That's not to say he wasn't a decent pick, but even with his win earlier this year in the desert at the Accenture Match Play, there were still a host of big names you would have picked over him.
Guys with major championship pedigree and local Augusta National knowledge always top the list. But following his win on Sunday, the sweet-swinging Mahan appears to be peaking at just the right time, making him a legitimate pick to win not only his first major championship, but his first Green Jacket.
Mahan, who started the day two shots back of Louis Oosthuizen, wasn't spectacular during the final round, only carding a 1-under 71 on a day when conditions appeared to absolutely perfect. But unlike a number of the guys near the top, Mahan stuck to his game plan and parred the field to death, stringing together eight straight to start his round before he birdied the ninth and 10th holes to move in front.
From there he kept the damage to a minimum to pick up his second win of the season, becoming the first multiple winner on the PGA Tour this year. Not only that, Mahan is now the top ranked American in the Official World Golf Ranking with his victory.
There used to be a point a couple years back when we wondered if Hunter Mahan had the chutzpah to be a truly great player. Sure, he had a couple of wins and a WGC victory, but every time he appeared to be on the verge of breaking out, he'd collapse on the weekend or go MIA for a handful of tournaments.
The consistency and will to win was never there. But four months into the 2012 season, it's clear Mahan is a different player. The confidence, and consistency, is there and the swing has never looked better under pressure-packed situation.
It's gotten to the point now where it'd be crazy not to talk about Mahan as a favorite going into the Masters. When you've played as well as he has over the last couple of months, a Green Jacket doesn't seem out of the question.
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