A tradition unlike any other...

No, I'm not talking about Butler shooting 18% from the field. I'm talking about the Masters. Azaleas. The Eisenhower Tree. Amen Corner. The Green Jacket. Fried chicken and collard greens. Gives you the chills doesn't it? Okay maybe I'm not as captivating as Jim Nantz, but you shouldn't need his silky-smooth commentating to get pumped for the greatest golf tournament of the year. Screw baseball and opening day, this is what signals Spring for me. Its the most pristine looking course you'll ever see and the tradition behind the tournament is unparalleled. I'm gonna take a step away from the Bulls/Hawks to give you a preview of this years tournament and my favorites to put on some oddly-colored formal wear come Sunday.

Phil Mickelson is public enemy number one in my book. I don't know if I can adequately express how much I abhor this man on this website. Chairman Chet will probably try and revoke my writing privileges. What's even worse is how much the media is slurping him and his chances of winning this weekend. Just because he won last year and the Shell Houston Open last weekend (against a mediocre field) doesn't mean we can start re-fitting him for the Green Jacket just yet. I don't care that he is the most liked player on tour and I certainly don't care that he is finally ranked higher than Tiger for the first time since he hired his first escort (1997). His extensive knowledge of the course and ability to hit a ball really far and into a small hole will most likely put him into contention on Sunday but hopefully he won't win.

Luke Donald didn't make the cut last year, but he has been really golfing his ball this year. The Evanston resident is in the top 10 in scrambling and putting this year. Both are keys to win any tournament, but will be especially needed this week. He won the WGC Match Play tourney against world #1 Marty Kaymer earlier this year and was a rock for the Europeans in the Ryder Cup. The man is consistent as they come, he just hasn't been able to get over the hump when it comes to majors. Even though a euro hasn't won at Augusta since 1999 and he won the Par-3 contest yesterday, (the winner has never put on the Green Jacket in the same year) I think there is a good chance he'll be in the mix on Sunday.

You can't talk about consistency without mentioning Stricks. A favorite of Squints, (you may remember him from posts such as his introduction to the cheese and....his 2nd post) I however also dislike this man. My reasoning is three-fold: 1.) he is from Wisconsin, 2.) he went to U of I, and 3.) he cries after every tournament he wins. All valid arguments obviously. Stricks is #1 in putting this year (no surprise) and that will certainly come in handy if Augusta's greens are as fast as they are normally. You can guarantee that the waterworks will be flowing if he puts on the Green Jacket.

I wonder how much weight bitch tits Phil can curl. Anyone who knows LingLing the BBall Panda knows that I am camp Tiger Woods. Always have, always will be. Ian Poulter went on record as saying that Eldrick won't finish in the top 5 this week. Idiot. Tiger's life was in shambles and didn't play a tournament last year before going to Augusta. He tied for 4th. Why? Because Tiger knows this course like the backside of a B-list pornstar. He knows every curve, undulation, and every spot to put his ball to give him the best shot at getting it in the hole (not enough corny puns?). Granted, he is re-vamping his swing and hasn't been playing well at all this year. But you'd be stupid to think he isn't going to do well this week. Tom Rinaldi pretty much asked Tiger in an interview if he thinks he is ever going to win again. Tiger wanted to backhand him across the face. Screw you Rinaldi.

Other than Tiger, my actual pick to win the tourney is Bubba Watson. He has only played at Augusta twice and his best finish was a T-20, but he's playing well over the past year. He won his first tourney in 2010 and was in a 3-man playoff in the 2010 PGA. He's probably not on anyone's list to do well this week and I'll be first to admit this pick was made purely on bias. But this course favors those who can hit the ball right to left. Guess what, that is right up the big swinging lefty's wheelhouse. Bubba is one of the longest hitters on tour and is in top 3 in GIR. When you're hitting greens in reg on the reg, you're cashing in on the reg. I truly believe this man can contend for the jacket, what I don't know is if he can keep his emotions in check while in contention over the weekend. He showed guts during the PGA last year, we'll see if he can use that experience to his advantage this week.

Coverage starts at 2PM on ESPN, 7AM if you're lucky enough to have the Golf Channel.