AUGUSTA, GA.—At the highest level of professional golf matters can change rather quickly. Consider the fact that after the 2014 season Rory McIlroy had won the final two major championships of the season, and heading into 2015 was looking for a win at The Masters to elevate him as the 6th member of the exclusive career Grand Slam club—and adding his name to the likes of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. A who’s who in golf, indeed.
The Northern Irishman finished 4th at Augusta last year but was far removed from the main storyline as Jordan Spieth easily won and tied the tournament record in doing so. McIlroy stayed in the midst of things for the remainder of the 2015 season but the real focus turned to Spieth who would win the U.S. Open and come as close as anyone has in winning the Grand Slam in a single season.
There was also the emergence of Jason Day, the Aussie, now the number one player in the world having won six of his last 13 starts—including a record performance in claiming the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits last year with a four-round -20 total. Day has won in his last two starts on the PGA Tour and is the odds-on favorite to win his first green jacket at Augusta after having been in contention several times in the past.
