World No. 1 Dustin Johnson never trailed in a single match en route to a 7-0 week at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship -- his third victory in as many starts.
Our experts look ahead to the Masters and what DJ's latest victory could mean at the year's first major in this week's edition of Monday Four-Ball.
1. Has Johnson separated from the pack enough to make him the prohibitive Masters favorite?
ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jonathan Coachman: Johnson is clearly the best player in the world; but until he really proves it to me, I can't make him a Masters favorite. There is still something about Jordan Spieth that makes him my favorite. With that being said, DJ is making a believer out of me and it would not surprise me to see him dominate at Augusta. And I love it when we have the rare period of time when one player dominates over several weeks. This might be the time.
ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins: Yes. Usually we're quick to jump on a guy who's hot for one week, but DJ has been so consistent for so long now it's hard to see someone else being a better pick than him. Putting was the thing that made me worry about Dustin at Augusta. I'm not worried about it anymore.
ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: Yes, winning three straight tournaments, including two World Golf Championship events, will put you in the position -- which, of course, will mean very little when the Masters begins.
ESPN.com senior golf writer Jason Sobel: In a word, yes. And that's not just my word -- take the oddsmakers' word for it. But let's remember: Just because a guy is the favorite doesn't mean he'll win. It doesn't even mean I'm picking him to win. But if you're handicapping the field, he absolutely has to be the fave right now.
2. Forget the world rankings: If you were listing the best players in the world right now, where does Jon Rahm rank?
Coachman: I am putting Rahm in my top five. He is consistently contending, and when Phil Mickelson gives you the seal of approval, I am good with that. I can't name five players who can beat Rahm head-to-head. It will be fun to see his emotion, and how he handles it, at Augusta. Rahm will be in the top five this time next year.
Collins: Not sure if he's in the top 10, but he's easily inside the top 20. Looking at the Official World Golf Ranking list, I might even put him as high as 11th, but I'm a guy who thinks the ranking is a sham to begin with, so ...
Harig: As Mickelson said a few weeks ago, Rahm is already one of the best in the world. A couple of close calls at WGC events following his first win at Torrey Pines? He's in the top 10.
Sobel: Technically, he's 14th according to the formula. But I heard some whispering from players that he might be the second- or third-best golfer on the planet right this very minute. Now, granted, these things are flexible, often on a weekly basis. I personally wouldn't put him ahead of guys like Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth or Jason Day, but Phil Mickelson says he's one of the 10 best in the world and I do agree with that.
3. What was your favorite (or least-favorite) part of this past week's WGC-Match Play?
Coachman: My least-favorite part was all of the stars not making it to Saturday. It's part of the game, but it solidified that the PGA Tour needs to work on making these players into bigger personalities. Rahm will be a star because he is exciting to watch. The good, the bad, the ugly. If people care about more players, we will have more matches people want to see.
Collins: I've had BBQ four nights this week from four different places. They were all great, but I don't feel so good right now. I'd like to leave Texas and have some grilled salmon and salad for the next month. Scratch that, for a week, because the Masters' egg-salad sandwiches are calling my cell phone right now.
Harig: Dustin Johnson's dominance. It is fun to see him manhandle golf courses and step on his opponents as he did throughout the week.
Sobel: I'm not a big fan of the round-robin format. It should be single-elimination -- win or go home. But in the three years since they've moved to the current format, the winners have been DJ, Day and McIlroy. Solely based on that, it's not changing anytime soon.
4. One more Masters invitation is up for grabs at the Shell Houston Open. Which player would be the best story if he gets it?
Coachman: Beef Johnston is a great story wherever he goes. The more characters who can tee it up at Augusta, the better it is for the game. And the golfer's game has to come along with the personality. It's time for Beef to start showing up at the top of the PGA Tour -- showing up at the top of a few iconic leaderboards would be a really cool story.
Collins: My golf heart says Sam Saunders. His fifth-place finish in Puerto Rico got him into the Shell Houston Open and winning there to make it to Augusta would be great. But my comedian heart says Grayson Murray because of who he's going to have caddie for him at the Masters Par-3 contest. Having your "date," Lindsey Pelas, caddie for you there works for my comedy heart on way too many levels.
Harig: Charles Howell III. The Augusta, Georgia, native was billed as a superstar coming out of college, but has just two victories -- his last coming 10 years ago. Still, he wins a ton of money but has played in just one of the past seven Masters, always seeming to come up short. He needed a bit more success at the Match Play to get in and fell short again. A victory in Houston would be sweet.
Sobel: I know many fans might be Sam Saunders-ed out after the recent Arnold Palmer Invitational, but that doesn't mean him winning for the first time and getting into the Masters following his grandfather's death wouldn't be a fantastic story. And it's possible now, too: After a T-5 in Puerto Rico, he qualified for the field in Houston.