2022 Masters Tournament: Top Five Sleeper Picks at Augusta National

With the 2022 Masters Tournament just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to list out five golfers that come into the Masters floating under the radar. The Masters always has its fair share of fireworks, and you never know who will be in a position to win the Green Jacket come Sunday.

So, with that said, let’s take a look at five golfers that I think could make a splash this weekend.

Five under the radar picks for the 2022 Masters Tournament

Erik Van Rooyen, South Africa

Best Finish: WD

South Africans seem to enjoy playing at Augusta National. Just ask Gary Player, Charl Schwartzel, and Trevor Immelman. Not only that, but other South Africans like Louis Oosthuizen have also seen success at Augusta National.

This year, five South Africans (Louis, Van Rooyen, Schwartzel, Garrick Higgo, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout) are in the field this week. This year, Van Rooyen is poised to make his mark.
After withdrawing in 2020 due to a back injury, Van Rooyen knew he had to get back there. His win last year at the Barracuda Championship earned his way into the FedEx Cup race and a spot in last year’s Tour Championship. It’s because of that late run in 2021 that the South African earned a spot in this year’s Masters Tournament.

Also, that fantastic mustache has made him one of the most recognizable figures in golf. I mean, look at that masterpiece!

Cameron Young

First Masters Appearance

This week, Cameron Young is a trendy pick among a handful of golfers making their first appearance in this tournament. In just his first season on tour, the young rookie phenom has quickly risen to prominence as his second-place finish at the Genesis Invitational earlier in the year bumped him up from 113th in the world to the 53rd ranked golfer in the world.

Since then, he’s continuing to trend in the right direction, as he currently ranks inside of the top 50, at 46th. I’m not saying he will win, but I expect Young to be in the mix on the weekend. Playing in the Masters will be quite the learning experience for Young, but I have a feeling the former Wake Forrest standout is up to the challenge.

Harold Varner III

First Masters Appearance

What’s not to love about HV3! Like Young, Harold Varner III is making his first Master’s appearance and is having his breakout season. Earlier in the year, he bested Bubba Watson in Saudi Arabia to win the biggest tournament of his career.

A few weeks ago, Varner put together a solid performance at the Players Championship and is ranked inside the top 50 for the first time in his career. I love HV3 to make it through to the weekend and possibly make a little noise at this year’s Masters Tournament.

Brian Harman

Best Masters Finish: T12 (2021)

Harman earned an invitation back to Augusta National following his strong performance in last year’s Masters Tournament. The Georgia native is a crafty player who seems to always be around in majors, having also given a solid performance at the Open Championship a year ago.

However, this year, Harman isn’t playing the best golf, but that could change in a split second, as he enjoys playing at this venue, being from Georgia and all. I expect Harman to easily be inside the Top 15 this week and he could be in decent shape heading into the weekend.

Seamus Power

First Masters Appearance

I seem to be sticking with the trend of first-time golfer, I mean, I am picking Sam Burns to win this week, so I guess I’ll have to stick with that trend.

Ireland’s Seamus Power is a player to watch out for this week. This season, he has racked up an impressive resume while playing on the PGA Tour, which includes four Top-10 finishes and a T-5 performance at the WGC Dell Match-Play.

Currently, Power is playing some remarkable golf, and his game seems to be in the right shape heading into Augusta. If Power can get hot, he can be a serious contender this weekend at the 2022 Masters Tournament, he certainly has the experience of playing in important events to do so.