Why In-form Fitzpatrick's Game Puts Him Among Masters Favourites

With Scheffler's caller patchy form, by his extraordinarily precocious standards, and McIlroy struggling to lucifer nan modular of his play this clip past year, location is scope to look beyond nan apical 2 players successful nan world for Augusta glory.

Fitzpatrick, now up to number six, undoubtedly falls into that class arsenic does Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, (fourth astatine nan Players) past year's Masters play-off runner-up Justin Rose and FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood.

But, amid justified optimism that nan celebrated Green Jacket mightiness stay successful UK hands, it would beryllium foolish to disregard what has besides been happening connected nan breakaway LIV Tour.

Bryson DeChambeau will spell into nan Masters having won play-offs successful his past 2 outings earlier nan opening awesome of nan year. The big-hitting American hit Rahm successful a shootout successful South Africa a week aft claiming triumph successful Singapore.

The move from 54 to 72 holes has intelligibly favoured nan champion players connected LIV, pinch Rahm, nan caller victor successful Hong Kong, finishing successful nan apical 2 successful each but 1 of 5 tournaments to date.

Yes location is not nan aforesaid extent of section connected LIV, but Data Golf, who crunch nan numbers from each tours, rank nan Spaniard 2nd only to Scheffler successful their world standings.

While Rahm has abandoned his entreaty against sanctions imposed by nan DP World Tour, he remains embroiled successful a stand-off pinch nan European circuit that threatens early Ryder Cup appearances.

But nan ongoing contention does not look to beryllium putting disconnected nan 31-year-old Basque, who is surely 1 to watch erstwhile nan Masters originates connected 9 April.

How enticing it is that truthful galore of nan different threats are his Ryder Cup team-mates - McIlroy, Fleetwood, MacIntyre aliases Rose arsenic good arsenic Ludvig Aberg. And, of course, Fitzpatrick - who has already stylishly painted gloss to his twelvemonth pinch his Valspar win.

"I want to make judge that I'm fresh for erstwhile I get to Augusta," Fitzpatrick said. "To beryllium fresh to play and beryllium fresh that Thursday greeting and beryllium successful nan champion style possible."