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USATSI

With the Masters starting in just two weeks, it's time to take a look at a few of the favorites in greater detail. Let's start by diving into world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, a golfer who seems like he either should have already won or should be in line to win at least one Masters in the future but who also, somewhat strangely, doesn't necessarily come up all that often when discussing Augusta National horses.

Masters profile: Dustin Johnson

Masters played: 8
Cuts made: 7
Top 10 finishes: 3
Scoring average: 71.83
Best finish: 4th in 2016
2019 OWGR: No. 1 | 2019 strokes gained: No. 2

History: D.J. has finished in the top 10 in each of his last three Masters starts and ranks fourth in all-time scoring average (71.83) among golfers with between 25-49 starts. Only Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler are ahead of him. Strangely, Johnson's best round is just 67. He achieved that in both 2013 and 2015.

Current form: Top 10s in six of his eight starts worldwide in 2019 with wins at both the Saudi International and WGC-Mexico Championship.

Best ... and worst: Where does Johnson stand on the best average finish list over the last decade? He's just outside the top 15 because of some shaky early-career performances at Augusta National. He only broke par once each in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and he couldn't crack the top 30 because of it. His best chance to win was probably in 2016 when he started Sunday at even par, same as Danny Willett. Both were three back of Jordan Spieth, but D.J. doubled the fifth and the 17th to lose by four. Pars there, and he's in a playoff with Willett.

Stats matter: If we're saying that distance off the tee and accuracy with short and long iron play matters most -- and we should be -- then Johnson stacks up nicely when it comes to Augusta National contenders. He's top 30 in driving distance (it's a controlled top 30) and top 10 in strokes gained on approach shots. Interestingly, on approaches from 200-plus yards, Johnson hasn't been that great. He's outside the top 100 in proximity to the hole from that distance.

Masters moment(s): My primary memory of him is riding around in a car the night before the 2017 Masters with Shane Bacon as we both tried to figure out why in the world D.J. wasn't going to tee it up on Thursday. It turned out to be a lost bout with a set of stairs (apparently), and the winner of three straight events headed home instead of off to the first green. As for on-the-course feats, it has to be the three eagles he made in Round 2 in 2015. He hasn't truly been in the thick of it on a Sunday, which is kind of odd.

Why he'll win: Because the par 5s are embarrassingly easy for him and the course plays to a D.J. par of 68 or 69. He's played the four par 5s at Augusta 48 times in his last three appearances at this tournament, and his combined score there is 30 under. 

Why he won't win: It's not because of the putter, if that's even still a narrative. Johnson has been putting lights out so far this season and remains the most underrated putter in the world. Slow starts have generally plagued him here -- he's broken par just three times in eight appearances -- and for an elite front-runner like Johnson, it's tough to gallop in the much. Also, and this is far more anecdotal than it is anything else, Augusta seems to beg for somebody to rise to meet its grandeur. Johnson doesn't rise as much as he does exist on a separate plane altogether. If that plane is higher than all the other planes in that week, then so be it. That's probably me mythologizing Augusta more than I should, but it seems like there's something there that doesn't totally click.

Prediction: D.J. will again finish in the top 20 but does not threaten to win this event.