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Few sporting events are as resolutely American as the Masters Tournament, a week devoted to marketing materials tickled by the piano, polo and khaki sets and high-definition flora. If the 2019 Masters gave us the opportunity for patriotism at the top, with Tiger Woods ending the ultimate comeback with a victory amid the Georgia pines, the 2020 Masters should present a recall potential with plenty of red, white and blue at the top of the ranking.
All but four of the top 15 golfers in the world were born in the United States, which is quite unusual in itself. But Americans are also young: seven of the 11 are under 30. From 2000 to 2019, there were on average only two American golfers under 30 entering Masters week ranked in the top 15.
What is unique about this group of players is how quickly they have climbed. Matthew Wolff, 21, became the third man to win an individual NCAA title and a PGA Tour event the same year when he did so in 2019, and he also became the eighth player on the Tour since 1970 to achieve a victory in under five. departures. Collin Morikawa, 23, only needed six events to claim his first victory, and he is the third youngest golfer to win the PGA Championship, which was only his second start in a major championship.
The two join Jordan Spieth as the youngest American golfer since at least 2000 to enter Masters week ranked in the world top 15.
But they’re not the only Americans under 30 to watch over the weekend. Patrick Cantlay, Xander Sc Chaudele, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas each rank in Data Golf’s top 10 true strokes won over the past two years. And one of the best Americans won’t even play: Despite being ranked No.13, Daniel Berger was sent off the pitch after qualifying was decided in March. But compared to the Tour, measured by the real strokes won, he has played as the fifth best player in the world in the past year.
Thomas, 27, has been the measure of American consistency for the past five years. He is the highest ranked American under 29 and has spent the last 159 weeks in the top 10. In many ways, Thomas has blossomed into what golf experts expected of Spieth: a stalwart still in existence. contending, leading the younger generation of American golfers. No golfer has racked up more expected wins than Thomas from 2016 to 2020, according to Data Golf.
And then there’s DeChambeau, the defending US Open champion who caught the sport’s attention by berating standards, cameramen, and weight gain standards. With the potential for mild conditions over a large course, the big hitters will dominate the field – and there is no bigger hitter than DeChambeau, who will cut corners off the tee than the pros never envisioned. But while his surge is unprecedented, he’s been an above-average driver for years. He hasn’t always been more on the green, where he has improved his performance considerably.
Bryson didn’t just make gains off the tee
Average number of true strokes won per round, plus actual strokes won at teeing and putting, for Bryson DeChambeau per PGA Tour season
| Avg. True hits won per turn | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Rounds played | Total | Off the tee | Putting |
| 2020-21 | 8 | +4.04 | +1.43 | +0.56 |
| 2019-20 | 73 | +1.67 | +1.14 | +0.74 |
| 2018-19 | 84 | +1.51 | +0.54 | +0.45 |
| 2017-18 | 99 | +1.65 | +0.72 | +0.34 |
| 2016-17 | 89 | +0.06 | +0.42 | -0.16 |
| 2015-16 | 63 | -0.01 | +0.26 | -0.30 |
| 2014-15 | 73 | -0.44 | +0.25 | -0.45 |
Last season, DeChambeau averaged 0.658 strokes won per round with the flat stick, which was one of the best touring scores and the third straight season he’s improved in metrics.
It’s an interesting time for golf in the United States, to say the least. Thousands of Americans flocked to golf courses in search of safe outdoor activity during the pandemic, and a golf course was said to have been where President Trump learned he had lost the 2020 presidential election. American golf courses are also home to some of the brightest professional golfers on the planet.
The 84th episode of The Masters, postponed to fall for the first time, has plenty of usual suspects: moldy-looking green jackets and the velvety voice of Jim Nantz. But if the world golf rankings are any indication, the tournament which kicks off Thursday could include a crowning glory for one of the many young Americans who are pushing the sport forward.
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