The Masters: Five To Thrive

The weekly "Five To Thrive" column continues this week in the first major event of the year, the Masters Championship.

After what seemed liked forever since the PGA Championship, we have finally returned to a major championship! Now, the season really begins. Even without Tiger, we should still be set for a wonderful Masters tournament. With lots of drama going on in the weeks before Augusta, it will be interesting to see who will put on the green jacket on Sunday evening. Here are the top 5 golfers you should keep an eye on this week:

5. Sergio Garcia  - El Nino still doesn't think he has what it takes to win a major. I disagree. The Masters may not be the place where he breaks through, but I still think he will give a strong showing, especially considering the form he's in. And, if he's hanging around on Sunday afternoon, you just never know what could happen. Vamos Sergio!

4. Adam Scott - The defending champ just had to be on the list. Even though he blew an oppurtunity at Bay Hill to cement his status as a favorite, he's still the number 2 player in the world. I don't think Adam will repeat his 2013 victory, but he will definitely put in a valiant effort.

3. Matt Kuchar - Although Mr. Consistency couldn't close it out yesterday at the Shell Houston, I feel that he will still be a contender here. He might not win it, but a top 10 is almost assured for Matt. He's just too good.

2. Phil Mickelson - Phil has been showing some signs of life lately, but he's still not the Phil we all know and love. The way I see it, that will all change this week. For some players, Augusta is the medicine that they need. I think we will see Lefty in the hunt this week.

1. Rory McIlroy - Ahh, Rory. I know he's had his troubles in this tournament (2011, 2012, 2013 come to mind), but this year he seems different. Even though he couldn't close it out at the Honda, I think he's ready to win a major again. I expect Mr. McIlroy to be wearing the green jacket on Sunday.

Well, there you have it. These are my 5 players to thrive at The Masters. Let us know your 5 in the comments, or tweet at us @HTWDSports!