{"id":5401,"date":"2024-04-10T21:21:41","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T01:21:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/golfday.us\/blog\/?p=5401"},"modified":"2024-04-16T16:17:46","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T20:17:46","slug":"masters-2024-clash-of-the-titans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/golfday.us\/blog\/masters-2024-clash-of-the-titans\/","title":{"rendered":"Masters 2024: Clash of the Titans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta GA<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Every year The Masters<\/mark><\/a> kicks off a new golf season, and the 2024 edition is shaping up to be one
for the ages. It seems like forever since Jon Rahm lifted the 2023 championship trophy, while his
departure from the PGA Tour<\/mark><\/a> to join LIV at the end of the season brought on a seismic shift in
the landscape of professional golf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jon Rahm: Reigning Masters Champion<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In addition to his Masters victory, Rahm recorded 9 Top-10\u2019s in 2023 including 3
more Tour wins, a T2 at the Open Championship and a T10 at the U.S. Open. Since joining LIV<\/mark><\/a>,
Jon has played 5 events with 3 Top-5\u2019s and 2 Top-10\u2019s\u2014so he\u2019s primed and ready to defend his
Masters title this weekend.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 Masters Champion, will be standing in his way, however\u2014and when
you look at the way Scheffler finished the 2023 season along with the incredible year he\u2019s had
thus far in 24\u2019, Mr. Rahm will need every bit of his A game if he hopes to repeat at Augusta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Scottie Scheffler: Current World Number 1<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In his last 11 starts of 2023, Scottie recorded 9 Top 10\u2019s including a T2 at The PGA and 3rd at the
U.S. Open (for the year he made 23 of 23 cuts with 17 Top-10\u2019s and 2 wins). Scottie\u2019s 2024
season has been even more remarkable, with 7 Top-10\u2019s in eight starts and 2 more wins
including The Players Championship<\/mark><\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get ready to rumble!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporting Cast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rory McIlroy has had a dismal season, but showed signs of life last week when he closed with a
66 to record his first Top 10 of the year. If Rory is on his game and making a few putts, even
Scheffler and Rahm will have their hands full trying to hold him off\u2014and he wants nothing more
than to add a Green Jacket to his major championship profile page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Rory McIlroy: Four Time Major Winner<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

After such a tough loss at The Players, Xander Schauffele has to be laser focused on landing that
first major championship. Xander has 6 Top 10\u2019s in 8 starts without missing a cut (42 in a row
going all the way back to 2022)\u2014so he is definitely due.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Xander Shauffele<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hideki Matsuyama had a forgettable 2023 season where he was making cuts (22 of 26), but
recorded only 2 Top 10\u2019s. That was last year\u2014in only 9 starts so far this year Hideki has 3 Top
10\u2019s including a win at The Genesis<\/mark><\/a> in LA and T6 at The Players. Keep in mind that Matsuyama
already owns a Green Jacket (2021 Champ) and he\u2019s coming off a strong showing (T7) at the
Valero last week\u2014look for him among the leaders heading into Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Hideki Matsuyama<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Another player to keep an eye on is Wyndam Clark (reigning U.S. Open Champ). Wyndam
recorded a win at Pebble Beach<\/mark><\/a> in the AT&T back in February, and had back-to-back runner-up
finishes in March (Palmer Invitational and The Players). Clark crushes it, so if he\u2019s dialed in this
week listen for some pretty loud noise around the leaderboard come the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wyndam Clark<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Young Guns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Ludvig Aberg<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s Masters field will include perhaps the most talented group of young players ever
assembled at Augusta National<\/mark><\/a>. Nick Dunlap (20), Akshay Bhatia (22), Ludvig Aberg (24), and.
Sahith Theegala (26).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Akshay Bhatia<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

At only 20 years old, Nick Dunlap became the first amateur to win a Tour event since Phil when
he held off a strong field including Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele at the American Express<\/mark><\/a> in January. At 22, Akshay Bhatia has already won twice on Tour, including a gutsy win
at the Valero last week\u2014and with his power you can look for a ton of wedges at Augusta.
Ludvig Aberg, by way of Sweden and Texas Tech, picked up his first Tour win at the RSM last
Fall, and with his power and ball striking the wins will pile up fast when the putter comes
around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sahith Theegala<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A 3-time All-American at Pepperdine, Sahith Theegala has already recorded 17 Top-10\u2019s
including a win and a T-9 at the \u201923 Masters\u2014he\u2019ll break out at a major more sooner than later,
and Augusta suits his eye.
Check out the current top 75 players on GolfDay’s 2024 Power Rankings<\/mark><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The LIV Contingent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Brooks Koepka<\/strong>: 5 Major Championships<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

LIV will be sending 13 players to the Masters this year, and Jon Rahm is not the only one with a
solid chance to don the Green Jacket on Sunday. Joaquin Niemann leads the LIV Power Rankings<\/mark><\/a> after winning 2 of the 5 events played thus far in 2024\u2014and that is with Jon Rahm
barking at his heels.
Of the top 5 finishers at the 2023 Masters, 4 are currently playing on LIV\u2014so it\u2019s a pretty good
bet that a few will be lurking among the leaders on Sunday. Remember that before he won the
PGA last year, Brooks Koepka was lapping the field at Augusta through 3 rounds until Rahm
chased him down.
Don\u2019t forget about DJ either\u2014he recorded a LIV win earlier this year. And as long as Cameron
Smith has a putter in his hands, he\u2019s extremely dangerous\u2014particularly on the immaculate
greens at Augusta National.
Probably not likely that Phil has another rabbit hidden under his hat like the one he pulled last
year to finish runner up, but you never know.
In any event, there\u2019s no doubt the LIV group will make their presence felt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Betting Odds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to <\/mark>FanDuel<\/mark> <\/a>Sportsbook, Scottie Scheffler is the man to beat at (+400 to win)\u2014but a
few names of interest are included below (as of Wednesday evening).<\/p>\n\n\n\n