The Masters: Steve Palmer's A-Z guide to the field

Kiradech Aphibarnrat The Thai has made the cut in both his Masters spins (15-44), but he has never won a strokeplay tournament outside Asia and surely lacks the all-round class to secure a Green Jacket.

Lucas Bjerregaard The Dane defeated Justin Thomas, Henrik Stenson and Tiger Woods on his way to the semi-finals of the WGC-Match Play the week before last, an incredible effort in his first Stateside WGC, but he missed the cut by ten shots in the Texas Open. This is his Masters debut.

Devon Bling The US Amateur runner-up has his coach as his caddie, so can work on his swing mid-round. The UCLA product is powerful and a fantastic iron-player, so he could give a decent account of himself on his first Augusta visit.

Keegan Bradley The 2011 US PGA champion secured a fourth US Tour title in the BMW Championship in September. His fragile short game is probably the main reason for a poor Augusta record of 27-54-MC-22-52 and the dangerous dancefloors should catch him out again.

Angel Cabrera The 2009 champion struggles to make a cut anywhere these days, has dropped out of the world's top 1,500, and his last two visits to Augusta have resulted in a weekend off.

Rafael Cabrera Bello The steady Spaniard has humdrum Masters form of 17-MC-38. Solid recent Stateside efforts suggest an Augusta PB is on the cards, but he almost certainly lacks the short-game skills and courage to claim a Green Jacket.

Patrick Cantlay The stone-faced Californian was world number one amateur for 55 weeks and has always been destined for greatness. He has been consistently impressive on the US Tour this term, but the Masters is the Major which suits him least and he missed the cut on his pro debut at Augusta last year.

Paul Casey The Englishman successfully defended his Valspar Championship title last month to provide a timely confidence boost for the Major which suits him best. His game is tailor-made for Augusta, underlined by form figures of 6-MC-10-11-20-MC-38-MC-6-4-6-15, and he will expect to contend. Is he strong enough mentally to become a Major champion aged 41?

Stewart Cink The 2009 Open champion got a Masters spot courtesy of a top-four finish in the US PGA last year. His form has been dreadful since and the 45-year-old looks like a lamb to the slaughter in his first Augusta start since 2014.

Corey Conners The Canadian secured a last-gasp Masters spot with a birdie barrage to win the Texas Open on Sunday. Ten final-round birdies meant a maiden US Tour triumph and an Augusta return. He missed the cut as an amateur in 2015.

Fred Couples Old Boom Boom, 1992 Augusta conqueror, is one of 20 past champions in the field. He turns 60 in October and his fantastic Masters record will surely only worsen every time he tees up from this point on.

Jason Day The injury-plagued Aussie gave himself a glowing health report after finishing fourth at Pebble Beach in February, then withdrew at Bay Hill a month later with back pain after just six holes. He has been inconsistent since and is difficult to trust, despite having the perfect game for Augusta and an excellent record there.

Bryson DeChambeau The quirky Californian has become a prolific champion over the last 11 months, winning five times, and Augusta form figures of 21-38 should be enhanced this week. This fierce competitor is an obvious danger but his form has dipped since victory in Dubai at the end of January, and he may need to wait a while longer before entering the Major league.

Tony Finau The genial giant has got stuck on one US Tour victory, finishing second five times since that 2016 Puerto Rico triumph. He impressed on a losing side on his Ryder Cup debut, though, scoring two points from three matches and thrashing Tommy Fleetwood in the singles, and he finished in the top ten in three of the four Majors last year. Sharing tenth place on his Augusta debut came after he dislocated his ankle on Masters eve. He looks a live outsider at a value price, but wasting energy in the Texas Open last week (tied 61st) was a poor scheduling decision.

Matthew Fitzpatrick The Sheffield lad has teamed up with ace caddie Billy Foster this year, the partnership quickly yielding results with second spot in the Arnold Palmer Invitational a month ago. Seventh spot in 2016 shows Fitzpatrick can compete at Augusta, but his lack of length is a handicap on a layout set up for aggressive powerhouses.

Tommy Fleetwood The laid-back Southport man has blown a couple of excellent recent opportunities for a US Tour breakthrough and may have arrived at Augusta more downbeat than usual. Masters form of MC-17. His ball-striking is unlikely to be a problem this week, but his fragile short game and lack of self-belief Stateside may well be.

Rickie Fowler The Florida-based Californian was the biggest name to skip the WGC-Match Play, preferring the Texas Open as a Masters warm-up (tied 17th), and this looks another decent chance for an overdue Major breakthrough. The 30-year-old was fifth at Augusta in 2014, runner-up last year, and is well equipped to handle the layout. He boasts a top-three finish in each of the Majors and enjoyed a confidence-boosting victory in Phoenix in February.

Sergio Garcia The 2017 champion endured an embarrassing defence, carding a 13 on the 15th hole on his way to missing the cut by ten shots. The Masters is his last Stateside victory. His 2019 campaign has been solid but controversial, blighted by childlike tantrums, and he may not stay calm enough for 72 holes to be a factor this week.

Branden Grace The South African grinder was runner-up behind Fowler in Phoenix and made the last 16 of the WGC last week, but the rest of his 2019 campaign has been poor and his low ball-flight is a handicap at Augusta, where he has made no impact in six visits.

Emiliano Grillo The underachieving Argentinian has missed the cut in five of his last six Majors, a brittle temperament exposed in the most high-pressure arenas. It is difficult to imagine Grillo being a serious contender on Sunday.

Justin Harding The plucky South African has propelled himself into the top 50 of the world rankings by winning twice on the Sunshine Tour last year, then twice on the Asian Tour, then on the European Tour (Qatar Masters) a month ago. He missed the cut by five shots in Texas last week and little can be expected as he makes his Masters debut at the age of 33.

Tyrrell Hatton A poor 2019 campaign suggests the man from Buckinghamshire, who has Masters form of MC-44, will again fail to make an impression at the Cathedral of Pines.

Charley Hoffman The 42-year-old Californian has been prone to fast starts and weak finishes at Augusta, where he has compiled form figures of 27-9-29-22-12. He has missed six cuts this season, but second place in the Texas Open on Sunday was a timely confidence boost.

JB Holmes The snail-like slugger won the Genesis Open in February, but has been largely unimpressive either side of that success. He tied for fourth at Augusta in 2016, but was 50th on his subsequent visit. He is unlikely to be making his way to the Butler Cabin on Sunday night.

Billy Horschel The Floridian is one of the most consistent tee-to-green operators on the US Tour, but Augusta form figures of 37-MC-17-MC underline how much he struggles on the fastest dancefloors in golf. He probably lacks the composure to become a Major champion.

Viktor Hovland The 21-year-old Norwegian is the US Amateur champion and full of potential. He played in the Australian Open in November and finished 13th. He is massively inexperienced and making his Major debut this week.

Charles Howell The Augusta-born 39-year-old is thrilled to have qualified for the Masters for the first time since 2012. Victory in the RSM Classic in November ended a drought of more than 11 years. The sweet-swinger is hitting his ball well enough to make the cut, but probably lacks the putting prowess to contend.

Shugo Imahira The 26-year-old Japanese has won twice on his home circuit but he has never made the cut in a Major and is making his Augusta debut. He was the lucky recipient of a Special Invite after finishing 2018 three places shy of world-ranking qualification.

Trevor Immelman The South African, Masters champion in 2008, turns 40 in December. He has missed the cut in the last five Masters, a streak which seems set to continue.

Dustin Johnson The world number two suffered a poor final round at the Valspar Championship and exited the WGC Match Play at the group stage, but generally he has been excellent this year, including victories in Saudi Arabia and Mexico. His last three Masters starts have yielded form figures of 6-4-10, but his preferred cut off the tee is not the ideal shot-shape for Augusta. The 2016 US Open champ is obviously a huge threat to all and accordingly short-priced.

Zach Johnson The 2007 Masters champion took advantage of brutal weather that year to win with a one-over-par total, but he is usually well off the pace in more typical Augusta conditions. The 43-year-old has failed to sparkle this season and is an unappealing option.

Takumi Kanaya The Asia-Pacific Amateur champion is a 20-year-old Japanese who looks well out of his depth on his Major debut.

Martin Kaymer The German is in the last throes of his five-year Masters exemption for winning the 2014 US Open. He has an abysmal Augusta record – five missed cuts from 11 starts and only one top-30 finish – and is close to slipping outside the top 200 in the world rankings.

Michael Kim The 25-year-old Korean-born American won the John Deere Classic by eight shots last summer, his only US Tour triumph. He has not made a cut this year, missing eight in a row, so looks doomed on his Masters debut.

Si-Woo Kim The brilliant but inconsistent Korean has won two US Tour titles at the age of 23, including the Players Championship, but his brittle back often prompts withdrawals. A messy March and a flop from the front in Texas on Sunday suggests his third Augusta visit (MC-24) will not go well.

Kevin Kisner The WGC-Match Play champion loves Georgia, where he went to university, and he has made the cut in each of his three Masters starts (37-43-28). His lack of length off the tee is a handicap at Augusta, though, and he seems likely to be outgunned by more powerful sorts.

Patton Kizzire The Georgia-based 33-year-old has lost his way over the last 12 weeks and will probably prove too erratic from tee to green to be a factor. Four of his six Major appearances have resulted in a weekend off, including his only start at Augusta.

Satoshi Kodaira The 29-year-old Japanese took advantage of a faltering Si-Woo Kim to win the Heritage last year, a US Tour breakthrough, but he has achieved precious little Stateside since. He tied for 28th on his Masters debut.

Brooks Koepka The Floridian bomber has won three of the last six Majors he has entered and he can boast progressive Masters form figures of 33-21-11. Eight starts this year have not yielded much, though, with second place in the Honda Classic his only serious title tilt and his putter ice cold (146th on the US Tour putting stats). Will the Majors specialist come alive when it matters most again or have his putting woes become deep rooted?

Matt Kuchar The WGC-Match Play runner-up has won twice in the last five months on the US Tour and he has made every Masters cut from 2010 onwards, including four top-eights in the last seven editions. The Major maiden could plod into the places, but more dynamic and explosive performers are preferred.

Andrew Landry The 31-year-old Texan won the Texas Open last year for a US Tour breakthrough. He has missed nine cuts since and posted only one top-20 finish, so is easy to disregard for his Masters debut.

Bernhard Langer The German warhorse, twice Masters champion, turns 62 in August. Eight of his last 12 Augusta visits have resulted in weekends off.

Marc Leishman The 35-year-old Aussie can boast a top-20 finish in each of the four Majors, including a playoff defeat in the 2015 Open, but his Masters record is inconsistent (MC-4-MC-MC-43-9). The four-time US Tour champ is too good to dismiss, but others are much preferred.

Haotong Li The pride of China, still only 23, has matured into a world-class player, winning twice on the European Tour and finishing third in the 2017 Open. He tied for 32nd on his Masters debut 12 months ago and probably has much to learn before becoming a Jacket contender, but raw talent and a carefree nature make him dangerous.

Adam Long The 31-year-old Louisiana man was the shock winner of the Desert Classic at the end of January, upsetting Phil Mickelson to claim a maiden US Tour title. Nothing Long has done before or after that victory indicates he can threaten Masters glory on his debut this week.

Shane Lowry The Irishman got his career back on track by winning the Abu Dhabi Championship in January, but his US Tour form remains poor. Three previous Augusta spins have yielded results of MC-39-MC and only his biggest fans will be expecting Green Jacket glory on Sunday.

Sandy Lyle The 61-year-old, Masters champion in 1988, has missed the cut in seven of his last nine Augusta visits, including the last four.

Hideki Matsuyama The best player Japan has ever produced, Matsuyama boasts a top-six finish in each of the four Majors, and he went particularly close to winning the 2017 US PGA before moving up to second in the world rankings. A form slide followed, but third place at Torrey Pines at the end of January has been followed by other bright efforts this year. He has four-year Masters form figures of 5-7-11-19 and was labouring with wrist problems 12 months ago. He is one of the best iron-players in the field and has an enormous chance of claiming the Jacket.

Rory McIlroy The well-backed favourite has been swinging superbly this year, contending almost every time he has teed up, winning the Players Championship at Sawgrass. The four-times Major champ turns 30 next month, seeking to do so as a member of the most elite group in golf – Grand Slam winners – and that comes with immense mental strain, his most significant negative this week. His five-year Masters form figures are 8-4-10-7-5 and he should feature on the leaderboard again this time, but he putted poorly under pressure against Tiger Woods in the Match Play last time out and there has to be a fair chance that the old flat-stick frailty derails him at the worst possible time.

Phil Mickelson Lefty has looked a little ragged lately, the 48-year-old struggling for zest and form since winning at Pebble Beach two months ago, and his previously amazing Masters record has some holes in it over the last few years. He has posted only one top-20 finish in his last six Augusta spins. The old standing dish of the Masters is starting to wobble.

Keith Mitchell The Georgia-based 27-year-old won his maiden US Tour title in impressive fashion last month, a final-hole birdie edging Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler for the Honda Classic. Major golf is a new challenge, but Mitchell has the tools to make a decent Masters debut.

Larry Mize The 60-year-old has missed the cut in six of the last nine Masters, with a best finish of 51st in that time. He won the Masters 32 years ago.

Francesco Molinari The Open champion followed up his Carnoustie heroics by winning five points from five matches in the Ryder Cup, and he is already off the mark on the US Tour this year, romping to victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before a run to the semis of the Match Play. Confidence levels are through the roof for the Italian, but his Masters record is poor (30-MC-19-MC-50-33-20). The same, though, could be said about his Open record prior to last year. Difficult to assess, but arguably shorter than he should be in the betting.

Kevin Na The Korean-born American has missed the cut in three of his seven Masters appearances, with a best finish of 12th place. The 35-year-old has won twice on the US Tour but probably lacks the ball-striking quality to become a Major champion.

Alex Noren The Swede won the French Open last year and enjoyed being a Ryder Cup victor on the same course a few months later, but 2019 has been a struggle, with 44th spot in the Phoenix Open his best result. Two Masters starts have both resulted in missed cuts.

Kevin O'Connell The US Mid-Amateur champion has been flitting between amateur and pro status in his turbulent career, his Mid-Amateur success coming just after his 30th birthday. He looks set to turn pro again after teeing up in the US Open as an amateur in June.

Thorbjorn Olesen The 29-year-old Dane, a five-time European Tour champ, finished sixth on his Masters debut in 2013 and 44th in his only subsequent Augusta visit. A lack of Stateside success makes him difficult to fancy for the Jacket.

Jose Maria Olazabal The much-loved 53-year-old Spaniard, Masters victor in 1994 and 1999, is a spring chicken in comparison to some in this field, but injuries have taken their toll and seven of his last nine Masters have resulted in a weekend off. March 2015 was the last time he made a cut in a main-tour event.

Louis Oosthuizen The 2010 Open champion has been runner-up in the other three Majors, including at Augusta in 2012 when Bubba Watson defeated him in a playoff. The South African has impressed this season, winning his national Open in fine style before Christmas, and looks a serious Jacket contender.

Alvaro Ortiz The Latin-America Amateur champion. That event would have been his final one as an amateur, but victory meant a delay to joining the pro ranks to take advantage of the resulting Masters invite, so the Mexican will turn pro after leaving the Cathedral of Pines.

Eddie Pepperell The Oxford-born 28-year-old has posted a top-20 finish in two of his last three Majors, but a Masters debut is an extreme test of character. He has found some putting form in recent weeks, finishing like the proverbial train at Sawgrass, but Augusta is not a layout which plays to his strengths.

Ian Poulter The Ryder Cup colossus is still seeking a Major breakthrough at the age of 43. Three Masters top-tens have shown it is feasible at Augusta, but his lack of punch off the tee is a significant handicap and a place is probably the best he can hope for.

Jon Rahm The Spaniard is only 24, yet has won three times on the European Tour, twice on the US Tour, as well as the 2018 Hero World Challenge. He finished fourth in the last Masters despite opening with a 75, fourth in the last Major (US PGA), and relishes the big occasion. Three Spaniards have won the Masters since 1983 and Rahm is definitely good enough to join Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia on the honours board.

Jovan Rebula The Amateur champion, nephew of Ernie Els, finished 24th in the South African Open just before Christmas. Els is at Augusta as mentor and chief cheerleader.

Patrick Reed The defending champion peaked in perfect fashion for the Masters 12 months ago, but this time it appears the opposite case, with his game in dismal shape. The 28-year-old, unpopular with his peers after comments made after the Ryder Cup, hardly ever has a break and may have burned himself out. He has started work with David Leadbetter in a bid to solve his latest swing issues, but the Masters has almost certainly come too soon for any benefits to be seen.

Justin Rose The Olympic champion won at Torrey Pines in January to immediately end concerns about his 2019 equipment changes. He was going well in the Match Play last time out until a shock last-16 defeat to Kevin Na. Rose has played 13 Masters without missing a cut, twice finishing second, and must be respected. Caddie Mark Fulcher returns after three months off for heart surgery – potentially unsettling, potentially inspiring.

Xander Schauffele The greens in regulation machine has quickly identified himself as a likely Major champion, finishing fifth in the US Open in his first Major, sixth in the same event the following year, then second in the Open at Carnoustie. He tied 50th in his only Augusta spin, though, and has failed to impress at Sawgrass and the WGC in his two latest starts. Arguably better suited to the other three Majors.

Charl Schwartzel The 2011 Masters champion has missed six cuts in nine starts this year and slipped outside the top 100 of the world rankings. Three of his last five Augusta visits have resulted in missed cuts.

Adam Scott The sweet-swinging Aussie has spent eight months popping up on leaderboards, exhibiting the tee-to-green class which once made him world number one. Third place in the US PGA was followed by fifth in The Northern Trust, tenth in the CJ Cup, second at Torrey Pines, seventh at Riviera and 12th last time out at Sawgrass. The 2013 Masters champ has to be strongly considered. He is one of few players who has spent this season putting almost permanently with the flagstick in, which could be an advantage on the fastest greens in golf.

Webb Simpson The 2012 US Open champion and runaway 2018 Sawgrass victor is well equipped to grind his way to decent totals on difficult tracks, but Augusta does not suit his plodding style and low ball-flight, which explains form figures of 44-MC-MC-28-29-MC-20.

Vijay Singh The evergreen Fijian contended for the Honda Classic title last month at the age of 56, but US Tour venues are typically too tough for him these days and his last Masters top-ten finish came in 2006.

Cameron Smith The Aussie youngster is neat and tidy, ever improving, and becoming more comfortable as a member of the golfing elite. He tied for fifth place at Augusta last year, then played superbly from August through February, but his form has dipped sharply since the Mexico Championship. He lost all three of his matches in the WGC-Match Play last time out.

Brandt Snedeker The dancefloor demon has blown winning chances at Augusta before, sobbing like a baby after a final-round 77 meant third place in 2008, and nine Major top-tens have yielded no trophies. This good, but never great, player seems likely to float just off the pace this week without threatening to claim the Jacket.

Jordan Spieth Course-form punters will be drooling at the prices on offer about the three-time Major champion, who boasts Augusta figures of 2-1-2-11-3, but they have to ignore his abysmal current form. Spieth has been bereft of confidence and is without a Stateside top-ten finish since the last Masters.

Kyle Stanley The Washington man typically churns out greens in regulation but he has a terrible Majors record, with ten missed cuts from 16 starts and a best finish of 39th. Recent US Tour outings have been dismal and a weekend off seems likely.

Henrik Stenson The 2016 Open champion has played in 13 Masters and posted his best finish last year – a tie for fifth place – his only Augusta top-ten. The 42-year-old Swede is enduring a disappointing 2019 campaign and seems likely to struggle in the opening Major of the season.

Justin Thomas The pint-sized powerhouse has played well from tee to green at Augusta the last three years, but poor putting has meant humdrum figures of 39-22-17. This year, he has posted three top-threes without winning, his form dipping since the arrival of March. The 2017 US PGA champion must be shortlisted and his iron play gives him a fantastic chance, but he probably needs a hot putter in round one to build early confidence on the greens.

Kevin Tway The 30-year-old is making his Masters debut and only his fourth Major start. He won the opening event of the US Tour season – the Safeway Open – but has been terrible since. Making the cut would be a tremendous achievement given his current form.

Jimmy Walker The badly out-of-form 40-year-old fell outside the top 100 of the world rankings after finishing tailed off at Sawgrass. A five-year Masters exemption for winning the 2016 US PGA is keeping him in the Augusta field.

Matt Wallace The Londoner, who turns 29 on Friday, missed the cut in his first three Majors before finishing 19th in the US PGA. He is a four-times European Tour champion who is starting to perform well Stateside, but this is his Masters debut, so little can be expected.

Bubba Watson The dual Masters champion won three US Tour titles last year and finished fifth at Augusta. Can he complete a Green Jacket hat-trick at the age of 40? It is entirely feasible, given his great affection for a layout which sets up wonderfully for his left-handed cuts, and fourth place in the Valspar Championship last month was an encouraging pre-Augusta spin.

Mike Weir The 48-year-old Canadian left-hander, Masters champ in 2003, struggles to make cuts on the Web.com Tour these days and will just be trying not to embarrass himself or injure spectators this week. He has missed seven of the last eight Masters cuts.

Danny Willett The 2016 champ suffered a serious slump after securing a Green Jacket, but a revival has been taking place under the watchful eye of new coach Sean Foley, with victory in the DP World Tour Championship in November providing a huge fillip. The Sheffield star is probably not quite far enough down the comeback trail to have designs on winning Majors, but he can have high hopes of making the weekend.

Aaron Wise The talented youngster, 2018 US Tour Rookie of the Year, has made a slow start to 2019 and a Masters debut is unlikely to provide any silverware. He could win a Green Jacket one day, but has much to learn.

Gary Woodland The power-packed Kansas man has the tools to tame Augusta, but his Masters record is awful, with his last three visits resulting in missed cuts. Expect that streak to end this week, but he probably lacks the putting touch and killer instinct to get over the line in front.

Tiger Woods Arguably the greatest player of all time is enjoying a resurgence in his mid-40s, contending for the Open and the US PGA last year, reviving hopes of winning the four Major titles he needs to match the total of Jack Nicklaus. The four-time Masters champ adores this venue, but 2013 was his last top-ten finish there, and he has not putted well this season.

Ian Woosnam The 61-year-old Welshman, 1991 Masters champion, has missed 16 of his last 17 Masters cuts, including the last ten.

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