Patrick Reed is now the defender of the coveted Green Jacket, posting an impressive -15 at Augusta National Golf Club this past April. Looking at what we've seen so far at that and other events this season, I predict (probably incorrectly) who will win the remaining three Majors on the PGA Tour.
The US Open—Jordan Spieth
Spieth made an improbable run during the final round at the Masters in April, being narrowly outlasted by the up-and-comer, Patrick Reed. Spieth entered the round nine shots back of Reed, who was leading after 54 holes. He soared back toward the top of the leaderboard, posting an eight-under 64 on Sunday, and finishing two back of Reed in third place. Spieth has won three majors before, and he's out for blood. In basketball, they say feed the hot hand—right now, Spieth has the hot hand, and he will no doubt bring the same fire to the US Open in Tuckahoe, NY, that he did in the final round at Augusta National. He's a proven winner, and he will be looking to redeem himself this month at Shinnecock Hills.
The Open Championship—Rickie Fowler
It seems like every time there's a big tournament, especially a Major, you can find Rickie Fowler's name toward the top of the leaderboard. The 29-year-old Californian is ranked seventh in the world and is still looking for his first Major Championship victory. He seems to be plagued by top-5 finishes, including seven third-place and 13 second-place finishes. In 2014 alone, he finished tied for second at the US Open and the Open Championship and tied for third at the PGA Championship. At the 2018 Masters, Fowler also challenged Reed's lead and was able to edge out Spieth for yet another second-place finish at a Major. Rickie is an extraordinary golfer, and he's tired of losing. While I think Spieth will have the edge in the US Open based on his absurd final-round performance at Augusta, I have no doubt that Rickie, as always, will be hanging around in June. Following what will likely be another top-five finish for the Oklahoma State alumnus, I believe he will finally get over that hump at the Open Championship in Scotland this summer and take home his first Major Championship trophy.
The PGA Championship—Tiger Woods
I know what you're thinking: Tiger is a washed up old man who can't hang with the Dustin Johnsons and the Rory McIlroys of the world anymore. But Woods has exceeded the expectations of many golf fans since his latest return in late 2017. This year, he has two top-five finishes under his belt and almost cracked the top ten at the Players Championship, finishing tied for 11th. Many people are saying he doesn't have what it takes to win anymore. While he probably will never get back to the early-2000s level of dominance that brought him 14 Majors, Tiger has shown in the last sixth months that he still has the tools to win on the PGA Tour; he just needs to put it all together.
At the Masters, Woods couldn't keep his tee shots on the fairway. At the Players, he had some trouble with his irons. And most recently, at the Memorial Tournament, I watched him, in person, miss what felt like 10 seven-foot putts for birdie in one round—the kinds of putts you need to make if you want to score low enough to win a Major. That being said, he clearly has shown glimpses of the greatness that many of us grew up idolizing on Sundays throughout the summer. I'm confident that as the coming months pass and Woods gets more and more tournaments under his belt, he will figure out what he needs to do to start winning again. For that reason, I think he will get his game where it needs to be just in time to take home the Wanamaker Trophy on August 12.
