Masters: Top five groups to watch on Thursday at Augusta National

Number 5:

Group 27, 1:38 p.m.: Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day

It is not often that a Thursday pairing produces a group of three golfers that could eventually turn out to be Masters champion, but seemingly all three members of this group could easily take home the green jacket. Both Dustin Johnson and Jason Day have been in contention in and won majors throughout their careers, and it seems like it is an inevitable conclusion that Bryson DeChambeau will win his first major sooner rather than later as well.

However, the obvious attention grabber in this group is DJ, the world’s second-ranked golfer. The narrative is at once clear: what will it take for him to break through at the Masters, golf’s grandest stage? His best finish at Augusta came in 2016, when he finished tied for fourth with a respectable 1-under finish, but he has never really pushed towards victory on Sunday at the Masters.

He has also had two other top ten finishes in this past half decade, so it would not be a surprise to see him towards the top of the leaderboard this Sunday. A win in the first major of the year would be a huge step in him regaining the title of the number one golfer in the world.

This tournament could also be a big chance for Day to bounce back into the national spotlight as one of the best golfers in the sport, or it could be another coming out party for a rising star in Bryson DeChambeau. Experience will not be on Bryson’s side, because he has only played in two Masters tournaments, but it will be very intriguing to see the response he gets when he putts with the flag stick in on arguably the most prestigious golf course in the world. Day was tied for second in the 2011 Masters, finished in solo third in 2013, and had a top-10 finish in 2016, so he is no stranger to Masters success and could have a renaissance tournament this weekend as well.