The last two Masters have produced first-time major champions. Who are those most likely to break through this weekend?Rory Sabbatini
The surly, Tiger-baiting South African wouldn’t exactly be the people’s choice, but he’s a strong putter (No. 5 on tour), has made seven of eight cuts, and was runner-up at Augusta in 2007. He also wears a skeleton-head belt. You have to like that. Paul Casey
After winning nine times on the European Tour, Casey won for the first time in the U.S. last week at Houston. Casey plays Augusta well, finishing T11 and T10 the last two years. He has the length and imagination. Does he have the composure?K.J. Choi
With changes to the course, the premium now is on driving it straight. Don’t believe it? Ask down-the-middle champions Trevor Immelman and Zach Johnson. Choi fits the description, hitting 69 percent of fairways. The Korean has three top 15s this year.Boo Weekley
Talk about bringing back the roars, wouldn’t it be great to see Boo riding his hobby horse off the 18th green Happy Gilmore-style, flashing his white socks, and bringing a Milwaukee’s Best into the Butler Cabin to accept his green jacket? Boo-ya!
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It was uncharacteristically cold and windy, so most of the world’s top golfers stayed close to the clubhouse Tuesday morning at Augusta. Some ducked out to visit the driving range and putting green, but most didn’t last long.
On the course, however, fighting the elements was Phil Mickelson. Known for his extreme preparations for major championships, and sometimes criticized for going overboard, Mickelson revels in the Masters experience.
“When you play this golf course, you remember shots dating back to Gene Sarazen’s double-eagle, to Fred Couples’ ball staying on the bank in ’92, playoffs that have occurred,” said Mickelson. “I think every year, because history is made here.”
Mickelson is trying to make his own history this week, as a three-time winner. The elite club includes Jack Nicklaus (six), Tiger Woods (four), Arnold Palmer (four) and Gary Player, Sam Snead, Jimmy Demaret and Nick Faldo (three each).
With so many risk-reward opportunities, Augusta stokes the spirit of a gambler, thus the attraction for Mickelson.
“You can recover. You don’t have to play perfect,” said Mickelson. “That’s why I’ve played well here in the past and can get away with some miss-hits and be able to get my next shot up or near the green and use my short game to salvage par, and even a birdie on the par fives.”
Changes to the course in recent years are said to have reduced the opportunities for high-wire acts like Mickelson. But he believes the weather had more to do with the success of low-risk champions Trevor Immelman (2008) and Zach Johnson (2007) than changes to the course.
“It’s very hard to mount a charge when it’s cold and windy,” said Mickelson. “I think [last two years] were due to the conditions. The forecast is to be warm and sunny. In that case, the course will play, I don’t want to say short, but it will play much shorter than we saw the last couple years.”
