5 Australians arrive at Augusta Nationwide for a tilt on the nation’s second ever inexperienced jacket with Min Woo Lee driving excessive and Cameron Smith taking an uncommon method to Masters preparation.
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Lee claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory final month and seems the probably of the nation’s contingent to contend after holding off fast-finishing world No.1 Scottie Scheffler on the Houston Open.
However Smith has a formidable file on the first main of the 12 months and has hit type on the proper time, whereas the category of 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott and fellow former world No.1 and main winner Jason Day can’t be understated.
Rounding out the quintet is Cam Davis, who has received twice on the PGA Tour however must emerge from a tough patch after a promising begin to 2025.
Former PGA Tour participant and Fox Sports activities commentator Paul Gow assesses the possibilities of every of the Australians within the area at Augusta Nationwide this week.
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Min Woo heads to Masters as No.1 Aussie | 01:16
MIN WOO LEE
World rating: 22
Earlier Masters outcomes (most up-to-date first): T22, MC, T14
Final 5 begins (most up-to-date first): 1, T20, MC, T11, 48
The 26-year-old is peaking on the proper time, however it’s all the time very troublesome to again up after a win.
He obtained a style of that roughly a 12 months and a half in the past through the residence summer time when he adopted up his Australian PGA Championship victory with a 3rd positioned end on the Australian Open the subsequent week.
He led heading into the weekend however in the end ran out of steam.
That’s the reason the week off in between The Masters and his Houston Open victory will do him the world of excellent.
The West Australian admitted he was left “drained” by the emotional rollercoaster of his breakthrough PGA Tour win, however the refresher ought to have him primed to deal with Augusta Nationwide, a course he had already lit up and says is his favorite on this planet.
Lee completed tied twenty second end final 12 months regardless of a damaged finger sustained from dropping a dumbbell on his hand within the gymnasium within the lead-up in addition to battling sickness all through the week.
Plus, within the remaining spherical of his debut look in 2022, he matched the entrance 9 file with a scintillating six-under 30.
“Min appears to be like the most effective (of the Australians) purely on present type and that’s all you’ll be able to ever go on,” Gow stated.
“There’s a maturity stage you’ve obtained to get to first and understanding all of the bits and items, which might be so micro. You knew that somebody like him was going to win some day, you simply don’t know when.
“It was good theatre. He actually likes to entertain, and he did.
“It’s good that he’s having the week off. He’s needed to do a number of press and different stuff now that he’s the celebrity. However he’ll get that out of the best way and get to Augusta.
“Augusta is an attention-grabbing place. The gamers get so protected.
“If you happen to’re any Joe Blow, it’s onerous to get entry not like a typical week on the PGA Tour.”
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Lee turns consideration to Masters after win | 02:28
CAMERON SMITH
World rating: 123 – LIV occasions don’t obtain world rating factors
Earlier Masters outcomes (most up-to-date first): T6, T34, T3, T10, T2, T51, T5, T55
Final 5 begins (most up-to-date first): T9, T19, T20, 30, T25
Smith’s lead-in to the primary main of the 12 months has been quiet with the Ripper GC captain solely taking part in the LIV occasions to date this season however he seems to be peaking on the proper time.
A prime ten-finish on the LIV Miami occasion, which wrapped up on Monday morning Australian time, was coupled with a crew victory to go to Augusta in good spirits.
Smith has spent a number of time at residence because of the arrival of his first baby, Remy, and spoke on the impression of fatherhood after Ripper’s win in Miami.
“Yeah, it’s so cool. I miss him a lot, truly. It was onerous to return away this week,” Smith stated.
“I imply, I’ve had a number of occasions the place it’s been onerous to get away from residence. Nevertheless it was a unique stage this week. I can’t wait to see him tonight.
“It’s cool he’s the successful components for the crew, clearly, I believe. One from one, Remy is. It’s so cool.
“Folks categorical – I’ve obtained two nice dads subsequent to me (Marc Leishman and Matt Jones)- how cool it’s to be a father, however you actually can’t put it into phrases. It’s been so superior.”
Smith has used the quieter {golfing} schedule to undertake a pre-season of kinds.
Smith got here residence to Australia and performed 4 occasions in entrance of his adoring residence followers in November and December, however he has not performed a four-round occasion for the reason that Australian Open.
As a substitute, he has been working closely on a number of key traits to strive make certain his sport is on level when he arrives at Augusta, a venue the place he boasts 5 top-10 finishes in eight begins.
Ripper GC employed a brand new efficiency coach this 12 months, and Smith stated the transfer has been a big one.
“He’s so good. I believe simply with a crew comes organisation, and possibly some stuff which you could suppose is straightforward to do this isn’t fairly straightforward to do, and little issues all through the week sort of piss you off, and you want they weren’t there,” Smith stated.
“So he has sort of cleaned all of that stuff up. He’s actually, I believe, made us — we have been already an excellent crew, however I believe he’s made us work as people most likely a bit of bit tougher at first of the week, get some stuff performed that we would have liked to get performed.
“I believe there was a way possibly final 12 months and even at first of this 12 months the place we sort of have been focusing an excessive amount of on what everybody else must do relatively than ourselves, and he’s cleaned all that stuff up.
“I do know for myself, I really feel like I’ve been higher prepped the final three or 4 weeks. I’m certain the opposite guys have, as nicely. Simply little stuff like that, the one percenters all through a tricky week, particularly in every week like this, actually pays off, so he’s been a great addition to the crew.”
Fox Sports activities’ Paul Gow strongly agrees that Smith’s preparation has the 2022 British Open champion well-placed.
“He grows one other leg when he will get to Augusta,” Gow stated.
“What (the quieter schedule) has allowed him to do, which he hasn’t performed up to now as a result of it’s such a heavy schedule on the PGA Tour at the start of the 12 months, is figure along with his coach Grant Discipline on completely different photographs.
“Straightening up his driver, engaged on the irons and he’s been working rather a lot on his placing.
“What price him final 12 months at Augusta was his placing.
“I’d usually you say you’ll want to have a number of runs below your belt earlier than you get to Augusta, however in Cam’s circumstance, the place he’s engaged on these items over many months, it’s not like he leaves a LIV occasion and goes and places the golf equipment within the storage, he’s been doing a number of work to get that proper.
“Usually, you’ll be able to solely do this within the off season however as a result of he got here again residence for the Aussie summer time, there was no off season for him.
“So, I believe we’re going to see a unique Cam Smith round Augusta this 12 months.”
Clutch Leishman ends lengthy drought | 00:39
ADAM SCOTT
World rating: 31
Earlier Masters outcomes (most up-to-date first): T22, T39, T48, 54, T34, T18, T32, T9, T42, T38, T14, 1, T8, T2, T18, MC, T25, T27, T27, T33, MC, T23, T9
Final 5 begins (most up-to-date first): T57, MC, T36, T37, T22
Australia’s solely inexperienced jacket proprietor arrives on the scene of his unforgettable 2013 triumph a bit the wrong way up.
The 44-year-old has lengthy been considered having one of many nicest swings in golf, and issues have usually been raised about his placing regardless of that well-known birdie putt on the second playoff 12 years in the past proving he may maintain his nerve on the greens.
However to date this 12 months on the PGA Tour, he has not been capable of finding his groove off the tee.
“Adam Scott hasn’t began the 12 months too nicely. He’s placing nicely however he’s driving the ball poorly,” Gow stated.
“However you’ll be able to’t dismiss Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cameron Smith who’ve nice data round Augusta.”
Scott’s unimaginable streak of 15 straight cuts made at Augusta Nationwide reveals he simply is aware of the right way to discover a strategy to get himself within the hunt at The Masters.
And Gow believes Scott together with Day and Smith, will profit from returning to the scene of previous success.
“I don’t suppose it’s a foul factor that none of them are coming in with ridiculously sizzling type,” Gow stated.
“You get to Augusta, and also you drive down Magnolia Lane, and there’s a carry of vitality.
“They’ll stroll onto the primary tee, they usually received’t even take into consideration a foul shot.
“They’re solely ever serious about a great shot.”
JASON DAY
World rating: 36
Earlier Masters outcomes (most up-to-date first): T30, T39, MC, MC, T5, T20, T22, T10, T28, T20, 3, WD, T2
Final 5 begins (most up-to-date first): T27, T8, T50, T13, T32
Based mostly on the previous world No.1’s type line, Day ought to play nicely at Augusta.
He has managed to be within the hunt in each second PGA Tour occasion he has performed so this 12 months with a tied third at The American Specific, tied thirteenth at Pebble Seaside and tied eighth at Bay Hill.
Day has been “strong however not excellent”, based on Gow.
Though his spectacular historical past at The Masters offers him a leg up, plus Gow believes the actual fact Day, Scott and Smith all haven’t had a win but this 12 months may very well be a bonus.
It permits them to go about their enterprise on their quiet relatively being caught up within the hype and hysteria of Masters week.
“All of them fly below the radar. Nobody is speaking about them,” Gow stated.
CAM DAVIS
World rating: 58
Earlier Masters outcomes (most up-to-date first): T12, 46
Final 5 begins (most up-to-date first): MC, MC, MC, MC, T5
Davis’ shouldn’t be the shape line you’d be hoping for coming into The Masters, however his tied twelfth end final 12 months reveals he’s obtained the sport to compete at Augusta.
He began the 12 months with three prime 20s in his first 4 occasions and simply must rediscover that type.
Gow is assured that he can as a top-five end on the PGA Championship in 2023 proved he can match it with the most effective at a significant.
“He’s missed the final 4 cuts in a row,” Gow stated.
“A spot like Augusta Nationwide truly fits him, in order that’s the attention-grabbing bit.
“He can transfer the ball each methods. He’s very gifted.
“I believe we’ve obtained 5 absolute possibilities.”