Masters Tournament: Ranking the 2019 field’s best of the last decade

5: Paul Casey, -3.39

A two-year absence from Augusta appears to have prompted Casey to reassess his approach to the course, and do so in a more constructive manner. Prior to that 2013-14 gap, he had missed two of his previous three cuts and finished in a tie for 38th the one time he did complete four rounds.

Returning in 2015, Casey tied for sixth place, his first of four straight strong finishes. He tied for fourth in 2016, was solo sixth in 2017 and tied for 15th last season.

So based purely on track record, the English golfer looks like a good bet to be somewhere in the running Sunday afternoon.

Casey’s best run at the title came in 2016, but it floundered during a disastrous second-round 77. The followed an opening 69 that had positioned him among the leaders. Through three rounds he was a challenging seven strokes off Jordan Spieth’s pace.

Then things began to happen. Following five front-nine birdies that widened his lead, Spieth suffered his triple bogey collapse at the 12th, allowing the field to close in. Casey, who had already birdied 13, birdied the 15th and 18th as well. But he was unable to move within four strokes of the equally hard-charging Danny Willett, who ended up beating Spieth and Lee Westwood by three.