Who to watch at the Masters golf tournament
The 83rd Masters golf tournament is underway in Augusta, Georgia, officially kicking off Thursday morning with golf greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player at the honorary starts ceremony. But all eyes are on Tiger Woods, who said he is right where he wants to be as he tries for his fifth Masters championship win.
According to Jim Nantz, CBS Sports' lead play-by-play announcer who's covering the Masters for the 34th year and calls it his "favorite sports moment of the year," Woods is expected to be in contention for the win.
"He's been playing okay. Not as great as he was playing at the end of last year when he won an event in September. But he's been close," Nantz said Thursday on "CBS This Morning." "I mean, he's been in the 15th to 25th range in a lot of tournaments. I think he's going to play well this week."
"The one concern I would have is that he's missed a lot of shorter putts than he normally would, but that could change, a little tip here or there from someone," Nantz said. "And he certainly knows how to play Augusta National, although it has been 14 years since he last won here."
Nantz said he thinks Irish golfer Rory McIlroy could also "definitely pull it off this week."
"He seems to be in really good form, and I'm expecting that come Sunday, it's going to be whether or not all of that suffocating pressure is going to be something he can withstand," Nantz said.
For the past four years, the champions have been first-time winners, which Nantz said is a bit surprising. He pointed to American Brooks Koepka as another to watch.
"Everybody wants to talk about Tiger. He hasn't won this tournament in 14 years. Bruce Koepka's won two of the last three major championships played, three of the last six he's played in, and no one talks about him," Nantz said. "But again, Tiger is the biggest star we have in the game, and with Jack, the greatest champion we've ever had."
There are so many others – including Justin Thomas, Justin Rose or Dustin Johnson – who are capable of winning the Masters, he added.
"The quality of the depth in the game is the best ever in my mind," Nantz said.
