AUSSIE AUGUSTA PREVIEW: The 5 Australian golfers teeing it up at the 2023 Masters
The 2023 Masters Tournament begins Thursday, and five Australian golfers will be in the field vying for the coveted green jacket.
As a former champion, Adam Scott has a lifetime invitation for a spot in the field at the Masters Tournament every year. So we’re guaranteed to have at least one Australian in the field.
This year, Scott will be joined by Open champion Cameron Smith who joined the LIV Tour in 2022, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, and Harrison Crowe who will be playing in the tournament for the first time.
Perhaps the most obvious absentee is Marc Leishman.
At this point, the LIV Golf tournaments are not awarded any world ranking points, which has seen Leishman slide in the world rankings. After switching to the LIV Golf Tour late last year, Leishman’s world ranking has dropped from 56th in the world to 105th. The world’s top 50 players earn themselves an automatic invitation from Augusta National.
It is debatable whether Leishman would have earned himself a spot in the field had he not switched touts. In his seven starts on the LIV Tour, Leishman has finished no better than 13th place in the limited fields.
Below is a quick look at the form of each of the Aussies and we’ve listed them in order of who we think has the best chance of winning. Starting with a name that has a remarkable record at Augusta National and for a time looked like he would be the first Australian to win the green jacket.
JASON DAY is back in form after overcoming back injuries that plagued him for the last few years. At 35 years old, it’s tempting to refer to Day as a veteran and for a time it looked like his best golf was behind him. Day was once a staple contender at major championships but the last five years have seen the Queenslander plagued with back injuries and he hasn’t posted a decent result at a major since his top-5 at the 2020 PGA Championship.
But it’s all turned around recently. Day has posted five top-10s in his seven starts on the PGA Tour in 2023 and will arrive at Augusta National with confidence. Day’s best finish was his second-place finish on debut in 2011 and he came close to winning in both 2013 and 2019.
Odds $26
Previous appearances
2022 –
2021 MC
2020 MC
2019 T5
2018 T20
2017 T22
2016 T10
2015 T28
2014 T20
2013 3
2012 WD
2011 T2
CAMERON SMITH arrives at Augusta as the current Open Champion but it’s a little difficult to pinpoint where his game is at having joined the LIV Tour in 2022.
Despite the limited field, and limited 54-hole events Smith still sits ranked at number six in the world thanks largely to the Open and PLAYERS Championship victories last year. In his seven LIV Golf events, Smith has one win and three top-1os to his name including a 6th place finish last week at Mayakoba.
But Smith is a major champion now and has always faired well at Augusta with three top-5 finishes in 2022, 2020, and 2018. We hope it’s not some even-numbered year thing and Smithy is back in with a shot come Sunday afternoon.
Odds $21
Previous appearances
2022 T3
2021 T10
2020 T2
2019 T51
2018 T5
2017 –
2016 T55
MIN WOO LEE is making a name for himself in professional golf. And despite it being just his second appearance at Augusta it’s all about form.
A tie for 14th place last year was a special effort but his invitation comes from climbing to number 48th in the world thanks to some fantastic finishes on the PGA Tour. Lee backed him his two top-5 finishes in Australia at the end of 2022 with two top-10s in 2023 including a fantastic sitch place finish at THE PLAYERS Championship.
Known for his powerful swing and ability to hit the ball a long way, Lee is a dark horse at the 2023 Masters.
Odds $51
Previous appearances
2022 T14
ADAM SCOTT, a Masters veteran, won the tournament in 2013 and has had several other strong showings over the years however his recent form has us wondering if he can contend again in 2023.
Scott’s silky swing hasn’t been at its best of late. While he hasn’t missed a cut for some time, Scott’s only just managed to scrape past the cut line on a number of occasions; his best finish was a tie for 21st in Hawaii. On the PGA Tour in 2023, Scott ranks 151st for total driving, 171st for approach to the green and 138th for putting. But if anyone knows how to win here it’s Scotty and somehow he’s been making cuts. So if something switches on this week, it’s juicy odds at $111.
Odds $111
Previous appearances
2022 T48
2021 54
2020 T34
2019 T18
2018 T32
2017 T9
2016 T42
2015 T38
2014 T14
2013 1
2012 T8
2011 T2
2010 T18
2009 MC
2008 T25
2007 T27
2006 T27
2005 T33
2004 MC
2003 T23
2002 T9
HARRISON CROWE will be making his first Masters appearance after qualifying for the event as the Current Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion. He is a relative newcomer to the world of professional golf, but he has already shown a lot of potential, with a straight ball flight and an incredible ability to hit golf shots over buildings at The Home of Golf.
Odds $1001
Previous appearances
On debut in 2023
