US Masters First Round Leader Tip: Stewart Cink

After ruining Tom Watson’s fairytale in the 2009 Open Championship, Stewart Cink was unfairly dubbed the most unpopular winner of the Open. A funny and intelligent man, the backlash to his victory affected his game more than people anticipated.

The nadir came in 2012, when he slumped to 139th in the FedExCup Standings and didn’t record a top-10 finish all season.

Part of the problem were changes to his swing but those efforts are bearing fruit in 2013. He has two top-10 finishes and went close to winning the Houston Open, eventfully finishing T6, three shots off the lead.

Cink is starting to hit more greens, he is 25th for GIRs compared to 134th last year but strangely his putting has gone off the boil. Always one of the best putters on tour, from 2004 to 2008 he was never outside the top-20 in strokes gained putting.

If the putter heats up, Cink is the sort of player who could light up Augusta. He’s finished in the top-30 of The Masters on nine occasions, shooting several rounds of 69 in the process.

A similar score would put him in the mix on day one and at 150/1 (Betfred), he is a big price to be first round leader with ¼ odds if he’s in the top-5.