All right my Masters loving friends it’s the most anticipated day of the year. Well, not quite but maybe the second most?
It’s time for the Links Life Golf Masters Picks. Now, understand that we all spent hours and hours researching our selections and we all have major cash riding on the outcome.
We pick four golfers who we think might be slipping on that green jacket and another Dark Horse who may just surprise everyone, everyone except us that is. The winner may just win an official Masters souvenir and bragging rights, at least until the U.S. Open.
Lil’ Skins likes Rory McIlroy to earn the career Slam, Jason Day to break through, Lee Westwood to finally get his and of course, betting with his heart, Phil Mickelson. His Dark Horse is his, and our favorite the forever cool and limber Miguel Angel Jimenez. 
Big Dick is going with Bubba Watson to go back to back and earn his third green jacket. He likes Adam Scott to claim his second and the hottest golfer on the planet, Jordan Spieth to get it done. He has a soft spot for Sergio Garcia and likes the Spaniard to finally get the monkey off his back. His Dark Horse is a resurgent Paddy Harrington and what a story that would be.
G. Rennie, who has been on hiatus from Links Life Golf for a bit, comes back strong with his favorites.
Jason Day: has all the skills to win on any course. He drives it great (and deep), has imagination with the short game and is a wonderful putter. He has done well here in the past and he’s ready to move up a level.
Jimmy Walker: his game is a lot like Day’s in terms of driving and putting. He works the ball with ease, has developed the knack for winning and has Butch in his corner and in his ear.
Bubba Watson: Augusta National has turned into Bubba’s playground. His freakish talent, southpaw swing and ball and club technology have converged to give Bubba a huge edge at this hallowed track. The biggest variable is Bubba’s head. Can he master the 5 inches between his ears once again?
Rory McIroy: although he isn’t in great form Rory can turn it around like no one else in the game. He’s a big game hunter and he’s out to bag the career grand slam.
Dark Horse: Tiger Woods- these two practice days at Augusta have turned into a fun fest for Tiger, who’s smiling, joking and freewheeling with old friend Marko. His pitching and chipping looked just fine to me. A repaired psyche could get Tiger back on his path of greatness. I’m surprised to say I’m rooting for him.
Big Skins: I had a tough time narrowing it down to four picks because there are probably twenty golfers that can win this thing. I think this year there are at least a dozen players that would not be considered a surprise if they win. But here are my guys and if history means anything, not one of them will win just because I picked them.
Going with a lot of chalk here: Rory is the favorite and I would love to see him win and get his career slam so early in his career.
Favorite number two is Bubba and even though it is so tough to repeat at Augusta, only Nicklaus, Faldo & Woods have, I think Bubba could win on this course seven days a week. His length, ability to curve the ball and confidence here give him a distinct advantage. He could not play anywhere else all year and just tee it up here and get it done.
The hottest golfer in the world is Jordan Spieth. He has been on fire every time he tees it up and I was going to cross him off my list just because of that. After all how long can a player be in contention week after week and he has played a lot of golf recently. But you have to go with the hot hand and no one is hotter than Spieth.
Jimmy Walker, Henrik Stenson, Dustin Johnson…oh man how can I not pick any of them? But with my fourth pick I went with Jason Day who has a great record at Augusta and is another young golfer that would be a great story if he can get it done.
My Dark Horse is Jonas Blixt. He was T2 last year, hasn’t done much this year but he dresses great and would look sharp in that green jacket
So there you have it, our “expert” picks and here’s one last tip: Henrik Stenson, world number two, who has four top tens in five starts on the PGA Tour is not one of our picks. He’s the winner for sure.
Remember like my Uncle Slim said, “Bet with your head not your heart.”
***** A late update to the “Expert” Picks: The Greek has emerged from the kitchen of the best restaurant in the Hudson Valley, Table 9, to give us his picks. He likes Jimmy Walker, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson. His dark horse is Patrick Reed, the fifteenth ranked player in the world, with one win this season and four PGA wins in a little less than two years. The next time he pops his head out of the kitchen I’ll explain what a dark horse is.
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