws in his game — but he also follows in the footsteps of Spaniards — Garcia, Olazabal and Seve Ballesteros — who have claimed Masters titles.
After Americans (59), players from Spain (5) and South Africa (5) own the most victories at Augusta National.
You could make a strong case for 25 players. Good luck picking one at a time when so many young players are good enough to win the minute they reach the Tour.
It's the not-so proverbial needle in a stack of needles.
As for storylines, with Tiger Woods back in the mix, the promise is that this Masters will not lack for drama on Sunday.
Listen for the roar.
brozner@dailyherald.com
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