"So, who do you like at The Masters?"
I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been asked this question as of late. There are several intriguing players who could win The Masters, but in all reality there is only one Great player and several very good ones.
Of course, the golf course and the weather forecast will have a bearing on the outcome, but if both are perfect I have to go with...well, we'll get to that in a bit. Let's look at the cast of characters.
Ernie Els has resurrected his career this year with wins in back to back starts at Doral and at Arnie's Place and while at one time he stated he would like to unseat Tiger Woods as the World's Number One Player, it simply isn't going to happen. Ernie is 40 and we might be in the midst of his last good run. The career Grand Slam is a more realistic ring to grab for as the Big Easy would only have to be the last one standing at two events on the playing calendar. To unseat Woods atop the World Rankings, Els would have to be good if not great every week he teed up wherever in the world he was for weeks on end. With a scaled down playing schedule and a bigger focus on his family, I don't see EE grinding it out for weeks at time on Tour to make a run at Number One happen.
Fred Couples has been ultra hot on the Champions Tour where his length is a huge advantage. That distance edge, combined with his recently soothed putting stroke has amounted to a torrid start on the Senior Circuit, three wins and a second. Can Boom Boom carry that kind of momentum down Magnolia Lane? If Couples was to win one more major, The Masters is his best shot and this would be his best chance.
Steve Stricker has a win already this season on the PGA TOUR and has been ranked Number Two in the world, still Augusta is a place where Strick is still getting comfortable. His ability to keep things moving forward with his short game is virtually unmatched at the PGA TOUR level. If Augusta National is playing fast and Stricker can be solid from tee to green, his silky smooth putting stroke just might be the difference in adding a major title to his resume. Think about it, wouldn't it be fun to serve beer and brats at the Champions dinner?
It's hard to tell what Phil Mickelson will do next, but there is definitely something going on there. To wrap up 2009, Philly Mick was as on top of his game as he ever had been in his stellar career. This season, not so much. A lot of stop and starting, a lot of hurry up and wait. Maybe being on the grounds at Augusta National is what Lefty needs to get the juices going again and just play golf.
Angel Cabrera, like Els, is halfway to the career Grand Slam, the big question is, which one will get there first? Or better yet, will either of them get there? Cabrera won the 2009 Masters using the old Jack Nicklaus formula of staying around and taking advantage of other players mistakes (Chad Campbell & Kenny Perry). When the dust settled, Cabrera had the second major title of his career. Ironically, Cabrera, not known as a "great" putter, has won his majors at Augusta National and Oakmont, not exactly easy places to the roll the rock.
Is it conceivable to think that an Anthony Kim, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy or even Michael Sim will discover the patience and game that is needed to notch their first major championship win? How about Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood or Charl Schwartzel from the other side of the pond making a splash for four days in Georgia? It's funny how no one really talks about Sergio Garcia in regards to the majors anymore. Certainly if Garcia, one of the best from tee to green, can find some magic with his flat stick he could sneak in and finally claim the major that everyone thought he would have had already.
Over the opening two rounds of the Masters there will be names and stories up and down the leaderboard that will delight those on the property and those watching wherever, but the 800-pound gorilla in the room will of course be, Tiger Woods.
From the press conference on Monday, April 5th to the opening tee shot on Thursday with whomever he's paired with (my educated guess is Fred Couples and Steve Stricker) to his play on the weekend (what, you think he's going to miss the cut?) to his final hole out on Sunday, regardless of who the winner is, the 2010 Masters, for better or worse, will be remembered as the Major Championship that Tiger came back at. And if he's in contention over four days, or even over the weekend, the ratings, the attention, the buzz will be off the charts. This could and most likely will be one for the ages.
So with all that written, who do I like? I like the young guns, McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa, Dustin Johnson, Alvaro Quiros, Schwartzel, Kaymer and others to have their Masters moments. I like Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, Geoff Ogilvy, Tim Clark, Ben Curtis, and Garcia to contend. I like Westwood, Mickelson, Cabrera, Stricker and Els to be among the elite at the top of the leaderboard. I like Tiger Woods to win it all. He wasn't going to come back until he was ready. Working with Hank Haney (who had to be thankfully dragged away from Ray Romano) in preparation shows that he's not just there to get the 2010 season started, he's putting the band back together and it's time to hit the road.
Your personal life, no matter how off the hosel it is, is your personal life, but this, this is business and no one has proven to be better at taking care of business on the golf course over his career than Tiger Woods.
I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been asked this question as of late. There are several intriguing players who could win The Masters, but in all reality there is only one Great player and several very good ones.
Of course, the golf course and the weather forecast will have a bearing on the outcome, but if both are perfect I have to go with...well, we'll get to that in a bit. Let's look at the cast of characters.
Ernie Els has resurrected his career this year with wins in back to back starts at Doral and at Arnie's Place and while at one time he stated he would like to unseat Tiger Woods as the World's Number One Player, it simply isn't going to happen. Ernie is 40 and we might be in the midst of his last good run. The career Grand Slam is a more realistic ring to grab for as the Big Easy would only have to be the last one standing at two events on the playing calendar. To unseat Woods atop the World Rankings, Els would have to be good if not great every week he teed up wherever in the world he was for weeks on end. With a scaled down playing schedule and a bigger focus on his family, I don't see EE grinding it out for weeks at time on Tour to make a run at Number One happen.
Fred Couples has been ultra hot on the Champions Tour where his length is a huge advantage. That distance edge, combined with his recently soothed putting stroke has amounted to a torrid start on the Senior Circuit, three wins and a second. Can Boom Boom carry that kind of momentum down Magnolia Lane? If Couples was to win one more major, The Masters is his best shot and this would be his best chance.
Steve Stricker has a win already this season on the PGA TOUR and has been ranked Number Two in the world, still Augusta is a place where Strick is still getting comfortable. His ability to keep things moving forward with his short game is virtually unmatched at the PGA TOUR level. If Augusta National is playing fast and Stricker can be solid from tee to green, his silky smooth putting stroke just might be the difference in adding a major title to his resume. Think about it, wouldn't it be fun to serve beer and brats at the Champions dinner?
It's hard to tell what Phil Mickelson will do next, but there is definitely something going on there. To wrap up 2009, Philly Mick was as on top of his game as he ever had been in his stellar career. This season, not so much. A lot of stop and starting, a lot of hurry up and wait. Maybe being on the grounds at Augusta National is what Lefty needs to get the juices going again and just play golf.
Angel Cabrera, like Els, is halfway to the career Grand Slam, the big question is, which one will get there first? Or better yet, will either of them get there? Cabrera won the 2009 Masters using the old Jack Nicklaus formula of staying around and taking advantage of other players mistakes (Chad Campbell & Kenny Perry). When the dust settled, Cabrera had the second major title of his career. Ironically, Cabrera, not known as a "great" putter, has won his majors at Augusta National and Oakmont, not exactly easy places to the roll the rock.
Is it conceivable to think that an Anthony Kim, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy or even Michael Sim will discover the patience and game that is needed to notch their first major championship win? How about Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood or Charl Schwartzel from the other side of the pond making a splash for four days in Georgia? It's funny how no one really talks about Sergio Garcia in regards to the majors anymore. Certainly if Garcia, one of the best from tee to green, can find some magic with his flat stick he could sneak in and finally claim the major that everyone thought he would have had already.
Over the opening two rounds of the Masters there will be names and stories up and down the leaderboard that will delight those on the property and those watching wherever, but the 800-pound gorilla in the room will of course be, Tiger Woods.
From the press conference on Monday, April 5th to the opening tee shot on Thursday with whomever he's paired with (my educated guess is Fred Couples and Steve Stricker) to his play on the weekend (what, you think he's going to miss the cut?) to his final hole out on Sunday, regardless of who the winner is, the 2010 Masters, for better or worse, will be remembered as the Major Championship that Tiger came back at. And if he's in contention over four days, or even over the weekend, the ratings, the attention, the buzz will be off the charts. This could and most likely will be one for the ages.
So with all that written, who do I like? I like the young guns, McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa, Dustin Johnson, Alvaro Quiros, Schwartzel, Kaymer and others to have their Masters moments. I like Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, Geoff Ogilvy, Tim Clark, Ben Curtis, and Garcia to contend. I like Westwood, Mickelson, Cabrera, Stricker and Els to be among the elite at the top of the leaderboard. I like Tiger Woods to win it all. He wasn't going to come back until he was ready. Working with Hank Haney (who had to be thankfully dragged away from Ray Romano) in preparation shows that he's not just there to get the 2010 season started, he's putting the band back together and it's time to hit the road.
Your personal life, no matter how off the hosel it is, is your personal life, but this, this is business and no one has proven to be better at taking care of business on the golf course over his career than Tiger Woods.
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