Masters predictions from Scots with '˜Augusta angle'

Scott Jamieson Former Augusta State I think someone with a high right-to-left ball flight always has the best chance. Left-handers in particular as that’s fade for them, so I fancy two past champions. Phil Mickelson has been trending in the right direction for a while now while Bubba Watson has been playing great and came close to winning at Doral recently. Richie Ramsay Played as US Amateur champion in 2007 I would always go for experience first when looking for a winner at Augusta National. The guys at the top of the world rankings – Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy – will be the favourites and rightly so. There’s always one outsider who normally does well and I reckon that could be either Shane Lowry or Thomas Pieters. Bradley Neil Played in 2015 as Amateur champion I think this year’s event is very tough to predict. There are so many past major/Masters winners all in form, but my pick has to be Rory McIlroy. Having played with him round there, I know how perfect Augusta is for him. Long drives, towering iron shots, creativity are required – and he has them all. His clutch putting has always been good to me but now his all round putting seems to be on form/more consistent. Stephen Gallacher Played in 2014 and 2015 I think Augusta National it’s what you’d call a course-and-distance venue. I think it’s why the winner is likely to be past champion like Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Zach Johnson and, of course, Jordan Spieth. I definitely think Rory McIlroy will win this event one day, but he’s been misfiring a bit this season. Stuart Wilson Played in 2005 as Amateur champion I’d like to see Jason Day win. He swings it great, has the ball flight, short game and putting touch and he looks like he is having fun when he plays. It’ll be tough for Jordan Spieth to go back-to-back while Rory McIlroy is not quite there yet this season. Wallace Booth Former Augusta State I think you have your usual suspects but, for me, I believe this can be Jason Day’s year. His game should be ideal around Augusta and he has done well there in the past. While I’m not sure you’d class him as an outsider, my Hambric stablemate, Brooks Koepka, could get in the mix. Craig Watson Played as Amateur champion in 1998 Everyone is talking about the new “Big Three” of Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy and it’s normally a place where people who’ve done well in the past are the ones to beat. But I watched a bit of the WGC-Match Play last week and Louis Oosthuizen was swinging it nice, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave a good account of himself.