Great pic!
Posted on 04/03/2006 2:33:49 PM PDT by wallcrawlr
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The golf season finally begins in earnest Thursday as the Masters tees off at a newer Augusta National Golf Course.
All of the talk pre-Masters has been the decision to lengthen the course in spots. A total of 155 yards has been added to six different holes, most notably the par-three fourth. This beaut plays to 240 yards and four-time winner Tiger Woods, certainly not the shortest hitter in golf, admitted he needed a wood to get there last month.
Change is always met with some resistance and the renovations at Augusta National have not sat well with some of golf's greatest. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, 10 green jackets between them, came out against the changes in an issue of Golf Digest.
Nicklaus in particular has been vocal about his dislike of what has occurred. He thinks that the course now only favors long-ball hitters and the realistic number of contenders has dipped to six or seven. Woods did not disagree and neither did Ernie Els, so handicapping the race may not be too difficult.
On the Augusta National of old, you know, before the latest attempts at "Tiger proofing" the course, it took a select type of player to win.
Length helped more than accuracy because the rough is nothing close to penal. You need a high ball flight because the putting surfaces are slick and the softer you can land it, the better off you are.
Certainly the first guy on everyone's mind is Tiger. He's won four green jackets, and Nicklaus thinks he could finish with 10. The Golden Bear might be kind. Woods' biggest problem this season, and last, is keeping the ball in the fairway. Here it doesn't impact him too terribly.
Woods has the best short game in the business and handles the swales and hills that are Augusta National's greens.
Plus, Tiger is playing very well thus far in 2006. He has two victories -- Buick Invitational and the Ford Championship at Doral. He also won in Dubai this calendar year, but lately things haven't been spectacular. He tied for 20th at Bay Hill, then tied for 22nd at The Players Championship. Certainly not ready to call it a slump, but he really never threatened the top of the leaderboard in either event.
The other factor that might play against Woods is the health of his father, Earl. Tiger flew cross-country on the Tuesday of The Players Championship because his health had deteriorated rapidly. Woods is extremely devoted to his father, called him his best friend on "60 Minutes," so anything that happens in that department is weighing heavily on Woods' mind. He has stated he will bail on Augusta if something happens with his father.
That is an awesome thing to have happen in your life, let alone try and win a golf tournament with your ailing father constantly on your mind. I'm not saying this could rob him of his chances at the title, but it might be a factor.
History at the Masters shows that rarely does someone completely out of nowhere win the first major of the year. Let's throw out most of the have-nots and realize that it's a top-tier guy who's going to win this thing.
The second-ranked player in the world is Vijay Singh. He was won this tournament before (2000) and hasn't finished outside the top 20 since 1999. Singh's got the length, but his putting is at best average, so an off week with the flat stick and Jim Nantz won't be interviewing him in Butler Cabin.
Next is Retief Goosen, and now we reach the player I think will walk off with the win. He has finished no worse than a tie for 13th in the last four years at Augusta and when it comes to slick greens, why not go with a two-time U.S. Open champion?
Goosen finished in second two weeks ago at The Players Championship and tied for fourth at last week's BellSouth Classic. He's hot right now, he's got an awesome Augusta resume and is a world-class golfer. I predict it's his time.
Don't sleep on Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. Mickelson won the title in 2004 (remember that?), and won by slightly less that two touchdowns at the BellSouth. Lefty is always a factor here because he works on his Masters game throughout the first four months of the year. The short game and creativity come in handy.
Els' best chance at a green jacket came at the expense of Mr. Mickelson. Els has not been astounding since his return last year from knee surgery, so this week may not be his best chance at winning a Masters. He has all of the tools, but he needs them to work together at the same time.
I like Goosen and think he's ready to break out of his annoying habit of only winning U.S. Opens. Golf's most unassuming superstar will stick out after he starts sporting a new, shiny green jacket.
Well, no one else has really responded to this posting - am I the only one very excited about the first of the Majors kicking off? I love the Masters and it's not just because I've won the pool I play in 3 of the last 4 years.
I think this year is a year for a non-American to win. The question is - will it be a South African or an Aussie??? I think we can safely rule out a European winner.
HAHA...thanks for caring enough to reply. ha ha
A good bet would be:
Tiger or the field
Maybe Mickelson will carry some momentum.
Martha Burke is excited. Which drainage ditch has she settled in this year?
She's probably pulling for Paul Casey, who slipped up by saying he was sick of America, or he hated America, something like that. He apologized, which is fine with me.
Phil will be fun to watch. He's playing great, but he's still got that wild streak in him.
Look out for those feisty guys like Weir, Toms, Dimarco.
I have Weir and Toms on my team. Almost always do. They are usually good for at least making the cut. I also have DiMarco, but I'm not completely comfortable with him as a pick yet. Don't know if his rib injury has fully recovered.
Sad to hear that Earl Woods is doing so poorly right now. I hope that Tiger is able to concentrate on his game and we'll see some good Sunday competition between him and some of the others.
The overwhelming favorite is Tiger! It doesn't matter if Lefty has ten drivers in his bag! If anyone else wins it will be an upset.
Great pic!
I think Tiger is going to win it this year.
I think he will come into the tournament focused and ready to go BECAUSE OF his father ala what Brett Farve did to the Raiders a couple years ago.
I think we'll see a repeat of this!
When Tiger wins, does he give the jacket to himself?
Yes, I'm thinking a new course record by Tiger!
Agreed! It certainly has a unique tradition. For many years I tried unsuccessfully to get practice round tickets. I'd just like to see the place for real once!
well I don't know about that.
But I think he is one of the few guys who has the ability to completely dominate that course in it's new incarnation.
It is long, long, long, and greens as fast as lightning and as hard as concrete!
Maybe Hootie or Jim will.
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