Oosthuizen and Schwartzel Are the Best Sleeper Picks at the Masters

Running mates Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen will never be characterized as glib or gregarious, but they've been so quiet in Georgia this week, you could hear a pinecone drop.

Of course, at anal-retentive Augusta National, where six-time winner Jack Nicklaus was asked to produce his identification by security guards on Tuesday, a member of the grounds crew would immediately pounce upon the offending cone and turn it into mulch.

The two stealthy South African stars, who both have notable pedigrees at Augusta, are poised to do likewise to the field starting Thursday. The pouncing part, anyway.

All but ignored and overlooked during the tournament run-up, the Springbok buddies are the event's best sleeper picks, a perfect term for the unassuming pair, who mostly generate yawns from fans in the Northern Hemisphere.

While some gravitate to camera lights like moths to a flame—looking at Ian Poulter and Bubba Watson? – this duo mostly trundles along, under the radar and under par. Hardly anybody has looked twice at them this week, despite their being major championship winners and Augusta-tamers.

We're paying SEVEN PLACES on each way bets in — Paddy Power Offers (@PPOffers)April 6, 2016

This week, nine of the top 10 favorites in the eyes of Las Vegas oddsmakers made an appearance before the attending scribes. Oosthuizen, who lost in a playoff at the Masters four years ago and is listed as the co-11th fave this week, didn't receive a media summons. Schwartzel, who won the Masters in spectacular fashion in 2011, also was effectively ignored, though he's listed as 14th on the list of favorites to win in Vegas. Will stealth beget wealth?

Sure, neither player lights up a room personality-wise, but as the world this week ditches their ruined NCAA basketball brackets and moves on to their Masters office pools, this duo can't be ignored. They might be a tad boring to some fans and writers, but for those looking for substance over style, the Springboks appear ready to rock.

It doesn't take much skill to pick Jason Day, who won the last major championship, not to mention his last two starts in March. But Louis and Charl aren't far behind: as a heat-index measure, they are eighth and 10th, respectively, in world-ranking points earned in 2016; Oosthuizen finished second in the Dell Match Play Championship late last month and jumped to 11th in the world ranking.

The slightly built Schwartzel, a noted big-game hunter back home, won the Masters title five years ago, when he was one of eight players to claim at least a share of the lead on Sunday. He went wildebeest over the final hour, sealing the title by becoming the first player in Masters history to birdie the final four holes to win. He blew past two of this week's runaway favorites, Aussies Day and Adam Scott, down the stretch.

Texan barbeque? Sounds pretty good. Almost as good as a braai :) — Compleat Golfer (@CompleatGolfer)April 6, 2016

Oosthuizen matched the winning 72-hole score a year later at Augusta before losing to Watson's miracle recovery shot during a sudden-death playoff, and has been an intermittent presence atop scoreboards at the majors. Last summer, Oosthuizen finished tied for second at both the British and U.S. Opens, losing the former in a playoff at St. Andrews, where he had won the title in 2010.

Quick-math redux: Since 2010, then, Oosthuizen has posted or matched the lowest 72-hole score at a major championship three times.

Schwartzel walked off the course following his Tuesday practice round and said the set-up looked all too familiar. He broke into a huge grin, which is generally a positive tell.

"It's very challenging," said Schwartzel, who stands 20th in the world ranking. "The greens are very firm and a lot quicker than last year. It feels a lot more like that Sunday when I won in '11, when it was really firm to play and you had to use a lot more break than normal.

"I think a little bit of experience will help a lot when it plays like this."

There you have it… tonight's Masters Champions Dinner… three South Africans in that illustrious group. — Johan Immelman (@johan_immelman)April 6, 2016

Oosthuizen and Schwartzel have made 13 starts at Augusta between them, and are in the prime of their careers at ages 33 and 31, respectively. Over the history of the event, the average age of a Masters winner is 32. South Africans have won five Masters titles, second only to the American contingent.

Some of the usual caveats apply. Oosthuizen missed the cut last week in Houston, and has missed the weekend four times in seven starts at Augusta. Schwartzel has amassed three victories since November, but two were against lightly regarded fields in South Africa.

Regardless, while the masses are largely backing names such as Day, Rory McIlroy and defending champion Jordan Spieth with their dinero, it could well be Oosthuizen who joins Schwartzel in next year's Champions Dinner photo, if not Schwartzel picking the menu items as the defending champ.

Perhaps some grilled giraffe?