With the Masters at Augusta National in full swing, the question on everyone’s mind is which big-name player will make a charge up the leaderboard on Friday. GOLF.com’s staff members have weighed in with their picks for who they think will have a strong round and put themselves in contention. Justin Rose currently leads the Masters at seven under, but players like Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa are close behind and looking to make a move.
Assistant editor Zephyr Melton believes that Xander Schauffele has what it takes to make a strong push up the leaderboard. Despite starting three over through 11 holes, Schauffele managed to battle back and finish at one over for the day. Melton expects Schauffele to post a score in the 60s on Friday and position himself as a serious contender for the green jacket.
Associate equipment editor Jack Hirsh has his eye on Ludvig Aberg, who shot a 32 on the back nine to finish with a 68. Aberg’s strong performance in his Masters debut has Hirsh convinced that he will be a force to be reckoned with as the tournament progresses. Hirsh predicts that Aberg will be leading going into the weekend, with Scottie Scheffler close behind.
Senior writer Josh Sens is backing Collin Morikawa to continue his impressive play at Augusta. Despite a quiet round that ended with a bogey, Morikawa finished at even par, showcasing the high level of skill he has displayed this year. Sens believes that Morikawa will be in the mix as the tournament moves into the weekend and could be a serious contender for the title.
Associate news editor Josh Schrock is looking to Justin Thomas to make a surge up the leaderboard on Friday. Despite a challenging round where he struggled with his game, Thomas managed to post a respectable score of 73. With the momentum from a closing birdie on Thursday, Schrock thinks Thomas has the ability to go low on Friday and put himself in contention. Schrock also suggests keeping an eye on Viktor Hovland, who is at one under and could make a move up the leaderboard.
Senior editor Jessica Marksbury is feeling inspired by Bryson DeChambeau’s performance so far. While it can be difficult to predict how players like DeChambeau will fare at major tournaments, Marksbury believes that he is continuing his strong play from last year and could be a contender for the Masters title. Executive editor Alan Bastable is keeping an eye on Patrick Reed, who shot one under despite struggling with his putter. If Reed can get his putting sorted out, Bastable believes he could be a serious threat in the tournament.
As the Masters at Augusta National continues, fans and experts alike are eagerly watching to see which big-name players will make a move up the leaderboard on Friday. With contenders like Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, and Xander Schauffele all within striking distance of the lead, the competition is heating up. It will be interesting to see who can handle the pressure and put together a strong round to position themselves for a shot at the coveted green jacket. Keep checking GOLF.com for updates and analysis as the tournament unfolds.
