The 2020 virtual Masters: A dozen potential contenders

The 2020 virtual Masters: A dozen potential surprises

By Bill Felber | Apr 7, 2020

Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain hits a tee shot off the first tee 07 April 1999 during the final practice round for the Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA. The Masters golf tournament will start 08 April 1999. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO (Photo by JEFF HAYNES / AFP) (Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Vijay Singh is hugged by his caddie David Renwick after Singh made the final putt on the 18th green to win the 2000 Masters. Jeff Haynes/AFP via Getty Images) /

Vijay Singh, 2000 (1999-2008), -0.98.

Known throughout his career as golf’s hardest worker, Singh strung together six Masters top 10s between 2000 and 2006. His 2000 Masters victory famously aborted Tiger Woods’ run at a Grand Slam before it had a chance to get started.

Singh’s Thursday even par 72 left him in a 12-way tie for 10th place, but a 67 on Friday lifted him into the fight for real. He stood one behind David Duval at that point, seizing the lead with a Saturday 74 that put him three ahead of Duval and six up on Woods.

Duval closed within a stroke early in the final round, but Singh never relinquished the lead and birdied three holes late in the front nine to offset a Duval charge. The lead remained a single stroke until the 13th, when Singh took advantage of a Duval bogey by birdieing to build a three-stroke cushion. He eventually beat Ernie Els by that margin, Duval finishing four back and Woods six strokes off the lead in fifth.

Singh made a run at Woods in 2002, standing two strokes off the pace through three rounds. But he closed with a 76 to finish seventh. He was three behind Jeff Maggert through three rounds in2 003, but managed only a 73 on Sunday and finished in a tie for sixth, six strokes behind playoff winner Mike Weir.

Virtual Masters projection: T-`13.

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